University of Warwick
Athena SWAN Group Meeting
Minutes of Meeting on 26th January 2012 at 12:00 hrs
PRESENT:
Sandra Beaufoy (HR), Sally Byrne (WMS), Theo Gibbs (Engineering), Sara Kalvala
(Comp Sci), Richard Moffatt (WMG), Alison Rodger (Chair of Group), Molly Rogers
(Psychology), James Smith (RSS), Leonie Walls (HR), Geraint Williams (WMG), Annie
Young (WMS)
APOLOGIES:
Emma Anderson (Life Sciences), Sue Burrows (Physics), Georgina Copeland (Maths),
Vanessa Goodship (WMG), Martin Lees (Physics), Julia Smith (WMS), Peter
Winstanley (WMS)
1.
Proposed Submissions for April 2012 deadline
The Psychology Department will be re-submitting for a Silver award and WMG will be applying
for a Bronze award in the April 2012 deadline.
Other departments – Engineering and Computer Science were encouraged to apply in the
November 2012 submission round. Miriam Gifford to check with Laura Green and John
McCarthy when Life Sciences would be in a position to apply for an award. The Physics
Department will be applying to renew their Institute of Physics JUNO Champion award this
year, and it is anticipated that both Physics and Chemistry Departments will go for Gold
Awards in either November 2012 or April 2013.
2.
How do we publicise our achievements?
It was identified that the University and STEM departments do not fully utilize the Athena
award and more should be done to celebrate successes. Possible suggestions:
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Web pages have Athena submissions.
We need to celebrate successes on Athena web pages as well as elsewhere.
We need to update stories on main website.
Chemistry and physics pages need to be updated.
3.
University Silver Award
There is a need to review the Action Plan to ensure that when actions have been completed
that they are removed. A note of these actions should be kept within a separate document in
order to demonstrate achievements. Accomplishments should be listed on the website.
4.
Funding
It was reported that funding bodies may follow the lead of the National Medical Health
Institute by making it a requirement to have an Athena award before being considered for
funding.
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James Smith to think of ways of combining future AS ideas with Impact agenda.
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LDC also has money for various projects relating to training. WMG has tapped into
this funding for three projects.
Developing leaders funding from EPSRC may be appropriate.
Any Other Business
Various other issues were discussed:
Car parking complicates people’s lives, especially women, if they have to move site to site.
Flexible working and unpaid leave: how to collect data?
Parental support network. Requested checklist of what will happen on return.
Consider exit interview — should we ensure there is one and a form?
Annual survey of good practice may be a good idea and shared at the Athena Swan meeting.
We should put case studies on the web site so everyone can look at it (information to be
sent to Sandra) and this information be passed on to people who might benefit.
Discussed links with other universities.
How is activity of part-time people measured relative to full-time?
Miriam Gifford to circulate the recently established goals for different grades of staff.
Consequences will be a letter and a 1-1 interview. Co-mentoring schemes are being
established in life sciences.
Probation criteria are very clear in some departments—can they shared and circulated?
Childcare issues at Wellesbourne have now been resolved.
There is University funding available for PhD students going on maternity leave. What is the
situation with research councils? James Smith to investigate and report back.
What is the situation for Jury duty for PhD students and PDRAs? James Smith to investigate.