Athena SWAN Bronze Award Application
Name of Institution: University of Warwick
Year: 2010
Contact for Application: Professor Alison Rodger
Email: A.Rodger@warwick.ac.uk
Telephone: +44(0)24 76574696
Number of departments as a proportion of all university departments:
The University has 11 SET departments out of a total of 28 academic departments. They are:
Within the Faculty of Science:
 Biological Sciences
 Chemistry
 Computer Science
 Engineering (including Warwick Manufacturing Group)
 Life Sciences
 Mathematics
 Physics
 Psychology
 Statistics
 Warwick HRI (formerly Horticultural Research International)
Within the Faculty of Medicine:
 School of Medicine
Letter of endorsement from the Vice Chancellor (maximum 500 words)
Dear Ms Hawkes
Application for Athena SWAN Bronze Award
As Vice-Chancellor of the University of Warwick, I am extremely proud of our diverse
community of staff, students and visitors, and am committed to maintaining our excellent record
in teaching and research by ensuring there is equality of opportunity for all.
I am aware of the Athena SWAN charter through departmental involvement at Warwick and
through my own review of Research Careers in the UK, undertaken in 2008 on behalf of the then
Secretary of State for Universities, which promoted the work of Athena SWAN.
The University of Warwick places great importance on the achievement of Athena’s aims. It is,
therefore, committed to a number of specific actions at organisational and departmental level
Warwick Athena SWAN Bronze award form www.athenaswan.org.uk
1
which aim to provide a culture where all can thrive, are equally valued and experience equality of
opportunity for career progression. I and my senior colleagues are very much in support of these
actions and SET departments across the institution are working together to ensure initiatives
promoting gender equality are proactively implemented.
In particular, the University’s ‘Single Equality Scheme’ has been developed to ensure the further
development Warwick’s equality and diversity agenda. The Single Equality Action Plan includes
actions on all six equality strands (age, disability, gender, race, religion or belief, and sexual
orientation). In addition, all of the University’s policies and procedures undergo an equality
impact assessment and an Equality and Diversity (E&D) Network Group has been established to
identify and recommend to the University specific areas for further action.
Our policy at Warwick is to support all academic staff to raise their profiles. As such, a range of
policies and practices are in place to ensure that both women and men are appropriately
supported in advancing their careers in academia and HE management. For example,
opportunities for recognition of achievement and further professional development are offered
through the Warwick Award for Teaching Excellence and the Warwick Leadership Programme
and a significant proportion of recipients and participants are female. In addition, an increasing
number of women are represented within the University’s senior management, in senior
academic positions and in the membership of our governing and decision-making bodies.
Dialogue between academic departments has also helped to identify areas to help support women
in their careers and we are actively working to ensure that this best practice is widely
implemented across the institution.
I am especially proud that Warwick women are represented on a range of national and
international bodies and have won numerous academic and professional accolades. Female staff
across a wide range of disciplines serve or have served on the committees of professional
societies and the institution is working to ensure that even more staff, both male and female, are
encouraged to develop skills in communicating their research and its impact to the public.
I am convinced that the University of Warwick’s application for the Bronze Award demonstrates
our strong commitment to the principles and practices promoted by Athena Swan. I look forward
to your response in due course.
Yours sincerely
Professor Nigel Thrift
1. Description of the Institution
Warwick University is arguably the most successful of UK universities founded within the past
half-century (1965) having earned an outstanding reputation both for research and teaching.
Warwick combines a ‘can-do’ entrepreneurial spirit with a commitment to absolute academic
excellence. Warwick’s ambition, encapsulated in its Vision 2015 strategy launched in 2007, is to
be a World top-50 university by 2015. The University's most recent very positive QAA
Institutional Audit (2008) had ‘confidence’ in our management of academic standards and the
quality of the learning experience. The 2008 Research Assessment Exercise (RAE), where
almost 90% of eligible staff were submitted, rated 65% of Warwick’s research as ‘world-leading’
Warwick Athena SWAN Bronze award form www.athenaswan.org.uk
2
or ‘internationally excellent’, ranking Warwick’s research overall as 7th amongst multi-faculty
institutions, with 19 Departments ranked in the UK top 10. Warwick is a founder member of the
Russell Group, which represents the UK’s leading research intensive universities.
Warwick has circa 5,000 staff (including 1,800 academic and research staff) in 4 faculties, 28
academic departments, and 30 research centres. It has a total student population of 21,500,
14,000 undergraduates and 7,500 postgraduates. The University is a cosmopolitan international
body committed to tackling major global problems through research and teaching. Within the
SET Departments specifically identified above, there are 477 academic staff, 552 research-only
staff, 59 teaching-only staff, 169 technical staff, and 367 administrative and clerical staff. There
are 5,598 undergraduate students and 3,026 postgraduate students in the Science Faculty. One
of Warwick’s major strengths is its culture of high quality cross-disciplinary research both among
the departments and between departments and those in other faculties. Institutionally Warwick
has tried to establish structures underpinning infra structure to enable dynamic decision-making
to facilitate adoption of new opportunities or initiatives from academic staff.
2. Institutional policies and procedures (max 200 words per section)
(i)
Single Equality Scheme and Action Plan
The ‘Single Equality Scheme’ has been developed to give further momentum to the
University’s equality and diversity agenda, and supersedes the pre-existing policies:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Equality and Diversity Policy
Race Equality Policy
Disability Equality Scheme
Gender Equality Scheme
Guidelines on Religion or Belief
Guidelines on Sexual Orientation
The Single Equality Action Plan was drawn up to try to achieve a holistic approach to
equality and diversity, and includes actions on all six equality strands (age, disability,
gender, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation). The advent of the Single Equality Act
2010 prompted Warwick to revise its policies, and more work on implementation of the
final Act is planned for the next couple of months.
Extensive consultation was undertaken with staff/students/Trade Unions and users of the
University’s services/facilities (for details see Appendix D in the link below). The results
of the consultation highlighted a number of areas that are included in our Action Plan as
they are still work-in-progress, including flexible working, career progression and support
for parents.
The launch of the new Single Equality Scheme was communicated to staff via inboxinsite (email), CommUnicate Newsletter (widely distributed across campus and available
on the University web pages).
http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/equalops/singleequalityscheme/
Warwick Athena SWAN Bronze award form www.athenaswan.org.uk
3
(ii)
Equal Opportunities
As mentioned in (i) above, all equal opportunities strands have been incorporated into
the Single Equality Scheme.
All University policies and procedures undergo an equality impact assessment (EIA),
which examines policies, practices or procedures that may have a differential or adverse
impact on a specific group within the University’s populations of staff and students.
Warwick has an Equality and Diversity (E&D) Network Group, membership of which is
open to all members of staff. This group meets each term and feeds relevant issues to
the University E&D Committee for action.
As well as an extensive E&D website, Warwick uses a variety of channels to
communicate E&D issues, including: E&D training modules; ‘Windows on Warwick’
sessions; hard copies of E&D leaflets in recruitment packs; paper and web-based
induction material; and also bespoke briefing sessions for Departments on request.
In addition, we have two e-learning modules (Diversity in the Workplace and
Recruitment and Selection) aimed at supporting staff to carry out their roles within the
University and ensure both the institution and individuals comply with legislation.
http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/equalops/
(iii)
Guidelines on Flexible Working
The University recognises the benefits of being able to support a flexible workforce in
terms of recruitment, retention and performance of staff, and has Guidelines on Flexible
Working which are aimed at assisting employees to balance their work and personal
lives.
The Guidelines are available on Warwick’s website, and give a comprehensive list of the
types of flexible working that might be considered, e.g. flexitime schemes, part-time,
term-time, condensed hours and job sharing. Examples of all these modus operandi may
be found in SET departments. Case studies written by staff working flexible hours are
also highlighted on the web. Information on flexible working is given in induction material,
and as part of the literature provided at appointment stage.
The University does not centrally monitor the uptake of flexible working requests, as
these are dealt with departmentally so operational issues can be assessed. The
University can report on percentages of part-time versus full-time staff. Very often a
flexible working request may be about working patterns rather than a change to hours
and any such changes are agreed at departmental level.
Training sessions are available on work life balance through the Learning and
Development Centre.
http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/humanresources/newpolicies/fwg/
Warwick Athena SWAN Bronze award form www.athenaswan.org.uk
4
(iv)
Dignity at Work and Study Policy (replaced Bullying and Harassment
Policy)
In June 2009 the University launched a ‘Dignity at Work and Study Policy’ for staff and
students. Warwick’s approach to tackling harassment and bullying is by emphasising
positive behaviour and ensuring that all staff are aware of the responsibilities they have
to challenge inappropriate behaviour whenever it is observed.
This policy is communicated to staff at appointment in induction material and significant
advertising took place when the policy was introduced. Workshops and briefing sessions
for staff and students took place supported by a series of events across campus on ‘Ban
Bullying Day’.
A number of staff, representing all staff categories and job roles, have been trained to act
as ‘Dignity Contacts’ offering a confidential listening service to staff who believe they
have been affected by inappropriate behaviour. Members of staff choose any Contact
from the list of trained people, and may approach them directly. The norm is that such
issues are first raised within departments. The first phase is to discuss the situation with
all parties informally. A formal process has been established should this be deemed
necessary.
http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/humanresources/newpolicies/dignity/
(v)
Maternity/Parental/Adoption/Paternity Leave Policies
Information on Maternity/Paternity/Parental and Adoption leave is available on the
University’s website. Documentation is also included in new employee packs and at
induction events. Each department has an identified HR Advisor, who can be contacted
for further information and advice, as well as administrators within individual
departments. Staff are encouraged to take leave as appropriate for their situation.
Warwick offers staff on such leave, Keep In Touch Days (KIT). These days are not
compulsory but are aimed at enabling staff to keep in touch with the
University/department whilst on leave. KIT days may be used for such things as training
on new equipment or processes or to help staff ease themselves back into the work
environment. KIT days are agreed between the individual and their department.
