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1. Introduction

Lancaster University’s first integrated Single Equality Strategy supports the University’s Strategic Plan 2009-2015, which states that we are committed to celebrating the diversity of members of the University and maximising their potential, underpinned by an emphasis on equality of opportunity.

The Strategy aims to ensure that:

  • equality and diversity issues are not marginalised
  • the challenges of ensuring the legal requirements relating to equality groups are fulfilled
  • our response to equality and diversity is clearly and effectively communicated

The Strategy has been developed on the basis of primary application across the Bailrigg campus and will be developed further in relation to international partnerships.

University Strategic Plan: http://www.lancs.ac.uk/users/gap/GAP2009/strategic-plan.pdf
Equality & Diversity homepage: http://www.lancs.ac.uk/hr/equality-diversity/
Overview of our legal responsibilities: http://www.ecu.ac.uk/law/?browse=subject
Widening Participation Strategic Assessment 2008-2012.

2. Our beliefs and values

We are committed to:

  • providing high quality and inclusive learning and working experiences for all
  • providing an ethical environment by promoting respect, ensuring equality of opportunity, celebrating diversity and building a culture where everyone is valued, encouraged and supported to achieve their full potential
  • working across the institution at all levels, to ensure that equality becomes a shared commitment
  • preventing all forms of discrimination and harassment and promoting diversity and equal opportunities
  • engaging with other institutions, local communities and others to help achieve our equality and diversity aims.

3. Our policies

The University recognises that effective policies relating to equality and diversity contribute to its long term success and competitiveness.

Relevant policies and guidelines/procedures include:

4. Equality group specific issues

Age

The University will:

  • seek to employ people from all age groups in society, including those who have just completed their education and those in their later years.
  • continue to work against discrimination, harassment or victimisation on grounds of age. There may be occasions when we treat staff or students differently according to age. This will occur only if we believe that this is a proportionate means of achieving a legitimate aim.
  • continue to consider requests from staff to work beyond normal retirement age.
  • ensure that relevant safeguarding procedures are in operation for work that involves younger people.
  • gather mature students’ views and seek to ensure that they receive good academic support that aims to minimise feelings of isolation.
Further information on Age equality: http://www.lancs.ac.uk/hr/equality-diversity/age.html

Disability

The University will continue to:

  • welcome applications from disabled students, and seek to increase their representation within the student body. Decisions on admissions will be made primarily on academic grounds;
  • follow the good practice of the Department of Work and Pension’s Two Ticks Positive about Disabled People scheme, publicising the Access to Work scheme and seeking to improve working conditions and the possibility of career progression for disabled staff;
  • develop and implement a process for ensuring accessibility in all refurbishment and new-build projects and review the state of our buildings and environment to ensure a regular cycle of access improvements;
  • ensure the information we distribute is accessible to all users;
  • acknowledge and support the social model of disability in which disabled people are seen to be disadvantaged by social barriers which are imposed in addition to their impairments.

Involving disabled staff and students

The University will continue to:

  • resource the Disabled Staff Forum to help identify issues of concern and prioritise action;
  • analyse staff surveys and data on recruitment and career progression to identify where there may be barriers for disabled staff;
  • ensure that disabled students are represented at the Disability Network, Access Working Group and Library Users’ Forum and by the students’ union Vice-president: Equality, welfare & diversity officer (who holds Equality and Inclusion and Students’ rights and welfare committees and also represents them at the University Equal Opportunities Committee and Student Support and Welfare Policy Committee);
  • ensure that the Disability Service conducts an annual survey of users about its own provision.

Further information on Disability equality: http://www.lancs.ac.uk/hr/equality-diversity/disability.html


Gender

Staff Issues

The University will continue to challenge and eliminate gender discrimination, and promote equality of opportunity by improving our ability to recruit, retain, support and develop equally, women and men staff.

Student Issues

We will continue to carry out an analysis by gender of institution-wide surveys about the student experience and to learn from consultations with LUSU staff and officers, University service providers, managers and departmental equal opportunities representatives.
We will monitor use of services according to gender and consider ways of addressing any gender imbalances.

Trans

The term ‘trans’ refers to transsexual, transgender and transvestite people. We aim to ensure that trans issues are clearly addressed, that trans staff and students receive equal treatment and are well supported in their study or work at Lancaster.

Further information on Gender equality: http://www.lancs.ac.uk/hr/equality-diversity/gender.html


Race

The University aims to challenge and eliminate race discrimination, and promote race equality and good relations between people from different ethnic backgrounds by:

  • addressing any perceived barriers in providing and promoting inclusive practices for staff and students from black and minority ethnic (BME) groups and to target areas to remove inequalities;
  • improving our ability to recruit, retain, support and develop staff and students from BME groups;
  • celebrating the diversity of our UK and international staff and student community;
Further information on Race equality: http://www.lancs.ac.uk/hr/equality-diversity/race.html


Religion and Belief

The University is a secular institution that accords respect and tolerance to all religious faiths, beliefs and practices as well as those who subscribe to no faith. We affirm that all members of the University community have the right to religious freedom and to the peaceful exercise of their religious faith, beliefs and customs. An intrinsic part of this is the expectation and requirement that religious groups and adherents of all faiths on campus should accord full tolerance and respect for the religious faith, beliefs and practices of others. All members of the University community should show respect for all others in what they say and do.
Further information on Religion and Belief equality: http://www.lancs.ac.uk/hr/equality-diversity/belief.html


