Residence Life & Services is committed to creating and supporting communities where equity, diversity, inclusion, and Indigeneity are embraced and celebrated.
We are strengthened and enriched by our diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and lived experiences.
We acknowledge that identity is multi-dimensional and understand privilege as dynamic and situated. We recognize that we have much work to do to create and sustain our vision for a fully inclusive residence environment that welcomes all students. This is a collective and individual requirement; students living in residence must be committed to respecting one another and embracing the differences we all bring to the community.
We acknowledge the harms of our colonial past and are committed to doing what is necessary to alter the profoundly entrenched behaviours and structures that perpetuate inequities. We are actively working to eliminate discrimination, injustice, and violence and engage our communities in dialogue and action; we welcome the participation of our students as we move forward on these important initiatives.
If these statements do not reflect your values, living in residence may not be for you. Residents have the right to live peacefully and thrive in residence regardless of their race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, and mental or physical disability.
Students can find further information about grounds protected by the Ontario Human Rights Code in the Harassment and Discrimination Policy. Harassment, discrimination, intimidation, including, but not limited to, actions that seek to target, exclude and/or shame a person based on a part of their identity is a violation of human rights and will not be tolerated in residence. Residents are expected to live by these principles, and we will denounce and hold accountable anyone who does not. All actions will be taken seriously and will be investigated by University Staff.
We encourage all students to participate in residence processes and activities to generate discourse on the theme of making a more equitable and inclusive environment for all. There exist formal and informal opportunities to get involved, and we encourage all students to voice their opinions. Students with experiences from diverse backgrounds will be given priority in formal processes.
• Formal Opportunities: Student Conduct Committee, Residence Society
• Informal Opportunities: Email residence.conduct@queensu.ca or visit our office in C110 Victoria Hall
• Feedback about equitable living environment: reslife@queensu.ca
Together, we have achieved the following through EDII commitments:
*Residence Life & Services is a unit of Housing and Ancillary Services.
The H&A Leadership team has mandatory EDII goal setting as part of their Professional Dialogue Process. Some managers have received Positive Space Training, a Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace Certificate, Mental Health First Aid, ASIST, and Anti-Racism training, and two senior leaders are certified to facilitate Anti-Racism Response Training - on disrupting racism.
All employees complete three Accessibility for Ontarians with Disability Act courses, and student-staff participate in training on intercultural competence, human rights, KAIROS blanket exercise, positive spaces and campus resources.
Hiring committees receive Staff Hiring training, and some staff members complete the Staff Equity Representative training. Student-staff Employee Resource Groups have been created for (1. Racialized students 2. Faith-based 3. Folks with disabilities 4. Queer-identified folks) (2019)
All Hospitality foodservice staff undergo allergen food safety training.
Residence Sustainability Initiatives
In partnership with Housing and Ancillary Services and Queen’s University campus partners, Residence Life and Services are committed to advancing the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Safe and Engaged Community: Residence Life Coordinators and Dons, upper-year students trained in peer counselling, conflict mediation, community development, and leadership, help students navigate opportunities to be involved in residence and the larger campus community.
Embedded Counsellors: Life at university is exciting and filled with new experiences, but it can also be overwhelming. Embedded Residence Counsellors offer support in confidential spaces to students living in residence.
Community Housing Social Connectedness: An Clachan's Community Coordinator provides diverse programs and resources through partnership and collaboration with the Queen's University International Centre. Students and their families from around the world living in community housing benefit from cross-cultural exchange and learning opportunities. A strong sense of community for tenants is built through social gatherings and educational initiatives.
Events in Residence: Programs and events developed by Residence and student staff collaborate with campus partners such as Queen's student associations, Hospitality Services, Office of Indigenous Initiatives, Health Promotion Office, Queen's University International Centre, Student Experience Office and others to reach the entire student body living in residences. Events including Consent Week, HOCO 101, Pride Month, Wellness Week, Black History Month, and other educational initiatives help get students diversely involved.
Gathering Space: Students in residence have indoor and outdoor green spaces to create a community around campus. The new Albert Street residence includes indoor bike storage, an outdoor courtyard with space for indigenous gatherings, study nooks, and rooms for resting, yoga, naps, and prayer will enhance student well-being.
Responsible Consumption and Production: Residence Life and Services work to promote resource and energy efficiency and sustainable infrastructure. Some highlights include; the Albert Street Residence construction project targeting Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), IT Services digitizing paper-based processes, managing equipment lifecycle practices to eliminate over purchasing, virtual server hubs and more.
Mindful Moving: Mindful Move-In and Mindful Move-Out webpages in collaboration with Sustainable Queen's to help students move more environmentally conscious and save money. Students can find tips on sustainable items to bring to campus, avoiding packaging waste, reuse furniture locations within Kingston, etc., online.
Community Donations: Move-out generates significant waste from students transitioning from residence each year. Donations of miscellaneous personal and household items can be made to charity through the Canadian Diabetes drop boxes in residence year-round. Additional boxes get added for students' convenience during move-out.
Reusable Programs: Students can commit to reducing single-use disposables on campus by participating in the ECO Container Program and The Huskee Swap Programs, designed to help reduce waste consumption.
Sustainability
Housing and Ancillary Services (H&A) are proud to support the sustainability goals of Queen's University and have made significant strides in different areas across the portfolio. Inspired by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 17 to "Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development," representatives across H&A and the campus community collaborate to provide strategic direction and recommendations for evaluating, planning, development, communication, and implementing sustainable initiatives at Queens.
Housing and Ancillary Services' work is supported by the department's Sustainability Working Group, a sub-group of Queen's Sustainability Working Group. This group meets monthly to bring together individuals across H&A with access to campus and community partners to share resources, discuss collaborative projects, gain insight on new initiatives, explore available research, and update progress on current goals. Members include Hospitality Services, Residence Life, Residence Facilities, Community Housing, Off-Campus Living Advisor, The Sustainability Office, and an open invitation to students at large, Residence Society and the Alma Mater Society, Society of Graduate & Professional Students, and other supporting partners or contracted providers.
We invite Queen’s community members to join the H&A Sustainability Working Group and become part of the conversation. Email theresa.couto@queensu.ca to join.
- Queen’s Climate Action Plan
- Queen’s Strategic Framework
- United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
- Queen’s Campus Wellbeing Framework
H&A Milestones
2021
- New Albert Street residence designed with LEED gold standard
- Donald Gordon Hotel & Conference Centre earns Travel Proud designation
- Queen’s University becomes the 41st Fair Trade Campus in Canada
- Organic bins installed in common rooms in all residence buildings
- Safe tap water campaign launches in Residence
- Hospitality Services purchases 100% Sustainable Seafood
- Mandatory EDII training for managers and professional development goal setting
- Mindful Move-In and Mindful Move-Out webpages launch
- Incoming students auto-enroll in the ECO Container program
2020 - 2018
- Donald Gordon Hotel and Conference Centre becomes a certified Fair-Trade Workplace
- Eco Container Programs expands to six locations
- Flipit opens, promoting a flexitarian lifestyle
- Hospitality Services wins City of Kingston’s Organizational Sustainability Champion Award from Sustainable Kingston
- Hospitality Services transitions from plastic to paper straws and to-go paper bags
- Gold for Green Office Certification is awarded to the Hospitality Services office
- Lean Path Spark implemented to track and reduce food waste in dining halls
- Swipe It Forward launches helping students experiencing food insecurity on campus
- ECO-Beverage Card launches to incentivize the use of reusable mugs