Gender Equality Task Force, NUIG
Minutes of the Meeting on
26th May, 2015
at 1.30pm, in the Alexander Anderson Boardroom
Present:
Prof Jane Grimson (JG) (Chair), Dr Louise Allcock (LA), Liam Bluett (LB), Maria
Alemida De Silva (MAS), Dr Nata Duvvury (ND), Norah Gibbons (NG), Prof Gerry
Loftus (GL), Caroline Loughnane (CL), Dr Niall Madden (NM), Grainne McMorrow
(GMcM), Aoife McNena (AMcN), Prof Donncha O’Connell (DOC), Tadhg Ó Héalaithe
(TOH), Prof Maura Sheehan (MS),Natalie Walsh (NW)
Apologies:
Prof Áine Hyland, Dr John Kremer
Attending:
Nicola McNicholas (NMcN)
Prof Yvonne Galligan (YG), QUB,
Professor Kathy Murphy (KM) (for agenda item 5)
Chris McNairney (for agenda item 7)
1
Apologies were noted from Prof Áine Hyland and Dr John Kremer. The Chair welcomed Prof
Yvonne Galligan to her first meeting of the Gender Equality Task Force and thanked her for
agreeing to be an advisor to the Task Force.
2
Approval of Minutes
The minutes of the meeting of 24th March, 2015 were approved.
3
Matters arising from Minutes
Number
Description
1/2015/1
Invite Yvonne Galligan to
next meeting
1/2015/2
Chair to meet HEA
1|Page
Person
responsible
NMcN
JG
Deadline
Status
In advance
of next
meeting
14/04/2015
Complete
Meeting took place on
14th April. Tom Boland
1/2015/3
Invite Aoife Cooke and Pat
Morgan to next meeting
NMcN
31/03/2015
1/2015/4
Complete payroll forms
All
As soon as
possible
1/2015/5
KM to attend next meeting
NMcN
1/2015/6
Devise appropriate approach
to consultation
Obtain copies of previous
promotions reports
GMcM, NG,
ND
NMcN
In advance
of next
meeting
As soon as
possible
In advance
of next
meeting
1/2015/7
4
advised that the HEA
will shortly announce
a system wide review
of gender equality in
Irish HEIs
Postponed until next
meeting of the Task
Force; presentation to
include summary of
the changes that have
taken place since the
2008/09 Senior
Lecturer Promotions
Round
No longer necessary;
NMcN to advise
external members
how to claim for
expenses. The
Sharepoint Site has
been set up and NMcN
to arrange access
Complete
On agenda
Complete
Presentation by Prof Maura Sheehan
The Chair welcomed Prof Maura Sheehan who gave a presentation on “The Business Case for
Diversity”. The presentation showed that there is considerable evidence in management and
economics literature that finds a positive relationship between race and gender diversity and
business performance. Diverse teams produce better results – higher levels of creativity and
innovation. Diversity researchers have long maintained that in order for organisations to achieve
success with a diverse workforce, employees need to perceive that their organization supports and
values the contributions of all employees.
5
Presentation by Prof Kathy Murphy
The Chair welcomed Prof Kathy Murphy who brought the Task Force up to date with the University’s
Athena Swan submission. The results of the review of the submission will be known on 6th July. The
Athena Swan document has been published on the Gender Equality website. The Chair is to check
with TCD whether their Athena Swan submission can be circulated to the Task Force.
2|Page
Prof Murphy confirmed that UMT have approved the Athena Swan Action Plan including the
allocation of the resources required for implementation. The Task Force noted that the University
will also need to introduce on-going and systematic monitoring and evaluation of progress towards
gender equality.
6
Presentation by Prof Yvonne Galligan
Prof Yvonne Galligan gave a presentation on Gender Equality at Queen’s University Belfast (QUB).
The presentation outlined how QUB recruits, promotes and retains women scientists. She also
described the gender sensitive policies in place in QUB which ensure that women are not left out
and how the gender perspective has been and continues to be “mainstreamed”.
