Bio:
Deirdre Bryden is Archivist (University Records), Queen's University Archives.
Title of paper:
'Archives as Augur: Using the Archival Record to Examine the Past and Predict the Future of Women's Employment Equity at Queen's University'
Abstract:
Using Queen's University as a case study, this paper explores the history of women's pursuit of employment equity in the university setting. Over the years, Queen's has investigated many avenues to address the issue of employment equity for women. From the creation of the Dean of Women position (and its subsequent dissolution), to the formation of the first Principal's Committee on the Status of Women in 1972, to the establishment of the Employment Equity office: Queen's has gone down many roads, some more successful than others. What can Queen's and other institutions learn from these past achievements and failures? Is our current environment better than our past? Are we heading in the right direction for our future? The archival record can reveal much about where we've been, what's been accomplished and what upcoming path we might possibly pursue.