UNIVERSITY OF WARWICK
Notes from the Athena Network Group
Held on
Thursday 5th February 2015
Present:
Claire Algar, Larbi Alili, Sandra Beaufoy, Sue Burrows, Joanne Collingwood, Amy
Hamson, Richard Moffatt, Charlotte Moonan, Sunita Palmer, Naila Rabbani, Alison
Rodger, Antonia Sagona, Sandy Sparks, Orkun Soyer, Lila Tennent, Kate Thomas,
Annie Young,
Apologies:
Mia Khan, Sam Cole, Rachel Corke, Ann Dixon, Vanessa Goodship, Judith Klein,
Anne O’Rourke, Nav Patel, Leonie Walls, Peter Winstanley,
1.
Matters arising
No Matters arising. Minutes approved for 5th December 2014.
2.
Update from ECU on Athena and GEM
REPORTED: (by S Beaufoy)
(i)
That ECU were consulting with the sector and a number of other key
stakeholders with regard to the proposed amalgamation of the Athena SWAN
Charter Mark and the Gender Equality Charter Mark with effect from April 2015.
(ii)
That it is anticipated that the amalgamated Charter Mark will primarily work to
the Athena principles, with the following changes proposed:
(a) Inclusion of professional and support staff, honorary staff and some atypical
staff such as visiting lecturers, noting that these staff will be covered
separately in submissions to ensure that data on recruitment, retention and
progression remain clear.
(b) Trans Staff – Institutional submissions will not be expected to include data on
trans staff, but will need to demonstrate how the unfair treatment often
experienced by trans people is tackled by the institution.
(c) Zero contract hours – it is intended to extend beyond the current Athena
SWAN focus of fixed-term and open-ended contracts to include zero-hours
contract staff.
(d) Data Requirements – the data template used in the GEM trial will no longer
be mandatory. Detailed guidance will give comprehensive information on
minimum data requirements and expectations on how to use, interpret and
present data.
(e) That there will be an increased focus on the use of qualitative data, which
will be especially useful for smaller departments, where there may be dangers
in interpreting the small numbers involved in quantitative data.
(f) That ECU are proposing a possible change to submission dates from April and
November to March and September.
(g) That the name of the Charter Mark is being discussed.
RESOLVED:
That Warwick has responded to the consultation as part of a joint response from other
Russell Group members. In principle there is agreement with many of the proposed
changes with the exception of the proposed changes to the submission deadlines. It
has been requested that these remain April and November each year. The launch of
the new Charter Mark will be made in April 2015.
3.
International Women’s Day
REPORTED: (by S Beaufoy)
That the International Women’s Day will be celebrated on Sunday 8th March. The
University would like to host an event during the following week, to mark the
occasion. Orkun Soyer and Charlotte Moonan from Life Sciences suggested an event
focussing on inspirational women. Departments were therefore requested to seek
speakers (male and female) either from the Warwick community or externally who
would be happy to talk about inspirational women in science, historical or current day.
RESOLVED:
Departments to nominate speakers for the event which will be held on Tuesday 10th
March 2015. C Algar to be responsible for setting up a web page and online
Registration form once the event schedule has been confirmed.
4.
Progress on Departmental Action Plans
(i)
Physics
REPORTED: (S Burrows)
a)
b)
A sub group has been set up to look at the recruitment process and the wording
used on adverts
Will be attending an event in York in February for renewal of their Juno
Champion Award
(ii)
Warwick Medical School
REPORTED: (by S Palmer)
a)
b)
c)
(iii)
Due to renew for Silver Award in April 2016 (after being given a 6month
extension)
Outreach activities are being reviewed.
A Careers Day is being held on 11th March 2015
Engineering
REPORTED: (by A Hamson and J Collingwood)
a)
b)
c)
(iv)
The department is working towards a Silver Award
The action plan has been divided into sections and allocated to members of
staff in the SAT for ownership, some sections are 100% complete
Student Progression is being investigated to understand if and where students
may move degree stream before graduation and if there is a bias in teaching
activities?
Warwick Manufacturing Group
REPORTED: (by R Moffatt)
a)
b)
c)
d)
(v)
Working towards a Silver Award in November 2015
Welfare and Communication group meet regularly
Training needs and line manager training are currently being analysed.
Continued support for the researcher mentoring team
Statistics
REPORTED: (l Alili)
a)
b)
c)
(vi)
Working towards a Silver Award in April 2016
A webpage is being developed to display diversity initiatives and links to
Equality and Diversity
A Post Doc committee has been set up to investigate Women in Statistics
Psychology
REPORTED: (K Thomas)
a)
(vii)
No updates to report, their Welfare and Communications committee are
meeting mid-February.
Life Sciences
REPORTED: (C Moonan)
a)
b)
5.
Any Other Business
a)
(b)
6.
The Welfare and Communications Committee are considering setting up a
web page
Looking at the exit interview processes to determine why staff were leaving
and if there were any issues that could be addressed.
That there will be a training session on Friday 13th February for Dignity
Contacts. It is important that staff and students understand what the role of
a Dignity Contacts is and that the Dignity at Warwick Policy exists.
That the Demystifying the Warwick Promotion Process event will take place
on Thursday 12th March 2015 and that registration is available on line:
http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/equalops/athena/demystifyingtheprom
otionprocess
Date for the next meeting
The date of the next meeting is Thursday 5th March 2015 at 12:00 hrs in the MOAC
meeting room.