Particular documents may be found at:
Maternity Leave
http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/humanresources/newpolicies/maternity
Paternity
http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/humanresources/newpolicies/paternity
Parental Leave
http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/humanresources/newpolicies/parental_leave
Adoption Leave
http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/humanresources/newpolicies/adoption
Warwick Athena SWAN Bronze award form www.athenaswan.org.uk
5
(vi)
Training and Development Policies
Warwick recognises that staff may require development in order to fulfil their potential in
their chosen career paths. Warwick has a dedicated Learning and Development Centre
(LDC), offering a wide range of courses. Particular emphasis is placed on postdoctoral
researchers and probationary academic staff. Programmes such as Warwick Leadership
Programme and Warwick Administrative Management Programme have been developed
to support more senior staff. Technical and skills-based training is usually provided in
departments. LDC is particularly proud of the range of courses, both accredited and
unaccredited, offered to postdoctoral staff to enhance their career development and
transferable skills. All of the in-house courses are free to departments and bespoke
training is arranged on request. Email notifications are sent to departments weekly to
publicise courses. Departmental administrators and forum groups ensure that information
is cascaded to relevant staff.
The University implemented a single Annual Review process in 2009 to ensure all staff
benefit from a review of their performance and development needs. The Annual Review
provides an opportunity to discuss roles, performance, achievements, objectives for the
coming year, training and development, and career aspirations. Staff in the LDC work
with departments to try to accommodate training requirements identified during the
reviews.
http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/LDC
(vii)
Work-Life Balance Policy
Work-life balance is addressed in the Flexible Working Guidelines. The LDC offers
courses to all staff on work-life balance issues. There are also courses offered by the
Safety and Occupational Health Services Centre – see link below:
http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/safety/hs_training/
Whilst it is recognised that a successful academic career is not a regular ‘9 to 5’ job, the
Athena Self Assessment Group (SAG) will continue to investigate and develop ways to
support colleagues to achieve the success to which they aspire in their careers, whilst at
the same time maintaining a healthy balance between work and home life. As well as the
Career Break Policy (see below), academic and research staff with the appropriate
length of service may apply for Study Leave, which may be used to take a break from
teaching and administrative duties, leaving time to perform more research, write grant
applications or produce papers/books.
http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/gov/calendar/section2/regulations/leave/
The University also has schemes for Unpaid Leave, Dependent Care Leave and
Compassionate Leave, for which all categories of staff are eligible.
(viii) Equal Pay Reviews and Action Plans
Warwick has not undertaken a recent equal pay review. However, an audit before and
after the implementation of the single pay spine (Framework Agreement) in 2006 showed
no adverse impact on any sub-group of staff as a result of the changes. The Single
Warwick Athena SWAN Bronze award form www.athenaswan.org.uk
6
Equality Act 2010 will more clearly dictate the requirements of the Equal Pay Audit
process and Warwick will plan accordingly when more guidance is given.
(ix)
Other Relevant Policies and Procedures
(a) Career Break Policy
Warwick is committed to developing policies that support all staff at all stages of
their careers. The University acknowledges that it can be beneficial to both
employees and employers to allow for periods of unpaid leave from work and to
this end has developed the ‘Career Break Scheme’ to help employees strike a
balance between paid work and personal life. Career breaks are taken for a
variety of reasons including study, travel, childcare/eldercare responsibilities,
personal interests, or simply to have a break from paid employment.
The aims of this policy are to attract and retain staff by demonstrating a
commitment to their long term career and personal development, to reduce the
number of leavers and to contribute to work-life balance. When launched, the
Career Break Scheme was communicated to staff through the University
Newsletter, CommUnicate, inbox-insite, and the website.
As part of the longer term, the Athena SWAN SAG will continue discussions on
how to help academic staff reintegrate back into their careers after a break. The
career/family trade off is recognised as one of the most significant barriers to
career progression that women may encounter; Warwick will work proactively to
continue to instigate realistic initiatives in this area.
http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/humanresources/newpolicies/careerbreak
(b) Staff Survey – PULSE
Warwick has an annual Staff Survey called PULSE. This survey is commissioned
through an independent research consultancy and the University is presented
with an anonymised report. The survey results help the University to focus
improvements on areas that really matter to staff. It gives staff an opportunity to
share their views on working at Warwick and to highlight areas or issues where
things could be improved. The results from each survey are published and
departments and a central PULSE Action Team are able to identify and start work
on implementing both departmental and university-wide actions.
The results of the 2010 PULSE survey have recently been received, but
unfortunately not in time to impact on this application. However, once the results
have been analysed, any issues highlighted will be discussed at the next Self
Assessment Group Meeting, which will continue to have regular termly meetings
to monitor progress on the Athena Action Plan. Any Equality and Diversity issues
arising from PULSE will also be considered by the University’s Equality and
Diversity Committee for inclusion in the University’s Single Equality Plan.
Warwick Athena SWAN Bronze award form www.athenaswan.org.uk
7
(c) Equality & Diversity Network
The Equality & Diversity Network is a forum open to all University staff for the
discussion of equality and diversity issues. Staff are invited to attend and make a
contribution to ensure Warwick is a positive working environment for all.
(d) Promotion Procedures
All academic promotion procedures are listed on the Human Resources website
with clear guidance for managers and staff on how to engage in the process. Non
academic staff promotion is considered through job evaluation processes and
guidance is also available for this approach. In general the process works well.
Academic, Research and Teaching staff are usually encouraged to apply for
promotion from within their departments. Procedures are clearly identified for
those staff who feel they wish to apply for promotion when their department is not
supportive. However, the Self Assessment Group through feedback from
individual Athena Focus groups have cited promotion criteria on the Athena
Action Plan. Staff have requested more information at local departmental level,
as well as clearer procedures within departments on how to be put forward for
promotion. In addition, consideration of how to link the Annual Review process
with the promotions process will be given.
3. Baseline gender data and analysis
Provide data for the past three years (including clearly labelled graphical illustrations where
possible) on the data sets listed below. Then evaluate and comment on the trends, drawing out
noteworthy points (maximum of 200 words per question).
(i)
Female:male ratio of academic staff at each grade
For researcher, lecturer, senior lecturer, reader, professor (or equivalent) – across the
whole institution and in SET departments. Comment on the main areas of concern on
gender balance and how you plan to address them. For example, is there evidence that
women and men are appropriately represented at all levels of the workforce? Are there
differences in SET departments?
Table 3-1 shows male and female researchers and academics across Warwick as a
function of grade across all faculties for three years. Figure 3-1 shows these data as a
function of time, which is not a significant variable. The proportion of women decreases
approximately linearly with grade, though the 8 to 9 (usually Associate Professor to
Professor) transition is noticeably worse for women than men. From Figure 3-2 it is
apparent that Grade 6 (usually post doctoral researchers, PDRs) is largest for women,
followed by grade 8. The dominant grades for men are 8 and 9 with fractionally more
men in grade 8 than 9.
Table 3-2 and Figures 3-3 and 3-4 are for SET departments. The SET picture is similar
but with a smaller percentage of women. The relative percentages decrease for women
in SET as the grade increases. The grades 6 to 7 and 8 to 9 decreases in the proportion
of women (Figure 3-4) are of most concern. They indicate the relative retention of women
at the PDR to academic step is less positive than for men as well as promotion to
professor being less common. These concerns have fed into our action plan.
Warwick Athena SWAN Bronze award form www.athenaswan.org.uk
8
Table 3-1: Numbers of male and female research and academic staff and the corresponding
proportions across the University of Warwick as snap-shots at end of July in 2007, 2008 and
2009.
Staff type
31/07/07
Clinical
Grade 5
Grade 6
Grade 7
Grade 8
Grade 9
Total
M
Staff type
31/07/08
Clinical
Grade 5
Grade 6
Grade 7
Grade 8
Grade 9
Total
M
Staff type
31/07/09
Clinical
Grade 5
Grade 6
Grade 7
Grade 8
Grade 9
Total
M
45
64
222
196
337
284
1148
51
68
240
212
322
307
1200
53
53
268
203
339
305
1221
F
15
94
194
136
169
64
672
F
19
88
210
137
181
71
706
F
25
71
213
129
188
70
696
Total
60
158
416
332
506
348
1820
Total
70
156
450
349
503
378
1906
Total
78
124
481
332
527
375
1917
Proportion
M
0.75
0.41
0.53
0.59
0.67
0.82
0.63
Proportion
F
0.25
0.59
0.47
0.41
0.33
0.18
0.37
Proportion
M
0.73
0.44
0.53
0.61
0.64
0.81
0.63
Proportion
F
0.27
0.56
0.47
0.39
0.36
0.19
0.37
Proportion
M
0.68
0.43
0.56
0.61
0.64
0.81
0.64
Proportion
F
0.32
0.57
0.44
0.39
0.36
0.19
0.36
Warwick Athena SWAN Bronze award form www.athenaswan.org.uk
9
Figure 3-1: The proportion of staff that are female in each of Grades clinical and 5–9 for the
whole university population. Data for 2007, 2008 and 2009 are plotted as separate bars
though there is no time trend evident. The proportion of male employees are 1 minus the
female proportion. Data were taken from Table 3-1.
Figure 3-2: The proportion of male/female researchers and academic employees as a
function of total number of males/females at these grades. Data were taken from Table 3-1.
Warwick Athena SWAN Bronze award form www.athenaswan.org.uk
10
Table 3-2: Numbers of male and female research and academic staff and the corresponding
proportions across SET departments at the University of Warwick as snap-shots at end of
July in 2007, 2008 and 2009.