Sexual Orientation

The University aims to ensure equality of opportunity and elimination of discrimination, harassment and victimisation of staff or students whether they are or perceived to be lesbian, gay, bisexual (LGB) or heterosexual. The University believes it is the right of individuals to choose whether they wish to be open or not about their sexual orientation at work or study.
Further information on Sexual Orientation equality: http://www.lancs.ac.uk/hr/equality-diversity/sexual.html

Managing Conflicting Regulatory Freedoms

Situations may arise where the rights of one individual cut across the rights of another: for example, a member of staff may object to lesbian, gay and bisexuality on grounds of his or her religion or belief. The University recognises anyone’s right to hold these views, but not their manifestation in such a way that intimidates, humiliates, or is hostile or degrading to others.

6. Our responsibilities

All Staff and Students are responsible for:

  • Promoting equality and not discriminating between any groups or individuals
  • Helping to create and maintain an environment where harassment and discrimination are unacceptable
  • Dealing, as far as they can, with incidents of harassment, bullying or breaches of the Strategy
  • Taking up equality and diversity awareness training and learning opportunities
  • Staff: reporting incidents of concern to their Head of Department or manager, area HR Partner, the University Harassment Network or Trade Union representative
  • Students: reporting incidents of concern to a relevant member of staff, a staff member or officer from LUSU, or the University Harassment Network

Deans and Dean equivalents, Divisional Directors, Heads of Departments and other Managers are responsible for:

  • implementing the Single Equality Strategy within their areas
  • integrating equality and diversity issues with mainstream activities
  • ensuring all staff and students are made aware of their responsibilities
  • ensuring staff receive equality and diversity awareness training.

Director of Human Resources is responsible for ensuring that HR policies and procedures affecting staff are in accordance with the Single Equality Strategy and offering training in equality and diversity for University staff and management.


Pro-Vice-Chancellors for College and Student Experience and for Academic Policy are responsible for ensuring academic and pastoral procedures for students are in accordance with the Single Equality Strategy, and for publicising this Strategy to all students.


The Equal Opportunities Committee is responsible for:

  • overseeing all equality and diversity policy, strategy and associated action plans
  • promoting effective integration and implementation across the University
  • reporting on developments and progress as well as addressing issues of concern

Note the terms of reference and constitution of the Equal Opportunities Committee are currently under review.


The Vice-Chancellor is responsible for giving a consistent and high-profile lead on equality and diversity issues, actively promoting them both inside and outside the institution, and for ensuring that the University’s Single Equality Strategy and related action plans are implemented effectively through University structures.


The University Council and Senate

As governing bodies, the University Council and Senate have ultimate responsibility for ensuring that the University complies with all equality related legislation.


Partners, Contractors and Service Providers

All partners of the University, associates, contractors, professional, statutory and accredited bodies and those who provide services to the University are responsible for complying with equality legislation and equality requirements set out in contracts with the University.

7. Breaches of our equality policy

There is an expectation that staff and students will adhere to our equality policies, and breaches may result in disciplinary action.

8. Staff and Student data and information

Decisions about equality related actions are based on information collected from staff and students, as follows:

  Age Disability Gender Race
  • Employment Data:
Staff applications, recruitment and selection, and turnover		 √ √ √ √
Grades in the University’s pay grade structure √ √ √ √
Fixed-term and part-time positions √ √ √ √
  • Student Data:
Annual Teaching Review Dataset: Admission, retention, progression, academic results and first career destination of students		 √ √ √ √
National Student Survey √ √ √ √
Internal student surveys √ √ √ √

Additional more general information is available from, for example:

  • Departmental Staff / Student Meetings and Module Feedback
  • Service user groups and surveys
  • Staff Surveys

9. Equality Impact Assessment (Checking the effect of what we do)

The purpose of Equality Impact Assessments is to evaluate the effects of policies and practices on different groups of staff and students, and to apply this process across all University activities. We aim to:

  • cover all equality groups and their distinctive aspects, as far as possible
  • use an approach that is flexible, easy to use and adds value, supported with expertise from the centre
  • use a whole institution approach where policy-holders and managers carry out impact assessments locally
  • incorporate this work into existing processes
  • publish the results of impact assessments.

10. Monitoring & Review Systems & Timetable

  • The University Equal Opportunities Committee carries out annual monitoring of progress of this Strategy, associated action plan and Equality Impact Assessments
  • The University Management Advisory Group provides institutional approval on behalf of University Council. Monitoring reports will go to external bodies as and when requested.
  • Faculty Policy and Resources Committees review local activity as part of an annual agenda item on equality and diversity.

Acknowledgement

With thanks to the many staff and students who have contributed to this Strategy.

Feedback

Please let us know of any ideas you might have about improving this Strategy. Contact Rob Kemp, HR Division, phone: 01524 592810 email: r.a.kemp@lancaster.ac.uk

Date of approval May 2010
Review date May 2013

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