UNIVERSITY OF ESSEX
EQUALITY AND DIVERSITY COMMITTEE
8 February 2011
(2– 4pm)
DRAFT MINUTES
Chair
Present
Apologies
Secretary
In attendance
Mrs Stamp
Dr Wayne Campbell, Mrs Sue Endean, Ms Rachel Fletcher, Ms Angela Jones, Mr Syd
Kent, Mr Saeed Mohamed, Prof Peter Patrick, Ms Hannah Prime, Dr Kate Rockett, Prof
Jane Wright
Prof Colin Riordan, Mr Neil Barnard
Ms Karen Bush
Ms Marianne Provan, Mrs Karen Stephenson
APOLOGIES
Noted
The Chair noted apologies had been received from Prof Colin Riordan and Mr
Neil Barnard
01/11
MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON 16 November 2010
Approved
MATTERS ARISING FROM THE MINUTES
a)
Caring Responsibilities Project (M.79/10) (EADC/10/28)
Reported
Ms Fletcher reported that, as agreed at the last meeting of EADC, a scoping
meeting to discuss the feasibility of setting up a project to investigate issues
around staff and students with caring responsibilities had taken place. The
meeting had agreed a project-based approach that looked at both staff and
student issues was appropriate and that, given that the project cannot be funded
through TALIF, it should be funded through the Professional Services
operational budget for 2011-12.
02/11
Noted
The Committee expressed great support for the project.
03/11
Agreed
A costed proposal, which would include recommending appointing a part-time
Project Officer, should be put together by Student Support and Equality and
Diversity.
04/11
Action
Mrs Stamp to write a letter noting EADC’s support for the project for inclusion in
the project proposal.
05/11
Reported
Mr Kent reported that the First Aid room owned by Security and located in
Biological Sciences, is now available for use as a facility for pregnant women
and nursing mothers. Paul Humphries, the Security Manager, has been
consulted and has approved this extended use of the room. Advice has been
sought from the specialist breast-feeding unit at Colchester General Hospital as
to how to appropriately furnish the room. A dedicated room is still however being
sought and a bid has been submitted to the Space Management Group.
06/11
Agreed
Appropriate equipment and furniture for the room for pregnant and nursing
mothers should be purchased.
07/11
(b) LGBT issues (M102/10, M.103/20, M.104/10)
Reported
Mr Kent reported that after making enquiries about the experiences of HEIs who
are members of Stonewall and receiving overwhelmingly positive responses, he
has arranged meeting with a representative from Stonewall on Wednesday 23
February to discuss the matter further and will report back to EADC in May.
08/11
Equality and Diversity have also collaborated with the LGBT Society in inviting
staff to join a special Stonewall History lunchtime meeting on 23 February.
Action
Mr Kent to report back on his meeting with a representative from Stonewall at
the next meeting in May.
09/11
(c) ECU Religion and Belief Survey (M.107/10)
Reported
There were 75 staff responses and 112 student responses from Essex to the
survey. It was not possible to get any other institution-specific data.
10/11
EQUALITY ACT 2010 – DRAFT REGULATIONS FOR THE PUBLIC SECTOR EQUALITY DUTY
(PSED)
Reported
Ms Bush outlined the requirements of the PSED which include publishing, by 31
July 2011, information to demonstrate that the University is compliant with the
general equality duty, including evidence of analysis undertaken and details of
engagement carried out. In addition, equality objectives must be prepared and
published by 6 April 2012.
11/11
DRAFT EQUALITY POLICY AND STRATEGY (EADC/10/29)
Reported
Ms Bush reported that the production of the draft Equality Policy and Strategy
was the culmination of six to nine months work, led by the Implementation
Group. The Committee was asked to consider the draft, suggest amendments
and approve it to go forward to USG for consideration.
12/11
Noted
The Policy section is an amalgamation of the existing suite of equality schemes,
codes of practice and policy statements and was developed in conjunction with
staff that have responsibility for specific areas of operation mentioned in the
Policy such as the admission of students and the recruitment of staff. This
approach was adopted to avoid duplication of information and to be as concise
as possible without ‘watering down’ relevant equality issues.
13/11
The strategy contains five components and has been designed to align with the
University’s strategic aims.
The components of the action plan mirror that of the strategy. Each component
has a number of objectives. The actions corresponding to the objectives were
developed using results from the recent staff and student surveys, the Disability
Survey 2009 and evidence from a range of other sources. In addition, some
outstanding actions from previous schemes have been carried forward to this
action plan.
Approved
The Committee approved the draft, subject to a few minor amendments, for
submission to USG who will be asked to approve it to go forward for consultation
with the wider University community.
14/11
Noted
The Committee welcomed the draft and extended its thanks to the Single
Equality Scheme Implementation group for its work.
15/11
Action
Ms Bush to incorporate changes into document and submit it to USG to ask their
16/11
approval for it to go forward for consultation.
Action
Ms Bush to draw Section 2.6.2 ‘Equality responsibilities of service and facility
providers’ to the attention of the Registrar and Secretary, the Director of Finance
and the Deputy Director (Purchasing) of the Estate Management Section.
