UNIVERSITY OF EXETER
EQUALITY & DIVERSITY DUAL ASSURANCE, Tuesday 20 May 2014
Present: Mark Goodwin (Management Lead), Bettina Rigg (Lay Lead), Dorcas Cowan
(Equality & Diversity Manager) and Helen Booker (Equality & Diversity Administrator).
Apologies: Ailsa McGregor (Athena SWAN Project Lead)
DISCUSSED:
1.
Actions arising from last meeting (13 March 2014) not covered elsewhere on agenda:More detailed staff pregnancy and maternity data: More detailed pregnancy and
maternity data, broken down by academic/professional staff and by College/Service, will
be included the next annual publication of equality data in January 2015.
Possible mediation providers: Action: BR to contact AJ re possible mediation
providers.
Support for Students with Disabilities (ED/14/17): The summary of support available
for students with disabilities (as requested by Council at HR/E&D Session on 27 February)
was considered.
Action: DC to liaise with Jean Lloyd about forwarding this paper to Stephen Tomlinson.
The notes of the last meeting were agreed.
2.
E&D Action Plan ‘13/’14 (ED/14/18)
(Ref D) ECU Race Equality Charter Mark Trial: DC confirmed that the University has
been successful in its application to participate in the Race Equality Mark (REM) trial. DC
has agreed next steps with Jacqui Marshall and HR colleagues i.e. to attend ‘start-up’
meetings in July/August and establish a self-assessment team.
(Ref G) Transgender issues: Guidance for supporting Trans staff and students, based
on the ECU guidance, has been developed and is awaiting approval.
(Ref J) Student feedback on E&D experience: DC has contacted Jilly Court about the
possibility of including questions relating to equality and diversity within existing student
surveys and agreed to discuss this further with Neil French (Market Research Manager).
Action: DC to liaise with Neil French re incorporating equality and diversity questions
within future student surveys.
(Ref L) Two Ticks: The annual renewal of our Two Ticks status is due in October. It is
hoped that Sarah Johnson, the University’s newly appointed Disability & Wellbeing
Advisor, will be involved in the renewal process. Sarah is also leading on the University
becoming a signatory of the Mindful Employer Charter.
(Ref N) Academic Workload planning: Since the E&D Action Plan for ‘13/’14 was
approved, the workload planning workstream has been established and therefore the
action relating to workload planning within the E&D Action Plan needs to be reviewed and
amended to ensure it reflects the role of the E&D team within this workstream.
Action: DC to review and amend Action ‘N’ within the E&D Action Plan to ensure it relates
to the workload planning workstream.
(Ref P): Promoting Good Relations on Campus: Action: DC to consider the guidance
produced by ECU and highlight anything that needs consideration to the Dual Assurance
Partnership.
(Events)
Exeter Pride: The University was again one of the key sponsors of this year’s Exeter
pride which took place on 10th May. A number of staff and students participated in the
parade through Exeter high street and organised a University and Students’ Guild stall at
Exeter Phoenix Centre.
‘Pride on Campus’ celebrations were held on campus in the week leading up to Exeter
Pride including a ribbon cutting ceremony, the 50-metre long rainbow Pride flag displayed
around the Forum, and a well-attended speaker event with Mandy McBain (MBE) from
Stonewall, which received very positive feedback.
Exeter Respect Festival: The University is pleased to be an official sponsor of the Exeter
Respect festival again in 2014 which takes place on 31 May – 1 June in Belmont Park.
Action: DC to forward details of the Exeter Respect Festival to MG.
It was agreed that the focus of the next Dual Assurance meeting would be student issues
and that representatives from the Students’ Guild would be invited to attend. Any
outcomes can then feed into planning/discussions regarding a new E&D Action Plan for
’14/’15.
Action: HB to invite Students’ Guild Representatives to the next meeting.
3.
Gender Equality Update (ED/14/19)
Ailsa McGregor was unable to attend the meeting and therefore paper ED/14/19 was
summarised by DC as follows:




