Pedagogies of Inclusive Excellence

Proposals are invited from all appointed faculty members, with applications from teaching-stream faculty particularly encouraged. Librarians and staff working on aspects of curriculum and pedagogy are eligible to apply as partners.

Proposals must extend beyond a single department. Cross-campus partnerships with the Library, AccessAbility Services, the Health & Wellness Centre, the Centre for Teaching & Learning, the Doris McCarthy Gallery, Community Partnerships & Engagement, Indigenous Initiatives, Student Life Programs in Indigenous Outreach and Black Student Engagement, the International Student Centre, and other units engaging with and supporting curricular and pedagogical work responding to the goals of the curriculum review are encouraged. Alternatively, or in addition, proposals may work to bridge the campus and the broader community.

Applicants who are new to community-engaged learning and/or who are proposing to work with Indigenous Elders or knowledge keepers should seek guidance from the Community Partnerships & Engagement and Indigenous Initiatives in the Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Office prior to engaging with community partners.

In all cases, applicants are also encouraged to consult with the Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Office when developing project goals and proposed methodologies and processes.

Proposals must extend beyond the boundaries of a single department and advance the goals of the curriculum review at a campus level. Projects should focus on one or more aspects of equity-based, holistic, accessible, anti-racist, and anti-colonial pedagogies and curricular development. The curriculum review has focused on Indigenous knowledges and knowledge systems, Black knowledges, racialized perspectives, and international and intercultural perspectives, while also foregrounding the importance of intersectionality, including gender, sexuality, and disability, as well as mental health and well-being.

While teaching and learning take place both inside and outside the classroom, proposals focused primarily on a co-curricular project should articulate a clear connection to inclusive curriculum and pedagogical development at U of T Scarborough. Proposals emerging out of a single course should highlight how the outcomes and benefits will extend across programs and departments.

Proposals should also show evidence of engaging students as partners.

Proposals should address how the project’s approach, process, and methodologies, including related learning and professional development, will inform anticipated outcomes. If working with community partners, proposals should reflect U of T Scarborough’s values-based and reciprocal approach to community engagement and knowledge exchange. Looking ahead beyond the planned initiative, please consider the following: What’s next? What steps are being taken to connect your project to long-term learning and relationship-building at the university?

Proposals should also reflect on the following questions: Whose knowledge is being centered? Whose voices are centered? Has there been consensual/mutual consultation with potential partners? If further consultation is required, please contact the Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Office to help guide your efforts to cultivate a culture of belonging across the campus and with the broader community.

The curriculum review has placed an emphasis on creative processes. Imaginative engagement with the transformative possibilities of the PIE fund for curriculum, teaching, and learning that advance inclusive excellence at U of T Scarborough are welcome and encouraged. Examples of initiatives include but are not limited to: speaker series and symposia; visiting artists, community members, and scholars; land- and community-based learning opportunities; cross-disciplinary learning and mentorship initiatives focused on curriculum and pedagogy; projects leveraging learnings from the pandemic; and initiatives that connect curricular and pedagogical development to student access, support, and well-being.

Eligible expenses should follow university guidelines. They may include compensation or honoraria for visitors and guest speakers, recognizing the value of knowledges contributed by community members; short-term staffing costs; hospitality and related logistical costs for events; support for student contributions (e.g., research or teaching assistantships, on-campus co-op or work study positions); and supplies and materials. If teaching release is being requested as a part of the proposal, the pedagogical rationale for this must be clearly detailed and supported in writing by the relevant Department Chair(s); this cost must also be factored into the budget. Faculty may not hold more than one 0.5 FCE PIE-funded course release in a given year.

PIE funding may not be used for continuing costs (e.g., full-time staff roles), matching funds for tri-agency research grants, or scholarships.

Funding for successful proposals will be available in May 2023 and must be used by 30 April 2024.

PIE Funding for the 2023-24 cycle is now closed.  Applications for the 2024-25 cycle will open the end of November 2023, with the deadline to apply the end of March 2024.

Applications will be required to include:

1. Full name, departmental affiliation(s), and email contact information for project lead(s)

2. Full name, departmental affiliation(s), and email contact information for project partner(s)

3. Summary of project scope and anticipated outcomes (150 words), and funding threshold requested (Circle 1, Circle 1 [renewal], or Circle 2)

4. Overview of inclusive teaching and learning goals for the project:

a. Account of how the project responds to and will advance the recommended actions of the curriculum review and inclusive teaching and learning practices at U of T Scarborough (300 words)
b. Account of how these goals are reflected in the approach and methodology of the project (300 words)
c. Proposed timelines (150 words)

5a. Overview of the proposed budget, including all other sources of support (max 1 page)

5b. Applicants submitting a Circle 1 funding renewal application for a 2022-23 project will also be asked:

What progress has been made with the project? (150 words)
How will the renewal further advance the work? (150 words)
What additional funds are needed for the renewal? (50 words)
What will be accomplished in the next year? (100 words)

6. Signed statement(s) of support from the Department Chair(s) of the project lead(s) (max 1 page for each) & confirmation of consent and support from all named partnering units and/or community partners (consolidated copies of email confirmations acceptable)

Proposals will be adjudicated by a committee chaired by the Vice-Dean Teaching, Learning & Undergraduate Programs with representatives from the Campus Curriculum Review Working Circle. The adjudication committee will consult as needed with the Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Office, Community Partnerships & Engagement, and Indigenous Initiatives on applications and funding requests.

PIE fund recipients will be expected to submit a report of outcomes and learnings of their initiatives to the Office of the Vice-Principal Academic & Dean upon completion of the funding cycle. The goal is to make this update as straightforward and paperwork-free as possible. While a report template will be provided by the Office of the Vice-Principal Academic & Dean, alternative formats, including narrative-based or creative formats, visual, story-based, or artistic elements, are welcome. Projects undertaken through PIE funding will be showcased annually to help facilitate cross-campus mentorship and learning as we track work related to the curriculum review.