Birmingham City University : E&D Steering Committee Terms of Reference

E&D Steering Committee Terms of Reference

• With the advice of the University’s Equality and Diversity Policy Advisor, to maintain a watching brief on government legislation in relation to equality and good practice in the HE and wider public sector on equality and diversity issues; and to put in place arrangements and recommend to Senate actions required to ensure compliance with legislation;
• To commission comparative and time series analyses of student data on equality and diversity; on the basis of analysis and monitoring of this data, to make recommendations for areas requiring further review, in-depth analysis, or action;
• To advise Senate on areas of good practice in equality and diversity, both within the University and outside;
• To advise Senate and its relevant sub-committees of areas of University activity where actions to ensure equality of opportunity, or to promote diversity, are required;
• To advise those responsible for related strategies and processes, including the University’s widening participation strategy and annual course monitoring process, of key priorities in student equality and diversity, so that actions within these related processes can be targeted to best effect;
• To establish a network of contacts in Faculties and key professional services to promote awareness and understanding of equality and diversity issues; and to facilitate the local achievement of actions required arising from the Steering Group’s data analysis;
• To be responsible for the development, achievement, monitoring and review of the University’s equality objectives;
• To report annually to the University Board of Governors on equality and diversity statistics and activity in relation to students. To coordinate with the Director of Human Resources to ensure that equality and diversity performance statistics in relation to staff are reported regularly to the University’s Personnel and Remuneration Committee and to the Board of Governors;
• To be responsible for the oversight and implementation of the University’s arrangements for impact assessments;
• To make recommendations to Senate and other relevant committees about staff training and awareness raising regarding equality and diversity;
• To receive reports from faculties in order to monitor and improve the University’s delivery of its equality and diversity agenda; and
• To submit regular reports to Senate on the work of the Steering Committee.