The Residence Life Professional Association (RLPA), as outlined in our bylaws, aims to foster a community that brings together post-secondary residence staff members, promotes meaningful exchanges of information, cooperates with other institutions, and supports the professional development of residence life personnel. Central to these goals is our commitment to inclusion and belonging, which we strive to cultivate in our association’s environment. This statement encapsulates our commitment to these values.
Inclusion and Belonging Statement
As stated in Article 1 of Bylaw II, RLPA aims to bring together all post-secondary residence staff members. We firmly believe in the importance of inclusion and belonging, recognizing and celebrating the diverse perspectives and backgrounds of our members. Whether as an executive board member, affiliated vendor, guest, or visitor, each interaction within RLPA should uphold these values and contribute positively to our collective experience.
Participation Expectations
Our Association, as stated in Article 5 of Bylaw III, is open to all eligible persons regardless of race, colour, gender or gender expression, age, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, physical and/or mental disability. It’s our firm belief that the diversity of our members enriches our community and contributes to a vibrant, inclusive environment.
We expect all members, including the executive board, affiliated vendors, guests, or visitors, to uphold this ethos in their interactions within the Association. This requires conscious effort to:
- Respect and value the diverse backgrounds and perspectives of others.
- Treat everyone with kindness, empathy, and professional courtesy.
- Actively foster an inclusive atmosphere, ensuring all voices are heard and valued.
- Stand against and report any forms of discrimination, harassment, or exclusion.
The Association is committed to providing a safe environment for all its members. Any form of harassment, including sexual misconduct, or behaviours that threaten, intimidate, or coerce any member of our Association, will not be tolerated.
Our shared commitment to these expectations helps us maintain an Association that is not just safe and professional, but also welcoming, inclusive, and respectful of all.
Reporting and Response Process
We encourage any member who experiences bias, hostility, or any form of inappropriate or unwanted behaviour during any RLPA activity to submit a report through any of the following options:
- A member of the Presidential Trio (president@rlpa.ca, presidentelect@rlpa.ca, president-past@rlpa.ca).
- A designated member of the Anti-Racism and Reconciliation (ARR) Working Group, who must be a non-voting member of the Board, or
- Through your institution’s Senior Housing Officer, who can bring up the report on your behalf to one of the aforementioned reporting options.
The Presidential Trio and the designated member of the ARR Working Group will serve as the Response Task Force and will be given training to be able to properly respond to reports and disclosures. Upon receiving a report, the Response Task Force members will work with the impacted party to appropriately address the incident in a way that feels comfortable to the impacted party and upholds our commitment to maintaining a space of safety, respect, inclusion, and belonging for all.
If the impacted party that is filing a report perceives there to be a conflict of interest between the respondent of the report and either a member(s) of the Presidential Trio or of the ARR Working Group, that can be noted and the person receiving the report will assemble an alternative Response Task Force comprising another Board member(s) or another ARR Working Group member(s) that does not consist of the person(s) with the perceived conflict of interest.
Statement Revisions
The RLPA Inclusion and Belonging Statement will undergo regular reviews and updates by the ARR Working Group to ensure the statement’s continued effectiveness and relevance.
Written & Adopted June 2023