APPENDIX C
8GENDER ACTION PLAN UPDATE 2010
8.1 MAINSTREAMING GENDER and LGBT EQUALITYIntended outcomes:
The University has ensured that current and prospective staff and students are aware that it takes its responsibilities under the SDA and EA seriously.
Arrangements are in place for the publication and review of the GES.
Arrangements are in place to ensure that all University policies and strategy documents reflect the GES and do not impact unfavourably on either female, male or LGBT staff or students.
Action
/Responsible Actor
- Following approval by the Board of Governors, circulate an executive summary of the GES to all staff via the University e-mail system.
- Place GES on the University website where it will be accessible to current and prospective staff and students.
- Publish article on GES in Communicator for any without internet access.
- Deliver report on progress against requirements of GES Plan to Academic Council and the Board of Governors.
- Promote staff and student awareness of the University’s GES.
- At 3 year review replace GES with Single Equality Scheme
Equality and Diversity Adviser
Equality and Diversity Adviser
Equality and Diversity Adviser
Equality and Diversity Adviser
Equality and Diversity Adviser
Progress to date:
1-5Done during 2007/8
- Single Equality Scheme drafted following review and equality impact assessment of GES during academic year 2009/2010. Single Equality Scheme to be ratified at HR Committee of Governors in September 2010.
8.1 MAINSTREAMING GENDER AND LGBT EQUALITY
Action
/Responsible Actor
7.As part of the normal review cycle, all policy and strategy documents to be subject to impact assessment to ensure that they do not impact unfairly on either women, men or LGBT people and are consistent with the aims of the GES. Principal amongst these documents are:
- Strategic Plan
- Widening Participation Strategy
- Admissions Policy
- Research & Knowledge Transfer
- Ethics Policy
- Framework for the Maintenance and Enhancement of Academic Quality & Standards
- Human Resources Strategy (including Grievance Procedure)
- Equal Opportunities for Students and Staff
- Examination and Assessment Regulations
- Handbook of Student Regulations
- Harassment and Bullying Policy
- Learning, Teaching and Assessment Strategy
- E-learning Strategy
- Student Feedback Policy
- Staff Development Policy
- University Code of Practice for the Assessment of Students
Vice-Chancellor
)
)
) Pro Vice-Chancellors
)
)
Pro Vice-Chancellor
Equality & Diversity Adviser
)Academic Registrar
)
Equality & Diversity Adviser
Director of DCQE
)
)
) Pro Vice-Chancellors
Academic Registrar
Progress to date:
6. Impact Assessment Co-ordinator appointed October 2006.
Memo from V-C John Craven sent to all senior managers re preliminary assessment giving a deadline of Easter 2007.
40 staff trained on EIA by external provider in October and November 2006. Further training provided in-house brings number of staff trained up to 113.
EIA Handbook published January 2007.
Scrutiny panels of staff and students from minority groups include LGBT staff and students in the EIA process.
Work with Sally Hartley, University Secretary and Clerk to the Board of Governors, undertaken to bring together rolling review of policy and EIA timetable.
71 items have been screened and 20 are undergoing full impact assessment.
Regular updates on progress on EIA are reported to Equality & Diversity Committee.
Learning, Teaching and Assessment Strategy has been impact assessed.
Preliminary EIAs of Academic Registry’s documents have not found any issues that merit a full EIA. The Quality Management Division of Registry has a regular scheduled review of all policies in this area of activity across the University. Part of the scheduled review includes preliminary EIAs. This includes all the three documents listed above.A review of the Code of Practice for the Assessment of Students is scheduled for this year (2009).
The Vice-Chancellor suggests that the impact of the strategic plan and the ethics policy are at such a high level, that their statements supporting equality of opportunity and diversity are sufficient. Any potentially positive or negative effects will be revealed in impact assessments of policies that lie beneath them. This is an important point, otherwise in separately impact assessing the high level documents are effectively repeating the assessment of what lies beneath.
8.2 STUDENTS: ADMISSIONS, PROGRESSION AND EXPERIENCE
Intended Outcomes:The University has the necessary processes in place to monitor the admission and progress of female and male applicants and students at Faculty, Department, and course and module level.
Barriers to the admission and progress of LGBT student applicants have been identified and removed.
There are no significant differences between the attraction and recruitment of female and male applicants in terms of student admissions when compared with national benchmarks, given Portsmouth’s subject mix.
There are no significant differences due to discriminatory practice, between female and male students in terms of progression and achievement.
There are no significant differences between female and male student complaints of unfair or discriminatory treatment.
Relevant data is available to inform policy and decision-making and to assist in the evaluation of existing policies, practices, provision and criteria in respect of indirect discrimination against female or male applicants and students.
The University is able to provide appropriate advice and support to ensure that students with caring responsibilities are not placed, or likely to be placed, at a substantial disadvantage in comparison with other students.
