Gender Equality Scheme 2010 to 2013

Gender Equality Scheme 2010 to 2013

Contents

1. Introduction

1. Legislative Framework

1. Supporting Structures

3.1 Dual Assurance

3.2 The Equality & Diversity Group

3.3 Equality & Diversity Co-ordinators

3.4 The Gender Equality Group

3.5 Women’s Network

3.6 Equality Impact Assessments

3.7 Protection of Dignity at Work and Study Policy and Network of Harassment Advisors

3.8 Gender Equality Society

3.9 Reporting Incidents of Discrimination

1. Gathering information

1. Consultation

1. Overview of Staff Data

6.1National Context

6.2Gender Employment Targets

6.3All Staff Gender Analysis

6.4Gender Analysis of Selection of Staff for Inclusion in RAE 2008

6.5Equal Pay

6.6Maternity Return Rates

6.7Harassment Statistics (Staff)

1. Overview of Student Data

7.1 Student Gender Analysis by School

7.2 Student Attainment by Gender

7.3 Harassment Statistics (Students)

1. Gender Equality Objectives

8.1Introduction

8.2 Monitoring, Reporting and Review

8.3 Key Achievements and New Priorities

(a)Structures to Support Equality and Diversity (Gender)

(b)Promote and Celebrate Equality and Diversity (Gender)

(c)Recruitment, Selection, Grading and Promotion

(d)Equal Pay

(e)Auditing, Monitoring and Review

(f)Policy Development

(g)Staff Development

(h)Gender Impact Assessment

(i)Consultation, Communication and Involvement

1. Gender Equality Action Plan 2010/13

Appendices

1.Equality & Diversity Employment Targets Action Plan

2.Membership of Gender Equality Group

3.Gender Equality Society Consultation Meeting Notes

1.Introduction

The University of Exeter is a dynamic, complex and diverse organisation with a turnover of more than £200m, just over 3,000 academic and professional staff, and some 17,200 students. The University recognises the considerable barriers that women and Trans people, and in some instances men, still face in society, the prejudice and the impact of discrimination.

This Gender Equality Scheme (GES) reviews the University’s first GES (2007/10), reports on activities undertaken; achievements and progress to date in terms of the first GES Action Plan and also outlines plans and priorities for the future (2007/10).

The University’s first Gender Equality Scheme for 2007 – 2010 and the Annual Reports published in April 2008 and April 2009 respectively are available at

Foreword from Vice Chancellor, Steve Smith

"The University of Exeter believes that the diversity of its community is an essential part of its values and enriches employment, research, studying and learning experiences."

We are committed to supporting students and staff to work and study in an environment that is free from unlawful discrimination and promotes equality of opportunity, the elimination of harassment and the elimination of unlawful discrimination.

Through the Gender Equality Scheme we are working to create a culture and environment which is affirming, inclusive and free from prejudice and in which people are able to achieve their full potential.

Some changes are swift to happen, others may take time to evolve. I have long experience of and commitment to equal opportunities, and I can assure you that they are one of my priorities as the Vice-Chancellor. “

Steve Smith
Vice-Chancellor

2.Legislative Framework

From April 2007, the Equality Act 2006 places the following general statutory duty and specific duties on the University

General Duty

• Promote equality of opportunity between men and women;

• Eliminate discrimination and harassment that is unlawful under the Sex Discrimination Act and discrimination that is unlawful under the Equal Pay Act;

• Be proactive in promoting equality for women, men and Trans people and undertake a root and branch overhaul of our policy making procedures in a much more open manner.

Specific Duties

• Publish a Gender Equality Scheme, identifying gender equality objectives and showing the actions we will take to implement them;

• Consult our stakeholders as appropriate in producing our Gender Equality Scheme;

• Consider the need to address the causes of any gender pay gap;

• Conduct gender impact assessments on current and proposed policy and practice in consultation with appropriate stakeholders.

• Monitor progress and publish annual reports on progress;

• Review the Scheme at least every three years.

Equality Act 2010

The Equality Bill was approved by Parliament on 6 April 2010 and gained Royal Assent on 8 April.