Staff type
31/07/07
Clinical
Grade 5
Grade 6
Grade 7
Grade 8
Grade 9
Total
Total
60
94
312
178
224
150
1018
Proportion
M
0.75
0.41
0.59
0.67
0.82
0.88
0.69
Proportion
F
0.25
0.59
0.41
0.33
0.18
0.12
0.31
M
45
39
184
120
183
132
703
F
15
55
128
58
41
18
315
Staff type
31/07/08
Clinical
Grade 5
Grade 6
Grade 7
Grade 8
Grade 9
Total
M
51
40
200
124
175
138
728
F
19
54
147
58
42
21
341
Total
70
94
347
182
217
159
1069
Proportion
M
0.73
0.43
0.58
0.68
0.81
0.87
0.68
Proportion
F
0.27
0.57
0.42
0.32
0.19
0.13
0.32
Staff type
31/07/09
Clinical
Grade 5
Grade 6
Grade 7
Grade 8
Grade 9
Total
M
53
31
212
119
182
140
737
F
25
46
134
62
50
23
340
Total
78
77
346
181
232
163
1077
Proportion
M
0.68
0.40
0.61
0.66
0.78
0.86
0.68
Proportion
F
0.32
0.60
0.39
0.34
0.22
0.14
0.32
Warwick Athena SWAN Bronze award form www.athenaswan.org.uk
11
Figure 3-3: The proportion of staff that are female in each of Grades clinical and 5–9 for the
SET departments. Data for 2007, 2008 and 2009 are plotted as separate bars though there is
no time trend evident. The proportion of male employees are 1 minus the female proportion.
Data were taken from Table 3-2. Fewer female staff are in each grade except for grade 5 and
the disparity increased with increasing grade.
Figure 3-4: Solid bars are the proportion of male researchers and academic employees that
are at each grade for 2007, 2008, 2009. Patterned bars are the proportion of female
researchers and academic employees that are at each grade for 2007, 2008, 2009. Data were
taken from Table 3-2. The highest proportion of female staff is at grade 6. Grade 7 are
similar. Of the female population fewer have made it to the higher levels than men.
Warwick Athena SWAN Bronze award form www.athenaswan.org.uk
12
(ii)
Female:male ratio of Heads of School/Faculty/Department
Across the whole institution and in SET departments. Comment on the main areas of
concern and achievement and how you plan to address them. For example, are women
and men appropriately represented at this level? Are there any differences in SET
departments?
As summarized in Table 3-3, less than one third of University heads of department are
female and just over 20% of SET heads of department are female. These percentages
are slightly better than one might expect from the proportion of higher grade staff who
are female (see Figures 3-1 – 3-4). In terms of role models and the contribution of
women to academic leadership it would be advantageous to have more female heads of
department both SET and non-SET. However, a larger population of female higher
graded staff is needed to make this a realistic target.
Table 3-3: Numbers of current male and female heads of department across Warwick and in
SET departments across the University of Warwick.
F
M
Total
Proportion
Proportion
of Male
of Female
University 10
23
33
0.70
0.30
SET
3
11
14
0.79
0.21
(iii)
Female:male ratio of academic staff job application and success
rates
Across the whole institution and in SET departments. Comment on any implications of
this for the institution and how you plan to address any disparities. For example, are
women and men equally successful at all stages of the job application process? Are
there differences in SET departments?
Table 3-4 gives the data on applicants to positions across the university by grade and
Table 3-5 the corresponding data for SET departments. The data are summarised
Figures 3-5 and 3-6. The main conclusion to be drawn from the data on success rates of
men and women at Warwick is that in general women were no less successful than men,
but care must be taken at the higher grades as overall the numbers are so small that the
proportion graphs can be misleading.
Warwick Athena SWAN Bronze award form www.athenaswan.org.uk
13
Table 3-4: Numbers of male, female and unknown gender (due to gender blind application
forms) applicants for different grades of research and academic staff posts in the university
as a whole over the last three academic years.
Applicants
2006-07
Clinical
Grade 5
Grade 6
Grade 7
Grade 8
Grade 9
Other
Total
F
M
39
71
424
307
83
76
416
1416
Successful
U
93
51
804
912
271
188
641
2960
Total
10
0
63
77
23
26
84
283
F
142
122
1291
1296
377
290
1141
4659
M
4
8
39
14
9
5
37
116
9
1
49
41
11
19
48
178
Applicants
2007-08
Clinical
Grade 5
Grade 6
Grade 7
Grade 8
Grade 9
Other
Total
F
M
19
120
462
287
100
16
249
1253
Total
6
4
69
44
18
8
20
169
F
67
238
1464
774
246
84
638
3511
M
3
9
46
14
4
1
29
106
F
M
32
164
573
288
63
18
126
1264
U
Total
5
9
78
69
19
11
17
208
88
368
1911
1066
225
100
438
4196
F
M
10
11
46
19
7
2
6
101
Total
2
0
5
1
0
0
2
10
U
6
11
114
23
3
7
8
172
Warwick Athena SWAN Bronze award form www.athenaswan.org.uk
14
9
90
59
22
27
91
312
12
17
123
44
11
8
57
272
Successful
U
51
195
1260
709
143
71
295
2724
1
0
2
4
2
3
6
18
7
8
72
29
7
7
26
156
Applicants
2008-09
Clinical
Grade 5
Grade 6
Grade 7
Grade 8
Grade 9
Other
Total
Total
Successful
U
42
114
933
443
128
60
369
2089
U
Total
2
0
3
2
1
0
1
9
18
22
163
44
11
9
15
282
14
Figure 3-5: The proportion of successful research and academic female and male applicants
across the University by grade (ignoring the unknown gender applicants) for the last three
years.
Warwick Athena SWAN Bronze award form www.athenaswan.org.uk
15
Table 3-5: Numbers of male, female and unknown applicants for different grades of
research and academic staff posts in SET departments over the last three academic years.
Applicants
2006-07
Clinical
Grade 5
Grade 6
Grade 7
Grade 8
Grade 9
Other
Research
Total
F
M
Successful
U
Total
F
M
155
54
767
487
239
35
40
4
144
121
64
54
245
135
1226
744
339
94
5
6
32
13
3
1
15
2
49
23
13
4
2
0
5
7
1
4
22
8
86
43
17
9
18
637
19
1756
17
444
54
2837
0
60
2
108
0
19
2
187
F
M
Successful
U
Total
F
M
U
119
104
966
420
69
27
15
0
61
16
5
2
185
224
1507
526
87
36
6
11
54
6
1
2
14
5
75
27
7
2
3
0
2
2
0
0
23
16
131
35
8
4
2
763
22
1727
0
99
24
2589
0
80
1
131
0
7
1
218
F
M
Successful
U
Total
F
M
U
Total
32
142
266
56
12
4
51
126
797
115
51
44
5
3
48
12
4
10
88
271
1111
183
67
58
10
11
24
10
2
0
6
6
77
4
2
2
2
0
1
1
0
0
18
17
102
15
4
2
13
525
59
1243
2
84
74
1852
0
57
4
101
1
5
5
163
Warwick Athena SWAN Bronze award form www.athenaswan.org.uk
Total
51
120
480
90
13
7
Applicants
2008-09
Clinical
Grade 5
Grade 6
Grade 7
Grade 8
Grade 9
Other
Research
Total
Total
50
77
315
136
36
5
Applicants
2007-08
Clinical
Grade 5
Grade 6
Grade 7
Grade 8
Grade 9
Other
Research
Total
U
16
Figure 3-6: The proportion of successful research and academic female and male applicants
in SET departments by grade (ignoring the unknown gender applicants) for the last three
years.
Warwick Athena SWAN Bronze award form www.athenaswan.org.uk
17
(iv)
Female:male ratio of academic staff promotion rates
Across the institution and in SET departments. Comment on any implications of this for
the institution and how you plan to address any disparities. For example, are men and
women equally likely to be put forward? Are male and female applicants for promotion
equally successful at all levels? Are there differences in SET departments?
The promotion data is based on rather small numbers and it is therefore difficult to draw
too many conclusions from it. The data in Table 3-6 and 3-7 is reflective of the academic
year 2008/09. An ongoing longitudinal analysis is required to determine further
conclusions, however, indications for the academic year 08/09 are that SET promotion
applications from women were less successful than other departments.
Table 3-6: Numbers of men and women recommended for promotion and actually promoted
for Professorial, Associate Professor (Reader), Associate Professor and Principal Teaching
Fellows for the academic year 2008/09.
ALL POSITIONS
SET Departments
Other
Departments
UOW
Recommended
FEMALE MALE
5
14
10
15
17
31
Promoted
FEMALE MALE
1
12
9
10
12
24
Proportions
FEMALE MALE
0.20
0.86
0.90
0.67
0.71
0.77
Table 3-7
Numbers of men and women recommended for completion of probation and concomitant
promotion to Associate Professor for the academic year 2008/09
ALL POSITIONS
SET Departments
Other
Departments
TOTALS
(v)
Recommended
to Complete
FEMALE MALE
3
10
12
15
19
29
Completed
FEMALE MALE
2
7
9
11
15
22
Extended
FEMALE MALE
1
2
3
4
5
7
Gender balance on the senior management team at university level.
Comment on the numbers of men and women on the SMT and how you plan to address
any disparity.
The Vice-Chancellor retains a senior management team which advises him frequently on
the strategic operation of the University. All members of the University’s senior
management team serve in an ex officio capacity inclusive of the Vice-Chancellor,
Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Pro-Vice-Chancellors (4), Registrar, Finance Director, Chair of
the Board of Graduate Studies, Academic Registrar, and the Deputy Registrar, of which
three (27%) are female.
The University Steering Committee is a formal committee of the University, which meets
on a weekly basis to manage the strategic and higher level operational activities of the
Institution. It includes the senior management team plus the Chairs of the Boards of
Warwick Athena SWAN Bronze award form www.athenaswan.org.uk
18
Faculties, the Dean of the Business School and the President of the Students Union. Of
the thirteen members of the Steering Committee, all of whom also serve in an ex officio
capacity, three (23%) are female. The number of women involved at this level is low but
reflects the academic female representation at grade 9 given above. There are also ten
additional attendees to the Steering Committee, of which approximately 50% are female.
