UNIVERSITY OF ESSEX
EQUALITY AND DIVERSITY COMMITTEE
ANNUAL REPORT TO COUNCIL 2011-12
ITEMS FOR INFORMATION
1
ANNUAL REPORT
The Committee met three times in the academic year 2011-12. The
report in Appendix A outlines work carried out during the year and
identifies priority actions for 2012-13.
ITEMS FOR APPROVAL
2
CHANGE TO COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP
Noted
The Committee considered proposed changes to Membership
Recommended
to Council
That the following changes be made to the Membership for 2012-13:
Ex Officio Members
Vice-Chancellor: Professor Anthony Forster
Director of Human Resources: Mrs Sue Endean
Academic Registrar: TBC
Director of Student Support: Ms Rachel Fletcher
Deputy Director of Student Support (Disability): Ms Angela Jones
Equality and Diversity Officer, Students' Union: Alex Hopkins
Students’ Union Vice President International Students: Miss Jovanna
Yiouselli
Deputy Director of Communications and External Relations –
Widening Participation and Community Engagement: Ms Rachel Earle
Human Resources Policy and Projects Officer: Ms Karen Bush
Nominated/Representative/Elected Members
One representative of each of the three campus Trade Unions: Mr
Colin McAuley, Professor Peter Patrick, Mr John Wakeman
Appointed Members
One External Member of Council
Ms Judith Judd (Chair) 1/8/2011 – 31/7/2014
One Dean
Dr David Pevalin 1/8/2011 – 31/7/2014
One Head of Department
Dr Alison Rowlands 1/8/2011 – 31/7/2014
Secretary:
Mrs Karen Stephenson
Karen Stephenson,
Secretary to Equality and Diversity Committee
Appendix A
1
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.
2
COMPLIANCE WITH EQUALITY LEGISLATION
In compliance with the Equality Act 2010, the University published:
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information to demonstrate compliance with the General Equality Duty by the
deadline of 31 January 2012 and;
equality objectives by the deadline of 6 April 2012
Three top-level objectives were developed from those contained within the Equality
Policy and Strategy 2011-14 and were identified as the highest priority in each of the
three areas covered by the equality duty. They are as follows:
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3.
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
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
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
REVIEW OF EQUALITY POLICY AND STRATEGY 2011-14 ACTION PLAN
In May 2012 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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Significant progress to raise awareness of equality and diversity-related issues has
been made by developing new publicity material, using new methods of
communication such as social media, having stalls at Freshers Village and in Unity
Week, holding Tuesday Tasters and participating in Learning at Work Day in 2011;
13 new Harassment Advisors have been recruited and trained. A radio advert for the
Network has been recorded and plays on the University’s Red Radio and a piece
about the Network is currently being filmed for Essex TV;
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The ‘Caring for Carers’ project is well underway. The project team have held a
Tuesday Taster, an Afternoon Tea for Carers, a drop-in session at Southend campus
and held one-to-one meetings with a number of staff and students. A survey was
launched at the start of the 2012 Summer Term and the final report is in the process
of being drafted;
The University achieved re-accreditation to use the Two-Ticks disability symbol for a
further year until August 2012;
Work to raise awareness of the importance of conducting Equality Impact
Assessments has resulted in an increase in the number of Equality Impact
Assessment (EIA) pro-formas being completed.
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 will report 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 May 2012.
EADC also considered progress made on recommendations arising from the Equality
Impact Review on the Progress and Retention of Undergraduate Students. Of
particular note is the opening of a Parent and Baby Room on Colchester Campus and
the appointment of a Student Retention Officer.
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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 and the Academic Section (student
complaints). No areas of concern were identified but the Committee asked the
Student Equality Statistics Working Group to consider the following issues:
o
The relationship between what statistics are available and what EADC
receives;
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Admissions data – how the University records applicants with incomplete
applications and the implications for drawing conclusions from the data;
o
In which areas can University of Essex data can be compared to national
trend data?
