UNIVERSITY OF WARWICK
Equality and Diversity Network
Notes of the Meeting held on 9 October 2012
Present:
Kate Hughes (Chair)
Sandra Beaufoy (Secretary)
Sarah Ashcroft, Rachael Barnes, Elisabeth Blagrove, Yi Wah Chan,
Lynn Clarke, Georgina Copeland, Shirley Crookes, Rosie Dias, Zoe
Evans, Kathryn Fisher, Ana Garcia, Maria Heredia-Fernandez, Robert
Horton, Sian Humphreys, Emma King, Alastair Kirk, Claire Martin, Kay
Martin, Anne Maynard, Donna McIntyre, Rachel Moseley, Claire
O’Leary, Martyn Potts, Anna Preston, Jenny Rooney Kennedy,
Kimberley Scharf, Margaret Shewring, Clive Singleton, Stephanie
Smart, Julia Taylor, Yulia Timofeeva
Apologies:
Lorna Bagworth, Alison Bell, Paul Brown, Mairi-Ann Cullen, Jonathan
Davies, Emma Durrant, Rona Freeman, Gloria Harris, Janet Keene,
Barbara Merrill, Abbi Minnikin, Rachel Moseley, Naila Rabbani, Shirin
Rai, Birgit Roder, Ravi Thiara, Stephen Williams
1.
Notes of last meeting
RESOLVED:
Notes of the meeting of the Equality and Diversity Network held on 30 April 2012
be approved.
2.
Matters Arising
a)
Athena Swan
REPORTED:
The Psychology Department was awarded a Bronze Athena award in April
2012. WMG failed in their attempt for a Bronze award but will be resubmitting in November 2012.
Other STEM departments submitting in November 2012 are: Chemistry for a
Gold award, WMS for a Silver award and WMG, Engineering and Life
Sciences, all going for a Bronze award.
The University intends to submit for an institutional Silver award in April
2013.
A Windows on Warwick session has been planned for Wednesday 24
October at 12:30 in the Careers Seminar Room for non-STEM departmental
staff to learn more about the format of Athena submissions and to discuss
some of the best practices identified.
b)
Athena Annual Report
RECEIVED:
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The annual report on Athena work to record and monitor progress
(EDN.1/12-13). The Deputy Vice Chancellor approved circulation to the
Equality and Diversity Network group for comment prior to the report going
to the Equality and Diversity Committee.
3.
Standing Item – Terms of Reference of the Equality and Diversity Network
The Equality and Diversity Network provides a forum for all members of staff and
Students Union representatives to discuss issues relating to equal opportunities
and diversity.
4.
Welcome to New Departmental Equality and Diversity Representatives
New members were welcomed to the group.
The Equality and Diversity Adviser explained the expected role of departmental
equality and diversity representatives:
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5.
To attend termly E&D Network meetings.
To act as a point of communication between the centre and departments
on E&D issues
To maintain departmental E&D notice boards with up-to-date and
informative material
To contribute to annual or one-off events to raise awareness and
celebrate diversity and to become involved in E&D projects.
Up-date on the Returning Parents Network Group and Mentoring Scheme
RECEIVED:
(a) Claire O’Leary up-dated the meeting on the Returning Parents Network
Group. The Group meets on a monthly basis and is attracting new
members. In conjunction with HR, checklists have been created for both
the employee going on maternity/adoption leave and for the line manager
to assist with the transition of the employee going on and returning from
maternity leave.
Claire confirmed that PhD students returning from maternity leave are
welcome to attend the Network meetings.
(b) The Learning and Development Centre have trained five members of staff
to act as mentors for returning parents. To date only one mentee has
requested a mentor.
RESOLVED:
That the HR Adviser – Equality and Diversity inform the E&D Network members
when the checklist forms go live.
6.
Mental Health
RECEIVED:
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(a) Sarah Ashworth up-dated the meeting on the facilities on the MIND bus.
The bus is due on campus on the following dates:
Wednesday 10th October 1pm – 4pm (Please note it is World Mental
Health Day)
Wednesday 14th November 10am – 3pm
Wednesday 5th December 10am – 3pm
The University will be celebrating Mental Health Awareness Day on
Wednesday 20 February 2013 and the focus of the event will be on
‘Voices’. Publicity on the event will be available nearer the date.