The University is able to provide appropriate advice and support to ensure that LGBT students feel supported and valued.
Action
/Responsible Actor
Policies- Screen all policies, practices, provisions and criterion (PPPC) associated with student recruitment, admissions, progression and achievement for sex and LGBT equality relevance and prioritise for impact assessment.
- Impact assess all PPPC as prioritised.
Academic Heads of Depts
Academic Registrar
Academic Heads of Depts
Progress to date:
See answer at 8.1.6
1 & 2 Preliminary EIAs to date have not found any issues that merit setting up a full EIA in respect of Gender Equality Issues.
SLAS – Ongoing with the School Coordinating Committee. Guidance awaited from the Academic Registrar. Head of School has not received impact assessment training to enable this.
Law (in PBS) is a new department and is in the process of writing their policies. They will screen these as they are written and impact assess in due course.
8.2 STUDENTS: ADMISSIONS, PROGRESSION AND EXPERIENCE
Action
/Responsible Actor
Monitoring and benchmarking- Monitor, analyse and benchmark using UCAS data and internal and external comparators:
- offers
- admissions
- choice of subject
- withdrawals by year and category
- degree classification
- graduate destinations
- Investigate significant internal variations between female and male students, and external benchmarks, to identify any underlying reasons.
- Identify and implement appropriate action to address significant internal differences between female and male students, and external benchmarks.
Academic Heads of Depts
Academic Heads of Depts
Institutional Information
- Review University Prospectus and web based materials to ensure course information likely to attract both women, men and LGBT people.
8.Review record keeping policy and practice to ensure LGBT students confidentiality is not likely to be breached.
9.Explore benefits of becoming an Athena SWAN Charter member. / Director of Marketing
Director of Marketing
Records Manager
Equality & Diversity Adviser
Progress to date:
3. Since the appointment of the Impact Assessment Co-ordinator the analysis of student data has been undertaken in the Equality & Diversity Unit with support from Academic Registry. However, although we can do this for gender we do not have any information that would allow us to carry out such monitoring on LGBT grounds.
4 & 5 A Working Group has been set up by DCQE to look at the differences between the attainment of male and female students that were identified through data analysis. There needs to be some further thought about identifying how Heads of Department can carry out this responsibility and who should be coordinating and directing it. One suggestion by the Academic Registrar is that it is a matter for Faculty Executives but that Registry should be asked to supply more management information to assist in that process. Registry is trying to enhance the Academic Management Information service to facilitate this but it is a resource intensive process for which the necessary resource, in terms of people with the right skills, is limited and committed to many other priorities.
In Portsmouth Business School this is part of the annual review cycle undertaken at course and departmental level. No significant problems have been identified which would necessitate action. It is noted that students for whom English is not their first language often do not achieve as high a grade as others. Specific support is provided to these students.
SLAS – In common with most Language Departments in the sector, the majority of students in SLAS are female. This is paralleled at school level and is common to home, EU and international students recruited to SLAS courses. Male students are as least as well-represented as they are in School level courses.
Law (in PBS) awaiting outcome of 3. Will discuss with Admissions tutors and course directors.
6. Marketing ensure that there is always a good gender balance in the Prospectus and promote the Student Union which has an LGBT society. LGBT History Month events were promoted on the main University website and the ‘Look UP’ site for students. Marketing work to ensure that their copywriting is without gender bias and that there are strong messages to support the University of Portsmouth’s belief that higher education should be open to all those capable of benefiting from it.
7. Marketing and Academic Registry have looked at the communications plan they have in place with pre-applicants and applicants, including preview day communications, to investigate ways they can make these more relevant to students who have caring responsibilities. The preview days have been restructured in order to make them more accommodating to minority groups, including students with caring responsibilities. The events have now adopted a ‘pick and mix’ theme, allowing visitors to adapt the times of their visit to suit their own schedule. This differs greatly from the structured events held previously, and is designed to offer more flexibility to visitors.
8.A records management survey has been conducted in order to gain an over-view of record-keeping practices within the faculties. A records management policy has been published, setting out principles for managing information effectively and giving details of the University’s statutory obligations (including the requirement to prevent unlawful disclosure of information). The policy has been submitted for a Preliminary EIA. In addition, a retention policy for student (and course) records has been published to promote consistent management across the faculties. The policy has received a Preliminary EIA; the scrutiny panel concluded that a full EIA was not required.
8.2 STUDENTS: ADMISSIONS, PROGRESSION AND EXPERIENCE
Action
/Responsible Actor
Induction- Review induction practices and arrangements in respect of availability of information geared to the different needs of female, male and LGBT students.
- Ensure that during the induction period all students are made aware of support arrangements for pregnant students (including where pregnancy is unwanted) and students with caring responsibilities.
Director, DCQE
International Director
Course Documentation
- Review existing programme specifications to ensure that they do not include requirements that indirectly discriminate against pregnant students and carers.
