The Under-Represented Staff Groups Project Presentation to Equality & Diversity Committee

1. The Under-Represented Staff Groups Project Presentation to Equality & Diversity Committee Robin Schneider 26th February 2008 SOAS Equality & Diversity Committee February 2008 Appendix E2

2. 1. SOAS: The Context • Strong drivers for increasing diversity at senior levels – • accessing talent, • living our values, • enhancing our reputation, • improving the student experience, • increasing outputs per academic head • There have been recent improvements in policy and practice • There remain worrying examples & some bias in outcomes. • SOAS is undoubtedly vulnerable – legally and ‘reputationally’.

3. 2. Culture Change • Culture change is critical because: • it determines policy implementation. • under-represented groups feel excluded or at least not valued. • this influences aspiration levels and outputs as well as attrition. • Requires consistent leadership – senior management, heads of department, trade union leaders. • And a transformation in the perceived status of the task of ‘management’.

4. 3. Using Diversity to Stimulate Cultural Change • Setting direction and engaging leaders: • Create an Equality & Diversity Strategy • Establish clear responsibilities & accountabilities • Run diversity workshops for senior leaders • Integrate into the planned HoD’s handbook and induction programme.

5. 4. Using Diversity To Stimulate Cultural Change (cont.) • Engaging everyone in the process of change: • Senior leaders take the diversity workshop on to their teams. • Run a SOAS ‘celebrating diversity event’ as part of a mandatory “training day”. • Set up and sponsor staff networks for (1) bme staff and (2) academic women • Help get the LGBT Bloomsbury Group Staff network off the ground

6. 5. Improving Selection Procedures & Practices • Require all selection panels/processes to have at least a third of members who are “diverse” (i.e., women, bme) • Carry out the planned mandatory training in the next 12 months • EB to agree how to support the career development of those moving to fractional contracts • Use the new appraisal process to encourage career development • Strengthen the mentoring that does go on • Consider adjusting output requirements for academic promotions to reflect different working patterns

7. 6. Improving Selection Procedures & Practices (cont.) • Specifically for recruitment: • Ensure web-based recruitment builds in monitoring and access for applicants with disabilities. • Take positive action to encourage the widest possible pool of applicants for key opportunities over the next 12 months.

8. 7. Improving Communication Around Promotions • Following the academic promotions round: • report on the diversity impact of the changes. • deans to ensure all get verbally de-briefed. • EB to commit to sharing key diversity data (against goals) regularly. • Communicate the results of this study and the actions that have been agreed as a result.

9. 8. Review • Is SOAS happy with its current position on equality and diversity? • Five key recommendations: • Create an Equality & Diversity Strategy, linked to 2016. • Run a diversity workshop for senior leaders. • Set up and sponsor staff networks. • Increase diverse involvement in selection panels/processes. • Continue to take positive action on key vacancies.

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