University of Warwick Physics Department Action Plan November 2013
WCG
PDRA
PGSSLC
PGRES
DLHE
LDC
HR
WP
HoD
OFFA
Welfare and Communication Group
Post Doctoral Research Assistant
Post Graduate Staff and Student Liaison Committee
Postgraduate Students Survey
Destination of Leavers of Higher Education
Learning and Development Centre
Human Resources
Widening Participation
Head of Department
Office of Fair Access
Principle 1: A robust organisational framework to deliver equality of opportunity and reward
Action already taken and Further Action
Responsibility
outcome
1.1 Establish organisational
The Welfare and
To continue to
Head of
framework
Communication Group
maintain and
department and
1.1.1 Evidence of senior
comprises staff at all
review
chair of WCG
management commitment
levels including head and membership.
deputy head of
department,
undergraduate and
postgraduate admissions
tutors, research staff,
outreach staff and
postgraduate students.
Physics HR staff are
regularly briefed on
institutional policy.
Timescale
On-going
Success
Measure
Continuity and
full membership
of group, and
actions taken in
support of
initiatives.
Rotation of key
staff to ensure
WCG’s
activities are
embedded into
the culture of
the department.
1.1.2 Effective consultation,
communication, monitoring,
evaluation and reporting
mechanisms
Meetings take place
every three months with
minutes posted on the
departmental web-page.
Welfare and
Communication reports
to staff meetings. Two
group members also
attend University Athena
Network meetings to
share best practice. This
feeds into University
awareness and support
networks with other
STEM departments. A
formal annual report on
Welfare and
Communication has
been presented to all
staff since 2012.
Note also PULSE survey
1.2.2.
A staff survey on
awareness of
departmental policy
will be carried out
every two or three
years (avoiding
clash with PULSE
1.2.2)
WCG
Ensure that issues
of concern are
addressed after
each survey. Staff
will then see the
benefit of
completing the
survey.
HoD
If response rate
low: widely consult
staff re under
completion, and
incentivise returns.
HoD
HR
On-going
Achieve return
rate of at least
70%.
1.1.3 Clear accountability for
implementation and resources
allocated (time and money)
1.2 Monitoring and evidence
base
1.2.1 Monitor over time,
quantitative data by gender for staff
and students
Participation in Welfare
and Communication
meetings is recognised
as part of the department
collegiate structure;
coordination is a
recognised duty in the
Departmental work load
model (see 4.2).
Funds for Juno/Athena
related travel and events
are provided as required.
Data is collected by the
University for all
departments; this shows
no. of male/female
undergraduates, gender
of staff applications,
offers & appointments,
promotion rates at all
staff levels for male and
female staff etc. This
data is available from
2006/7.
Note also internal survey
1.1.2.
WCG budget to be
set and approved
annually. £10k.
Chair of WCG
is accountable
for the budget
to the
Department.
Administrator.
Access to HoD for
supplementary
funding of
exceptional items.
HoD
To continue to
collect this
information via HR
systems (staff) and
Strategic Planning
and Analytics office
(students).
Department HR
Coordinator
Collate DHLE by
gender, from
Careers and Skills.
Careers officer
Collate systematic
Department data
on job applications,
longlists, shortlists
& appointments.
Start Jan 2014.
Department HR
Coordinator
Reflect upon both
absolute values
and trends.
WCG and staff
meeting
On-going
Regular
minutes from
WCG endorsed
by termly Staff
Meeting
On-going
Databases
which are
accurate and
available in
useful formats –
new University
data dashboard
currently
planned.
Databases
available to all
staff involved in
selection
procedures.
Ongoing.
New Action
Plan items for
issues arising.
1.2.2 Obtain qualitative data from
staff.
1.2.3 Identify any discrepancies in
gender representation and/or
progression and identify factors that
might be causing them
Qualitative data from
staff is identified through
the annual Pulse Survey.
Physics has a
consistently more
positive response to
‘working environment
and work-life balance’
than the University
average and the science
faculty average.
To continue to
press university HR
to improve PULSE
questions
WCG reps on
Athena Swan
Network.
Ensure that issues
of concern are
discussed and
addressed after
each survey.
HoD
Biannual
Well engaged
staff, as
evidenced by
the
“engagement
index” reported
out of PULSE.
Distillation of general
issues emerging form
staff individual Annual
Reviews.
HoD
Annual Reviews of
Teaching and PGR
monitors student
recruitment and
progression data from
1.2.1
Admission
Tutors and
Directors of
Studies
On-going
WCG
April 2014
WCG monitors
employment statistics
from 1.2.1 and reviews
student stats above.
