Equality and Diversity within the School of Biosciences

The School of Biosciences is committed to promoting equality and celebrating diversity.

Equality and Diversity Committee Terms of Reference

  • Florian Busch  - F.A.Busch@bham.ac.uk 
  • Rachel Howes  - R.Howes@bham.ac.uk 
  • Alison Iboro Offong  - A.IboroOffong.1@bham.ac.uk 
  • Archana Sharma-Oates  - A.Sharma-Oates@bham.ac.uk 
  • Ruth Perry  - R.M.PERRY.PLB@bham.ac.uk 
  • Mojgan Rabiey  M.Rabiey@bham.ac.uk 
  • Mary Blanchard  - M.L.Blanchard@bham.ac.uk 
  • Juliet Coates  - J.C.Coates@bham.ac.uk 
  • Scott Hayward  - S.A.Hayward@bham.ac.uk  
  • Lindsey Compton  - L.J.Compton@bham.ac.uk 
  • Samuel Benedict  - STB578@student.bham.ac.uk 
  • Claire Cooper  - C.E.Cooper@bham.ac.uk 
  • Jessica Adams  - J.Adams.8@bham.ac.uk 
  • Eleanor Cull - E.Cull@bham.ac.uk  

Purpose of the Committee:

To provide an open forum for discussion of Equality and Diversity issues in the School of Biosciences.

To monitor progress on, to champion, and to provide a strategy for implementation of, the University’s equality and diversity agenda at the School level.

To provide examples of good practice to inform the University’s Equality and Diversity agenda going forwards.

This includes (but is not limited to) the working environment for all students and staff (where staff includes for the remainder of this document all researchers on fixed term contracts); the recruitment of students and staff; all outreach activities in which the School is represented.

Tasks

  • To discuss and propose appropriate procedures and protocols that promote equality and civersity within the School;
  • To ensure that the School is informed of practices that may not be in compliance with the University’s equality and diversity policy;
  • To continue and enable the Biosciences Athena SWAN process by monitoring progress against current action plans and to update action plans in the future
  • To prepare Athena SWAN applications via a sub-group, the Athena SWAN working group.
  • To liaise and work with other School/College Equality Committees to ensure that all processes and procedures adopted by the School recognise, value and support all members of its diverse community.
  • To receive and comment on equality and diversity reports (and benchmark against University and National data) from individuals and from other School groups and committees.

Membership of the Committee

The Committee requires representation from all groups of staff (Academic; Professional services) and students (PG and UG), the Equality and Diversity Champion, the Head of School.

Committee meetings

The Committee will meet at minumum termly. Other meetings will be arranged as required, in particular for the Athena working group and undergraduate student representatives.

Reports into the Committee

  • Updates from School and University Athena SWAN committees
  • Updates from E and D champions’ meetings
  • Reports from the BGRS postgraduate committee
  • Staff-student committee
  • Learning and teaching committee
  • Individual staff or students with any concerns

Reports out of the Committee

  • Items to raise at Athena SWAN sub-group, College E and D Champions group.
  • Report to College- and University-level groups, such as the Equality Champions’ Network and University Athena committee and dPVC for Equality and Diversity where appropriate.
  • Report to other School-level committees, including School Executive committee, Learning and Teaching committee, School committee, Staff-student committee, BGRS committee.

Confidentiality

Everything discussed in the meeting is confidential unless the committee approves its disclosure through appropriate channels.