Former BU prof recognized for gender equity efforts

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 01/05/2023 (1230 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Longtime Brandon University faculty member Kathleen Nichol is the most recent recipient of the Sarah Shorten Award, which aims to recognize outstanding achievement in the promotion of the advancement of women in post-secondary spaces.

Nichol, who retired last year after teaching at BU for more than four decades, picked up this national award at a Canadian Association of University Teachers council meeting that took place in Ottawa on April 21.

In a followup news release from BU, Nichol said she’s very proud of the gender equity campaigns she spearheaded throughout her lengthy career in education, with her work on the university’s Status of Women Review Committee (SWRC) being a particular highlight.

“Hearing faculty members’ concerns and being with a group of people who were creative in trying to address these concerns was so rewarding,” she said.

Nichol originally joined BU’s SWRC in the early 1990s, serving as its first chair from 1994 until 2017.

Throughout that time, Nichol helped facilitate investigations into why female staff were lagging behind their male counterparts in terms of tenure and promotion when they were just as capable and productive.

To fellow SWRC chair Gretta Sayers, this committee has been instrumental in developing proposals for research grants, addressing the work climate at BU and examining the collective agreement for issues that put women at a disadvantage.

“Kathleen’s work is an inspiration for current SWRC members,” Sayers said in Wednesday’s news release. “Her practical and effective approach of ‘What do you need? Let’s do it!’ informs the many ways that SWRC continues to support women faculty at BU.”

Nichol first began teaching at BU as a part-time lab instructor in 1976, having previously enrolled in the university to obtain a Bachelor of Science degree (math and physics) in 1973 and a Bachelor of Education degree (math and science) in 1975.

After being hired on as a full-time instructor in 1978, Nichol taught math, physics and chemistry in the Faculty of Science until her retirement in 2022, although she recently dedicated a lot of time to BU’s Program for Education of Native Teachers as well.

Throughout this time, SWRC member Cheryl Fleming said Nichol was an early advocate for women in faculty, since she recognized systemic disadvantages that women faced and then worked tirelessly to address them.

“We all owe Kathleen and the early members of SWRC a great debt, and we are proud to continue their work toward equality,” Fleming said.

Nichol’s love for teaching also led her to participate in several BU outreach programs, where she would visit elementary schools located in Brandon and Forrest and attempt to spark the students’ interest in pursuing topics like math and chemistry into their post-secondary education.

Because of all these contributions, Nichol has picked up several accolades before the recent Sarah Shorten Award presentation, including a YWCA Brandon Women of Distinction award in 2015 as well as a BU Alumni Association Excellence in Teaching Award.

“Any opportunity to teach, at the university level or though [sic] outreach, I loved. That is why I did this for my career,” she wrote in a recent statement.

“Seeing students ‘get it’ and seeing the grins on their faces made it a ball, all the time!”

The Sarah Shorten Award was established in 1990 in honour of Sarah Shorten, who previously served as the vice-president and president of the Canadian Association of University Teachers.

This year’s award was presented to Nichol and French instructor Chantal Dion of Carleton University.

» The Brandon Sun