4.
Actions from last meeting:
Career planning discussions: AMcG has fed back to CEMPS that career planning
discussions should include their HRBP.
Humanities promotions review: AMcG has spoken to Karen Brindley about the
promotions review in Humanities being rolled out to all other Colleges via HRBPs.
Missed deadlines for Athena SWAN submissions for external assessment:
AMcG fed back the concern expressed by the Dual Assurance Partnership regarding
those departments that had missed their external assessment deadlines to the
Athena SWAN Working Group.
The Dual Assurance Partnership felt that external assessment should be formally built
into the process for applications. It was felt that in future an early warning mechanism
may be helpful to flag to Dual Assurance if any department does not stay on track to
meet their deadline for external assessment.
GEM and Athena SWAN submissions: The GEM submission and the seven
departmental Athena SWAN submissions were all successfully made in the April
round of submissions. Outcomes are expected to be known in November 2014.
November Athena SWAN submissions: In the November round, we will be aiming
for a renewal of the University-level Bronze award, and will be making two more
departmental submissions from Biosciences (Streatham) and a combined submission
for Geography and Biosciences (Penryn).
Aurora: The final Aurora workshops will take place in May, and both Jacqui Marshall
and Janice Kay are participating as role-models. Jacqui will also be meeting with the
delegates from this year’s programme following the final workshop to discuss next
steps.
Stonewall Action Plan (ED/14/20)
The Stonewall Action Plan has been developed following a meeting with the University’s
account manager in January which provided feedback on our first independent WEI
submission (made in September 2013).
(Ref K) Hosting one of Stonewall’s Train the Trainer events: This event is due to take
place on campus on 8 July. Staff Learning & Development are organising.
(Ref L) Employee Engagement Survey: DC has spoken with Tash Khan-Davis about
including some very specific questions and ensuring we receive the profile information for
respondents. It is hoped that greater visibility and higher profile of events like Pride on
Campus and promoting that we are now a Stonewall Diversity Champion will encourage
people to complete the monitoring information.
Action: DC to speak to Jane Chafer about ensuring staff are aware of our Diversity
Champion status, and linking this to the Employee Engagement Survey to ensure this is
included in communications prior to the survey.
5.
E&D Mandatory Training Report (ED/14/21)
Completion rates for the mandatory Equality and Diversity training were considered and it
was noted that whilst there has been a significant improvement in completion rates
generally during the last 12 months, certain areas are still a concern.
Actions:
MG to raise the issue of mandatory training at VCEG when the College Deans are
present.
DC to speak to Tash Khan-Davis about the possibility of including a reminder regarding
the completion of mandatory training within the PDR template.
DC to speak to Tash Khan-Davis about whether there are any issues with recording
completion of mandatory training on the Midland Trent HR system.
6.
Risk Review for E&D (due to be submitted 22nd May) (ED/14/22)
The Risk Review was discussed and the following potential risks were discussed:
 Failure of Athena SWAN submissions to meet external assessment deadlines.
The Dual Assurance Partnership felt that external assessment should be formally built
into the process for applications as an essential requirement. It was felt that in future
an early warning mechanism may be helpful to flag to Dual Assurance if any
department does not stay on track to meet their deadline for external assessment.
Action: DC to discuss this with AMcG.
The following amendments are to be included on the Risk Review before it is submitted:
 Change (a) within the Dignity and Respect section to ‘N’.
 Update the current net risk analysis figures to ‘3’ and ‘3’.
Action: DC to make the above changes to the Risk Review and submit to Strategic
Planning & Change.
DC advised that Kate Lindsell has plans to review the Equality & Diversity, Health &
Safety and overarching HR Risk Review to ensure consistency and a joined-up approach.
7.
Any Other Business
The E&D Annual Report is due to be submitted to Council in July. DC is currently working on a
first draft. BR raised the importance of highlighting all the positive work which has been done.
Actions: DC to send the draft report to MG and BR for comments prior to submission.
AGREED ACTIONS:

BR to contact AJ re possible mediation providers.

DC to liaise with Jean Lloyd about forwarding the paper, ‘Support for Students with
Disabilities’, to Stephen Tomlinson.

DC to liaise with Neil French re incorporating equality and diversity questions within
future student surveys.

DC to review and amend Action ‘N’ within the E&D Action Plan to ensure it relates to
the workload planning workstream.

DC to forward details of the Exeter Respect Festival to MG.

HB to invite Students’ Guild Representatives to the next meeting.

DC to speak to Jane Chafer about ensuring staff are aware of our Stonewall Diversity
Champion status, and linking this to the Employee Engagement Survey to ensure this
is included in communications prior to the survey.

MG to raise the issue of mandatory training at VCEG when the College Deans are
present.

DC to speak to Tash Khan-Davis about the possibility of including a reminder regarding
the completion of mandatory training within the PDR template.

DC to speak to Tash Khan-Davis about whether there are any issues with recording
completion of mandatory training on the Midland Trent HR system.

DC to discuss with AMcG how external assessment of Athena SWAN submissions can
be formally built into the process for applications as an essential requirement.

DC to make the following changes to the Risk Review prior to submission:
- Change (a) within the Dignity and Respect section to ‘N’.
- Update the current net risk analysis figures to ‘3’ and ‘3’.
 DC to send the draft Annual Report to MG and BR for comments prior to submission
for Council.
NEXT MEETING: 24 July 2014, 10:30 – 12:00
Helen Booker
Equality and Diversity Administrator