WCG to monitor
further data in 1.2.1
above.
Maintain Pulse
response above
70% (else refer
to Staff
Meeting).
New action plan
items to
address new
issues arising.
Principle 2: Appointment and selection processes and procedures that encourage men and women to apply for academic posts at
all levels
Action already taken and
Further Action
Responsibility
Timescale Success
outcome
Measure
2.1
Ensure that processes
Appointments are monitored Time related selection
HR
Sept 2014 Gender and
and procedures are fully
by HR. Warwick’s
criteria to explicitly
other ratios of
inclusive
recruitment and selection
accommodate career
HR
applications
policies are gender blind.
breaks.
administrator
above
national
average and
2.1.1 Ensure career breaks are
improving.
taken into consideration
2.1.2 Gender awareness
Senior management and
All staff with any Selection Head of
By October All staff who
included in training for all staff
cluster heads have
role will be required to do
Department
2014
sit on
who serve on recruitment panels undergone online
online ‘Recruitment and
recruitment
‘Recruitment and Selection’ Selection’ training supplied
and selection
training supplied by LDC.
by LDC.
panels, and
Numbers are monitored by
those who
HR.
Active vetting of all
HR
From Oct
interview PhD
selection panel members
Administrator
2014
students, will
against the above
have taken
‘Recruitment
and Selection’
e-module.
2.1.3 Provide induction for all
Induction packs continue to Induction packs are
HR
On-going
Staff feeling
new staff, including research
be given to all new staff;
updated continuously
administrator
welcome and
assistants, on appointment
these are tailored according
informed.
to staff category. Post
Improved
graduates at Warwick who
integration of
become a PDRA also
research staff
receive a ‘top-up’ induction.
within
research
teams.
2.2 Take positive action to
encourage under-represented
groups to apply for jobs
All advertisements have a
Diversity statement and the
University displays the
Athena SWAN logo on its
recruitment web pages, as
well as its front page.
Physics also have the logos
on publicity material.
To examine
advertisements to see if
wording could be phrased
in a style that is more
encouraging for all
applicants.
HR
Administrator
On-going
Individual PGR students are
typically funded through
time off for maternity and
family friendly working
arrangements agreed
thereafter.
Draw up systematic plan Director of
for such support which can Graduate
be adopted by dept and Studies
properly advertised to all
prospective and current
PGR students.
See further actions at 5.1.6
Jan 2014
2.2.1 Monitor applications,
shortlists and appointments,
looking at the proportion of
women (internal and external) at
each stage
Staff appointments for all
departments are monitored
by the University and these
statistics are made readily
available. Current data goes
back to 2006-7.
The
Welfare
and WCG
Communication Group will
monitor
the
gender
balance
and
identify
discrepancies
on
an
annual basis.
Oct 2016
The gender
balance of
applications
will better the
national
average.
2.2.2 Identify any
discrepancies and investigate
why this might be the case,
taking action as necessary
Recruitment figures show
that for the period 20112013 women have higher
recruitment success than
men at level 6, and lower
success rates at levels 7-9.
Headhunting must be
inclusive, with active focus
on under-represented
groups of applicant.
Jan 2014
The gender
balance of
appointments
will better the
national
average.
See further actions at 2.2.2
All eligible minority gender
job applicants will be
longlisted (e.g. women for
academic posts, men for
Cluster Heads
and HoD
clerical posts).
From Jan 2014 any single
gender shortlists require
approval by HoD in the
light of clear written
justification.
Oct 2014
Principle 3: Departmental structures and systems which support and encourage the career progression and promotion of all staff
and enable men and women to progress and continue in their careers
Action already taken and
Further Action
Responsibility
Timescale Success
outcome
Measure
3.1 Transparent appraisal and Staff appraisal occurs
Ensuring that actions
HoD, line
On-going
90%(aspiration
development
through the Staff Annual
identified during staff
managers, HR.
ally 100%)
3.1.1 Appraise all staff,
Review Process. PDRAs
reviews are dealt with.
Individual staff
take up of
including researchers and
have six monthly review
members to
Annual
PDRAs
meetings with their line
Ensuring that any training
take
Reviews (or
manager but are also given identified is discussed with responsibility
six monthly
the option to have an
the Learning and
for their reviews
review
Annual Review. They also
Development Office,
in conjunction
meeting).
have a consultation with the especially if it is bespoke
with line
Staff having a
head of department six and training that is required.
manager
positive view
four months before their
of the process
contract ends, and an exit
(ref. PULSE).
interview.
