CAHSS EDI Committee

College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences (CAHSS), Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Committee and EDI leads.

1. CAHSS EDI Committee Terms of Reference

Vision

Everyone, staff or student, should be able to develop to their full potential regardless of gender, sex, race, colour, ethnic, national origin or migrant status, disability, sexual orientation, religious or philosophical belief, age, socio-economic background, trade union membership and family circumstances. The College seeks to promote an inclusive, fair, respectful culture and a safe and welcoming environment in which all staff and students can flourish.

Remit 

  • To provide strategic direction for the implementation of the College vision on equality, diversity and inclusion
  • To advise the College on policy and practice matters relating to equality, diversity and inclusion
  • To monitor the composition of the College workforce and student body (including practice on the admission, retention and progression of students and the recruitment, retention and progression of staff) and to direct actions on identified trends where necessary
  • To achieve greater awareness within the College and beyond of equality, diversity and inclusion issues as well as how discrimination might impact
  • To advise on, initiate and facilitate changes to the culture, environment, study and working practices within the College which further the above vision
  • To actively support University level initiatives designed to promote equality, diversity and inclusion
  • Develop an annual action plan for its work to follow the College planning round calendar (Developed Action Plan at Committee Papers below)
  • To create opportunities for consultation, facilitation and communication across the College and across the University, in pursuance of its remit’

Membership

The convenor is appointed by the Head of College

EDI representatives of each School in CAHSS

College Office representative

An undergraduate student representative nominated by EUSA

A postgraduate student representative (PGT) nominated by EUSA

A postgraduate student representative (PGR) nominated by EUSA

Membership of the Committee would seek to be diverse across staffing profiles and grades. The Committee will be able to co-opt members as required to boost representation, to extend expertise or to fulfil current priorities, e.g. Athena Swan convenors.

HR in CAHSS will be responsible for taking and circulating an Action Note from each meeting

Operations

The Committee will meet in a minimum of three times per academic year.  Committee minutes, once approved by the Committee, will be published in the College section of the University Equality and Diversity web pages. Activities are communicated to staff and students using a number of approaches including a dedicated web space linked to the University Equality, Diversity and Inclusion website and the regular College Newsletter.

Reporting Mechanism

The Committee will report back to the Staffing Committee each semester and annually to the College Planning and Resources Committee. In addition, it will provide updates to the University Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Committee.

Resources

Representatives from each School and Centre will have time allocated to include attendance at the College EDI Committee. Additional time might be requested by the Convenor of the Committee of specific members to carry out agreed priorities as required and agreed with the Head of College and the line manager of the committee member.  Financial resources can be requested to take forward agreed areas of work.

Measures of Success

A key measure of success is that Schools, staff and students feel connected to the work of the Committee. There is also evidence of increased diversity where groups are under-represented. The Committee will undertake regular reviews of both qualitative and quantitative data relating to EDI within the College and ensure action  plan targets are progressed.

 

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