UNIVERSITY OF ESSEX
EQUALITY AND DIVERSITY COMMITTEE
ANNUAL REPORT TO COUNCIL 2012-13
ITEMS FOR INFORMATION
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ANNUAL REPORT
The Committee met three times in the academic year 2012-13. The
report in Appendix A outlines work carried out during the year and
identifies priority actions for 2013-14.
Karen Stephenson,
Secretary to Equality and Diversity Committee
Appendix A
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EQUALITY AND DIVERSITY COMMITTEE (EADC) TERMS OF REFERENCE
Terms of Reference
a) To agree policy in relation to equality and diversity issues, consulting
students, staff and external interest groups as appropriate, and to make
recommendations to Senate and to Council as appropriate;
b) To monitor key performance indicators in accordance with an agreed
schedule;
c) To monitor the implementation of requirements and recommendations that
arise from the introduction of new policies and procedures or the review of
existing policies and procedures;
d) To review existing policies, procedures and service provision in relation to
equality and diversity;
e) To receive and advise on action arising from external consultation exercises;
f) To decide on the programme of Equality Impact Reviews (EIRs), to receive
final EIR reports and monitor the implementation of any recommendations
arising from final EIR reports;
g) To provide governance and strategic oversight of the Harassment Advisory
Network;
h) To submit an annual report to Council.
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COMPLIANCE WITH EQUALITY LEGISLATION
In compliance with the Equality Act 2010, the University published information to
demonstrate compliance with the General Equality Duty. This information is broken
down into the following broad areas:
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Student equality information
Staff equality information
Equality Impact Assessments/Reviews
Equality Policy and Strategy
Consultation and involvement
Promoting equality and diversity
REVIEW OF EQUALITY POLICY AND STRATEGY 2011-14 ACTION PLAN,
INCLUDING EQUALITY OBJECTIVES
In May 2013 the Committee reviewed the progress made towards achieving the
actions contained within the Action Plan of the Equality Policy and Strategy 2011-14.
Highlights included:
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Successful completion of the Caring for Carers project which resulted in a number of
recommendations currently being considered;
Equality and Diversity Course Administrators appointed in Departments and Sections
to ensure new staff complete the Equality and Diversity online programme within six
months of starting their employment;
Significant progress made towards making an application for an Athena SWAN
Bronze Institution awarded (expected submission date April 2013);
Achieving re-accreditation to use the Two Ticks disability symbol for a further year
until February 2014;
Successful introduction of monitoring the sexual orientation, gender identity and
religion or belief of all students and new staff;
Staff Survey undertaken in Autumn Term 2012 – 56% response rate achieved; work
on actions is underway;
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Another individual successfully completed a placement under the Work Experience
Scheme for Disabled People;
Various awareness-raising activities have taken place such as events to mark
Disability History Month in December 2012, participation in Stress Awareness Day in
November 2012 and having stalls at Fresher’s Village and New Staff Induction.
The Committee also reviewed progress made towards achieving the University’s
three top-level equality objectives:
1. For all new staff to have successfully completed the University’s online Equality and
Diversity Essentials programme within the first six months of their employment.
Current position: Equality and Diversity Course Administrators have been appointed
in Departments and Sections who are responsible for enrolling new staff on the
programme and ensuring they complete it. Of the 38 Equality and Diversity Course
Administrators, 24 responded to a request for completion rates within their areas as
at 30 April 2013. Within those 24 areas, there were 110 new staff of which 52 (47.2%)
have successfully completed the course.
2. To collect information about the religion or belief and sexual orientation of students,
commencing in the academic year 2012-13, and achieving an increase in response
and disclosure rates year on year.
Current position: Monitoring system in place for registration at the start of the
academic year 2012-13.
Religion or belief: Response rate 80.73%; Disclosure rate 73.39%
Sexual orientation: Response rate 80.73%; Disclosure rate 71.32%
3. To promote the University’s Values of diversity, equality of opportunity, integrity,
leadership and the highest academic and professional standards through a series of
awareness-raising activities (to be measured by responses to particular questions in
the SSS and Staff Survey).
