EDC | RFPES

Dear EDC Community,

Monday afternoon, we met in record numbers (92 people) for an EDC Meeting (General, Special, or otherwise) with 50 Members voting by e-ballot. I presented the following motion, and it was seconded by Tim Loblaw:

The Educational Developers Caucus officially declines participation in the STLHE EDI Task force and declares we are not represented by the current STLHE EDI Task force processes.

The results of the vote by numbers are as follows:
30 = Yes
6 = No
10 = Abstain
4 = unresolved technical issues

With these numbers, the motion officially passes. The Educational Developers Caucus officially declines participation in the STLHE EDI Task Force, and the Educational Developers Caucus declares we are not represented by the current STLHE EDI Task force processes.

Technical Issues with the Vote
We did have Members who experienced technical issues with SimpleSurvey and the one-click-limit. Options of resetting, of a second link, and of e-mailing votes to the Online Event Coordinator were provided. Our Coordinator was the only one with the password and access to the voting software, links, and resolution with the tech.

In full, open, and transparent disclosure, two Members e-mailed intimating widespread issues with the tech that caused them concerns over the validity, reliability, and confidentiality of the vote – by our numbers above, these were not. More than four folks experienced link issues, but the Online Event Coordinator was able to resolve all but four to get the votes working in ways that satisfied both the Members and the process.

We heard from our community members the pain, hurt, and harm that has been caused as a result of STLHE and EDI Task Force actions. It is time to move forward. Deep thanks to all who participated, engaged, and reached out!

Going forward
Starting from a relational accountability standpoint in the new year, we will expand and continue the discussions. The EDC Community will lead the decision-making of a decolonial and anti-racist process. With recognition of the time of year, we will initiate opportunities for community dialogue and input after the winter break in January. The EDC proposed 2021 budget – provided to the EDC membership in November and awaiting STLHE board approval – has set funding aside for an EDI special project that could fund advisors and this process.

We will listen, and we want to hear from you
For those who put their names forward to be the representative, we know our actions impacted you. Please reach out directly to any member of the EDC Executive, and we will be most happy to engage in open dialogue with you.

For those who are worried or feel stretched, we will support you in this process.

For those of you who were not in attendance, could not vote as Members, and/or have unresolved feelings on this meeting, motion, and decision, what does this work need to do going forward?

We will hold open space, with opportunities set in the new year.

We recognize
We recognize the exclusion and harm our systems perpetuate on people in our community, and we are committed to:

• Consultation with the EDC Community in an ongoing and respectful manner;
• Taking a decolonization and anti-racism approach; and
• Continuing to prioritize EDC as a Community of Educational Developers and listening to the expertise and lived experience from the EDC Community and beyond.

We trust that STLHE leadership respects the EDC Community journeying. We are unlearning, learning, and relearning, and we look forward to finding ways to share together.

With thanks to all who engaged.

Mandy

Mandy Frake-Mistak
As Secretary, Educational Developers Caucus
Meeting Minutes of the Special Meeting of the EDC Community

Dear EDC Community,

We would like to remind you that on Monday, December 14^th from 12:00 – 1:30 PM Eastern, the EDC will be hosting a special meeting of members. 

To receive the zoom link, please register: https://forms.gle/SqUE4GStFm2C6J6v8

The motion to discuss is:

Proposal of Non-Participation: The Educational Developers Caucus officially declines participation in the STLHE EDI Task force and declares we are not represented by the current STLHE EDI Task force processes.

Recent STLHE actions have reinforced the need for the EDC to come together as a community,  in the transformative work of decolonizing and rooting out systemic discrimination in the structures, processes, relationships, and assumptions that form our work as educational developers.  

The critical concerns of the EDC Executive are:

• The concerns raised by the EDC Selection Committee and the associated commitments requested of the STLHE and EDI Task Force in the September 21^stletter. (https://edc.stlhe.ca/2020/10/29/to-our-edc-community/#more-1700)
• A summary of the dialogue to date with STLHE and EDI Task Force leadership regarding these concerns.
• The impact of STLHE’s November 24^thannouncement (Update on STLHE EDI Task Force) on in-progress circle with the EDC Executive and EDC Selection Committee regarding the EDI Task Force.

To be clear, the EDC has not selected a representative to participate in the STLHE EDI Task Force.  The Executive and Selection Committee have serious concerns that remain unaddressed and we look forward to discussing them with you, the EDC community, on December 14th. 

Note, due to current by-laws, only EDC members may vote. To check that you are a member, please refer to https://stlhesapes.wildapricot.org. 

All are welcome to engage in the sharing, listening, and discussion.

Your EDC Executive

Dear EDC Community, 

The EDC Community has always been engaged in visioning the future of EDC. 

Following up from our letter to you on October 29^th, 2020 regarding our concerns with involvement in the STLHE EDI Task Force, we will be hosting our EDC Special Meeting of the Community on December 14^th, 2020 from 12:00-1:30pm Eastern. Please mark your calendars. Link and more information to follow this required minimum 30-day notice as per our by-laws.

The reason for this Special General Meeting is:

In line with our EDC values of open community, ethical practice, and collaboration, we, the EDC Executive, will not make a decision toward our community’s representation on the STLHE EDI Task Force without engaging with you, our community. We, the EDC Executive, voted to approve sending the letter to our EDC Community to be transparent about the EDC selection of a EDI Task Force representative process so far and to bring this motion to the community. We are bringing it to you, our community, for discussion and decision on the motion.

The motion to be presented at this meeting is: 

Proposal of Non-Participation: The Educational Developers Caucus officially declines participation in the STLHE EDI Task Force and declares we are not represented by the current STLHE EDI Task Force processes.

This meeting will be open to the EDC Community for discussion. Due to our by-laws, voting is restricted to EDC members. To check that you are a member, please refer to https://stlhesapes.wildapricot.org

The link for the meeting will be sent to members and posted in the listserv.

-Your EDC Executive