7
Presentation by Chris McNairney
The Chair welcomed Chris McNairney who outlined the experiences of the Human Resources
Department in NUI Galway with respect to gender equality which in his view, to this point, had
received neither the resource base nor the prominence that it required. It is his opinion that the
University needs to both invest in and commit to its own policies and procedures and needs to look
for more than short term solutions in order to bring about gender equality. Equality of opportunity
should be a standing item of the management agenda and needed to be value driven and not crisis
driven extending well beyond the life of the task force. He expressed a view that in his experience
not every senior manager understood the significance of the matter; notwithstanding the
requirements of the University Act.
In response to questions, he noted that HR had not been involved in academic promotions until the
2013/14 round of Senior Lecturer promotions and suggested we could profit from an “equality
audit” of all procedures relating to how people are managed. A discussion ensued around the merits
of a gender pay audit and it was felt that a gender pay audit may highlight differences with respect
to Post-Doctoral salaries.
8
Terms of Reference
The Draft Terms of Reference were discussed and members were asked to come back to NMcN with
any changes to Section 2 - Membership of the Task Force in respect of their relevant skills and
experience. It was agreed that the methodology should be included within the body of the Terms of
Reference as it provided transparency in respect of the workings of the Task Force. The Terms of
Reference will be agreed by the Task Force via email during the week beginning 8th June. GMcM will
work on the wording for the Call to Consultation in conjunction with the Chair.
9
Draft Progress Report
The Draft Progress Report to be submitted to Údarás at their meeting on June 23rd 2015 was
approved. The Task Force noted that the successful candidate for the VP for Equality and Diversity
role should have experience of implementing policies and procedures to deliver gender equality.
While Universities do not generally have such a full-time role at the equivalent level (Pro-Vice
Chancellor), the Chair reported that advice she had received indicated that there was a pool of
experienced individuals at a senior level who would be qualified to apply for such a post as a result
of several years’ experience with the implementation of gender equality. DOC noted that major law
firms would routinely have a Partner with specific responsibility for Equality and Diversity. It was
3|Page
agreed that a subgroup of the Task Force should work with the President to establish a job
description and recruitment process for the VP for Equality and Diversity. It was acknowledged that
this was an opportune time to look for a VP for Equality and Diversity as the UMT structure was
currently undergoing a review.
It was agreed that the onus for the implementation of the recommendations should be given to the
President or alternatively for him to allocate the role to another member of UMT pending the
appointment of the VP for Equality and Diversity.
10
Task Force Communication Strategy
The Task Force agreed that the Chair should respond to any emails or correspondence which are
received on behalf of the Task Force. The two emails received from the Micheline3condition’s group
relating to the Task Force itself and its expertise which had been sent to several members and the
second which had been sent to the Chair regarding their demands and Prof Pat O’Connor’s refusal to
serve on the Task Force were discussed. Responses were agreed which will be issued by the Chair.
11
Date of Next Meeting
Date of next meeting will be Wednesday 23rd September.
12
AOB
There were no further items.
Actions
Number
Description
1/2015/3
Invite Aoife Cooke and Pat Morgan to next
meeting
Arrange for external members to access
Sharepoint site
Chair to check if TCD Athena Swan submission
can be circulated.
Task Force to review Section 2 of Terms of
Reference and to revert to NMcN
Finalise wording of the Call to Consultation
Approve Terms of Reference
Chair and DOC to work on the wording around
the importance of the VP post
Chair to respond to 2 emails from
Micheline3Condition’s Group on behalf of the
Task Force
2/2015/1
2/2015/2
2/2015/3
2/2015/4
2/2015/5
2/2015/6
2/2015/7
4|Page
Person
Deadline
responsible
NMcN
In advance of
next meeting
NMcN
As soon as
possible
JG
In advance of
next meeting
All
28/05/2015
JG, GMcM
All
JG, DOC
12/05/2015
12/05/2015
12/05/2015
JG
30/06/2015