For the Meeting of the Equality and Diversity Committee

EDC Paper 12/10-11

Annual Report 2010/11

For the meeting of the Equality and Diversity Committee

to be held on 31 May 2011

1.0Introduction

1.1HR Adviser – Equality and Diversity

Sandra Beaufoy has been recruited as HR Adviser with Equality and Diversity responsibilities with effect from 1st July 2011.

2.0Single Equality Act – Specific Duties of the Public Sector Equality Duty

2.1In March 2011, the government withdrew the draft Equality Act 2010 (Statutory Duties) Regulations 2011 for England. The regulations outlined the specific duties of the public sector equality duty underpinning the Equality Act 2010, citing the need to ‘reduce bureaucracy’. The regulations will be revised following a review by the Home Secretary. The Government Equalities Office (GEO) gave the following statement:

‘The Government published draft specific duties regulations on 12 January following a public consultation. Since then the Government has considered the draft regulations further in the light of the policy objective of ensuring that public bodies consider equality when carrying out their functions without imposing unnecessary burdens and bureaucracy, and thinks there is room to do more to strip out unnecessary process requirements’.

The Government produced a policy review paper outlining its revised intentions for the specific duties, and as a consequence The Equality Challenge Unit published the following summary of the changes:

• Deadline for publication of information to demonstrate compliance with the general duty is now 31 December 2011.
• The requirement to publish evidence of equality analysis undertaken, including details of engagement to establish if policies and practices furthered the aims set out in the general duty has been removed. However, HEIs will still need to ‘understand the effect of their policies and practices on equality’, which will involve looking at evidence and engaging with people.
• A return to the requirement for public authorities to publish one or more equality objectives.
• Removal of the requirement to set out how progress will be measured for equality objectives.
• The revised specific duties are intended to commence in July 2011.

3.0Pulse: Staff Survey Update

3.1Pulse (2010)

ORC International were again commissioned to run the Staff survey. The response rate achieved has risen gradually for each year the survey has been run:

2005 – 40%

2008 – 50%

2009 – 61%

2010 -62%

Questions in the 2010 survey covered broadly the same areas as the 2009 survey, but were refined or added to following staff feedback.

To support the 2010 survey, a number of departmental Pulsechampions wererecruited. They were appointed primarily to answer any questions staff raised during the survey period and also to encouragecompletion in order to increasethe overall response rate.

The University wide Pulse results and departmental results were communicated in May 2010. The Pulse Action Team met to discuss the key University results anddevelop a University wide action plan. Departments were asked to review their own results and develop action plans with three key priorities.

3.2Pulse (February 2011)

A communication brief was developed for the three key areas identified from the results of the 2010 survey. These were communication, leadership and change management. The brief, based on progress against the central Pulse action plan, updated staff on what has been undertaken during the past year as a direct response to specificstaff feedback and was prepared in conjunction with the academic and administrative leads for the survey.

In response to staff feedback, the Pulse staff survey for 2011 has significantly fewer questions than previous iterations, with a focus on benchmarking and tracking progress on specific areas against previous years’ results. The survey was launched on 28 March 2011 and closed on 18 April 2011. A detailed report will be received from ORC International shortly. Once this hasbeen received, further action planning will be undertaken. The current contract with ORC comes to an end this year and plans for the future provision and structure of staff surveys will be discussed in the light of this.

4.0Progress on the Single Equality Action Plan

4.1Progress on The Single Equality Action Plan continues to be made and is reported on at each E&D Committee meeting. The Plan is updated with notes of progress on each action and is available as a separate paper to the May 2011 EDC.

4.2It is intended to revisit the plan in light of the results and discussions relating to the 2011 Pulse survey, the continued action planning of the Athena Swan applications, and the further guidance on the Single Equality Act. This will be returned to the EDC in November 2011.

5.0Athena Swan Charter

5.1In 2010 the University was awarded bronze status and the Departments of Chemistry and Physics silver status from the Athena Swan Charter. The Charter recognises and celebrates good employment practice for women in science, engineering and technology.

The Department of Psychology submitted an application for a silver award in the April submission deadline, and it is anticipated that another four SET departments will submit for a silver award in the November 2011 deadline.

The University Athena Focus Group continues to meet on a regular basis and will be discussing actions required to move the University forward for recognition at silver level.

6.0Interest Groups and Students Union

6.1Disability Interest Group. The DIG group has continued to meet termly and reporting to the E&D Committee and Interest Group meetings. The group provides an open forum for discussion, review and implementation of disability related actions.

6.2E&D Network. The Network met once in each term during 20010/11. The Network is open to all staff and puts forward suggestions for items to the Equality and Diversity Committee. The group received a very informative presentation by Revd Dr Stuart Jennings regarding Faith at Work and Study and the facilities and support provided by the Chaplaincy. Other topics discussed include:

• The role of Dignity Contacts
• Athena Swan – Sharing best practice
• Pulse Survey
• Communication Champions

6.3Dignity Contacts. A meeting was held on 18 February 2011 for all Dignity contacts. The session covered mediation, recognition for the role; support and training; the numbers of contacts and their usage and if there was a need to recruit more contacts. The website featuring Dignity at Work information was discussed and whether each department should have a direct link from their pages

6.4Students Union. The Students Union organises a wide range of events throughout the academic year, many of which have an equality and diversity dimension or focus. Moreover, equality of opportunity is embedded into everything the SU does, from our recruitment process for full and part-time positions, to guidance and specific compulsory training for society/sports club executive committees. This year, in particular, we have been tackling hate crime and bullying on campus, and have conducted surveys relating to LGBTUA+ students, as well as to students from faith backgrounds. Beyond this, the SU supports international, intercultural, and interfaith events and activities throughout the year, in order to support societies and our part-time officers (namely LBTUA+ Campaigns Officer, Womens Campaigns Officer, Students With Disabilities Campaigns Officer, Ethnic Minorities Campaigns Officer, Anti-Racism Campaigns Officer). This year, the Welfare Officer has been heavily involved in a variety of campaigns and themed weeks including LGBT History Month, Black History Month, Womens’ Week, Mental Health Awareness Week and One World Week which all seek to inform students and raise awareness of diversity on campus.

