Hey, everyone! I’m Christian Robicheau, welcoming you to March. Our president has a very near and dear editorial to share with you. It’s all about how universities reach out, engage with, and communicate with persons with disabilities when it comes to exploiting their skills, knowledge, experience, and expertise. Donna truly believes that this needs to stop now! Read her editorial, and please send her your feedback at info@sterlingcreations.ca. Enjoy your weekend.
In Kind or Unkind: The Problem with Too Many Canadian Universities
by Donna J. Jodhan
Across Canada, universities are continuing to ask Canadians with disabilities to donate their time for free, and often, they don’t even call it “voluntary.” Instead, they term it “in kind.”
This practice may seem like a small issue on the surface, but it raises troubling and important questions that go to the heart of fairness, equity, and respect for people with disabilities.
Why should any Canadian with a disability be expected to give their time to universities simply because those institutions believe it should be categorized as “in kind”? What is the true value of this time when it is taken away from individuals’ livelihoods?
Each time university researchers ask a person with a disability to assist with their work—whether for research purposes or grant procurement—it boils down to one clear and unfair reality: Canadians with disabilities are giving their time, expertise, and insights, but are not compensated, while the researchers who benefit from these contributions are being paid for theirs.
This system creates a glaring inequality. Canadians with disabilities—who already face additional barriers in accessing education, employment, and social participation—are asked to contribute without recognition of their labor. And the reality is that this problem isn’t isolated to one or two universities. It is part of a larger, troubling trend that continues to persist, with many institutions failing to address the issue at its core.
How fair is it for universities to continue benefiting from the expertise and lived experiences of Canadians with disabilities without offering any financial compensation? Researchers—who are being paid for their time—continue to rely on the unpaid contributions of those they are studying or seeking to assist, perpetuating a cycle of exploitation. This practice isn’t just unkind—it’s an injustice that demands an immediate reckoning.
It is time to end this bad habit, and no more excuses should be accepted. Universities cannot continue to claim that it is “not in the budget” or that “there are no allowances” for compensating persons with disabilities. The argument that compensating people for their time is somehow outside the scope of university funding is a poor one.
Universities manage millions of dollars in budgets for research, administration, and facilities, yet they fail to allocate fair compensation to the very people whose contributions are vital to their success. This can no longer be justified.
Canadians with disabilities contribute immeasurably to our society, and their expertise should be valued—financially, ethically, and practically. It is time for Canadian universities to stop pretending that unpaid labor is a fair exchange and start treating people with disabilities with the respect and dignity they deserve.
The cycle of exploitation must end now. Universities must take responsibility and ensure that all contributors are compensated for their time, expertise, and experiences—no matter their abilities or disabilities.
To learn more about me as an award-winning sight-loss coach and advocate, visit www.donnajodhan.com.