17/11
REPORT FROM HAN REVIEW GROUP (EADC/10/30)
Noted
Mr Kent summarised the report and the group’s main findings which were that
the network is generally working well, there is an important continuing role for it
and that no major change to the way in which it operates is necessary. The
main suggested changes and recommendations are as follows:


Agreed
18/11
The introduction of an outsourced mediation service should be explored
as an additional means of resolving disputes
The Harassment Advisory Group (HAG) should be re-constituted to
provide governance and strategic oversight for HAN
There should be the opportunity for students to become advisers if they
wish to take this up early in their time at Essex
The possibility of outsourcing mediation services and the cost implications of this
should be explored. In addition the University should look at providing this
service in-house and at opportunities for partnering with other HE Institutions
with a view to sharing a pool of trained mediators.
19/11
Rather than re-constitute the HAG, the Equality and Diversity Committee should
assume responsibility for the network.
Students should be given the opportunity to become advisers and a trial of this
for a finite period of time should be arranged. Student advisers should only be
permitted to take student cases, not staff cases.
Action
Ms Endean to explore ways of providing a mediation service and present a
costed proposal to USG.
20/11
Action
Ms Bush to amend the Terms of Reference for EADC to include ‘assume
responsibility for the HAN network’ and ask Council to approve this change.
21/11
Action
Mr Kent to make arrangements to recruit and train student advisers.
22/11
Action
A formal response to the HAN Review Group, based on the minutes of the
EADC meeting, to be drafted and sent to the Chair.
23/11
STUDENT STATISTICS
(a) Student admissions equality data (EADC/10/31)
Noted
The total percentage of undergraduate applicants rejected for entry in 2010 was
26.1% and in the same year the total percentage of disabled applicants rejected
was 26.5%. The Committee was reassured by these figures that no
discrimination of disabled applicants appears to be taking place.
24/11
(b) Equality summary report from Disciplinary and Membership Panel
(EADC/10/32)
Noted
The Committee noted the report.
25/11
(c) Student Complaints equality data (EADC/10/33)
Noted
25% of complaints were upheld and 69% were dismissed, but it was unclear
26/11
from the report what had happened to the other 6% of cases (they had been
withdrawn). The number of complaints has doubled since 2004 but it is difficult
to draw meaningful conclusions due to the small numbers involved.
Students from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and China are less likely to make a
formal complaint (one complaint since 2004) and students in the ‘other Asian’
category and those not disclosing their ethnic origin produce proportionally the
highest complaints compared to their representation in the student population
(7.4% and 24.1% respectively). The reasons for this are unknown but it could
be due to cultural and attitudinal differences.
Agreed
Future reports from the Disciplinary and Membership Panel should explicitly
note the % of cases that are withdrawn.
27/11
(d) Student Support and Counselling Service equality data (EADC/10/34)
Reported
Ms Fletcher reported that the diversity profile of Student Support clients closely
matches the diversity profile of the student population. Not many EBS students
in Southend use Student Support services but the figures are distorted because
not the same level of service is offered in Southend. Ensuring parity of service is
a key issue for Student Support in 2011 and the arrangements in both Southend
and Loughton will be reviewed.
28/11
The appointment of a Community Police Support Officer, Alex Willmot, has been
very successful and the role will continue for another year.
(e) Careers Centre equality data (EADC/10/35)
Noted
Dr Campbell pointed out that the report was not very useful as it simply looks at
the equality profile of students who access the Careers Centre against a
benchmark and it highlighted the need to review the gathering and analysis of
equality-related statistical information.
29/11
(f) Student Satisfaction Survey equality data (EADC/10/36)
Noted
The Committee welcomed the report but would have found it helpful to have had
an over-arching summary of this information. Some concern was expressed that
the information was not being looked at collectively although the data was
considered at Department level and this issue should also be factored into the
review of the provision of statistical information.
30/11
The statistics reveal lower levels of satisfaction with Learning Resources
amongst disabled students and the Committee noted that addressing this had
been incorporated into the draft action plan of the new equality policy and
strategy.
Agreed
It would be helpful to receive an over-arching summary of this information in
future.
31/11
EQUALITY IMPACT ASSESSMENTS (EIAs)
Noted
The final report on the EIA on the Progress and Retention of Undergraduate
Students will be submitted to the May meeting of EADC.
A ‘fast track’ EIA had been completed on the Annual Review of Academic and
Research Staff and the Committee were asked to recommend that a ‘full’ EIA
should be conducted on this policy. In order to avoid confusion, the ‘fast track’
method of conducting an assessment of the equality impact should have a
different name to the ‘full’ method.
32/11
Agreed
The form used to conduct ‘fast track’ equality impact assessments should be
called an EIA Pro-forma, rather than an EIA Template and the process of
conducting an EIA on an area of operation should be called an Equality and
Diversity Impact Review.
33/11
Action
Mr Kent to convene a panel to conduct an Equality and Diversity Impact Review
on the Annual Review Procedures for Academic and Research Staff.
34/11
DISABILITY MATTERS
Noted
The Committee noted the report from the Access Forum
35/11
Reported
Ms Provan reported that the Access For All Students’ Union Minibus is now
running and available for all to use.
36/11
ANY OTHER BUSINESS
Noted
The SU LGBT Society had asked for funding to pay for a banner for use at
various Gay Pride events taking place in 2011.
37/11
Agreed
The Committee supports the production of a University of Essex banner that
explicitly mentions the 40th anniversary of the SU LGBT Society and agreed that
the cost of producing it should be split between Equality and Diversity and
Students’ Union.
38/11
Action
Mrs Stephenson to liaise with the President of the SU Society to make
arrangements for the production of the banner.
39/11
DATE OF NEXT MEETING
Noted
The date of the next meeting is Thursday 12 May 2011.
Karen Bush
Policy and Projects Officer, Human Resources
March 2011
40/11