(vi)
Gender balance on influential committees at university level.
Comment on the main areas of concern and how you plan to address them. For
example, are women and men appropriately represented on senior decision-making
committees? How do you avoid committee overload where numbers of women are
small? How are vacancies filled and women encouraged onto committees, especially
where turnover is low? Are the positions advertised?
The two most influential committees of the University in addition to Steering are the
Senate and the Council. Senate has a membership of 45, 30% of whom are female. To
increase female representation on Senate, more women need to be encouraged to apply
for vacancies.
Council has a total membership of 31, of which 20% are female. Many University
members serve in an ex officio capacity. Of the fifteen external lay appointments, 28%
are female; increased from 14% in 2007. The University’s Nominations Committee looks
for lay members with abilities, experience and qualities to match the needs of the work of
the University Council and its committees accompanied by the desire to promote
diversity of membership of the Council.
Appointments to Faculty Board Chairs and Pro-Vice Chancellorships is now through
internal advertisement and formal selection, providing a mechanism for all eligible
candidates to be considered. As noted above, the University needs to further develop a
pool of women with the desired skills, attributes and willingness to apply for these roles.
Heads of Department are determined in the main through local departmental nomination
followed by University ratification. Understanding the barriers to why women may not
seek such roles requires further review.
(vii)
Female:male ratio of academic staff on fixed-term contracts vs. openended (permanent) contracts
Across the whole institution and in SET departments. Comment on the implications of the
gender balance for the institution and for women’s career development. For example, is
there evidence that women are over-represented on fixed-term contracts? Are there
differences in SET departments?
The number of men and women on fixed-term contracts relative to open-ended contracts
is given for the University in Table 3-8 and for SET departments in Table 3-9. These data
are converted to proportions in Figure 3-8. A higher proportion of women than men in
both the University and SET departments are on fixed-term compared with open-ended
contracts. The reasons for this are not clear and may be related to the drop in women
between grades 6 and 7 noted above (Figure 3-4), so may be indicative of women
leaving earlier in their time on Grade 6 than the data of Figure 3-4 may at first sight
suggest. This comment is based on the assumption that open-ended contracts are
adopted by employees who have been longer at Warwick (i.e. more than four years). No
Warwick Athena SWAN Bronze award form www.athenaswan.org.uk
19
attempt has been made to analyse whether there is a difference between SET
departments. This is noted on the action plan.
Table 3-8: Numbers of men and women at different grades on open-ended contracts (OEC)
and fixed-term contracts (FTC) across the University for the last three years.
2006-07
Clinical
Grade 5
Grade 6
Grade 7
Grade 8
Grade 9
Total
2007-08
Clinical
Grade 5
Grade 6
Grade 7
Grade 8
Grade 9
Total
2008-09
Clinical
Grade 5
Grade 6
Grade 7
Grade 8
Grade 9
Total
Male
OEC
35
5
37
153
318
255
803
Male
OEC
39
5
38
171
310
272
835
Male
OEC
41
5
36
154
321
268
825
Female
OEC
11
29
51
93
160
60
404
Female
OEC
16
29
52
93
170
67
427
Female
OEC
15
30
54
86
176
68
429
Total
OEC
46
34
88
246
478
315
1207
Total
OEC
55
34
90
264
480
339
1262
Total
OEC
56
35
90
240
497
336
1254
Male
FTC
10
59
185
43
19
29
345
Male
FTC
12
63
202
41
12
35
365
Male
FTC
12
48
232
49
18
37
396
Female
FTC
4
65
143
43
9
4
268
Female
FTC
3
59
158
44
11
4
279
Female
FTC
10
41
159
43
12
2
267
Total
FTC
14
124
328
86
28
33
613
Total
FTC
15
122
360
85
23
39
644
Total
FTC
22
89
391
92
30
39
663
Warwick Athena SWAN Bronze award form www.athenaswan.org.uk
20
Table 3-9: Numbers of men and women at different grades on open-ended contracts (OEC)
and fixed-term contracts (FTC) in SET departments for the last three years.
2006-07
Clinical
Grade 5
Grade 6
Grade 7
Grade 8
Grade 9
Total
Male
OEC
35
4
32
89
170
118
448
Female
OEC
11
22
29
40
40
18
160
Total
OEC
46
26
61
129
210
136
608
Male
FTC
10
35
152
31
9
14
251
Female
FTC
4
33
99
18
1
0
155
Total
FTC
14
68
251
49
10
14
406
2007-08
Clinical
Grade 5
Grade 6
Grade 7
Grade 8
Grade 9
Total
Male
OEC
39
4
34
95
169
125
466
Female
OEC
16
20
34
43
42
21
176
Total
OEC
55
24
68
138
211
146
642
Male
FTC
12
36
166
29
6
13
262
Female
FTC
3
34
113
15
0
0
165
Total
FTC
15
70
279
44
6
13
427
2008-09
Clinical
Grade 5
Grade 6
Grade 7
Grade 8
Grade 9
Total
Male
OEC
41
4
33
92
171
123
464
Female
OEC
15
20
33
40
47
23
178
Total
OEC
56
24
66
131
217
146
640
Male
FTC
12
27
179
27
11
17
273
Female
FTC
10
26
101
22
3
0
162
Total
FTC
22
53
280
49
14
17
435
Figure 3-7: The proportion of men and women at different grades on open-ended contracts
(OEC) versus fixed-term contracts (FTC) in the University (left) and SET departments
(right) for the last three years.
Warwick Athena SWAN Bronze award form www.athenaswan.org.uk
21
(viii) Female:male academic staff turnover rates by grade and maternity
return rates
Across the whole institution and in SET departments. What are the implications of this for
the institution and how you plan to address any disparity? For example, are women and
men equally likely to leave the institution (unplanned turnover of staff)? Are there any
differences in SET departments? Are the reasons for leaving picked up in exit
interviews? Comment on whether turnover affects recruitment and promotion.
Table 3-10 gives data for maternity leave and non-return for the last three years. The
numbers are small so it is difficult to make any conclusions. More leave of absence for
child-care issues has been taken by women than men (Table 3-11). The paternity leave
data (Table 3-12) perhaps indicate an increased uptake since its introduction. There are
no obvious differences between SET and non-SET departments.
The leavers (Tables 3-13 and 3-11, Figures 3-8 and 3-9) data must be considered along
side staff data (Table 3-2). Across the University there is no apparent male/female
difference. In the SET departments, Level 5 men are perhaps more likely to leave than
women and higher level women are somewhat more likely to leave than the equivalent
men. However, the data vary so much from year to year that it would be inadvisable to
make any conclusions based on these data. We continue to monitor this. Overall most
leavers are in Grade 6—correlating with fixed-term contract staff.
From the data it is not possible to comment on the effects of turnover and recruitment.
Anecdotally we know that some turnover is due to the fact that by moving Institution,
promotion can come more quickly.
Table 3-10: University of Warwick (UoW) and SET department maternity leave (ML) and
return to work data for the last 3 years.
Maternity
Leave
UoW 2007
UoW 2008
UoW 2009
SET 2007
SET 2008
SET 2009
32
33
42
10
14
23
Left before end of
ML or within 3
months
5
8
7
1
3
4
Proportion of
employees
that left
0.16
0.24
0.17
0.1
0.21
0.17
Table 3-11: University of Warwick (UoW) and SET department leaves of absence
specifically for child-care related issues
Year
0607
0607
0708
0708
0809
0809
University of Warwick
Number of Total no.
Gender employees days
M
0
0
F
1
1
M
0
0
F
2
15
M
3
5
F
2
10
SET departments
Number of Total no.
Gender employees days
M
0
0
F
0
0
M
0
0
F
1
10
M
2
3
F
2
10
Warwick Athena SWAN Bronze award form www.athenaswan.org.uk
22
Table 3-12: University of Warwick (UoW) and SET department paternity leave and male
academic head count for the last 3 years.
0607
0708
0809
Paternity Pay
University
SET
7
1
15
13
21
12
Male Academic Headcount on 31st
July
University
SET
1205
745
1229
750
1250
764
Table 3-13: Number of people who left University of Warwick (UoW) by grade, gender, and
year.
2006-07
Clinical
Grade 5
Grade 6
Grade 7
Grade 8
Grade 9
Total
2007-08
Clinical
Grade 5
Grade 6
Grade 7
Grade 8
Grade 9
Total
Male
5
7
79
26
26
18
161
Male
FTC
8
18
69
26
24
22
167
Female
4
11
44
15
19
3
96
Female
FTC
3
25
60
15
14
3
120
Total
9
18
123
41
45
21
257
Total
FTC
11
43
129
41
38
25
287
Proportion
of leavers
who were
male
0.56
0.39
0.64
0.63
0.58
0.86
Proportion
of leavers
who were
female
0.44
0.61
0.36
0.37
0.42
0.14
Proportion
of M
leavers
from each
category
0.03
0.04
0.49
0.16
0.16
0.11
1.00
Proportion
of leavers
who were
male
0.73
0.42
0.53
0.63
0.63
0.88
Proportion
of leavers
who were
female
0.27
0.58
0.47
0.37
0.37
0.12
Proportion
of M
leavers
from each
category
0.05
0.11
0.41
0.16
0.14
0.13
1.00
Proportion
of F
leavers
from each
category
0.03
0.21
0.50
0.13
0.12
0.03
1.00
Proportion
of leavers
who were
female
Proportion
of M
leavers
from each
category
Proportion
of F
leavers
from each
category
2008-09
Male
FTC
Female
FTC
Total
FTC
Proportion
of leavers
who were
male
Clinical
Grade 5
Grade 6
Grade 7
Grade 8
5
32
80
15
21
4
29
63
18
12
9
61
143
33
33
0.56
0.52
0.56
0.45
0.64
0.44
0.48
0.44
0.55
0.36
0.03
0.18
0.46
0.09
0.12
0.03
0.22
0.48
0.14
0.09
Grade 9
Total
22
175
6
132
28
307
0.79
0.21
0.13
1.00
0.05
1.00
Warwick Athena SWAN Bronze award form www.athenaswan.org.uk
Proportion
of F
leavers
from each
category
0.04
0.11
0.46
0.16
0.20
0.03
1.00
23
Figure 3-8: Plots of proportions of the men/women who left the University who were in each
grade for the last three years.
