Human Rights & International Solidarity Committee

FPSE members care deeply about equality and social justice, not only in our working lives, but also in society at large. The Human Rights & International Solidarity Committee works on strategies for achieving equality in our institutions and in our communities. This committee also organizes an annual Speaker's Tour, inviting leading human rights activists to our member locals to share their knowledge and experiences. FPSE representatives receive regular training and skill-building opportunities, and FPSE's Annual General Meeting offers participants an annual opportunity to explore current rights issues.

The committee also participates in administering the International Solidarity Fund.

Committee Members

Chair	Emily Carr University of Art + Design Faculty Association Alex Phillips
Staff Rep	Andrea Wong
Local Reps
Local 1	Capilano University Faculty Association Hasrat Gill Grewal
Local 2	Thompson Rivers University Faculty Association Manu Sharma
Local 3	Faculty Association of the College of New Caledonia Suman Prem Kumar
Local 4	Douglas College Faculty Association Brian Fixter
Local 5	Kwantlen Faculty Association David Sadoway
Local 6	College of the Rockies Faculty Association Michele A Sam
Local 7	University of the Fraser Valley Faculty & Staff Association Chelsea Klassen
Local 8	Vancouver Island University Faculty Association Eliza Gardiner
Local 9	Okanagan College Faculty Association Terry Bridges
Local 10	Selkirk College Faculty Association Pablo Pastor
Local 11	Academic Workers’ Union (Coast Mountain College) Christane Carr
Local 12	Camosun College Faculty Association Derek Murray
Local 14	Langara Faculty Association Vacant
Local 16	North Island College Faculty Association Kerri Lowey MacKenzie
Local 17	TRU Open Learning Faculty Association Gloria Ramirez
Local 19	Nicola Valley Institute of Technology Employees’ Association Nedra McKay
Local 21	Education & Training Employees' Association Geoffrey Morrison
Local 22	Emily Carr University of Art + Design Faculty Association Alex Phillips (Chair)

Exec Liaison	FPSE Second Vice-President Jasmine Nicholsfigueiredo
NRFC Liaison	Vacant

Policy Statement

To promote human rights protection and education among faculty and staff, students and administrators.
To join with existing human rights groups within the community for the purpose of exchange of information and the promotion of strengthened human rights protection in BC.
To preserve and enhance fundamental standards of humanity, peace and human rights legislation, on the national as well as the international level.
To work cooperatively with national and international NGOs and labour organizations whose mandate it is to promote human rights worldwide, as peace is essential to ensuring the quality of life.

Responsibilities

To encourage the formation of an active Human Rights Committee in each local.
To ensure that sufficient human rights protection is available to members through improvement of provisions of collective agreements and the establishment of policies in colleges and institutions.
To help members utilize existing human rights legislation, in conjunction with the collective agreement, to prevent discrimination.
To provide resources and education on human rights legislation and issues.
To join with other groups/individuals in the community to support issues of mutual interest, with the approval of Presidents' Council.
To monitor the progress of human rights protection in the members' institutions.
To recommend to Presidents' Council that the committee liaise with specific local, provincial, national and international organizations which advocate for international solidarity on global justice and human rights issues and, where Presidents' Council agrees, to do that liaising.
Recognizing the limited resources of FPSE and the scope of human rights issues, the Human Rights and International Solidarity Committee will:
a) inform and educate members on linkages between local and international human rights and international solidarity issues;
b) advise the Presidents' Council on human rights and international solidarity issues; and
c) advocate for international solidarity on global justice and human rights issues.
To appoint two members to the International Solidarity Fund Committee.

Terms of Reference

Reporting: Reports regularly to the FPSE President and the Presidents’ Council.

Composition: The Human Rights & International Solidarity Committee is composed of one designated representative from each local.

A member will be appointed by the Executive Committee, with voice but without vote, to act as liaison between the Standing Committee, the Executive, and Presidents' Council.

The Non-Regular Faculty Committee may appoint one person to the Committee.

Locals should consider including their HRISC member on their local Executive.

Term of Appointment: Locals shall endeavour to elect or appoint representatives for a two year term.

Meetings: Such meetings as are required to fulfill its responsibilities, limited only by the funding allocated to the Committee. The Committee may substitute or include a workshop or conference for a meeting.

Chairperson: The Committee shall elect a new Chairperson at the last meeting of the Committee held prior to the convening of the Annual General Meeting and Convention.

The Committee shall endeavour to elect a Chairperson who has served on the Committee a previous term as a local representative.

The Chairperson or designate shall have observer status at meetings of the Presidents’ Council with voice but no vote. The responsibility of the Chairperson includes attendance by the Chairperson or designate at the Presidents’ Council meeting immediately subsequent to a meeting of the Committee or upon request of the FPSE President.

The Chairperson shall attend the Annual General Meeting and Convention. The Convention shall provide orientation and planning opportunities for Committee Chairpersons and facilitate their meeting as a group.

The duly elected Chairperson of the Committee must be the designated representative of a local to continue being Chairperson.

Observers: By invitation of the Chair.

Quorum: A majority of locals.

Voting: Positions adopted by consensus among designated representatives; otherwise by simple majority of those voting (By-Law #6).

Funds: As allocated in the annual budget.

Resources of Interest

Human Rights and International Solidarity Resource Database (shared with thanks to Dr. Imogene Lim, Katy Rosnau, and the Vancouver Island University Faculty Association)

Letter to college and university presidents from Amira Elghawaby, Canada's Special Representative on Combatting Islamophobia (August 30, 2024)

Past FPSE-HRISC Speakers Tour

March 26, 2024: Making a Place for Dialogue in Times of Conflict Passcode: HRISC2024!
March 20, 2023: Academic Freedom Passcode: HRISC2023!

Human Rights Policy and Legislation

Human Rights Resources