Retention, progression and achievement
- Review practices associated with provision of careers advice to ensure particular perspectives of both female and male students are taken into account.
11.Set up and maintain focus groups for students from equality target groups
12.Seek the views of LGBT students at a national level via the NUS, to inform local policy and practice. / Director of Employability
Equality & Diversity Adviser
Equality & Diversity Adviser
Progress to date:
7,8 & 9 Ongoing.
10. International Orientation information is circulated to students in various formats and at various times prior to their arrival. This includes by couriered post along with their Certificate if Final Acceptance and through e-newsletters in May, June, July, August and September. Further awareness of the University’s support services is promoted through the “mix & Match” mentoring scheme, the Island Newsletter and the mini exhibition during Orientation week. During the 2008 orientation, the International Office arranged for the NHS to distribute leaflets and information on a BME women drop-in group. The service covers various health matters, mental health and well being. Their project offers a culturally appropriate sensitive service. Portsmouth City Council attended with information on sexual health, alcohol and drug abuse information.
Future plan is tomake sure that students are aware of Ella Gordon Clinic (SMH) and the support provided and possible.
Purple Door Careers and Recruitment via the annual DLHE (Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education) survey regularly reviews the relative performance of female graduates in the graduate marketplace. Clear reference is made to gender within the annual report written by the Careers Manager for senior colleagues throughout the University. The last year’s report revealed a higher unemployment rate among first-degree male leavers than female leavers and this issue has been raised at the University Committee level. The Service supports initiatives targeted at females such as the WISE Project – Women into Science and Engineering.
11. Marketing has set up a student panel process that all parts of the University can utilize.
12. The NUS has been approached on several occasions for advice and information.
8.2 STUDENTS: ADMISSIONS, PROGRESSION AND EXPERIENCE
Action
/Responsible Actor
Communication- Promote general awareness and understanding of needs and experiences of students who are carers.
Students off-campus
- Review and develop support liaison arrangements for pregnant students and students with caring responsibilities in work based learning environments or placements.
- Review e-learning policies, provision and practices to ensure that there are no unjustified or adverse impacts upon either female or male students.
- Identify and implement appropriate action to address any unjustified or adverse e-learning impacts upon either female or male students.
Director, DCQE
Director, DCQE
Progress to date:
11. There is a new section on the Aimhigher website that is targeted and written to fit the needs of students who are carers. Aimhigher staff can use this and dovetail if required with other outreach work.
13 & 14 E-learning Policy has had a preliminary screening for equality impact and has been put forward for Full EIA. Full impact assessmentbeing undertaken via task group & progressing matters identified.
8.2 STUDENTS: ADMISSIONS, PROGRESSION AND EXPERIENCE
Action
/Responsible Actor
Student experience- Embed sex and LGBT discrimination awareness within University Learning and Teaching Committee processes to ensure continuation of the design of inclusive curriculum delivery and assessment practices.
- Review student complaints, harassment and disciplinary practices and outcomes to ensure no significant actual or potential differences between the experiences of female and male students.
- Identify and implement appropriate action to address any unjustified or adverse impacts emerging from complaints, harassment or disciplinary processes review.
- Review operation of Extenuating Circumstances procedure to ensure no significant actual or potential differences between the experiences of female and male students.
- Identify and implement appropriate action to address any significant outcomes from ECF review
- Assess adequacy of nursery provision.
- Identify and implement appropriate action to address any identified shortfall in nursery provision.
University Complaints Officer
Academic Registrar
Academic Registrar
Academic Registrar
Academic Registrar
Pro Vice-Chancellor
Pro Vice-Chancellor
Progress to date:
15. Report on possible ways forward for Committee delivered by Equality and Diversity Adviser in March 2009.
16 & 17 The numbers of female students submitting formal complaints over the last two years has fallen but as female students do access all levels of the complaints procedure we do not believe that they are deterred from using the policy.
A new policy on harassment and bullying has been published and training for managers is now ongoing. Training for other staff will follow.
18. A review of the Extenuating Circumstances Procedure’s operation is being undertaken in the coming months.
8.3 STAFF: RECRUITMENT, CAREER PROGRESSION AND EXPERIENCE
Intended Outcomes:The University has necessary processes in place to monitor recruitment and selection for gender equality.
Progress is made towards a diverse staff at the University that is representative of the communities from which it fills its posts.
There are no significant differences between female and male job applicants and members of staff in terms of recruitment, promotion, turnover, grievance and disciplinary matters, staff grades/pay level, length of service, attendance and career training and development opportunities.
There are no significant differences between female and male staff complaints of unfair treatment.
Relevant data is available to inform policy and decision-making and to assist in the evaluation of existing policy.
The University has a good reputation as a fair employer that does not tolerate sex or LGBT discrimination and harassment, and its employment practices attract good candidates from all backgrounds.
Action
/Responsible Actor
Policies