Warwick Athena SWAN Bronze award form www.athenaswan.org.uk
24
Table 3-14: Number of people who left SET department by grade, gender, and year.
2006-07
Clinical
Grade 5
Grade 6
Grade 7
Grade 8
Grade 9
Total
2007-08
Clinical
Grade 5
Grade 6
Grade 7
Grade 8
Grade 9
Total
2008-09
Clinical
Grade 5
Grade 6
Grade 7
Grade 8
Grade 9
Total
Proportion
of leavers
who were
male
0.56
0.43
0.71
0.77
0.58
0.86
Proportion
of leavers
who were
female
0.44
0.57
0.29
0.23
0.42
0.14
Proportion
of M leavers
from each
category
0.05
0.06
0.58
0.16
0.10
0.06
1.00
Proportion
of F leavers
from each
category
0.08
0.16
0.49
0.10
0.16
0.02
1.00
Total
FTC
11
24
86
25
6
8
160
Proportion
of leavers
who were
male
0.73
0.58
0.63
0.80
1.00
1.00
0.69
Proportion
of leavers
who were
female
0.27
0.42
0.37
0.24
0.00
0.00
0.32
Proportion
of M leavers
from each
category
0.07
0.13
0.49
0.18
0.05
0.07
1.00
Proportion
of F leavers
from each
category
0.06
0.20
0.63
0.12
0.00
0.00
1.00
5
16
65
9
7
Female
FTC
4
13
42
4
0
Total
FTC
9
29
107
13
7
Proportion
of leavers
who were
male
0.56
0.55
0.61
0.69
1.00
Proportion
of leavers
who were
female
0.44
0.45
0.39
0.31
0.00
Proportion
of M leavers
from each
category
0.05
0.14
0.59
0.08
0.06
Proportion
of F leavers
from each
category
0.06
0.21
0.67
0.06
0.00
9
111
0
63
9
174
1.00
0.00
0.08
1.00
0.00
1.00
Male
FTC
5
6
61
17
11
6
106
Male
FTC
8
14
54
20
6
8
110
Male
FTC
Female
FTC
4
8
25
5
8
1
51
Female
FTC
3
10
32
6
0
0
51
Total
FTC
9
14
86
22
19
7
157
Warwick Athena SWAN Bronze award form www.athenaswan.org.uk
25
Figure 3-9: Plots of proportions of the men/women who left SET departments who were in each
grade for the last three years.
Warwick Athena SWAN Bronze award form www.athenaswan.org.uk
26
(ix)
Evidence from equal pay audits/reviews
Comment on the findings from your most recent equal pay audit and how you plan to
address any disparities.
As discussed above, we do not have any such data available but will collect it in the
future in line with legislative requirements.
(x)
Female:male ratio of staff in the Research Assessment Exercise
(RAE) 2008
Across the whole institution and in SET departments. Comment on any implications of
this for the institution. For example, does the gender balance of staff included in the RAE
2008 broadly reflect the gender balance across the institution? Are there any differences
in SET departments?
In preparation for the RAE the University produced and implemented an Equal
Opportunity Code of Practice on Preparing RAE Submissions. This document set out the
University’s equal opportunities procedures and the process for selecting staff for
departmental submissions. Furthermore, E&D monitoring was undertaken during the
process of preparing submissions and was considered by the RAE Steering Group.
Table 3-15 gives the number of men and women entered into the 2008 RAE by SET
department and total for SET departments and the University. Table 3-12 shows that
there was no difference between the role of women in SET and non-SET departments.
However, in each case a slightly higher proportion of eligible men were entered.
Warwick Athena SWAN Bronze award form www.athenaswan.org.uk
27
Table 3-15: Number of men and women in SET department who were entered in the 2008
RAE.
Institution and SET Gender
Ratios RAE 2008
Department
Biological Sciences
Chemistry
Computer Science
Mathematics
Physics
Psychology
School of Engineering
School of Engineering Warwick Manufacturing Group
Statistics
Warwick HRI
Warwick Medical School,
Clinical Sciences Research
Institute
Warwick Medical School, Health
Sciences Research Institute
Warwick Medical School,
Institute of Clinical Education
Warwick Medical School Total
Institution Total
SET Total
Female
entries
12
6
5
7
7
8
5
Male
entries
51
35
28
82
53
15
52
Total
63
41
33
89
60
23
57
Male:Female
Ratio
4.25
5.83
5.6
11.71
7.57
1.88
10.4
Proportion
of females
19.05%
14.63%
15.15%
7.87%
11.67%
34.78%
8.77%
Proportion
of males
80.95%
85.37%
84.85%
92.13%
88.33%
65.22%
91.23%
3
7
5
23
23
34
26
30
39
7.67
3.29
6.8
11.54%
23.33%
12.82%
88.46%
76.67%
87.18%
8
32
40
4
20.00%
80.00%
16
17
33
1.06
48.48%
51.52%
2
26
323
117
0
49
852
494
2
75
1178
611
0
1.88
2.64
4.22
100.00%
34.67%
27.42%
19.15%
0.00%
65.33%
72.33%
80.85%
Table 3-12: Women and men in the University and SET departments who were eligible and
entered for the 2008 RAE.
Participated
Institution
SET dept
Eligible
Institution
SET dept
Institution
SET dept
Female RAE
entries
322
88
Female RAE
entries
381
104
Male RAE
entries
856
450
Male RAE
entries
952
505
0.85
0.85
0.9
0.89
Total
1178
538
Total
1333
609
0.88
0.88
Warwick Athena SWAN Bronze award form www.athenaswan.org.uk
28
(xi)
Other relevant data, e.g. results from staff surveys.
Comment on any other data you have provided, detailing how you plan to address any
gender disparities.
As noted above the PULSE survey data has only just been received and has not as yet
been analysed therefore it is not possible to use it in this document. The 2010 results will
be considered in the coming months and included in action plans accordingly.
4. Supporting and advancing women’s careers
Describe the following activities in your institution that are supportive to women’s
career progression in your departments (maximum 300 words per section).
(i)
Career development training at key transition points
Describe any additional support given to women at the key career transition points
across the institution, and in departments, such as support for new lecturers or routes for
promotion through teaching and learning. Are women encouraged to participate in
conferences and attend other external events where there are opportunities for
networking?
Support for female postdoctoral researchers (PDRs) and academics operates at both
departmental and institutional levels. After initial induction, the departmental level is
usually informal with support and encouragement being provided to achieve external
impact (if for no other reason than RAE/REF submissions). The Annual Review system
aims to identify formal training needs. These are often met centrally by the Learning and
Development Centre (LDC) which offers a range of courses, workshops and events to
support
development
of
academic
and
research
staff
http://go.warwick.ac.uk/ldc/development/. Some LDC sessions are facilitated by senior
female academics.
LDC supports probationary lecturers through their required participation on the
Postgraduate Certificate for Academic and Professional Practice (PCAPP). PCAPP
requires participants to develop skills, knowledge and understanding in three key
elements in an ‘academic profile’: Teaching and Learning; Research; and Academic
Management
as
well
as
fostering
intra-Warwick
networking.
http://go.warwick.ac.uk/ldc/development/pcapp/. PDRs, as discussed in §2, may attend
LDC courses only or may structure their career development more formally via the Post
Graduate Certificate in Transferable Skills in Science.
Development for postgraduates and PDRs who have teaching responsibilities is
supported by the Postgraduate Introduction to Academic and Professional Practice
(IAPP) programme. http://go.warwick.ac.uk/ldc/development/pga/part_1/resources/
The Warwick Award for Teaching Excellence was established to recognise excellence in
teaching. In 2008/09 there were ten awards, four to women. Promotion for academic staff
may be via Teaching Excellence.
http://go.warwick.ac.uk/ldc/funding/wate
The Warwick Leadership Programme enhances the leadership capability of heads of
academic departments and senior managers in the University. It offers a nine-month
Warwick Athena SWAN Bronze award form www.athenaswan.org.uk
29
development programme tailored to the needs of individuals. Currently fifty percent of the
participants are women.
http:/go.warwick.ac.uk/ldc/development/wlp/
The Athena application process has also opened up a dialogue between the
departments and has helped to identify areas of best practice which will now be
established across departments to help support women in their careers.
(ii)
Researcher career support and training
Describe any additional support provided for researchers at the early stages of their
careers, such as networks and training.
Financed by Roberts’ Funds, Warwick launched the PG Certificate in Transferable Skills
in Science (PGCTSS) as an accredited qualification in 2008 to enable students to be
more effective in their PhD research and to enhance their ability to maximise their talents
in their future careers. The course is compulsory for half the SET departments and
optional for others; it currently has >300 PhD students working towards the Certificate. In
2010 an advanced stream was launched for PDRs (encouraged by the Athena process
and discussions with PDRs) to provide an accredited structured vehicle for PDRs to get
the mentoring they need to progress to the next stage of their careers. It includes
optional modules in science communication, project management, commercialisation of
research, team working etc.
Link: http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/sci/pioneers/pgcts
LDC has a dedicated staff development adviser for Early Career Research Staff who
coordinates a programme offering development opportunities in five key areas: Research
Management, Personal Effectiveness, Communication Skills, Networking & Team
working and Career Management.
http://go.warwick.ac.uk/ldc/development/ .
Early career researchers are encouraged to attend and present at ‘Window on Research’
events which provide an opportunity to develop a greater awareness of key research
taking place across the University and to debate, discuss and share information on
current issues. http://go.warwick.ac.uk/ldc/development/wor.