Current position: Students were asked whether they agreed or disagreed with the
statement ‘I feel I am treated with dignity and respect’ in the SSS in 2012. The
percentage of students who agreed = 90%.
In the 2012 staff survey 75% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed with the
statement ‘On the whole, members of the University community treat each other with
dignity and respect’.
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ASSESSING THE IMPACT OF OUR POLICIES ON EQUALITY
An Equality Impact Review Panel to look at the Annual Review Procedures for
Academic and Research Staff was convened in April 2011 and reported their findings
to the November 2012 meeting.
Equality and Diversity considered a number of completed Equality Impact
Assessment (EIA) pro-formas and recommended a number of actions be taken but
did not refer any assessments to the Committee for further consideration. These
actions were reported to EADC in November 2012, February 2013 and May 2013.
In the Spring Term of 2013 Heads of Departments and Sections were reminded of
their responsibilities with regard to conducting EIAs on the policies they ‘own’.
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STUDENT EQUALITY AND DIVERSITY STATISTICS
EADC received reports relating to Undergraduate and Postgraduate Admissions, the
Disciplinary and Membership Panel, Student Support, the Student Satisfaction
Survey, the Employability and Careers Centre, the Academic Section (student
complaints) and in relation to the progression and success of undergraduate students
and the progression and award classification of postgraduate taught students. No
areas of concern were identified but the Committee asked that consideration be given
to whether EADC was the correct forum in which to analyse this data.
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STAFF EQUALITY AND DIVERSITY STATISTICS
The Committee considered a range of quantitative information and analysis provided
by Human Resources of that information. The main findings and recommendations
were as follows:
Disclosure of equality and diversity information
Encouraging staff to disclose personal information remains a priority for Equality and
Diversity. Obtaining this information enables the University to understand the effect of
our policies and procedures on different groups of people and to target support where
it is needed. It is hoped that with the introduction of the self-service element of the
IHR system, staff will be encouraged to disclose their personal information and
disclosure rates will increase.
Inequities in terms of gender
The statistics as at 31 December 2012 reveal imbalances in terms of gender at
departmental level in some areas and in addition we see that the proportion of female
academic staff decreases with seniority (despite there being an overall increase in the
percentage of female Professors). By committing to the Athena SWAN Charter, the
University is working towards promoting the careers of women in science and has
developed a number of actions in response to feedback received during the selfassessment process. The principles of the Athena SWAN Charter can be applied to
all female academic staff, not just those working in science, and consideration needs
to be given as to how to broaden this work beyond the Faculty of Science and
Engineering (Health).
Inequities in terms of ethnicity
Although the proportion of staff from an ethnic minority is increasing the University
still only has one black Professor. The Equality Challenge Unit is conducting a
feasibility study to determine whether the principles of the Athena SWAN Charter are
transferable across protected characteristics. If a comparable framework/charter is
developed, the University should consider the benefits of joining.
All recommendations were approved by the Committee.
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DISABILITY MATTERS
The Committee received the annual report from the EAF who reported the following:
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The on-line, interactive map of Colchester campus has now launched;
The mobile phone app is also now available for use on smartphones, including
iPhones;
Discussions with Estate Management as regards the channels of communication
between themselves and the EAF, as contained within the EAF’s Terms of
Reference, are on-going. Shortcomings in this respect have had real
consequences for access, most recently in the Library Student Centre and, prior
to that, in Zest where computer terminals hall all been designed at standing
height and are non-adjustable. The attempts made by EAF to find a way to
improve these communications were supported by the Committee;
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A work experience placement to assist with the EAF’s administration has been
put in place. A student in HHS has been appointed to this role;
As part of Disability Awareness Week, Colchester’s Boma 7, an off-road, allterrain sports wheelchair took up residence at the Sports Centre and was
available for test drives by students and staff over a three day period;
The EAF contributed to a review of under podia parking which resulted in an
agreement to trial a scheme to replace the 100% allocated accessible parking
bays with new flexible accessible parking zones. It is hoped flexible zones will
facilitate a more efficient use of space for a growing number of drivers;
New leaflets and a pull-up publicity banner were produced for use at awarenessraising and training events;
The University signed up for a further year to DisabledGo – the national disability
organisation providing access audits of public venues.
