EQUALITY IMPACT ASSESSMENT (EIA) PRO-FORMA Legislation says that the University must take steps to understand the effect, or potential effect, of its policies* on different groups of people. This is to ensure that a policy is neither directly nor indirectly discriminatory and to identify how it does, or could, advance equality and foster good relations between different groups of people. Legislation groups people by ‘protected characteristics’ and it is these ‘protected characteristics’ that need to be considered when carrying out an EIA. The protected characteristics are: disability, race, sex, age, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, religion or belief and sexual orientation. Your help is needed to do this, not just because the law says so, but because the University is committed to equality of opportunity for all and to ensuring that all the University’s policies are developed with an awareness of their consequences for different groups of people. Heads of Sections/Departments are responsible for ensuring this form is completed for each policy they ‘own’. It should take no more than 30 minutes to complete. Questions 1-6 only of this EIA proforma need to be completed for new policies. For existing policies, please answer all the questions. Policies should be assessed for their effect on equality every 3-5 years. * For the purpose of EIAs, the term policy refers to formal policies, procedures and processes. It does not include informal policies, procedures or processes. Name of policy Is this a new or existing policy? Student membership and criminal records bureau checks policy and procedure http://www.essex.ac.uk/linguistics/current_students/phd_st udents/prof_development/Student%20Membership%20an d%20CRB%20Policy%20-%20July%202010.pdf Systems Administration Academic Section Existing Date assessment completed 02/05/2013 Name and job title of person completing pro-forma Adam Atkins Academic Section Project Assistant Web address of policy Policy-holding Department/Section Q1. What is the purpose of the policy? This policy relates to the admission of applicants to the University who are known to have a criminal record, and the management and provision of student Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) checks. Q2. Does the policy involve, or have consequences for, the people the University serves and employs? Yes. The policy outlines the process the University will follow when considering the admittance of a student who has an unspent conviction. The policy also outlines the University’s responsibilities as a registered body with the CRB and provides information on the processes it should follow in conducting and recording CRB checks for its staff and students. Q3. Does the policy require decisions to be made in relation to individuals or groups of individuals? Yes. Decisions regarding whether a student applicant with an unspent conviction should be accepted 1 to study at the University is considered by the Chair of the Student Membership and CRB Review Panel. Q4. What is the decision-making process and is it fair and transparent? The Chair of the Student Membership and CRB Review Panel will consider every unspent conviction declared and determine on the basis of precedent and experience whether the applicant might pose a serious risk to the University community if admitted to membership of the University. An applicant is not required to declare spent convictions except where studying a course for which a satisfactory CRB check is a mandatory entry requirement. In these instances the Chair of the Student Membership and CRB Review panel will consider whether it might affect the student’s ability to attend the placement and will determine on the basis of precedent, experience and investigation whether the applicant might pose a serious risk to the vulnerable groups applicable to the placement if admitted to the course. If it is deemed that, on the basis of the information declared, the individual should be allowed to attend a placement, the Review Panel will recommend that the Department may proceed with the offer, subject to completion of a satisfactory CRB check. The Review Panel will consider primarily whether the applicant should be allowed to commence the mandatory placement in light of the criminal record disclosed and will consider the membership of the University as a secondary factor. This process provides a fair way in which consideration is given to students with spent or unspent convictions in light of the danger they might pose to the University community as well as whether they will be able to fulfil the requirements of their course. Q5. Please give details of what equality training is/will be provided for decision makers? All University staff are required to complete the University’s equality and diversity online training programme. Q6. Referring to the list of protected characteristics at the top of this form, how do you/will you monitor the effect this policy has on groups of people with these PCs? Any detrimental effect on persons with any particular protected characteristic identified by monitoring, complaint or appeal will be investigated and if necessary appropriate remedial action will be taken. Q7. Referring to Q6 above, have you identified any positive or negative impact on any group of people who share a protected characteristic? The policy demonstrates a way in which the University monitors the admittance of applicants in light of spent or unspent convictions. This is done in order to consider whether those applicants pose a threat to the already existing University community. These decisions are based solely on the details of the conviction irrespective of any protected characteristics. Q8. Have there been any complaints or issues raised about the policy in relation to its effect on people who share a protected characteristic? No Q9. Are there any (further) measures that could be taken to continue to ensure the policy is neither directly nor indirectly discriminatory? e.g. additional data collection/monitoring or training. No Q10. Have you identified any ways in which the policy does, or could advance equality or foster good relations between different groups of people? N/A 2 Please now email the completed form to diversity@essex.ac.uk. The Equality and Diversity Committee (EADC) have responsibility for overseeing the completion of EIAs. Equality and Diversity will assess the information provided in the first instance and will either: Decide that no action is required and report this to the Equality and Diversity Committee; Recommend actions to be taken and report this to the Equality and Diversity Committee *; Refer the EIA to the Equality and Diversity Committee who have the option to require a more detailed assessment be carried out. The individual completing the EIA pro-forma will be informed of the outcome of the assessment by Equality and Diversity as soon as possible after submitting the form. *If Equality and Diversity recommend action(s) be taken, a report outlining the progress made against the recommended actions will be requested one year after the EIA has taken place. For completion by Equality and Diversity Name of Policy Student membership and criminal records bureau checks policy and procedure No Should this EIA be referred on to the Equality and Diversity Committee for further consideration? In response to Q6 – in order to identify by monitoring any detrimental effect on persons with any particular protected characteristic: If no, what recommendations, if any, should be made to the Policy-holding Department/Section? 1) Consideration should be given to keeping a central record of applicants who have an unspent conviction and the outcome of their application to study at the University 2) If the numbers of applicants with an unspent conviction is significantly high to warrant concern, consideration should be given to undertaking analysis of them by protected characteristic. Date: 12 July 2013 Signed Karen Bush, Equality and Diversity Manager 3