The Warwick Institute of Advanced Study (IAS) promotes collaborative research projects
of international calibre. This remit includes enriching the research environment for Early
Career Researchers, with programmes such as the Institute’s Early Career Vacation
Research Schools. Each of the international researchers brought to Warwick facilitates in
event(s) specifically orientated toward early career researchers.
http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/go/ias/
The University’s Careers Services has a dedicated adviser for Research Staff and offers
training sessions, events and one-to-one consultations to support staff with their career
planning, CV preparation and interview skills.
http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/careers/researchers/
Warwick Athena SWAN Bronze award form www.athenaswan.org.uk
30
(iii)
Flexible working
Describe how eligibility for flexible and part-time working is advertised to staff and the
overall uptake across the university. What training is provided for managers? How do
you monitor the policy and how successful it has been?
Information on the eligibility for flexible working is advertised to staff on the University
website. Administrators in departments and HR advisors are able to advise staff who
make requests for a change in work pattern. Currently the University does not centrally
monitor the uptake on flexible working requests. Percentages of part time versus full time
staff can be reported on, but very often a flexible working request may be about working
patterns rather than changed hours and this is agreed within the employing department.
It may also be adapted over time.
The Flexible Working Guidelines are available on Warwick’s website, and give a
comprehensive list of the types of flexible working that might be considered, e.g. flexitime
schemes, part-time, term-time, condensed hours and job sharing. Examples of all these
modus operandi may be found in departments. Case studies written by staff working
flexible hours are also highlighted on the web. Information on flexible working is also
given in induction material, and as part of the literature provided at appointment stage.
Sessions on Work Life Balance by Human Resources and the Learning and
Development Centre have taken place over the last year and more are planned for 2010.
The Athena Self Assessment Group has put the monitoring and recording of statistics on
the Action Plan. It is aware that currently data recording is not as efficient as it should be.
http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/humanresources/newpolicies/fwg/
(iv)
Parental leave (including maternity, parental, adoption and paternity
leave)
How many women are returning full-time and part-time? How is teaching and
research covered during parental leave? What support is given after returning
from parental leave or a career break? What funding is provided to departments
to support returning staff?
The Maternity Leave returns data for the last three years (Table 4-1) involves small
numbers so no conclusion from them is really possible. SET departments seem to be in
line with the rest of the University. Staff on maternity leave may avail themselves of
‘Keeping in Touch’ days which are managed locally. The main advantage of the scheme
is that it officially says Warwick considers its staff on maternity leave still involved in the
Warwick community and expects them back after their leave is completed.
Probation is automatically extended for staff on maternity leave.
Table 4-2 summarizes leave taken by staff explicitly for children-related issues. These
data are almost meaningless as anecdotally we know most research and academic staff
with children juggle work commitments around children, use annual leave, etc. to cover
any crises (Parental Leave is unpaid).
The number of male staff availing themselves of the two weeks paid Paternity Leave
offered on the arrival of a child are shown in Table 4-3.
Warwick Athena SWAN Bronze award form www.athenaswan.org.uk
31
All women returning after maternity leave have the right to discuss a change of working
hours with their Head of Department, with some opting for part time hours, or
compressed working hours. Whilst on maternity leave, staff accrue holiday entitlement
and this can often be used to implement a phased return to work. The arrangements for
this are usually managed locally within the department.
Research work is often independent work and therefore difficult for someone else to
cover whilst staff are on leave. However, teaching and administrative loads are
distributed amongst existing staff or re-arranged to suit the leave period. In some cases
additional teaching assistance will be brought in from other universities or provided by
early career researchers. Funding may be available to departments for this.
Table 4-1: Maternity return rates for the last three years for the University and SET
departments.
University
06/07
07/08
08/09
On Maternity Leave
32
33
42
Left
whilst
on
3
3
5
maternity leave
Left within 3 months
2
5
2
of returning to work
SET
06/07
07/08
08/09
On Maternity Leave
10
14
23
Left
whilst
on
0
1
3
maternity leave
Left within 3 months
1
2
1
of returning to work
Table 4-2: Days off taken by staff explicitly for parental leave.
Year
0607
0607
0708
0708
0809
0809
University
Gender
M
F
M
F
M
F
Number
employees
0
1
0
2
3
2
SET
Total
number
days of
0
1
0
15
5
10
Gender
M
F
M
F
M
F
Number
employees
0
0
0
1
2
2
Total
number
days of
0
0
0
10
3
10
Table 4-3: The number of male staff availing themselves of the two weeks paid paternity
leave offered.
Year
0607
0708
0809
Paternity Pay
University
SET
7
1
15
13
21
12
Male Academic Headcount on 31st
July
University
SET
1205
745
1229
750
1250
764
Warwick Athena SWAN Bronze award form www.athenaswan.org.uk
32
(v)
Mentoring and networking
Describe any mentoring programmes, including any SET-specific mentoring
programmes, and opportunities for networking. Comment on their uptake and
effectiveness.
Mentoring and networking are key aspects of supporting staff, particularly early career
researchers, at Warwick. PDRs are assumed to be mentored by their supervisor.
However, one reason for launching the PGCTSS for PDRs was recognition (during the
Athena process) of the fact that often supervisors focus on science to the exclusion of
career development. PDRs now have a tool to obtain mentoring from their supervisor or
another academic. Newly appointed junior academics are required to have a
departmental mentor who meets with them regularly to discuss their progress in addition
to their registration on PCAPP.
In addition, the University offers a confidential one-to-one coaching service to staff,
enabling them to think through issues such as personal effectiveness, working
relationships, work-life balance, and career development. A number of female academics
from the SET departments have benefited from this.
There is also a coaching and mentoring scheme, open to all staff, in which one member
of staff acts as a coach or mentor to support the development or performance of another
member of staff. Feedback on the scheme has been positive, and participants
particularly value the opportunity to speak to an independent but supportive party who
has good listening skills. http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/ldc/coachmentor/wcm/
A coaching and mentoring scheme for researchers exists and is being further developed
the Institute of Employment Research (IER) with a view to a wider roll out.
The Research Staff Forum meets once a term, to share ideas and news on researcher
development. University departments are invited to nominate a representative who
attends the forum to discuss issues on behalf of colleagues. This group is represented
on the University’s Research Committee by a female member of staff.
http://go.warwick.ac.uk/ldc/researchers/forum.
The Students Union has a Women’s Campaign Officer who organises meetings and
events for female students, including recently ‘The International Women’s Day’.
http://www.warwicksu.com/campaigns/womens/
(vi)
Transparent workload models
Describe the systems in place to ensure that work, including pastoral and administrative
responsibilities, is allocated transparently and equitably.
Workload models are dealt with on an ad hoc basis by individual departments in
recognition of the differing demands of different disciplines, particularly laboratory-based
versus theory-based departments. In general, Head of Departments, Directors of Studies
and Heads of Sections meet to discuss teaching and administrative duties with their
academic staff. All teaching and administrative duties are distributed as evenly as
possible, taking into account that staff on probation (Assistant Professors) should not
have a full teaching load. When the duties for the academic year have been assigned,
notification of these are generally issued to staff and published on departmental web
Warwick Athena SWAN Bronze award form www.athenaswan.org.uk
33
pages, to ensure transparency. Good practice would be to include a copy of teaching
and administrative duties in induction packs, which are issued to new members of
academic staff.
The Self Assessment Group has, however, identified that practice in communicating the
workload models in departments differs considerably and it has therefore included this in
the Action Plan to embed this requirement into departmental practices whilst still
acknowledging subject-specific needs and practice.
(vii)
Work-life balance
Describe the measures taken by your institution to ensure that meetings and other
events are held during core hours and to discourage a long hours culture.
As mentioned above in §2 and §4, Warwick offers a variety of flexible working schemes
to enhance work life balance. All University committee meetings are organised in core
hours to facilitate work life balance. Departments also try to follow this principle, but this
is often difficult because of teaching responsibilities of staff together with University
committee time-tablings. In general the approach taken is to give as much notice as
possible for departmental meetings, so that if possible staff have ample notice and have
time to make alternative arrangements. Further, consideration is given to the needs of
specific individuals and meeting timings are changed from time to time. In this context it
should be noted that, depending on the relevant community, meetings in non-core hours
may be deemed far more appropriate than those in core hours. Most departmental
agendas are flexible, so that people can be scheduled into a suitable time slot if that is
necessary.
(viii) Childcare
Describe the institution’s childcare provision and how it is communicated to staff. What is
the take up? How do you plan to address any shortfalls in provision?
(a) Nurseries
Warwick operates two nurseries for pre-school children at its two sites in
Coventry and Wellesbourne.
The main University Nursery occupies a new, purpose-built building opened in
April 2009 and offers 78 places for children of staff and students, providing fullday care for children under the age of 5 years. Its 2008 Ofsted report was ‘Good’.
The nursery can accommodate up to 30 babies under the age of 2 and 48
children between 2–5 years all is appropriate facilities with large garden areas.
University employees are given information about the nursery in their recruitment
packs and there is information on the nursery in the University prospectus which
is issued to students. The nursery also has its own web site.
The Departmental Focus Groups have led to the Action plan to consider more
child caring facilities for school-aged children for school holidays, particularly halfterms which are core teaching times for SET departments. The Nursery has plans
to develop a holiday ‘play scheme’ service for parents of school-aged children
during school holidays. The third annual Mad Science holiday camp for children
aged 5–12 will run this summer.
Warwick Athena SWAN Bronze award form www.athenaswan.org.uk
34
http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/nursery
The Seedlings Nursery, managed by Bright Horizons Family Solutions, is based
on the Warwick HRI campus in Wellesbourne and can accommodate 41 children
from 3 months to 5 years. Its 2010 Ofsted report was ‘Good’.