Increased
participation in
training.
3.1.2 Mentoring scheme in
place with training and guidance
available for both mentors and
mentees
All academic staff on
probation have a mentor for
up to five years. The
university provides training
for those who wish to
become mentors. Mentors
are available for staff
returning from
maternity/paternity/adoption
leave.
New PhD students will be
given a ‘buddy’ within their
group.
Line managers
Oct 2014
3.1.3 Ensure all staff, including Career guidance is
PDRAs, have access to impartial available through LDC for
career guidance
all staff categories. LDC
actively market their events;
researchers receive a
dedicated monthly enewsletter detailing events.
The annual review process
also fosters career
development.
In response to earlier
feedback, students are
invited to a Physics
Employer careers event
within the department,
attended by recruiters.
To continue to liaise with
LDC to identify appropriate
courses for all categories
of staff.
To monitor engagement of
staff with LDC eg
attendance at LDC events.
To develop the wellattended Physics
Employer evening into an
annual event.
Career officers,
academic staff.
On-going
Research Open Evening
about research careers in
general, not just PhDs at
Warwick.
PG Admissions
Officer
On-going
Greater peer
support for
staff.
Positive
feedback from
staff through
staff survey,
and from
students
through
PGSSLC and
PGRES
survey.
Engagement
with LDC at all
staff levels.
Attendance by
>150 students
at Physics
Employer
event.
Continuing
prominence of
research
related
destinations in
our DLHE
statistics.
3.2 Transparent promotion
processes and procedures
A senior female academic is
included in the promotions
committee. Staff on leave
3.2.1 Ensure promotions
are still considered for
process is transparent and fair to promotion .Career breaks
all staff at all levels, including
accommodated in time
those who have had a career
related criteria.
break
The statistical data on
promotions is reviewed
annually.
3.2.2 Ensure all staff are
All academic and research
aware of promotion criteria and
staff are aware of the
process and the support
process through the
available to them throughout the departmental web pages,
process.
and annual emails inviting
submission for promotion.
An annual promotion
awareness seminar has
been introduced for all staff
to increase awareness of
the criteria, process and
support available. All
academic and research staff
are invited.
Promotions
committee.
On-going
High scores on
corresponding
PULSE
questions.
WCG
Seek feedback from staff
who recently sought
promotion on their
recommendations for
improved support.
Promotions
committee
Oct 2015
Increased
number of
strong
promotion
applications
from female
staff, with high
success rate.
Good
attendance
and feedback
from seminars.
3.2.3 Take steps to identify
and encourage potential
candidates for promotion
Potential candidates are
identified and encouraged
through the annual review
process. Each case is
discussed and iterated with
line manager and cluster
head. The promotion
committee offers advice on
a draft before submission to
the University.
3.2.4 Address the underlying
causes of Gender Imbalance in
Physics
Department Outreach
programme headed by full
time Outreach Officer.
School visits (inbound and
outbound) for all ages,
primary to sixth form.
In partnership with the
Science Park Trust, we are
proposing an outreach
programme directly
targeted at the age group
where IoP diagnoses the
beginning of the gender
divide in Physics.
Regular public events such
as our popular Christmas
Lecture series.
Engagement with and
support of local Science
(esp. Physics) teachers.
Revamp our Work
Experience programme for
schoolchildren, to offer
structured placement
opportunity across the
department, for summer
2014
Promotions
committee
On-going
Application
and success
rates will have
an even
gender
balance.
Staff feeling
more confident
to discuss
promotion.
Outreach
Officers;
research
groups;
HoD
Oct 2016
Noticeably
improve the
gender mix of
A-level
Physics across
state schools
in Coventry.
3.2.5 Improve Student Gender
ratio in Warwick Physics.For
2013/14 the Department has a
percentage of female students
at both undergraduate and
postgraduate level equivalent to
the national average
(19%undergrad, 20% postgrad).
Recognise full range of
scholastic ability indicators
for students whose grades
alone might not qualify
3.2.6
University Access
Agreement with OFFA and
associated action plans.
Address other WP issues
Department contribution
through dedicated Outreach
programme.
Extend to all applicants
We will use our Widening
Participation strategy to
encourage a gender
balanced approach when
devising WP events for,
and visits to, schools in
WP target areas
Admissions
Tutor
On-going
Consistently
exceed 20%
Wider
admissions
team
Oct 2016
Towards 30%
Department WP
Officer.
On-going
Exceed OFFA
targets.
