UNIVERSITY OF WARWICK
Notes from the Athena Network Group
Held on
Monday 4th September 2014
Present:
Alexandra Cristea, Oliver Cooper, Joanna Collingwood, Jennifer Henderson,
Mia Khan, Claire Martin, Charlotte Moonan, Sunita Palmer, Naila Rabanni,
James Smith, Sandy Sparks
Apologies:
Sandra Beaufoy, Elisabeth Blagrove, Katherine Branch, Annie Burchfiel, Susan
Burrows, Sam Cole, Rachel Corke, Ann Dixon, Vanessa Goodship, Amy Hamson,
Wilfrid Kendall, Judith Klein, Richard Moffatt, Anne O’Rourke, Nav Patel, Alison
Rodger, Julia Smith, Orkun Soyer, Charikleia Tzanakou, Leonie Walls, Peter
Winstanley, Annie Young,
1.
Matters arising
No Matters arising. Minutes approved for 6th May 2014
2.
Recent Athena SWAN Awards
REPORTED: (by C Martin)
(a) The Department of Computer Science are waiting to hear the results of their
submission for Athena SWAN Bronze award.
(b) WBS are waiting to hear the outcome of their submission for the Bronze Gender
Equality Charter Mark (GEM) award. This announcement is imminent.*
(c) Any department who wishes to submit for an Athena award in the November
round must advise Sandra or Claire as soon as possible. Notifications must be
made to the Equality Challenge Unit by 30th September.
(* An announcement has been made confirming that WBS have been successful in
their Bronze GEM Submission).
3.
Progress on Departmental Action Plans
(i)
Warwick Medical School
REPORTED: (by S Palmer)
(a) In July WMS launched an electronic returners review form for staff returning
from maternity/paternity leave.
(b) An exit questionnaire and check list will be launched at the end of September
2014.
(c) Guidelines are being produced on the car parking scheme for new
parents/nursing parents.
(d) Progress is being made on outreach activities.
(e) WMS are considering hosting an event in January and September 2015 for GCSE
choices.
(i)
Engineering
REPORTED: (by J Collingwood)
(a) Currently reviewing the action plan to determine what progress has been made.
Anticipate submitting in April 2015, but currently unsure whether this will be to
renew the Bronze award or go for Silver.
(b) A travel claim form has been made available online with a link to the Conference
Care Support Award fund.
(ii)
Life Sciences
REPORTED: (by C Moonan)
(a) Aiming to submit in November 2014 for a Silver Award.
(b) Dedicated notice board for Athena SWAN and E&D posters.
(c) An online suggestion form has been created. Completed suggestions are
discussed and feedback given. IT Services are investigating an online feedback
system to encourage positive/constructive feedback.
(d) Holding monthly social events, to raise moral in the department, different
sections are encouraged to host the event. Families and children are welcome.
(iii)
Computer Science
REPORTED: (by A Cristea)
(a) A new Head of Department has just joined the department, and is being briefed
on the Athena SWAN action plan. Meetings continue to take place on a termly
basis.
(4)
Updates from GEM Departments
(i)
Warwick Business School
REPORTED: (by J Henderson and O Cooper)
(a) WBS is waiting to hear on the outcome of their submission for a GEM award.
(b) Work is already taking place on tasks listed on the action plan.
(c) WBS’s committee schedule has been revised and all meetings now take place in
core hours (between 10:00 – 16:00 hrs).
(d) The departmental HR team are recording new data to ensure that equality data
for the department is recorded.
(e) ECU have confirmed that if the WBS Bronze submission is successful, the award
will be valid from September 2014.
(f) Communications methods have improved with up to date web pages and links to
Equality and Diversity, including displays of E&D posters.
(ii)
English
REPORTED: (by James Smith)
(a) English may not go ahead in the first round of submissions for GEM but may
replicate best practises identified by STEMM departments.
(iii)
Faculty of Arts
REPORTED: (M Khan)
(a) Representation from the Arts Faculty, have attended the WOW sessions and
again will be implementing identified best practice into departments. Several of
the Arts departments have a number of imminent changes so may not go for the
first submission round.
(5)
Any Other Business
REPORTED:
Discussion took place on how best practises are communicated and recognised by all
staff in departments, e.g. why there should be women on an interview panel.
RESOLVED:
It was suggested that Athena/GEM be a standing item at Departmental Staff Meeting
agendas, with Arts and Social Science departments receiving a GEM presentation to
inform all staff. A suggestion was also made to arrange for training to be done in
departments, although it was realised that there may not be available resources for
this.
REPORTED:
It was acknowledged that the recent promotion of the Conference Care Award fund,
has highlighted the funds existence.
RESOLVED:
Clarification is required as to whether this fund is only available to STEM
departments or can this be opened up to all staff across all departments.
REPORTED: (by S Sparks)
That LDC held a training session at WMS on mentoring. Mentoring is recognised on
the work allocation model in WMS.
REPORTED: (by C Martin)
(i)
Information is required to inform the Athena Action Plan on how many departments
have employed PDRA’s following the end of their fixed term contracts.
(ii)
The majority of Dignity Contacts have now received training, and the remaining
contacts will receive training over the next few months. There will be a ‘Dignity at
Warwick’ day on 7th November 2014, where it is hoped the revised policy will be
launched. Other activities for this event are yet to be finalised.
(iii)
A termly Equality and Diversity Newsletter will be published termly, which will
highlight equality news, events and important dates. If any department wishes to
have something published in the Newsletter, the details should be sent to Claire
Martin (c.martin@warwick.ac.uk).
(iv)
Departments were asked to advise Claire if they use the jobs.ac.uk logo. If more
departments utilised the logo, then it may be possible to negotiate a reduction in the
cost
(6)
Date for the next meeting
The date of the next meeting is Monday 6th October 2014 at 12:00 hrs in the MOAC
meeting room.