Equality Diversity and Inclusion Steering Group

Background

The Athena Swan Steering Group (ASSG) was formed in 2012 to guide and shepherd the process of Athena SWAN in the Medical Sciences Division. However this committee has been less active in recent years as action at the departmental level WRT renewals took precedence. Considering the implications of relevant internal and external policy changes including:

• The Advance HE Review of Athena SWAN) and the implication that future iterations of the departmental level award will be more intersectional
• The merging of the University level Gender Equality Action Group (GEAG) and the Race Equality Charter Action Planning Group (RECAP) to form the more comprehensive Equality Diversity and Inclusion Panel (EDI Panel)
• The current drive in the division to undertake anti-racist actions and develop more fully a race equality action plan for the division

It is vital that the division mirror these changes and take a more active role in EDI activity across the division, both facilitating more intersectional cross-departmental actions to drive change, to support and monitor departmental actions and activity, and to feed into the Institutional level activity and self-assessment.

It is therefore proposed that the division disbands the ASSG and forms a broader Equality and Diversity and Inclusion Steering Group. This group will set a divisional EDI action plan which is informed by:

Departmental Athena SWAN action plans

• The Institutional Athena SWAN Action plan
• The Institutional Race Equality Charter Action Plan
• Stonewall action plan
• Mindful employer action plan
• Divisional strategic plan

This Steering group will link with working groups and other committees to deliver actions, assess impact, consult and communicate activity and impact with our staff and effect positive change in the division.

Membership

This steering group is recruiting! If you are interested in a role in setting the divisional equality objectives please express your interest here.

Proposed Membership

(1) Chair – TBC : Recruited by open application

(2) Associate Head of Division, Personnel – Helen McShane

(3) – (4) 2 heads of department - TBC : Recruited by open application

(5) – (6) 2 academic/research leads - TBC : Recruited by open application

(7) – (8) 2 administrative leads (EDI Facilitators) - TBC : Recruited by open application

(9) Representative of the Medical School (Nominated by Medical School committee)

(10) Academic Undergraduate representative (Nominated by Undergraduate committee)

(11) Representative of the Graduate School (Nominated by director of Graduate School)

(12-14) Co-opted places

(15-16) Student representatives: one UG one PG, position can be held by two sharing responsibility TBC : Recruited by open application

In Attendance

Secretary: Katherine Corr (Athena SWAN Facilitator)

Representative from the Equality and Diversity Unit

Jane Dale (Head of Education Policy and Planning)

Divisional Registrar (when possible)

Proposed Meeting Schedule

Official meeting once per term (two hour meeting).

Additional virtual meeting once per term (one hour) focused on selected topics to encourage good practice sharing, informal roundtable discussions and brainstorming.

Pre-meeting with student, researcher, facilitator reps and volunteers to identify any issues or concerns in advance of termly official meeting.

Terms of Reference

1. To advise the Medical Sciences Divisional Board on all areas of equality and diversity work in relation to staff and students.
2. To develop an EDI action plan which feeds into the Race Equality action plan and Athena SWAN Institutional action plan; and provide oversight of divisional strategy on equality and diversity matters, identifying main areas where divisional policies and initiatives can be established or enhanced to support a range of underrepresented groups across the staff and student body.
3. To serve as a channel for departments to raise equality and diversity related issues where they feel they could benefit from divisional support.
4. To share and disseminate good workplace practices (relating to progressing equality and diversity) developed in departments, across the division.
5. To oversee the progress of departments in submitting applications for equality and diversity related awards and recognition, such as Athena SWAN awards; including reading and commenting on award applications when requested by departments.
6. To provide oversight of issues identified by departmental Self-Assessment Teams, and of proposed departmental actions, and to make recommendations to the Divisional Board as appropriate on potential divisional responses
7. To feed divisional perspectives into the University’s equality and diversity work, including into institutional applications for the Race Equality Charter Mark and renewal of the institutional Athena SWAN award, and the University’s EDI Panel, as appropriate.
8. To oversee the co-ordination and approval of bids for any funding opportunities that may arise associated with equality and diversity matters.