Outreach
Officer
Principle 4: Departmental organisation, structure, management arrangements and culture that are open, inclusive and transparent
and encourage the participation of all staff
Action already taken and
Further Action
Responsibility
Timescale Success
outcome
Measure
4.1 Promote an inclusive
4.1.1 Staff meetings are
4.1.1 Meetings will be
Secretary for
On-going
Informed and
culture
open to all categories of
monitored to ensure a
minutes
engaged staff.
4.1.1 Ensure departmental
staff; these are held three
good mix of staff continue
Policies and
processes, procedures and
times per year. Staff from all to attend.
practices are
practices are fully inclusive
categories do attend.
included in
the annual
report to staff.
4.1.2 Gender awareness
included in the training for all
staff and demonstrators.
4.1.3 Promote inclusive social
activities and other opportunities
for mutual support and
interaction.
Senior management and
cluster heads have
undergone online ‘Diversity
in the Workplace’ training
supplied by LDC. Numbers
are monitored by HR.
Face to face training is
available from the University
equality and diversity team.
E&D incorporated into
Demonstrator briefing.
Staff will be required to do
online ‘Diversity in the
Workplace’ training. This
covers all protected
characteristics.
Academic away days are
usually organised for
research groups or ‘clusters’
rather than the whole
Department. Social
activities for the whole
Department include a
summer barbeque for all
staff, and a Christmas meal
for all staff plus partners.
Coffee is served in the
common room every day at
11am to act as a social
centre for the Department.
A weekly newsletter
continues to be emailed to
all staff.
A ‘Women in Physics’
network has been started
this year, open to all staff
and students. Department.
funds monthly lunch with
seminar for this network to
meet and discuss.
HoD and all
lead staff
On-going for HR report all
Oct 2014
staff have
undertaken emodule
‘Diversity in
the
Workplace’.
E&D incorporated into
Postgraduate Induction,
from Oct 2013.
HoD and all
lead staff
On-going
Oct 2014
All new
postgraduates
will have
received E&D
training.
There is a
high level of
attendance at
both
Christmas
and summer
events.
Good
attendance at
‘Women in
Physics’
lunches from
women at all
levels in the
department.
4.1.4 Use positive, inclusive
images in both internal and
external communications.
4.1.5 Encourage and support
female seminar speakers.
Positive and inclusive
images are used in
departmental literature for
potential undergraduates.
The Physics website
includes links to staff
profiles showing positive
role models.
A display showing our Juno
and Athena Swan status is
on show at open days.
The number of female
speakers in the Department
is monitored on an annual
basis.
Displays,web-based
profiles and all promotional
material will be reviewed
annually, including gender
balance of images and
media.
Admissions
Officer;
Outreach
Officer;
On-going
Positive
comments
from visitors
at Open and
Admissions
days.
WCG
Open Day coordinator
The department will top up
seminar budgets by 100%
of their spend on female
seminar speakers.
HoD
On-going
A minimum of
20% of the
speakers at
seminars in
the Physics
Department
will be female.
The gender ratio of
speakers at seminar series
will be monitored termly,
and organisers will be
alerted if their seminar
series has an unfavourable
gender ratio.
Dept Office
Oct 2015
For a weekly
programme
both genders
should be
represented
in a typical
month, and
pro-rata
termly for less
frequent
series.
4.1.6 Encourage nominations
for awards and prizes.
4.2 Transparent workallocation model
4.2.1 Recognise the full range of
types of contributions and
departmental role, including
administration, welfare and
outreach activities.
4.2.2 Ensure all staff are aware
of the criteria used to develop
the model and that the allocation
is transparent
All staff are encouraged to
nominate candidates for
internal awards for
postgraduate demonstrators
and staff awards such as
Warwick Awards for
Teaching Excellence.
Students are regularly
nominated for prizes at
conferences.
Nominations for external
academic distinctions
fostered by dedicated
emeritus appointee.
The work allocation model
is conducted by the Director
of Studies, taking into
account teaching and
administrative duties, in
consultation with HoD. From
2013, the workload model
has been expanded to
include the full range of
activities (as left)
Publicise the procedure for
nominations for awards
and prizes to all staff and
students.
HR
On-going
The
nomination
level and
success rate
will be
comparable
with other
departments
at Warwick
and will show
good gender
balance.
Encourage nominations
HoD and all
managers/
Officers
On-going
Emeritus
appointee
On-going
Monitoring of recognition
for all relevant activities in
workload model.
Consultation with new staff
to ensure expertise is
drawn upon for inclusion in
future teaching loads
Director of
Studies and
HoD
Annually
Staff feel their
diverse
contributions
to the
Department
are valued
and that there
is equality of
workload
distribution.
