Oxford Learning Institute
University of Oxford
Module 1: the law in practice
Worksheet 3 - looking at the diversity and culture of your department
Objectives
This worksheet asks you to record diversity information about your own department and to share it with your colleagues in the peer support group identified at the seminar. Completing it will help you to begin to apply what you have learnt to your own working environment in preparation for module 2 of Managing for Diversity . To answer some of the questions you may need to research the Internet and/or speak to others in your department or in the wider
University. Learning tips are provided to help you with this.
Completing the worksheet will probably take you about 45 – 60 minutes.
Confidentiality
Some of the information that you are asked to provide, for example on ethnicity of staff and students, is classified by the Data Protection Act 1998 as sensitive personal data. You are assured that providing it in the format requested is acceptable within the requirements of the
Act and that it will not be used for any purpose other than your training and development within the managing for diversity course.
What to do
1. Don’t forget to save this document to your computer before answering the questions.
2. Click on the grey boxes to add your responses.
3. When you have finished please submit it to your tutor using the facility provided in the
‘submit coursework’ page.
4. When you have received your tutor's feedback, you should email the worksheet to the other members of your peer support group identified at the seminar.
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Name:
1) Gender
Please complete this table about the staff and students in your department:
Nos. men Nos. women Women as % total Staff/student group Total in group
Academic
Ac-rel research
Ac-rel admin
Support - clerical
Support - technical
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University of Oxford
Support - AGP
GRAND TOTAL
STAFF
Students
Learning tips

Departments using OPENdoor can compile staffing reports by gender and can get anonymised staffing data on ethnicity and disability by contacting the support centre, tel (2)87900 or email opendoor.support@admin.ox.ac.uk
.

Gender, ethnicity, nationality, and disability data on the department's students can be obtained by emailing the Student Information Systems
(SIS) team .
2) Ethnicity and nationality a) List as many nationalities represented amongst the staff and students of your department as you can think of:
Staff:
Students: b) What proportion of the people in your department are from:
Staff Students
The UK:
Another EEC country:
Outside the EEC:
Learning tips

OPENdoor does not record staff nationality so you will have to use your local knowledge to complete the staff column.

Student nationality data is available from the Student Information Systems
(SIS) team . c) What proportion of the people in your department are:
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Oxford Learning Institute
University of Oxford
White:
Black or Black British:
Chinese:
Mixed race:
Asian or Asian British:
From another ethnic group:
Staff Students
Learning tips

You may find it helpful to look at a more detailed breakdown of these broad ethnic groups, which are derived from the UK census and reproduced on the University's recruitment monitoring form for job applicants ( Form M1 ). d) Are staff from different ethnic backgrounds concentrated in particular staff groups? If so which: e) Describe one cultural feature, other than language or religion, of each ethnic group represented in your department:
Learning tips

Our culture is woven through the whole of our lives. It can include, for example, the way that we eat, dress, greet each other, and form relationships.

For definitions and debates about culture search 'cultural diversity' on the free on-line encyclopaedia Wikipedia .

Wikipedia might also be helpful if you want to learn more about the countries of origin of your staff and students, which can help you to understand their cultures.

Oxfordshire County Council's website includes a useful downloadable guide to the cultures and faiths of the county's ethnic minority population. Search the Oxfordshire County Council Website for ''Guide to culture and faiths in
Oxfordshire".
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Oxford Learning Institute
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3) Religion and belief a. List as many religions that you believe to be represented in your department as you can think of: b. Describe one cultural feature of each religion that you believe to be represented in your department
Learning tips

Employers are not required to monitor the religion of their employees as to do so could be unnecessarily intrusive. Therefore, it is not possible to refer you to data on religion at the University and it is fine for you to rely on your own observations and local knowledge to answer these questions.

Oxfordshire County Council's website includes a useful downloadable guide to the cultures and faiths of the county's ethnic minority population. Search the Oxfordshire County Council Website for 'Guide to culture and faiths in
Oxfordshire'.

The interfaith calendar lists religious holidays and provides information about the religions and the holidays.
4) Disability
Learning tip

You might find it helpful to refer to the disability categories included on the
University's recruitment monitoring form for job applicants ( Form M1 ) a) Have any staff or students in the department declared a disability?
Yes/No b) If 'yes' please list the disabilities represented in your department:
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Oxford Learning Institute
University of Oxford c) If 'no' do you have reason to believe that there are staff or students who have not declared a disability?
Yes/No d) Have any adjustments been made to respond to disability in the department?
Yes/No e) If 'yes' please describe the adjustments:
5) Sexual orientation a) How many people in your department are open about being gay, lesbian, or bisexual:
staff students b) Has anyone openly celebrated a civil partnership
staff students c) What proportion of the gays, lesbians, and bisexuals in your department do you think are open about their sexual orientation?
Learning tip

Employers are not required to monitor the sexual orientation of their employees as to do so could be unnecessarily intrusive. Therefore, it is not possible to refer you to data on sexual orientation at the University and it is fine for you to rely on your own observations and local knowledge to answer these questions.
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Oxford Learning Institute
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Don’t forget to save and print this document, and to submit it to your tutor for feedback. Your confidentiality will be respected.
This worksheet completes module 1 of Managing for Diversity (the law in practice)
Following feedback from your tutor you should email the worksheet to the other members of your peer support group identified at the seminar.
When you have received worksheet 3 from the other members of your peer group you should begin module 2.
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Tutor feedback
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