(b) Sarah is now qualified to train staff on a Mental Health First Aid Course.
The next course will be held in November 2012 over two days. Numbers
will be limited to 12 people.
7.
Equality Objectives
RECEIVED:
A paper outlining progress against the University Equality Objectives (EDN.
2/12-13) was received for comments. This has been approved by the Equality
and Diversity Committee and by Steering at its meeting on 23 July 2012. The
paper is available for viewing on the Equality and Diversity Webpages.
8.
Training
REPORTED:
(a) The Equality and Diversity training given by Laurence Harvey from Actuate
has received excellent feedback from all categories of staff. Approximately
200 members of staff have received this training since October 2011.
Further courses are scheduled for 24 October 2012 and 10 December 2012.
(b) Members of the group were encouraged to request their departments, as
part of their induction process, use the e-learning module ‘Diversity in the
Workplace’ to raise awareness of E&D issues.
(c) All Heads of Departments, REF Coordinators and members of the REF
Special Circumstances and Appeals panels will be receiving Equality and
Diversity training which has been tailored to the REF, and in particular in line
with the University’s REF Code of Practice.
9.
Staff Network Groups
RECEIVED:
HR Adviser – Equality and Diversity gave a verbal update on Staff Network
Groups. Returning Parents Network group was previously discussed in item 5.
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An LGBT Staff Network Group has been established and is due to hold its next
meeting on 24 October at 12:30 in room CMR 0.3 in University House.
10. Stonewall
REPORTED:
The University has become a Stonewall Diversity Champion. The Diversity
Champions programme is Britain’s good practice employers’ forum on sexual
orientation.
A submission has been made against the Stonewall Workplace Equality Index,
which is a tool for employers to measure their efforts to tackle discrimination and
create inclusive workplaces for LGB employees. The results on the submission
will be published in January 2013, and the University will be provided with
feedback.
11. Diversity Calendar
CONSIDERED:
A presentation by Kay Martin and Sandra Beaufoy of a sample Diversity
Calendar, with a view to Warwick producing its own calendar of events including
key dates for religious festivals and holidays, and other events related to and in
support of aspects of equality and diversity. The meeting discussed that this
would be a good vehicle to help to inform and raise awareness of key national
and international dates, events and support available but should also focus on
Warwick initiatives/events/support (including those in the local area). Members
were asked to be involved in the project to help with identifying dates, quotes,
pictures and things of interest to appear in the calendar.
RESOLVED:
Members were supportive of this initiative and were requested to contact Sandra
Beaufoy if they were interested in helping with the production of the calendar.
12. Equality Analysis (Equality Impact Assessments)
REPORTED:
The customisation of the Equality Analysis package is being finalised and the
package will be piloted shortly. Full training will be given to departments when
the package is rolled out to them.
13. Dignity Contacts
REPORTED:
The Dignity at Work and Study policy is due to be reviewed, along with the role
of Dignity Contacts, as currently they are under-utilised.
RESOLVED:
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When the policy is re-launched, undertake a publicity campaign to communicate
the role of Dignity contacts and the support that can be provided to people who
feel they are victims of bullying and harassment.
14. Items for the Equality and Diversity Committee
RECOMMEDED:
That the Equality and Diversity Committee note the full attendance of the
meeting and the range of topics discussed.
15. Any other business
(a) REF related question
Robert Horton raised a REF related question regarding the policy for
coinciding periods of study leave and paternity leave.
RESOLVED:
Sandra Beaufoy to look into the matter and report back to Robert.
(b) Disability Contacts and Accessibility of buildings
REPORTED:
The list of Disability Contacts displayed on the University web pages is very out
of date and departments should nominate staff members willing to act in this
capacity.
The Health and Safety Office are seeking over the next year to start to capture
information about the accessibility of University premises, to ensure that persons
with disabilities can self-evacuate or can be safely evacuated in the event of an
emergency.
RESOLVED:
Members were asked to take this issue back to their departments for discussion
and for a suitable person (possibly themselves as the E&D representative or
their Health and Safety Officer) to be nominated by their departments to act as
the contact with the Health and Safety team.
16. Date of next meeting
TO REPORT:
The date of the next meeting of the Network will be 2pm on 21 January 2013 in
the Careers Seminar Room, University House.
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