THE UNIVERSITY OF WARWICK
Equality and Diversity Committee
Minutes of the meeting of the Equality and Diversity Committee meeting held on the 1
November 2010.
Present:
Professor K Lamberts (Chair), Mr L Boe, Dr E Campbell, Professor E Hines,
Mrs J Hodge, Mrs K Hughes, Mr D Persaud, Mr M Potter,
Professor A Szczepura, Ms D Weber
Apologies:
Dr A Dolan, Ms J Horsburgh, Mr S Lamb, Dr M Shewring
In Attendance: Mrs W Coy (Secretary)
1/10-11
Terms of Reference and Membership
(a)
Terms of Reference
RECEIVED:
A copy of the Terms of Reference for the Equality and Diversity Committee
for 2010/11 as set out in paper EDC01/10-11 (previously circulated).
(b)
Membership
REPORTED:
That the current membership of the Committee for 2010/11 was not
complete.
The methodology for amending the terms describing the
membership and recruiting to the vacant memberships was outlined in paper
EDC02/10-11 (previously circulated).
RECOMMENDED: (To Council)
That the approach outlined in paper EDC02/10-11 be adopted and
progressed.
2/10-11
Minutes
RESOLVED:
That the minutes of the meeting held on 24 May 2010 be approved.
3/10-11
Matters Arising
(a)
Annual Report on Equality and Diversity (minute 30/09-10 refers)
REPORTED:
That the Director of Information and Planning, Dr G Carden, had provided
information that the University of Warwick currently records information only
on the number of dependants a student has, which is different to that of
parental responsibility.
(b)
Athena SWAN Charter (minute 32/09-10 refers)
REPORTED:
(i)
That the University of Warwick has been awarded Bronze status.
(ii)
That the Physics Department and the Chemistry Department had each
been awarded Silver Status
RECEIVED:
A verbal update from Professor Lamberts, it being noted that he asked for
approval of the establishment of an Athena SWAN group to report into the
Equality and Diversity Committee.
RESOLVED:
That Professor A Rodger be approached to lead the group for
implementation.
4/10-11
Single Equality Act
CONSIDERED:
(a)
A briefing note on the new equality legislation and the University implications
of the Equality Act 2010 as set out in paper EDC03/10-11 (previously
circulated).
(b)
A draft of the updated Single Equality Action Plan as set out in paper
EDC04/10-11 (previously circulated).
RESOLVED:
(i)
That a group of stakeholders consider an amended version of the Single
Equality Action plan. These amendments would be carried out by Human
Resources.
(ii)
That the Chair would speak to the Director of Communications regarding
publicity.
RECOMMENDED:
That the briefing note as set out in paper EDC03/10-11 be circulated to Council
and Senior Officers for information.
5/10-11
Equality and Diversity Network
RECEIVED:
The minutes of the Equality and Diversity Network held on 18 October 2010 as set
out in paper EDC05/10-11 (previously circulated).
6/10-11
Items from the Equality and Diversity Network
RECEIVED:
A verbal update from Mrs Kate Hughes (Director of Student Services) on Dignity
at Work and Study.
7/10-11
Disability Interest Group
RECEIVED:
A copy of the minutes of the meeting of the Disability Interest Group held on May
2010 as set out in paper EDC06/10-11 (previously circulated).
CONSIDERED:
The priorities for students in relation to the Single Equality Act 2010. Verbal input
was received from Despina Weber.
RESOLVED:
That the actions be included in the updated Single Equality Action Plan for
2010/11.
8/10-11
Promotion and Probation
CONSIDERED:
A report on academic promotions and probations for the academic year 2008/9 as
set out in paper EDC07/10-11 (previously circulated).
RESOLVED:
That all statistical reports needed a common approach with trend analysis and
that the Chair and the Human Resources Director would discuss this.
9/10-11
Equality and Diversity Training
REPORTED:
(a)
That LDC are running some Windows on Warwick this year on working with
students with specific disabilities. The first one, on visual impairment, will run
this term. Subsequent sessions will include coverage of autism spectrum
disorders.
(b)
That the teaching and learning programme will include sessions on teaching
students with disabilities.
(c)
That also planned is an Appreciating Difference session with Actuate
Training, which is an introduction to the concept of E&D and its application in
the workplace.
(d)
That there will be some places on the Disability awareness and customer
service workshop in March next year.
(e)
That E&D issues will also be included in the recruitment and selection
training suite.
10/10-11 Budget
REPORTED:
(a)
That the Disability Budget was spent in full for 2009/10 on Facilities and
doors within library and WMS, library software, student laptops and software.
(b)
That there is now to be some funding for E&D within this academic year, but
that spending priorities would need to be considered in light of Single
Equality Action plan and Single Equality Act.
RECOMMENDED:
That the budget be managed by a group consisting of Prof K Lamberts, Mrs W
Coy, Ms Jo Horsburgh and Mr S Lamb.
11/10-11 Any Other Business
REPORTED:
That the Equality Challenge Unit had requested a questionnaire be circulated.
RESOLVED:
That the questionnaire should be circulated as requested.
12/10-11 Date of Next Meeting
REPORTED:
That the date of the next meeting of the Equality and Diversity Committee would
be on Tuesday 8 February 2011 at 10.00am in the Council Chamber, University
House.