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Giving structured guidance to those asked to submit reports in the form of a
template with the aim of achieving a consistency of approach.
The Working Group will report back to the Committee in November 2012.
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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
There has been an increase in the numbers of staff not disclosing information relating
to their ethnicity and the disability disclosure rate has also fallen (despite being higher
than that of the 1994 Group and the sector as a whole). This gives cause for concern
and Equality and Diversity are currently considering how best to encourage staff to
disclose equality and diversity information, particularly given that monitoring for
religion or belief and sexual orientation will start in the near future.
Benchmarking
As part of the revision of the University’s Strategic Plan, consideration is being given
as to who the University should benchmark itself against in the future.
Recommendation: any future benchmarking analysis of staff data should be
conducted against whichever group, or groups, the University decides is appropriate.
Positive action
The statistics as at 31 December 2011 reveal imbalances in terms of gender at
departmental level in some areas. In addition, we know that the University only has
one black Professor. The University can, in order to address an imbalance, take
positive action to encourage certain groups of staff to apply for particular positions.
Recommendation: consideration should be given, where appropriate, to using
positive action to encourage under-represented groups to apply for particular roles.
All recommendations were approved by the Committee.
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DISABILITY MATTERS
The Committee noted that the University has joined MINDFUL EMPLOYER®, the
Charter for Employers who are Positive About Mental Health. Human Resources
have researched the benefits of becoming a MINDFUL EMPLOYER® and believe it
can help the University to recruit and retain talented and valuable staff, increase
awareness and understanding of mental ill health, create an environment in which
staff feel comfortable with discussing mental issues with their manager and give
managers greater confidence to address these issues. In addition, becoming a
MINDFUL EMPLOYER® is another tangible display of the University’s commitment to
equality and diversity and to improving the working lives of our staff.
The Scheme is facilitated by Workways, a service of Devon Partnership NHS Trust
and was launched in 2004.
MOD/Universities Partnership Agreement - The University, with the full support of
the Vice Chancellor, has committed to this partnership agreement. It has been set up
as a nationwide scheme with a network of Universities and the Ministry of
Defence (MOD) Defence Career Partnering (DCP) Programme, in order to offer work
placements to wounded, injured and sick Service personnel. The University already
runs a very successful work placement scheme for disabled people and this scheme
fits well with the aims of that scheme which are to introduce disabled people from the
local community to the University in order to give them an opportunity to develop their
transferable work-based skills, gain experience and ultimately reach their full potential
in employment.
Essex Access Forum (EAF) report –
The Committee received the annual report from the EAF who reported the following:
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Work on the campus Access Interactive Map is ongoing.
Work on an iphone App has recently been completed.
The Under-Podia Access Map has now been produced and distributed.
A priority action plan, relating to key routes and facilities, is in now in operation as
part of the Campus heavy doors project.
The EAF has been involved in design-thinking on access relating to various
capital works and refurbishments on the Colchester campus. They have been
liaising with an Access Consultant on the Elmer Square project, Southend and
have recommended using the services of an Access Consultant in all larger solo
projects at the University.
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A specialist film drying unit has been purchased for the University dark room to
help improve access for wheelchair users.
Individual access guides are now available for every academic department and
can be viewed online.
EAF has agreed new Terms of Reference with Estates Management to include:
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EAF inclusion on Estates’ bulletins regarding pending works and works in
progress.
EAF inclusion on project steering groups for all major works from RIBA
Stage C onwards.
The possibility of establishing a work experience opportunity for a Health and
Human Sciences (HHS) student in support of the group is being explored.
Two Ticks Disability Symbol - The University has been re-accredited for the ‘Two
Ticks’ scheme for another year.
Access to Work - The University continues to claim re-imbursement from Access to
Work when applicable.