7.0Disability Services

7.1Student figures

Disability / 10/11
Specific Learning Differences / 500
Visual Impairment / 29
Hearing Impairment / 32
Mobility Impairment / 58
Unseen (medical) / 200
Multiple / 24
Other / 124
Asperger’s Syndrome / 35
Mental Health / 100
Total / 1102

Please note that these figures are approximate and fluctuate throughout the academic year depending on new disclosures.

There has been a marked increase in numbers of students with unseen medical, other long term conditions, mental health difficulties and specific learning differences. Disability Services (DS) are monitoring these figures closely and are in discussions with senior management regarding staff levels, developing team resources and the direction that should follow in the future.

7.2The International Student Barometer

Disability Services (DS) performed exceptionally well in this year’s International Student barometer. Disability support at Warwick was rated by International Students at a 97.7% satisfaction rate. That ranks DS 7th worldwide amongst participating countries, 5th in the UK and 3rd within the Russell Group.

7.3Awareness raising and promotion of services

DS continues to lead LDC ‘Windows on Warwick’ and other disability awareness sessions on specific disabilities and the support services available.

7.4Student feedback and involvement

The student feedback questionnaire designed in 2009 has been revised and will be circulated to students in May 2011 to collect feedback on the service, the support offered and in general their student experience at Warwick. A student led focus session will also take place in June 2011 to further reinforce the action in the University’s single Equality action plan of encouraging proactive involvement of students with disabilities in the planning and delivery of the services offered.

7.5Aimhigher initiatives

DS coordinated and offered in collaboration with Aimhigher a mentoring scheme for learners with disabilities from local schools, to raise aspirations about studying in HE. 2 Warwick students with disabilities were trained and acted as mentors to a group of local school children and their parents who visited the campus, accommodation and asked questions about studying at University. The scheme was successful and the feedback from the users and the mentors was very positive.

DS and Student Support are also leading a session in collaboration with Aimhigher and Coventry University on student support at University. The session is open to local professionals from schools, FE colleges, Local Authorities and aims at raising awareness of the support networks in HE.

7.6Alumni funds for disability support

DS received funds of a total of £1300 from the Alumni Office that were specifically donated to benefit current students with disabilities. The funds were used in a variety of ways that directly benefited students with disabilities, including the purchase of a scanner in the library and a license for an assistive software package in collaboration with Library staff. We are grateful for the generosity of Warwick’s alumni and friends and on behalf of our students we would like to thank them for their contributions.

8.0Expenditure on Disability Equality Scheme 2010/11

8.1A budget of £26k is available for 2010 - 2011 to support the delivery of actions in the Single Equality Action Plan related to disability. Spend to date is recorded as

Dept / Actions / Value
Uni / Diversity Module Annual Hosting & Maintenance / £989.00
Uni / Dyslexia Assessment / £222.00
Uni / Meeting charges / £474.50
Library / Library Assistive Technology Area (estimate – not yet complete) / ~ £9,946

9.0Learning and Development and Awareness Raising Activities

9.1Women Researchers in the Science Faculty

As part of the Athena Swan project LDC has organised two focus groups on the challenges of career progression and in particular in promotion to leadership roles for women in STEM departments. Female academic and research staff have been invited to contribute to the debate byattending one of the two focus groups being held in the summer term (16 June and 12 July). Feedback of issues raised will be given to the Athena Swan Focus Group

9.2Windows on Warwick sessions have again been run on a number of E and D related themes.

10.0Recording information

10.1The data cleansing exercise for staff is carried out annually. The 2011 figures (as of 10th May 2011) may go down slightly further after the data cleansing exercise is completed in June/July.

Percentage of people whose Ethnic Origin was unknown:

2008 – 12.2%

2009 – 6.6%

2010 – 4.1%

2011 – 3.7% (as of 10.05.11)

Percentage of people whose Disability status was unknown:

2008 – 16.2%

2009 – 10.3%

2010 – 6.2%

2011 – 5.6%

11.0Conclusions

11.1The requirements relating to the Single Equality Act will impact on our action planning and SEAP.

11.2There are a number of legal duties which the University is expected to proactively pursue. The Equality Act 2010 contains a new integrated Equality Duty on all public bodies which brings together the existing duties on race, gender and disability and extends to cover gender reassignment in full, age, religion or belief and sexual orientation. The general duty set out in the Act requires public bodies, and others who exercise public functions, to have due regard to the need to eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation; to advance equality of opportunity; and to foster good relations between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not share it. The revised specific duties discussed are discussed in 2.0 of this document.

11.3The University continues to make some progress over the last academic year in respect of individual actions on the Single Equality Action Plan. The University Athena Focus Group have raised a number of issues and these have now been included in the SEAP. The successful award of the Athena Bronze award indicates that the University is providing evidence that formal procedures and policies are either in place and any areas of concern being addressed.

12.0Recommendations

12.1That the Committee note the progress on the Single Equality Action Plan.

12.2That HR ensures that the Committee continues to be briefed as to the requirements of the Equality Act and revisits the action plan in light of this.

SB/May 2011

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