Update on activities related to equality, diversity and inclusion
29 October 2021
Identity Management
Work undertaken to date includes:
• Dates identified for engagement workshops and 1-1 meetings.
• Created draft questionnaire.
• Documentation of the as-is processes.
Over the next two weeks our priorities are to:
•Issue the dates for workshops and 1:1 meetings with key stakeholders and issue link to questionnaire to all staff.
• Begin scoping the proposed ‘to-be’ staff and student processes.
• Begin developing the set of requirements to ensure that applications purchased by the University are able to respond to identity change in the manner we require.
15 November 2021
Identity Management
Work undertaken to date includes:
• Launch of questionnaire and request for user experiences.
• Early work transferring learning from documenting the as-is processes into the proposed ‘to-be’ staff and student processes.
• Reviewed options to provide a clear start point to the process, and ability to track the progress of open requests.
Over the next two weeks our priorities are to:
• Review feedback and begin shaping the to-be staff and student processes.
• Draft proposed wording for the entry point to the process.
• Secure resource to deliver digital elements of the new process.
• Plan communications to colleagues to support adoption of the new processes.
23 November 2022
Report on Trans Guidance Working Group
I am writing as the Chair of the Trans Guidance Working Group to provide an update on the work of the group and to explain why I have, very reluctantly, taken the decision to suspend work on the guidance to provide space for rethinking how we
can work more productively for the benefit of trans staff and students.
The Trans Guidance Working Group was tasked with producing guidance documents to support trans staff, students, and our broader community. The initial brief had been to focus on producing guidance for managers as this was felt to be a way of ensuring timely impact. However, this was broadened to include guidance for staff, and students at the request of the LGBT Staff and Student Networks, making the project more consistent with the original Athena Swan Bronze action.
At the request of the Networks, the project began with a seminar delivered by Dr Catherine Baker, University of Hull on September 29 and an initial meeting on September 30. At this first meeting several changes made to the Terms of Reference including a recognition of the value of the project in working towards rebuilding trust between the University and the trans community. The group also committed to ensuring that all members of the LGBT Staff and Student Networks be
appropriately recognised for their contribution through either meaningful workload remission (staff) or payment (students).
The second meeting (scheduled for 20 October) did not go ahead as planned with the Trade Union representatives posting a note in the chat to say that members of the Staff and Student Networks did not feel that the meeting was safe or that their voices were being adequately heard within the group. While I am profoundly saddened by this action, I respect the right of anyone to withdraw from spaces that they feel are not supportive or productive. There is clearly a need to rethink how we move forward and to explore options for different ways of working that allow trans voices to speak and be heard.
In pausing the trans Working Group Guidance project the ambition is to look at a range of approaches to working with our trans communities. There may be other voices in the trans community that would like to be part of the conversation and I feel that it is important that we find ways to include them. I feel that it would be beneficial to find more productive ways to collaborate, creating spaces that are not only safe for all involved, but which will allow us make progress on the guidance, our Athena Swan Action plan, but most importantly on trans equality.
Professor Kate Nash
Deputy Dean, Faculty of Arts, Humanities, and Cultures
November 202