The Equality Act seeks to:

• Consolidate and streamline current anti-discrimination legislation
• Introduce a range of new specific measures that will have direct implications for higher education institutions (including an extended definition of positive action to enable employers to address significant patterns of under-representation amongst their staff, the publication of gender pay gap data by individual HEIs, a ban on the use of pre-employment health questionnaires and extended legal protection for women when breast-feeding).
• Make the law more explicit in the extent to which it covers the 'protected characteristics' of pregnancy and maternity, marital or civil partnership and gender reassignment status.
• Make it easier for people to bring cases of discrimination and extending the powers of employment tribunals

The term ‘gender’ is not used within the Bill; instead the following ‘protected characteristics’ that relate to gender are covered by the Public Sector Duty (a duty placed on public bodies including higher education institutions to proactively promote equality):

• Sex

• Gender Reassignment

• Pregnancy and Maternity

The majority of the new legislation is expected to come into force in autumn this year, with the general public duty more likely to follow from April 2011.

3.Supporting Structures

The University has over a number of years built up a series of structures, clearly defined roles and different support mechanisms which work together to drive forward the Equality and Diversity Agenda.

This is not to suggest that all the changes necessary within the University have already been achieved, but it is important to recognise the work already undertaken and the benefits of having in place visible and accessible resources, structures and individuals whose common goal is to ensure that Equality and Diversity lies at the heart of everything that we do.

3.1Dual Assurance

Since 2007/08 various areas of the University’s business which had been governed by a committee in previous years (including Equality and Diversity) have been governed through a new mechanism known as dual assurance. As its name suggests, this model involves two people. The first is a member of the Vice-Chancellor’s Executive Group, who takes responsibility for the management and development of policy in a particular area of business. The second member of the dual assurance partnership is a lay member of Council, knowledgeable in the same area, who provides assurance to Council that this activity is well-managed and that decisions have been reached following due process and appropriate consultation.

3.2The Equality and Diversity Advisory Group

This Group is chaired by the Deputy Vice Chancellor External Affairs (also the Dual Assurance Management Lead for Equality and Diversity), meets on a termly basis and covers all equality and diversity strands including gender, race, disability, sexual orientation, age and religion and belief. Membership includes Equality and Diversity Co-ordinators from all Schools and Services, ensuring representation from across the University.

3.3Equality and Diversity Co-ordinators

The role of Equality and Diversity Co-ordinator was established in 2005 and Co-ordinators appointed within all Schools and Services. Regular meetings are held and the Co-ordinator’s role is to act as a first point of contact for equality and diversity issues within their School/Service and to disseminate information as necessary.

3.4The Gender Equality Group

The Gender Equality Group is a sub-group of the Equality and Diversity Advisory Group, established in response to the requirements of the Equality Act. Chaired by Professor Nicky Britten, membership comprises both staff and students who have a particular interest in promoting gender issues (Appendix 2 provides full details of membership). The Group is responsible for monitoring the effectiveness of the Gender Equality Scheme, implementing the Gender Equality Action Plan and driving forward a University-wide gender equality agenda.

3.5Women’s Network

Established in 2008/09, the Women’s Network provides an important forum to raise the profile of women at the University as well asoffering an opportunity to explore some of the important issues facing women in the workplace. Following a successful launch event in June 2009, the Networkprovides exciting and useful events, workshops and networking opportunities.

3.6Equality Impact Assessments

The Equality Impact Assessment (EIA) process is a systematic review of all the University’s new and existing policies and procedures within all Schools and Services. Impact assessing highlights areas of equality and diversity best practice and enables us to pre-empt and discourage incidents of discrimination. As a result of the EIA process we are able to actively promote equality of opportunity, meet the University's specific legal requirements regarding equality and maintain the excellent work, study and research environment here at Exeter.

As a matter of best practice, the current process impact assesses on the grounds of Age, Religion and Belief, Sexual Orientation, Pregnancy and Maternity, Social Class and International Students in addition to the legal requirement to consider Race, Disability and Gender.

3.7Protection of Dignity at Work and Study Policy and Network of Harassment Advisors

The University is committed to this policy which states that all individuals should be treated with dignity and respect whether at work or study and that staff and students have an important role to play in creating an environment where harassment is unacceptable. A well-established Network of Harassment Advisors provide support and advice to anybody experiencing harassment or bullying at the University.

In 2008/09 new promotional literature to publicise the policy and network was designed and produced and distributed to staff and students. In an attempt to encourage students experiencing harassment to seek support, 2008/09 saw the establishment of a Peer Support Group involving student volunteers.

3.8Gender Equality Society

The society was established in 2009/10 by a group of students, both male and female. The group hold fortnightly meetings, run campaigns such as “Reclaim the Night” (canvassing for a women’s refuge in Devon) and recently celebrated International Women’s Day with a sell-out cabaret at Mama Stones. The society is represented on the Gender Equality Group and has been consulted in terms of current gender priorities/concerns for students.