Two Ticks Disability Symbol - The University has been re-accredited for the ‘Two
Ticks’ scheme for a further year until February 2014.
Access to Work - The University continues to claim re-imbursement from Access to
Work when applicable.
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HARASSMENT ADVISORY NETWORK (HAN)
In the 2012 staff survey, 89% of respondents said they were aware of the
Harassment Advisory Network. This compares to 83% in 2009 (results of the
Working Well staff survey).
New HAN advertising material, including leaflets, posters, pens, fridge magnets, etc.,
was produced to incorporate a new ‘Signposting Service’ theme. It is hoped that this
will help to clarify the role of the Harassment adviser. Harassment contact
information was placed on the digital display screens around the University and an
advertisement was produced by Essex TV (SXTV). Red Radio ran an advertisement
for HAN on their Sunday Surgery show.
Several Harassment advisers ran an information stand during Freshers’ Village week
and during the Dignity and Respect Unity Week. HAN also had a stand during
Occupational Health’s Stress Management Awareness Day and as part of Equality
and Diversity’s and Students’ Union’s Disability Awareness Week.
All twelve new HAN advisers were appraised in July 2012 and will continue to be part
of HAN until their next appraisal in July 2013. All other HAN advisers were appraised
in accordance with their contracts.
Several training events were held including:
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A full tour of University Accommodation.
Two anti-terrorist detectives from Essex Police gave a presentation on the
government’s ‘PREVENT’ Agenda, to the Residence Assistants and Harassment
Advisers, to help raise awareness of the radicalisation of vulnerable individuals.
Joint training of HAN advisers and RA’s to raise awareness of the roles each play
within the University.
Hate Crime Training with a Hate Crime Officer from Essex Police.
A talk by Bret Giddings from ISS on University procedures with regard to dealing with
electronic harassment.
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OTHER BUSINESS
Mediation Service
Eight members of staff have completed accredited mediation training and, once they
have satisfactorily completed observations/co-mediations they are able to conduct
stand-alone mediations. The intention is then for the University to join the UCEA
register to form a pool of mediators across several institutions.
Caring Responsibilities Project
The Caring for Carers Project was successfully completed and EADC approved a
number of the resulting recommendations designed to better support staff and
students to achieve their goals at work and study.
Athena SWAN (Charter for Women in Science)
In April 2013 the University submitted an application to Athena SWAN for a Bronze
Institution Award. The outcome will be known in November 2013. Work is underway
to progress identified actions and to determine which department(s) should apply for
a Silver Award.
Parent and Baby Room
The Parent and Baby Room, which was also used as a First Aid Room and a room
for pregnant women and disabled people to rest in, has been re-allocated as office
space by the Space Management Group. The University is currently working with the
Students’ Union to adapt one of the Union’s accessible toilets as a temporary
solution. This is not ideal but despite two letters to the Space Management Group
outlining the need for this facility and the University’s legal obligations under both
equality and health and safety legislation the situation has yet to be resolved.
Staff Survey 2012
The University has commissioned Capita, the 2012 survey provider, to produce a
specific equality and diversity report in order to obtain more detailed information
about the results from an equality perspective. EADC will be made aware of any
issues relating to equality arising from the survey.
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FORTHCOMING WORK
Priority actions for 2013-14 are:
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To submit an application to the Stonewall Workplace Equality Index in September
2013;
To progress actions identified in our Athena SWAN Bronze Institution award
application;
To complete the equal pay review currently underway and progress any actions
arising from that;
To introduce monitoring of all staff in respect of sexual orientation, gender identity
and religion or belief;
To make completion of the Equality and Diversity online programme compulsory for
all staff;
To progress recommendations identified in the Caring for Carers project.
Karen Stephenson, Secretary, Equality and Diversity Committee
June 2013