(b) Employer Assisted Childcare Scheme
The Employer Assisted Childcare Scheme is run for the University by an external
provider, who undertakes all marketing, administration and support (other than
salary adjustments) on the University’s behalf. The scheme provides childcare
vouchers up to a maximum of £55 per week in return for sacrificing the equivalent
amount of salary. The vouchers are non-taxable and exempt from national
insurance and can be used on all registered and approved childcare providers.
http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/humanresources/newpolicies/childcare_sche
me
5. Raising the profile of women
Describe any activities in your institution that raise the profile of women in general and also help
female staff to raise their own profile such as (maximum 500 words for all four sections):
(i) Conferences, seminars, lectures, exhibitions and other events.
(ii) Publicity materials, including the institution’s website or images used.
(iii) Providing spokeswomen for internal and external media opportunities.
(iv) Nominations to public bodies, professional bodies and for external prizes.
Our policy is to support all academic staff to raise their profile. Senior staff monitor activity and
effectiveness of all staff. Consideration is given to ensure that both women and men feature in
any external or internal publicity activities.
(i)
Conferences, seminars, lectures, exhibitions and other events
Academic staff are encouraged to attend conferences, give invited research seminars, to
take part in exhibitions, school visits etc. All departments hold conferences, seminars
and lectures, attracting national and international experts. These events are advertised in
appropriate media and web pages. Organising committees for conferences are
publicised and appropriate recognition given to local organisers. Academic staff record
conference organisation in their Annual Reviews, Merit Pay forms or Senior Staff Review
forms, and promotion applications.
Warwick gives a number of Teaching Awards each year to celebrate excellence in
teaching and the support of learning. The winners of these awards are publicised across
the University and the award issued at the University Degree Congregations. Of the ten
nominees for 09/10 academic year, three are female.
Warwick Athena SWAN Bronze award form www.athenaswan.org.uk
35
The SAG has noted that Warwick does not make a coherent attempt to celebrate our
successes in this area and is planning methods to address this including regular
departmental newsletters.
(ii)
Publicity materials, including the institution’s website or images used
All staff achievements are celebrated across the University, at both University and
departmental level, by news items on the websites, intranet pages, departmental
newsletters as well as the University Newsletter. All publicity material has the appropriate
mix of gender/ethnic images, especially in the SET departments which are keen to show
female role-models to the next generation.
(iii)
Providing spokeswomen
opportunities
for
internal
and
external
media
Warwick has its own Communications Office, which actively promotes a number of
women across the University as media spokespeople—not just because they are
women—but because they are good at what they do. In particular the following women
from the departments feature regularly—Professor Sandra Chapman (Physics),
Professor Sarah Stewart-Brown (WMS), Professor Julie Macpherson (Chemistry) and Dr
Rebecca Cain (WMG). However, both male and female staff are in general less willing to
be spokes-people than is required for science education of the general public. We are
working to encourage more staff, both women and men, to develop skills and contacts in
this area.
(iv)
Nominations to public bodies, professional bodies and for external
prizes
Warwick women have been and are represented on a range of national and international
bodies and have won various prizes. Women are on Professional Society Committees
including Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC), Royal Statistical Society, British Computer
Society etc. Recent medal winners include O'Reilly (RSC, Dalton Division Award, Medola
Medal); Macpherson (RSC Marlow medal, International Young Scanned Probe
Microscopist Award 1999); Cain (Challenging Engineering) etc. As appropriate, women
are on international and national advisory groups such as Committee of Mathematical
Sciences Bologna working group and the DTI Network Security Innovation Platform. The
University’s externally funded Research Fellows comprise a high proportion of women.
Female PhD and PDRs are well-represented amongst all poster and other competition
winners at Warwick and externally.
6. Further-specific initiatives
Describe any other -specific initiatives of special interest that have not been covered in the
previous sections, including past initiatives that did not work and lessons learnt (maximum 250
words).
Role models are extremely important for younger women to illustrate that it is possible for
women to succeed in academia whilst balancing other commitments. Within local
Warwick Athena SWAN Bronze award form www.athenaswan.org.uk
36
departments, we try to ensure that women who have managed to juggle competing
responsibilities are available and accessible to provide support and advice and highlight the
fact that it is possible (though not necessarily easy).
7. The self-assessment process
Describe the Self-Assessment Team members and the action planning process, including any
consultation processes that were undertaken with staff (maximum 750 words in total).
The Athena SWAN process has been supported at a senior University level through oversight by
the University’s Steering Committee and the University’s Equality and Diversity Committee. The
Athena SWAN Action Plan, once submitted, will be reviewed and incorporated where applicable
into the University’s Single Equality Action Plan. The Equality and Diversity Committee are
reviewing this as a result of its meeting of 24 May 2010. Professor Ann Caesar, Pro ViceChancellor will have oversight of the integration of this work.
The Athena SWAN Self Assessment Group has been Chaired and supported personally by the
Deputy Vice Chancellor, Professor Mark Smith (previously Pro-Vice Chancellor for Research)
who is himself a Physicist with a particular interest in the development of SET departments.
An Athena Steering Group was initially established in November 2009 to discuss plans on how
to accumulate the necessary statistics and to have overall responsibility for putting the
application together. The Steering Group consists of:
Professor Alison Rodger (Professor of Chemistry and Director of the MOAC Doctoral
Training Centre)
Mrs Sandra Beaufoy (HR officer in Physics, involved in Juno award application)
Mrs Wendy Coy (HR Manager in Warwick Medical School, member of Equality and
Diversity Committee)
Mrs Katharine Gray (Administrator in Chemistry)
Ms Julia Strong (HR Manager for Science Faculty)
Subsequently each SET department was asked to nominate a representative to serve on the
Athena Self Assessment Group, to act as a communication channel between academic
departments and the group, and to convene local departmental discussions in a discipline
appropriate format. The SAG was complemented by members of academic and administrative
departments to ensure representation of all research staff categories and relevant central
administration units. The SAG consists of the following members whose profiles may be found
from the University Athena SWAN web site:
http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/equalops/athena/ (password: warwickathena).
Professor Mark Smith (Chair), Deputy Vice Chancellor
Mrs Sandra Beaufoy, HR Administrator in Physics
Dr Sue Burrows, Part-time Post Doctoral Research Associate in Physics
Ms Georgina Copeland, PA to Head of Department, Mathematics
Mr Manus Conaghan, Learning & Development Centre
Mrs Wendy Coy, HR Manager, Warwick Medical School
Warwick Athena SWAN Bronze award form www.athenaswan.org.uk
37
Ms Faye Emery, Senior Administrative Officer, Department of Engineering
Dr Miriam Gifford, Assistant Professor in Warwick HRI
Dr Adam Johansen, Assistant Professor in Statistics
Dr Sara Kalvala, Assistant Professor in Computer Science
Mr Richard Moffatt, Administrator, Warwick Manufacturing Group
Dr Naila Rabbani, Assistant Professor in Clinical Science Research, Warwick Medical
School
Professor Colin Robinson, Professor in Biological Sciences
Ms Molly Rogers, Administrator in Psychology
Professor Alison Rodger, Professor in Chemistry and Director of MOAC DTC (also Chair
of Athena Steering Group)
Mrs Christine Smith, Learning & Development Centre
Mr James Smith, Research Support Services
Professor Julie Staunton, Professor in Theoretical Physics
Professor Margaret Thorogood, Professor of Health Sciences, Warwick Medical School
Professor Pat Unwin, Professor in Chemistry
The SAG began by comparing practice within the SET departments with the agenda initiated by
the Athena SWAN submission. This seeded a wider discussion of good practice and
development of ideas. A web page was created to facilitate communication between SAG
members. The primary focus was on accessing and commenting on the draft action plan and
application. It also became a useful vehicle for developing new initiatives.
The departmental representatives established gender-balanced Departmental Focus Groups
consisting of a range of staff and students at different stages of their careers. These focus
groups enabled wider engagement across the University. Staff in SET departments have
engaged in the Athena SWAN process through departmental staff meetings. At University level,
the University’s Steering Committee and Equality and Diversity Committee have been engaged
and kept appraised of progress. Reports to Senate and Council have updated these groups.
Expanding the debate is part of the action plan.
Agenda and Minutes of SAG meetings are available from:
http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/equalops/athena/action/agenda/
8. Action plan
Provide an action plan as an appendix. This should be a table or a spreadsheet comprising
plans to address the priorities identified by the data and within this application, the person
responsible for each action and a timeline for completion. It should cover current initiatives and
your aspirations for the next three years.
See Appendix.
Warwick Athena SWAN Bronze award form www.athenaswan.org.uk
38
9. Any other comments
Please comment here on any other elements which you think relevant to the application, e.g.
recent mergers between departments (maximum 250 words).
The University continually reviews the sustainability (financial, intellectual, environmental) of all
activities. The finances of the University are robust, but review processes identified the need for
some change, one of the most significant being the creation of the School of Life Sciences
(effective from 1st October 2010) from the Departments of Biological Sciences and WHRI. Both
of these departments are SET departments and are undergoing restructuring to create the new
School. Appropriate Equality Impact Assessments have been carried out and will continue to be
updated as work progresses. The SAG have noted the impact of this period of change as being
a factor in its ongoing work.
Warwick Athena SWAN Bronze award form www.athenaswan.org.uk
39
SWAN Action Plan 2010 to 2013
This Action Plan is intended to guide the work of the SWAN Self Assessment Group over the period 2010 to 2013.
Key areas for assessments
1. Review how best to
promote female
representation on
University Committees
2.
Female representation on
departmental committees
Actions
Investigate whether due to the smaller
numbers of senior female academic staff,
the same individuals are over-burdened
with committee duties.
Review how Committee roles should be
reflected in women’s promotion aspirations.
Investigate ways of encouraging female
academics to put themselves forward for
wider University opportunities.
Review the level of female representation on
SET
departmental
committees
e.g.
promotion,
management,
and
other
committees where this is seen important
internally by female members of staff.
Accountability
Senior University
Management,
Deputy
Registrar’s Office
(DRO), HR
Progress
To monitor usage of academic staff on
committees.
To support the DRO to ensure that committee
memberships are representative.