3.9Reporting Incidents of Discrimination – including gender discrimination

Since 2007 the University has had a system for recording discrimination (on the grounds of disability, race, gender, sexual orientation, age, religion and belief, and social class) and hopefully, where appropriate, signposting recipients to the relevant sources of support available. Since 2009 it has also been possible for recipients to report on-line.

4.Gathering information

To inform this Gender Equality Scheme, quantitative data for both staff and students has been collated and analysed via various sources including the HESA Heidi Equality management tool, Midland Trent HR system and SITS student database. In addition, qualitative data has been obtained through consultation as detailed in section 5.

1. Consultation

Widespread consultation has taken place in the review of the Gender Equality Scheme 2007/10 and the development of this new Scheme for 2010/13 including the following:-

-Gender Equality Group (regular termly meetings);

-Gender Equality Society consultation meeting (March 2010) – see Appendix 4 for notes of meeting;

-Women’s Network questionnaire (conducted 2008/09);

-Gender Employment Target Focus Group (October 2009) – a number of actions were agreed as an outcome of this focus group and were included in the development of the Equality & Diversity Employment Targets Action Plan, see Appendix 1);

-Consultation with Trans (former) student during 2008/09.

6.Overview of Staff Data

6.1National Context

Currently 49.7% of all staff at ExeterUniversity are female and 50.3% are male. This and the comparable national data is shown in the table below, together with a gender breakdown by academic and professional staff.

6.1.2Exeter and National Data

2007/08
Exeter / National Data *
Male / Female / Male / Female
All Academic / 62.8% / 37.2% / 57.4% / 42.6%
All Professional / 41.7% / 58.3% / 37.4% / 62.6%
Staff Total / 50.3% / 49.7% / 46.8% / 53.2%

(*National data obtained from Equality Challenge Unit “Equality in Higher Education Statistical Report 2009”)

6.2Gender Employment Targets

During 2007/08, the employment-related equality and diversity targets incorporated in the HR Strategy approved by HEFCE in 2002 were reviewed and updated. The review proposed that there should be a small number of measurable targets to ensure that the University focuses on raising its performance on a small number of tangible measures which will make a real difference. The targets should be supported by a broader range of measures which are monitored, but which do not have a specific target figure attached to them. It was further proposed that targets be informed by the Top Ten Comparator Group data. Since these proposals were approved by the Dual Assurance partnerships for Human Resources and Equality and Diversity and by Council in spring 2009, work has been undertaken to agree a strategy for progressing these targets. A series of focus groups were held to agree an Action Plan (see Appendix 1 for the Equality & Diversity Employment Targets Action Plan).

The new equality and diversity employment targets relating to gender are detailed here:-

(i)Gender: percentage of professors employed by the University of Exeter who are female to continue to initially be within the upper quartile of Exeter’s ‘Top Ten’ comparators with a year-on-year increase of 1%.

(ii)Gender: to introduce a structured career interview for all Senior Lecturers and Associate Professors five years after promotion to this grade.

(iii)Gender: new Visiting Professors in each School to be equally balanced between women and men.

6.3All Staff Gender Analysis

A summary of the gender breakdown of all staff compared with the median data for the University’s Top Ten Comparator Group from 2006/07 to 2008/09 is provided in tables 1 – 3, section 6.3.1. At professorial level, the data also shows the upper quartile threshold of the Top Ten Comparator Group used as the benchmark for the gender employment target relating to female professors (detailed in 6.2).

The most recent data for 2008/09 shows a fall in the percentage of female professors (to 15.8% from 16.5% in 2007/08) whilst the comparator group median has increased to 16.4% from 16.0% in 2007/08 as has the upper quartile threshold (to 17.9% from 17.1% in 2007/08). The real concern however is the absolute number of female professors which is very small and therefore has a significant impact on percentages. The employment target relating to the introduction of a structured career interview for all Senior Lecturers and Associate Professors detailed in section 6.2 aims to address this issue.

