University of PortsmouthFullEquality Impact Assessment

Final Report

Department or Faculty: / Equality & Diversity Unit
Item facing assessment: / Gender Equality Scheme and Action Plan
Lead assessor: / Alexandra Muir-Mackenzie
Date of publication: / 17/05/2010
Who was involved in the assessment? / Alexandra Muir-Mackenzie, Equality & Diversity Adviser, undertook the assessment with support from Tom Lewis,
Hiten Shah, Equality & Diversity Consultant held focus groups with action owners from the GES Action Plan, and several staff forums.
Meetings were held with the LGBT Staff Network and Parents and Carers Staff Network.
All staff forums/networks, the trade unions, Students’ Union and a range of other staff from key departments were involved via the Single Equality Scheme Steering Group and Equality & Diversity Committee

In addition to the involvement stated above the assessment has also involved two EIA panels (made up of staff and student volunteers of a variety of ages, races, religions, sexual orientations, disability statuses and genders) and at least one member of the University's Equality & Diversity Unit. For More Information on EIA Panels please see the document: Information on EIA Assessment Panels

What are the potential effects of the item on equality target groups?
The GES should be having a significant positive impact on staff and students. The Gender Equality Scheme (GES) and Action Plan has raised awareness across the University of issues for staff and students on the grounds of gender, gender reassignment and sexual orientation. It has led to an improvement in policy and practise in those areas where consultation or equal opportunities monitoring had indicated there were issues of inequality.

Which of the following evidences were used to assess the effects of the item?

Evidence / Brief description
Statistics / Three years equal opportunities monitoring data
Reports/Studies / Three years equality and diversity annual reports
Surveys/Questionnaires / Staff satisfaction survey and national students survey
What conclusions were drawn from the evidence?
The GES Action Plan contains 88 actions of which, 72 have been completed or been substantially progressed. Actions that were also key objectives within the Scheme have fared poorly as no work has been undertaken to identify potential reasons why women are under-represented at Principal Lecturer and above and Occupational Codes 1, 2B and 3A.There is also no formal Flexible Working Policy in place though HR has a draft policy in development.
Monitoring shows there are 3 areas where male students have, year on year, done less well than female students: withdrawals; attainment; and employment.

What adjustments to the policy and/or initiatives will be undertaken based on the conclusions drawn above?

Initiative 1 / Timescale
The Single Equality Scheme replacing the DES will include a glossary explaining acronyms. / September 2010
Initiative 2
A “Key facts about the University” leaflet is being considered by the Equality and Diversity Unit. / February 2011
Initiative 3
Initiative 4
Initiative 5

The above form is an easily digestible summary of the EIA's findings and the action taken to either promote equality or to eliminate discrimination. However, much more information was used in coming to the conclusions seen and - subject to confidentiality - this is available upon request from the University's Equality & Diversity Unit.