A wider pool of talented female academics
available for University level engagement
SET
Departments,
E&D Committee,
HR,
DRO
Investigate ways of encouraging female
academics to participate as a means of
career development.
Warwick Athena SWAN Bronze award form www.athenaswan.org.uk
Timescales
1–2 years
1–2 years
To discuss with departments an appropriate
gender
balance
on
committees.
In
departments with no or few female academic
staff—representation may need to be given
from other departments.
To develop a wider pool of female academic
talent represented at departmental level to
assist career development.
40
3.
Promotion Criteria
To review the longitudinal data for
promotions in SET departments and to
determine any generic reasons or underlying
development needs regarding why promotion
recommendations may not have been
successful.
ASC, HR, Local
SET Promotions
Committees
1 year
Departments to be encouraged to have
promotion committee structure and process
available on intranet pages.
Case studies would be useful tools to highlight
success cases.
To put in place any local development
opportunities and / or mentoring to support
career development and to ensure that
female staff understand how to prepare
themselves for promotion at the appropriate
time.
Formalise support for postdoctoral research
promotion.
Ensure that the application of promotion
criteria to part-time staff is understood locally.
4.
Credit for collaborative
work at all levels
5.
Part time working
Enable a greater local understanding of the
promotions process by clearer dissemination
of University and SET Departmental
expectations.
Ascertain how Academic Staff Committee
currently gives credit to academic staff
working on collaborative work e.g.
Credit for publications
Credit for research grants
Credit for administration and teaching
and to ensure this is understood locally and
to revise the processes locally and centrally if
necessary.
Consider how to balance ‘fixed and variable’
contributions from part-time staff—i.e.
quantity of output versus accomplishment of
a category of task.
Senior University
Management, HR,
SET Departments
1–2 years
To discuss at University and Departmental
level.
HR,
SET
Departments
1–2 years
To investigate how this is currently measured.
Warwick Athena SWAN Bronze award form www.athenaswan.org.uk
41
6.
Transparent work load
models
Ensure that the workload model in SET
departments
is
transparent
and
communicated effectively.
SET Departments
1 year
Good practices already exists in some
departments and will be communicated to
other SET departments.
Senior University
Management, HR,
LDC,
SET
Departments,
Research
Staff
Forum
1 year
Work on role of PG certificate in Transferable
skills as a guided mentoring programme.
Embed transparency of workload models into
departmental
practices
whilst
still
acknowledging subject-specific needs.
7.
Post doctoral researchers
role at Warwick
Such information to be included in induction
packs.
Set up local structures so postdoctoral
researchers feel supported and mentored at
an exciting but insecure time of their career.
Support departmental initiatives to develop
postdoctoral researchers.
Research exchange—utilizing Departmental
Research Staff Forums to share best practice
and as a Networking mechanism.
Share best practice between departments.
Consider how postdoctoral researchers
should be represented on the Science faculty
research committee.
Warwick Athena SWAN Bronze award form www.athenaswan.org.uk
42
8.
Mentoring encouraged for
all staff
Formalise local mentoring processes,
investigate making training for mentors
mandatory and determine an appropriate
formal monitoring process.
SET
Departments, HR,
LDC
1 year
Some departments already operate best
practice in monitoring fixed term contracts and
offering six-month career review meetings.
This best practice needs to be formalised
across all departments.
SET
Departments, HR,
LDC
SET Departments
1 year
Discussions with LDC and Chair of Equal
Opportunities Committee already underway.
1 year
Some SET departments already starting to
ensure greater numbers of women give
departmental seminars.
Review mentoring at various levels within
SET departments by:
Investigating the effectiveness of
existing mentoring arrangements for staff
on probation through local SET probation
committees.
9.
Warwick Leadership
Programme
10. Role models
Reviewing the opportunity of supporting
mid career staff with a professorial mentor of
their choice.
Encouraging Professorial staff to have a
co-mentoring relationship.
To investigate the option of a Women-only
Leadership Programme with LDC to look at
gender specific challenges in management.
Develop strategies to create and bring
forward role models in areas where female
representation is less by e.g. reviewing
departmental seminar programmes.
Departments to encourage women to network
locally, nationally and internationally.
Warwick Athena SWAN Bronze award form www.athenaswan.org.uk
43
11. Training and support for
women
12. Child care
facilities/assistance
Integrate into annual review process a
particular emphasis on career development
for the next step particularly for women, e.g.
Warwick Leadership programme, experiential
development.
Review how to provide more assistance for
working parents with school aged children
(4–14 yrs) during school holiday periods and
promote any actions under the University’s
work life balance approach.
L&DC, HR, SET
Departments
1 year
Review what
departments?
Nursery – Debbie
Castle, DRO, HR
1
year
ongoing
-
1 year
ongoing
14. External and internal
Ensure that both women and men continue to
feature in any external and internal SET
publicity activities to ensure representative
balance.
Ensure all results and successes are in
departmental newsletters and web pages.
University
Publicity
Office,
SET Departments
1 year, but
ongoing
All
SET
departments
1 year
Warwick Athena SWAN Bronze award form www.athenaswan.org.uk
in
Consultations already begun with LDC to
incorporate gender-related issues into the
Annual Review training.
Discussions on developing a holiday ‘play
scheme’ service for parents of school aged
Investigate what other universities offer.
All
SET
departments
teaching excellence
offered
children during the school holiday periods.
Develop SET Department Open Days which
particularly target female candidates.
15. Celebrate successes in
currently
Articulate what career development to take the
next step could look like with underpinning
options for development.
13. Outreach work
publicity
is
–
More schemes at reasonable costs are
required.
Discussions with Departments on the feasibility
of holding specific open days/workshops for
female students.
To provide adequate public speaking training
to academic staff to enhance their profiles.
Ensure departments of winners publicise
successes appropriately noting the wishes of
individuals.
44
16. Options for variable work
patterns
17. University Staff Survey –
PULSE
18. Developing more media
spokes-people
19. Information availability
20. Health and Safety
21. Bullying and Harassment
Review the local application of opportunities
for variable work patterns in SET
Departments and what may be alternative
options e.g. short-term part-time work for
Postdoctoral researchers and permanent
staff.
Consider the results of the 2010 Annual
Survey and update action plan accordingly in
conjunction with local SET Departmental
PULSE Action Plans.
Advertise LDC and PGCTSS Science
Communication
courses
across
SET
departments. Offer departmental courses in
science
communication.
Involve
the
Communications Office in this.
Ensure information is locally available and
understood about e.g. maternity cover for
people on various short-term contracts.
SET departments,
HR
1 year
SET departments,
SAG, HR
1 year
ongoing
LDC and MOAC
Doctoral Training
Centre.
1 year
To encourage staff to take all available
opportunities and to recognise efforts
departmentally and centrally.
RSS, HR
6 months
Ensure appropriate H&S information is
readily available to all staff e.g. to ensure that
information for pregnant women in SET
departments reflects the impact of SET roles.
To make available an on-line safety induction
package to complement other central and
induction activities.
To refresh and reinforce the information and
advice on the process of reporting and
dealing with B&H incidents and to publicise
the Dignity at Work contacts for SET
departments.
Health & Safety
Office,
HR,
Departments
1 year
To ensure transparency of information,
especially with regard to staff being funded by
research agencies. University to discuss these
issues with funding agencies when negotiating
funding contracts.
To find effective ways to communicate H&S
information to ALL staff.
–
To address any issues highlighted from the
staff survey.
To work with the Safety Office to ensure web
sites are clear, concise and easy to navigate.
All Staff, HR
Warwick Athena SWAN Bronze award form www.athenaswan.org.uk
To discuss with departments to what extent
this is required and how to implement it.
6 months –
ongoing
To effectively communicate the B&H reporting
process. To continue to embed into the culture
of the University that B&H will not be tolerated.
45
22. Promotion information
23. Collection of SET data
24. Data for fixed-term versus
open-ended contracts by
department
25. Flexible working
26. Audit policies
Publicise and communicate the promotion
criteria and how to be put forward for
promotion in each SET department to assist
career development and planning.
Request the University to review whether
data on staff and students can be monitored
and available from a central source. To
improve data collection.
Request that data on fixed-term versus openended contracts by department be monitored
and available from a central source in a
format to meet the needs of SET
departments. To improve data collection.
To review the feasibility of the University
recording statistics on up-take of flexible
working with cooperation from departments
who agree to flexible working requests.
To ensure information is readily available on
a range of flexible working opportunities.
To support an equal pay audit as and when
the University has determined its obligations
under the Single Equality Act
SET Depts, HR
1 year
Departmental Forum Groups to discuss with
Heads of Departments & Departmental
Promotion Committees.
HR,
Office
1 year
Discussions to be held to request that
statistical data be held in a central records
office, rather than by various sources in
different locations across campus.
Discussions to be held to request that
statistical data be held in a central records
office, rather than by various sources in
different locations across campus.
Academic
HR,
1 year
HR, Departments
1–3 years
To examine current monitoring practices—to
open more dialogue between the University
administration and departments.
Senior University
Management
1–3 years
The Single Equality Act 2010 will more clearly
dictate the requirements of the Equal Pay
Audit process and Warwick will plan
accordingly when more guidance is given.
HR
To have a local exit interview process to
gather data specific to SET departments on
retention and the effectiveness of people
strategies.
Warwick Athena SWAN Bronze award form www.athenaswan.org.uk
46
27. Support departments in
preparing Athena
submissions
Provide advice and support to departments
for their individual submissions.
SWAN
Self
Assessment
Group
Expand the knowledge of the work of the
Athena SWAN Group and disseminate
information more widely.
1–3 years
Physics eligible for Silver Athena (re: JUNO).
Chemistry applying for their Silver award.
Other departments being encouraged to work
on their submissions.
Integrate the generic themes of the SWAN
plan into the University’s Single Equality Plan
Warwick Athena SWAN Bronze award form www.athenaswan.org.uk
47