Transparency
of duties, as
measured by
our surveys.
Details of the algorithm are
available on the teaching
pages of the departmental
web-site and also in
academic induction
Awareness of the work
allocation model is part of
the Physics department
staff survey.
Director of
Studies.
Oct 2016.
100% positive
response
from
academic
staff about
material. Allocation of duties
are discussed with
individual staff in the three
month period prior to annual
publication. All staff are
offered a chance to change
their balance of work within
a predetermined fixed load
each year; administrative
duties rotate every three
years.
The workload allocation
process has been
discussed at a previous
academic away day and
has been made
transparently available to all
academic staff.
awareness of
the work
allocation
model, arising
from staff
survey.
Principle 5: Flexible approaches and provisions that enable individuals, at all career and life stages, to optimise their contribution to
their department, institution and SET
Action already taken and
Further Action
Responsibility
Timescale
Success
outcome
Measure
5.1 Support and promote
The Department at Warwick
Head of
High
flexible working practices
has supported flexible and
Department and
awareness of
5.1.1 Clear support from Head part time working for all staff
HR
flexible
of Department for flexible and
for a number of years.
administrator.
working and
part-time working
Parental leave, where staff
career
may take up to four weeks
breaks,
unpaid leave in any year for
measured
each child under 5, is
through staff
promoted through the
survey.
university website and also
through the annual report to
staff.
5.1.2 Consistently applied
policy on part-time and flexible
working
Adherence to clear
University policy, which is
open to all staff, not just
those with statutory right.
Clarify right of return to FT
HoD to discuss
with HR in Jan
2014
5.1.3 Promote the benefits of
flexible working for both men
and women, particularly for
those with caring responsibilities
Staff profiles including those
with flexible/part-time
working patterns are readily
available on the
departmental website
Encourage women to
attend Warwick’s ‘Womenin-Science’ days, which
feature talks and breakout
sessions from successful
Warwick women in STEM
departments.
‘Women in
Science’
network
5.1.4 Explicit support for those
returning from career breaks or
maternity leave
Staff returning from
maternity leave are
encouraged to seek Study
Leave following maternity
leave in order to gain
research momentum. The
University also offers a
salary sacrifice scheme for
staff using the University
nursery. The nursery was
rated excellent by OFSTED
in 2010/2011, and has also
won an architectural award.
Ten KIT (keep in touch)
Quantify the ‘good
attendance’ target
From March 2012 there
has been a new ‘Returning
parents’ support network’
organised through the
University Equality and
Diversity team. Awareness
of meeting dates is raised
through the weekly
departmental newsletter.
We will continue to press
HR to allow us to commit
Physics department money
to underwrite maternity
leave for contract
No
reasonable
request
refused
outright.
On-going
Good
attendance at
‘Women-in
Science’
events.
Sept 2014
On-going
Positive
feedback from
mothers on
the
management
of their return
to work.
5.1.5 Encourage take up of
paternity and other caring leave
5.1.6
5.1.6 Facilitate the take-up of
Maternity Leave by staff and
PGR on external fixed term
funding.
days are available for
women on maternity leave
to spend time in the
Department.
researchers.
Full re-Induction for all
returners from career
break.
Department HR
Coordinator
Next return
Additional paternity leave
can be taken if maternity
leave is not fully taken up.
Paternity, adoption and
parental leave are promoted
in the induction booklet, in
the annual report to all staff
and also online.
Staff rights to maternity
leave are clearly
communicated on HR
website. However these do
not address the question of
any corresponding contract
extension for researchers:
typically the funding is there
but the grant may be out of
time. For dept to guarantee
contract extension for all
has been vetoed (as
discriminatory between
depts) by University level
HR.
Paternity leave is
monitored on an annual
basis.
Department HR
Coordinator
Sept 2014
Develop new online
resource collating links to
the policies of different
research funders,
regarding time extension
on grants in respect of
researcher maternity.
HoD
December
2013
This should encompass
both research staff and
research students.
PG
Administrator
January 2014
Commonality of funding
base means that this
resource should be of
value UK wide, and we aim
to open it up
correspondingly (lawyers
permitting).
Dept Office
Summer 2015
Formally for PGR at
University level, the only
maternity option is
75% takeup
of (known
eligibility for)
paid paternity
leave.
temporary withdrawal. In
practice most PGR can be
funded through their
maternity leave.
To have become an open
Wiki if such does not
already exist
See also 2.2.
[tba]
Summer 2016
Active
established
wiki with a life
well beyond
dept.