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HARASSMENT ADVISORY NETWORK (HAN)
Following a recruitment campaign in the summer of 2011, 14 new Harassment
Advisers undertook a three-day training programme. The Network currently has 17
advisers at Colchester, 1 at Southend and no advisers at Loughton. Loughton cases
can be covered by the HAN confidential contact number and if necessary an adviser
can travel to the campus. The Network with its new advisers is working well. It was
reported that there were more staff clients than student clients in the calendar year
2011.
Mr Syd Kent retired as Chair of HAN in May 2012 and was succeeded by Ms Karen
Bush. Maz Brook was appointed as Deputy Chair. Various training events are
planned for the forthcoming year and the network continues to meet monthly to share
best practice and discuss case issues.
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OTHER BUSINESS
Mediation Service
A hybrid model of in-house/external mediation provision is currently being explored.
Initially the service will be for staff only, but it is envisaged that the model used could
be mapped across and used for students in the future.
Caring Responsibilities Project
Student Support and Human Resources were successful in their bid to fund a Project
Officer for the ‘Caring for Carers’ project. In addition, Equality and Diversity provided
additional funding for a second Project Officer and monies for publicity and other
expenses was obtained from the Essex Fund (formerly the Alumni Fund). Work has
been ongoing since December 2011 and the findings and recommendations are due
to be reported to EADC in November 2012.
Athena SWAN (Charter for Women in Science)
The University has become a Charter member of Athena SWAN following the
decision by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) to no longer shortlist
NHS/University partnerships for Biomedical Research and Biomedical research Unit
funding unless the academic institution holds at least a silver award from the Athena
Swan Charter for Women in Science. This may also apply to other funding bodies in
the future.
Professor Christine Raines, Head of the School of Biological Sciences is leading work
on the project and a timeline is being prepared with a view to submitting an
application for a Bronze Award, in the first instance, by November 2012.
Mature Students Project
The Committee received the report from this project, which emerged from findings
from the Widening Participation Strategic Assessment and thanked the Project Officer
and her team for the work they had put in. The following is a summary of the top
level recommendations:
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Ensuring publications and communications reflect an inclusive ethos;
Continuing to improve communication with and between mature students;
Reviewing pre-arrival information (aligning expectations with experience);
Reviewing the means by which information is communicated pre-arrival;
Promoting academic integration;
Promoting social integration;
Promoting a holistic experience;
Engendering a deeper commitment to students’ course-related aspirations;
and
Pursuing an ongoing commitment to reviewing and enhancing mature student
transition, integration and retention.
Recruitment and Selection
An online recruitment and selection training course has been developed and
launched. Training is compulsory for all staff who Chair or take part in a Selection
Committee.
EADC also agreed that the position adopted at its meeting in May 2011, not to adopt
Section 159 of the Equality Act which allows employers to take positive action when
deciding who to appoint to a position, should remain unchanged.
Equality and Diversity online training
In addition to agreeing that all new staff should complete the Equality and Diversity
Essentials module of the University’s Equality and Diversity online training within the
first six months of employment, EADC agreed to consider making this training
compulsory for all staff at its meeting in November 2012.
Research Excellence Framework (REF) Code of Practice
As part of the consultation process EADC considered the draft REF Code of Practice
and suggested some revisions. EADC noted that completion of the Equality and
Diversity Essentials module of the University’s Equality and Diversity online training is
compulsory for all staff involved in the selection of staff for the REF and that Equality
Impact Assessments will be carried out at key stages of the REF process.
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FORTHCOMING WORK
Priority actions for 2012-13 are
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To conduct an all-staff survey;
To conduct an equal pay review;
To complete the Caring for Carers project;
To continue to encourage consideration of equality issues when developing
policies by increasing the use of the Equality Impact Assessment (EIA) pro-forma;
To work on our commitment to achieving an Athena SWAN recognition award;
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To train staff in Departments and Sections on how to administer the Equality and
Diversity on-line programme to enable monitoring of completion rates;
To introduce monitoring for both staff and students in respect of sexual
orientation and religion or belief
Karen Stephenson, Secretary, Equality and Diversity Committee
June 2012