Gender Equity and Diversity Committee Meeting No. 1
18 September 2017
Present: Sharon Bessell, Bob Breunig, Martyn Pearce, Carmen Voigt-Graf
Apologies: Long Chu, Sharon Dean, Megan Poore
Outcomes and action 1. Information Gathering
The committee agreed that the starting point should be to have a greater understanding of what institutional and cultural change is required. To do this we agreed to seek School support and resources to do the following:
a. Undertake an audit based on the Research School of Biology model. For Crawford critical issue to be included are sex disaggregation of event speakers and administration load of academics by male/female (beginning with committee membership)
Action: SB to determine what School resources are available
Action: MP to compile an overview of sex of speakers at all Crawford events in 2017
b. Hold a series of focused group discussions across the School to identify key issues that need to be addressed
Action:
Action: SB to develop a methodology for focused group discussions and share with Committee for feedback
Action: Committee to seek resources from School to conduct the focused groups
c.Establish an on-line suggestion box
Action: Resources and responsibility to be determined
d. Seek figures on number of staff and students identifying as living with a disability. Follow-up with individuals to discuss possible strategies.
Action
Action: SB to follow up re. numbers and connecting with individuals
e. Request disaggregation of staff (professional and academic) by sex and age. Request sex disaggregation of Masters and PhD students (separately).
Action: SB to request
2. Adopting a ‘Male Champions of Change’ program
The committee agreed that the public face of the School has been, and remains, largely male. As noted in 1.b, we are gathering sex-disaggregated information on speakers at all Crawford events. An initial review of events with single speakers revealed that in 2017 we hosted 63 events, with 14 female speakers (22%).
Action: Establish a Male Champions of Change program, with a focus on ensuring gender balance in public events.
Action: SB to identify list of obligations to be associated with this
Action: BB to lead this program in terms of pro-actively supporting gender balance in events
Action: BB to speak with Warwick McKibben about this
3. Recruitment processes
The Committee agreed that it is necessary to address unconscious bias in recruitment processes, and discussed the value of gender balance in short-lists.
Action: SB to check with the University gender equity unit about establishing a requirement within the School for gender balance in short lists
Action: Recommendation will be made to Management Committee that all staff with responsibility for supervision of staff and all individuals sitting on selection committees or promotions committees to complete the relevant ANU training. SB to check with ANU HR on most relevant training
Additional issues discussed
It was agreed that the Committee should be focus on gender and diversity. It was agreed that in terms of phasing work, gender equity (understood in the immediate sense as addressing sex-based discrepancies) would be the immediate priority, with issues facing people with a disability explored in the short term.
This Committee recognised the need to promote diversity more broadly, and agreed that broadening the focus of the Committee beyond gender equity and disability to a broader range of issues in the medium term, including those issues facing people from ethnic and religious minorities, indigenous people and people identifying as LGBT or I. It was noted that the focused group discussions will be important in identifying issues to be addressed and for the Committee’s work planning.
While the Committee will not immediately address LGBTI issues, the Committee will immediately and actively promote the ANU Ally network.
The work identified by the Committee will necessarily require resources (particularly the immediate need for more information). This will require School support. Available resources at College and University level will also be explored.
The Committee recognised the need for diversity among Committee members. Committee membership will be reviewed following the audit and focused groups to foster diversity.
On this page
Committee membership
Meetings
Gender Equity and Diversity Committee Meeting No. 2
6 December 2017Minutes to come
Breakdown of Crawford School staff by gender
Gender Equity and Diversity Committee Meeting No. 1
18 September 2017Present: Sharon Bessell, Bob Breunig, Martyn Pearce, Carmen Voigt-Graf
Apologies: Long Chu, Sharon Dean, Megan Poore
Outcomes and action
1. Information Gathering
The committee agreed that the starting point should be to have a greater understanding of what institutional and cultural change is required. To do this we agreed to seek School support and resources to do the following:
a. Undertake an audit based on the Research School of Biology model. For Crawford critical issue to be included are sex disaggregation of event speakers and administration load of academics by male/female (beginning with committee membership)
b. Hold a series of focused group discussions across the School to identify key issues that need to be addressed
Action:
c.Establish an on-line suggestion box
d. Seek figures on number of staff and students identifying as living with a disability. Follow-up with individuals to discuss possible strategies.
Action
e. Request disaggregation of staff (professional and academic) by sex and age. Request sex disaggregation of Masters and PhD students (separately).
2. Adopting a ‘Male Champions of Change’ program
The committee agreed that the public face of the School has been, and remains, largely male. As noted in 1.b, we are gathering sex-disaggregated information on speakers at all Crawford events. An initial review of events with single speakers revealed that in 2017 we hosted 63 events, with 14 female speakers (22%).
3. Recruitment processes
The Committee agreed that it is necessary to address unconscious bias in recruitment processes, and discussed the value of gender balance in short-lists.
Additional issues discussed
It was agreed that the Committee should be focus on gender and diversity. It was agreed that in terms of phasing work, gender equity (understood in the immediate sense as addressing sex-based discrepancies) would be the immediate priority, with issues facing people with a disability explored in the short term.
This Committee recognised the need to promote diversity more broadly, and agreed that broadening the focus of the Committee beyond gender equity and disability to a broader range of issues in the medium term, including those issues facing people from ethnic and religious minorities, indigenous people and people identifying as LGBT or I. It was noted that the focused group discussions will be important in identifying issues to be addressed and for the Committee’s work planning.
While the Committee will not immediately address LGBTI issues, the Committee will immediately and actively promote the ANU Ally network.
The work identified by the Committee will necessarily require resources (particularly the immediate need for more information). This will require School support. Available resources at College and University level will also be explored.
The Committee recognised the need for diversity among Committee members. Committee membership will be reviewed following the audit and focused groups to foster diversity.