University of Toronto
A University of Toronto faculty job posting for an Assistant Professor position explicitly welcomes and encourages applicants based on their skin colour, ethnicity, sex, disability, and sexual or gender identity, rather than focusing solely on qualifications.
What happened
On July 9, 2026, the University of Toronto's Department of French posted a job advertisement for a full-time teaching stream Assistant Professor position in French Language Teaching and Cultural Studies. Alongside the standard qualifications (a PhD in French Studies or related field, teaching experience, and native or near-native French proficiency), the posting states that the search 'aligns with the University's commitment to strategically and proactively promote diversity' and that the university 'strongly welcome[s] and encourage[s] candidates' from people based on their skin colour and ethnicity, stating that these communities 'have experienced inequities that have developed historically and are ongoing.' The posting further states that applicants are expected to demonstrate 'commitment and efforts to advance equity, diversity, inclusion' in their application materials. A university-wide Diversity Statement attached to the posting states the university 'strongly encourage[s] applications' based on ethnicity, skin colour, sex, disability, and sexual or gender identity. Applicants are also asked to complete a mandatory application component: a 'brief Diversity Survey,' described as voluntary, that collects demographic information for institutional planning purposes.
Expected harm
This incident primarily undermines the principle of singular worth. By explicitly inviting and prioritizing applicants on the basis of skin colour, ethnicity, sex, disability, and sexual or gender identity, the university signals that a candidate's demographic profile is a relevant factor in hiring alongside, or in addition to, demonstrated teaching ability, scholarly record, and qualifications. This risks candidates being evaluated, even partially, through the lens of group membership rather than as individuals assessed strictly on merit and demonstrated skill. It also asks applicants to describe their personal 'commitment and efforts to advance equity, diversity, inclusion' as part of the application, which can function as a form of compelled or expected ideological alignment rather than an assessment of teaching or scholarly excellence, touching on the principle of understanding by pressuring candidates toward a particular institutional viewpoint. Candidates who do not belong to the encouraged demographic categories, or who decline to frame their work in these terms, may reasonably perceive themselves as starting from a position of institutional disadvantage, undermining confidence that hiring processes are conducted on the basis of individual qualifications alone.