UNIVERSITY OF WARWICK
Equality and Diversity Network
Notes of the Meeting held on 9th October 2014
Present:
Darren Wallis (Chair)
Sandra Beaufoy (Secretary)
Darani Anand, Helen Blunt, Rachel Brogan, Ben Douglas, Judith
Everington Kathryn Fisher, Gemma Hearnden, Robert Horton,
Jonathon Heron, Daciana Iliescu, Emma King Jenny Rooney Kennedy,
Claire Martin, Steven McGladrigan, Kate Messenger, Martyn Potts,
Anna Preston, Stephanie Smart, Sandy Sparks, Julie Taylor
Apologies:
Naomi Alsop, Lorna Bagworth, Sophie Black, Jayne Brown, Paul
Brown, Jennifer Burns, Sue Burrows, Helen Cherrington, Georgina
Copeland, Rachel Corke, Mairi-Ann Cullen, Zoe Evans, Visa Glanville,
Ian Fielding, Hannah Harding, Maria Heredia-Fernandez, Amy Hamson,
Gloria Harris, Louise Hasler, Sue Horner, Stuart Jennings, Brenda
Jones, Janet Keene, , Mia Khan, Andrea Klaus, Rachel Leonard, Clive
Letchford, Anne Maynard, Donna McIntyre, Phil Moore, Rachel
Moseley, Sharon Murray, Claire Nicholls, Claire O’Leary, Sunita
Palmer, Fal Patel, Andrea Pulford, Naila Rabbani, Ayesha Rahman,
Shirin Rai, Julia Rogers, Karoline Schneider, Karl Schoonover,
Margaret Shewring, Clive Singleton, James Smith, Vicky Strudwick,
Yulia Timofeeva, Julie Watkins, Despina Weber, Lucy Young
1.
Notes of last meeting
RESOLVED:
The notes of the meeting of the Equality and Diversity Network held on 28 April
2014 be approved.
2.
Matters Arising
a)
Dignity at Warwick for Staff and Students (Minute 6 refers)
REPORTED: (by the HR Adviser, Equality and Diversity)
It is anticipated that a revised Dignity at Work and Study policy will be
presented to the Equality and Diversity Committee on 23rd October 2014,
following modifications to the Student Complaint Framework.
b)
Campus Interactive Map (Minute 3 (iii) refers)
REPORTED: (by the HR Adviser, Equality and Diversity)
The interactive campus map is available on line. A presentation of the map
will be given to Departmental Disability coordinators, with a view to disability
coordinators reviewing their departments to ensure items such as disabled
parking spaces, toilets and steps are featured on the map.
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3.
Equality and Diversity Network Meetings
REPORTED: By the Chair
Following feedback received over the course of the last academic year, it was
decided to pilot a different format for the meeting to more accurately represent
the spirit of being a ‘network’ rather than a committee. The core principles for the
Equality and Diversity Network meetings being:
a) To share best practice and encourage dialogue, interaction and ideas
generation
b) To focus on one or two key issues in depth at each meeting
c) To provide feedback and ‘local’ perspectives on University equality
objectives and policies
d) To encourage wider participation and raise awareness of equality and
diversity issues across the community
4.
What is Diversity?
RECEIVED: (from Claire Martin, Equality and Diversity Coordinator)
a) A presentation highlighting ‘What is Diversity ‘and how can E&D be
embedded in everyday business?’. A quiz was included in the
presentation based upon the statistics provided in the 2012/13 Workforce
Profile. The quiz was completed within groups to encourage discussion.
b) Equality and Diversity Newsletter
The new Equality and Diversity Newsletter was disseminated to the
group for feedback and ideas for future editions.
c) Diversity Calendar
A photography competition was held earlier this year. Staff and students
were invited to submit photos representing the campus community. The
photographs were judged and the winning photographs included in the
2014/15 Diversity Calendar, which is available on line to download. Hard
copies of the calendar will be available to E&D representatives.
RESOLVED:
i.
It was recommended that E&D should be embedded in induction and
training programmes and that the Learning and Development Centre
would confirm any current shortfalls.
It was highlighted during the quiz that ‘Age’ is the most visited page on
the E&D website. Members were asked to discuss this with
colleagues to try to ascertain what information was required for the
web pages, so that the pages were informative to people’s
requirements. It was suggested that the Age pages have sub-pages
on different age topics so that clearer statistics are available to
demonstrate the topic the majority of visitors are interested in,
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especially the extent to which flexible retirement may be a primary
area of interest.
ii.
Members asked for a copy of the presentation so that it could be
presented to staff in their departments. The E&D Coordinator will
make this available via the E&D Network Forum and email.
A discussion was held regarding recruitment adverts, with the point
being made that the University should highlight the flexible working
patterns available to staff, which may encourage more applicants with
caring responsibilities.
It was noted that currently recruitment and selection data is not
available. It was therefore recommended that for the time being,
departments keep their own data on academic and researcher
recruitment.
iii.
5.
