From: Dr Jennifer Nutkins, Academic Registrar

There are a number of recent and forthcoming items of legislation which place responsibilities on the University with respect to student diversity. In addition, various projects and activities have been undertaken in relation to diversity issues and considerable work has been done in the area of disability. Diversity responsibilities need to be understood in both the academic and support service context. Whilst the University does have an Equal Opportunities committee this is formally a sub-committee of the Human Resources Committee and its focus is primarily, but not exclusively, on staff. It is not well articulated with other structures dealing with student matters. Current activities and our response to new developments have not therefore been explicitly co-ordinated to date. A Working Group, which would be an informal sub-group of both Learning and Teaching Committee and Student Services Committee, is therefore proposed to co-ordinate the University’s response to student diversity issues. A possible initial membership and priorities for the Group is set out below. The Group would report regularly to both its parent committees and to Equal Opportunities Sub-Committee. More formal initial terms of reference might be drawn up by the Group at its first meeting. The parent committees are asked to approve this initial proposal and to endorse further work in this area.

Initial Membership

Morag Bell (Chair)

Terry Kavanagh (as Chair of Equal Opportunities Sub-Committee)

Jennifer Nutkins

Andy Wilson

Wendy Llewellyn

Advisors or could be members?

Lesley Mansell (Personnel, Equal Opportunities Officer)

James Kirby (Head of DANS)

Parin Hirji (Professional Development)

Phase 1

Consider existing and imminent legislation, identify areas of non-compliance, assess risk and initiate essential actions, begin to co-ordinate existing activities.

Phase 2 (Group membership probably evolves, definitely need formal LSU in put)

Develop approach to devise and implement Student Diversity Strategy – initial focus on highest priorities for pro-active activity, begin to think about how diversity issues are fully embedded.

Phase 3 (Group membership may evolve further, may not be reached in foreseeable future!)

Monitor success, refine activities, promote embedding in existing structures, take forward lower priority areas for pro-active activity.

Author – Dr Jennifer Nutkins

Date - October 2005