6.3.1 Gender Profile of Staff

Table 1 / 2008/09
Exeter / 'Top Ten' Median / Upper Quartile
Male / Female / Male / Female / Female
Professors / 84.2% / 15.8% / 83.6% / 16.4% / 17.9%
T&R below Professor / 69.3% / 30.7% / 71.1% / 28.9%
All Teaching & Research / 72.7% / 27.3% / 74.1% / 25.9%
Research Only / 50.7% / 49.3% / 56.9% / 43.1%
Teaching Only / 53.7% / 46.3% / 46.6% / 53.1%
All Academic / 64.4% / 35.6% / 65.4% / 34.6%
All Professional / 39.9% / 60.1% / 38.6% / 61.4%
Staff Total / 50.6% / 49.4% / 50.3% / 49.7%
Table 2 / 2007/08
Exeter / 'Top Ten' Median / Upper Quartile
Male / Female / Male / Female / Female
Professors / 83.5% / 16.5% / 84.0% / 16.0% / 17.1%
T&R below Professor / 69.7% / 30.3% / 66.4% / 33.6%
All Teaching & Research / 69.7% / 30.3% / 72.0% / 28.0%
Research Only / 53.3% / 46.7% / 57.7% / 42.3%
Teaching Only / 41.9% / 58.1% / 47.5% / 52.5%
All Academic / 62.0% / 38.0% / 63.3% / 36.7%
All Professional / 42.1% / 57.9% / 38.0% / 62.0%
Staff Total / 49.7% / 50.3% / 48.5% / 51.5%
Table 3 / 2006/07
Exeter / 'Top Ten' Median
Male / Female / Male / Female
Professors / 83.5% / 16.5% / 85.0% / 15.0%
T&R below Professor / 66.5% / 33.5% / 67.0% / 33.0%
All Teaching & Research / 71.6% / 28.4% / 72.1% / 27.9%
Research Only / 55.3% / 44.7% / 58.3% / 41.7%
Teaching Only / 51.5% / 48.5% / 45.8% / 54.2%
All Academic / 62.8% / 37.2% / 63.9% / 36.1%
All Professional / 41.7% / 58.3% / 37.2% / 62.8%
Staff Total / 50.3% / 49.7% / 48.2% / 51.8%

(Tables 1 – 3: Data obtained from the ‘Heidi’ Equality management tool)

6.4Gender Analysis of Selection of Staff for Inclusion in RAE 2008

The University of Exeter’s RAE Equal Opportunities Code of Practice included a commitment to monitor the University’s 2008 RAE submission by disability, gender, ethnicity, part-time status and fixed-term status. A report was submitted to the Strategy Performance and Research Committee in March 2008 detailing the outcomes of this monitoring exercise.

In September 2009 HEFCE published its study, “Selection of staff for inclusion in RAE 2008”, which assessed staff selected for the 2008 RAE exercise in terms of disability, age, gender, ethnicity and nationality on a UK-wide basis. Section 6.4.1 compares the gender data for the University of Exeter with the outcomes of the HEFCE study.

The HEFCE report concludes that “overall, there was a difference in the selection rate of men and women – for example in the ‘Permanent academic staff’ pool 67% of men were selected compared to 48% of women”.

The Exeter data shows that the percentage of females selected was almost double that of the UK-wide HEFCE data, although the percentage of male staff selected is still higher than the percentage of females selected.

6.4.1Selection rates by gender (excluding non-submitting UoAs within HEIs)

(a) HEFCE data (UK-wide)

Gender / Permanent academic staff / All academic staff / Grade-identified staff / Contract-identified staff
Eligible staff / Selected / Eligible staff / Selected / Eligible staff / Selected / Eligible staff / Selected
Female / 26,175 / 48% / 58,325 / 28% / 32,895 / 43% / 25,300 / 53%
Male / 47,140 / 67% / 83,495 / 45% / 55,550 / 63% / 47,400 / 70%
Total / 73,310 / 61% / 141,820 / 38% / 88,445 / 56% / 72,700 / 64%

(b) Exeter data

Gender / Teaching & Research staff / All academic staff / Grade-identified staff / Contract-identified staff
Eligible staff / Selected / Eligible staff / Selected / Eligible staff / Selected / Eligible staff / Selected
Female / 196 / 92% / 413 / 49% / n/a / n/a / n/a / n/a
Male / 454 / 94% / 676 / 68% / n/a / n/a / n/a / n/a
Total / 650 / 94% / 1089 / 61% / n/a / n/a / n/a / n/a

Overall, when compared with the UK-wide data from the HEFCE report, the Exeter data appears favourable.

It should, however, be noted that the issue identified by the HEFCE report – i.e. higher percentage of male staff selected for inclusion - is also evident in the Exeter data although the gap appears to be smaller. HEFCE’s gender gap (in the ‘permanent academic staff’ pool’) is 67% male v 48% female compared to Exeter’s 94% v 92%.