The newsletter received positive feedback and it was agreed that this
was a good way to share information on the services provided by the
University and to promote forthcoming events, it was suggested that
the newsletter also be made available as an E-Version with hyperlinks
to the different services. The Newsletter will be available to view on
Insite and displayed on the Digital Screens.
It was suggested that in future editions each support service write a
feature.
It was requested that anyone who wishes to contribute to the
Newsletter send ideas through to the Equality and Diversity
Coordinator - C.Martin@warwick.ac.uk
Update on Disability Student Support Services
REPORTED: (by Kathryn Fisher, Disability Coordinator)
(a) That on 7 April 2014 the Government announced measures to modernise the
Disabled Students’ Allowances (DSAs) available to HE students from England.
The changes are aimed at modernising the current system, ensuring that
public funding for DSAs is targeted in the best way to achieve value for money.
Key changes are:
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
DSAs will now only pay for higher specification or higher cost computers
where a student needs one solely by virtue of their disability. The DSA
will no longer pay for standard specification computers or the warranties
and insurance associated with them. DSA are changing their approach
to the funding of a number of computer equipment, software and
consumable items.
DSA will fund the most specialist non-medical help.
The additional costs of specialist accommodation will no longer be met
by DSAs, other than in exceptional circumstances.
(b) There are some changes already taking place:
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(i)
From 2015/16 students will have to contribute £200 towards equipment.
(ii)
Accommodation and consumables reduced/stopped from 2015/16
(iii)
Major changes will now take affect from 2016/17 – HEI need to respond
to this now to ensure things are in place.
(iv)
There will be guidance from Department of Business, Innovation and
Skills (BIS) on what HEI’s should provide in terms of reasonable
adjustments
(b) The proposed changes would significantly impact the University financially,
as well as possibly discouraging disabled people from studying at university.
(i)
The impact means no additional funding from the government although
legal obligations remain
(ii)
A decision needs to be made as to whether the IT Provisions for
hardware and assistive soft wear should be paid by the HEI or the
student
RESOLVED:
The Disability Coordinator will provide regular updates on the progress of
these changes and has requested that departments get involved.
6.
Dignity at Warwick for Staff and Students
REPORTED: (by the HR Adviser, Equality and Diversity)
(a) The Dignity at Warwick for Staff and Students Policy has been revised, to
include the new student complaint framework. The Policy will be considered
at the next Equality and Diversity Committee for approval.
(b) The number of dignity contacts has risen from 7 to 23. 16 dignity contacts
have received training over the summer, and another 7 are yet to be trained.
(c) The Dignity web pages have been updated and now include photos and a
short profile of each Dignity Contact.
(d) There will be a Dignity at Warwick event on Friday 7th November to launch the
policy and raise awareness of the Dignity Contacts and promote Effective
Intervention on Bullying and Harassment. The details of the day are still being
finalised, and any member of staff who wishes to get involved in this event
should contact Sandra Beaufoy or Claire Martin advising how they wish to get
involved.
RESOLVED:
That the Equality and Diversity Coordinator will circulate details of the event once
these have been finalised.
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7.
Equality and Diversity Training
REPORTED: (by HR Adviser, Equality and Diversity)
(a) New training dates are being publicised on the LDC website for all of the
Equality and Diversity training sessions: ‘Think What you Think’; ‘Types of
Discrimination’; ‘Disability Awareness’ , ‘Mental Health Awareness’ and the ELearning modules. Staff should be encouraged to complete: ‘Diversity in the
Workplace’ and ‘Recruitment and Selection’.
(b) The MIND Bus ‘Journey’ will be coming onto Campus on 22nd October, 26th
November and 16th December 2014.
8.
Staff Network Groups
REPORTED: (by the HR Adviser, Equality and Diversity)
(a) The LGBT Staff and PhD Student Network Group continues to meet regularly
on every second Wednesday lunchtime of each month. Drinks are also held
on Tuesday evenings on the fourth Tuesday of each month.
(b) The Returning Parents Network Group has now been renamed ‘The Working
Parents Network’ this is open to all parents at Warwick. The web pages have
been updated and now include a closed forum. If you wish to have access to
the forum please contact the Equality and Diversity Coordinator on
C.Martin@warwick.ac.uk
(c) The Network for Disabled Staff held its first meeting in September 2014,
although there seemed to be initial interest in this network the response
following the meeting has been slow, we will continue to encourage support
for this Network.
(d) The new BME Network held their first meeting in August and will be releasing
consecutive dates shortly.
RESOLVED:
That the following will be investigated:
(i) That gender neutral toilets, breast feeding facilities and baby changing
facilities are included in the interactive campus map which is has been
designed by Estates.
(ii) Several Breast Feeding rooms are being allocatedacross campus, details
of which will be disseminated once complete.
9.
Items for the Equality and Diversity Committee
REPORTED: (by the Chair)
10. Any other business
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11. Date of next meeting
TO REPORT:
The next meeting will be held on Wednesday 21st January 2015 in WT1.04/5
Westwood Campus.
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