UCU: Colleges and universities to be 'named and shamed' for failing to tackle discrimination
Wednesday, 28, May 2008 12:00
Lecturers have agreed to 'name and shame' any universities and colleges which fail to implement anti-discrimination law.
And the Human Rights and Equality Commission will be pressed to serve compliance notices on the worst offenders and see they are prosecuted if they do not comply satisfactorily with the legislation.
The plan was agreed by members of the University and College Union (UCU), in the first vote at their annual Congress today (Wednesday), in Manchester. Lecturers noted 'the poor progress made by many colleges and universities in writing race, gender and disability equality schemes and action plans, monitoring their implementation and updating them'.
Black and minority ethnic community members are under-represented in senior positions in colleges. Of over 300 colleges only eight have a black Principal, and less than 6% of senior and middle managers are black.
The Race Relations Amendment Act (RRAA) places a general duty on listed public authorities to have due regard in everything they do to:
eliminate unlawful racial discrimination,
promote equality of opportunity,
promote good relations between people of different racial groups
Specific duties include the preparation of a written race equality policy (REP), an assessment of the impact of this policy on students and staff from different racial groups, and the publishing of the results of assessment and monitoring.
But monitoring conducted in 2006-7 by UCU and the former Commission for Racial Equality (CRE) in a sample of fifty colleges revealed that not one organisation had managed to fulfil all these duties. It was hoped that examples of good practice would be found but many had not made even the most basic arrangements for compliance with the duty, though this has since improved.
UCU considers progress to be unacceptably slow.
Lecturers today criticised the Human Rights and Equality Commission for its unwillingness to force colleges to comply with legislation - part of the Commission's function. UCU has asked the Commission to issue a compliance order on one college but the Commission declined.
The Commission is instead reporting offending employers to the (DIUS) ministry, a procedure UCU members consider inadequate.
Another of the non-complying colleges, confident it understood the legal duties, has been trying to promote its own Equality Impact Assessment Guidance to other colleges, but this guidance is considered to be in breach of the statutory framework of the RRAA.
During the debate today (Wednesday), Sasha Callaghan, president-elect of UCU said:
"Non compliant colleges and universities are breaking the law every day. We have been patient on this until now but it is 18 months since the legislation was put on the statute book - long enough for institutions to act."
NOTES
1) The UCU/CRE Race equality duty monitoring and enforcement project 2006-7: A sample of 50 Colleges were monitored and were asked to provide evidence of their implementation of the duties, including a copy of their current race equality impacts assessments, data on recruitment and progressions of staff.
2) The motions passed today:
Equality Duties
Congress notes the poor progress made by many colleges and universities in writing race, gender and disability equality schemes and action plans, monitoring their implementation and updating them.
Congress resolves to organise a high profile campaign on implementation of the equality duties, including the following:
A naming and shaming exercise.
The Human Rights and Equality Commission to ensure that compliance notices are served on the worst offenders and that they are prosecuted if they do not comply satisfactorily with the legislation.
The need for a public sector duty on sexual orientation
The extension to the private sector
The production of campaigning materials.
The organisation of a high profile national conference.
The organisation of regional (training) workshops.
Equality policies and duties Sheffield College - Castle, Hillsborough, Norton Branches
Congress determines that UCU should adopt an effective strategy to ensure the effective implementation of all equalities policies, duties and initiatives in colleges and universities.
This should include more dedicated time for paid officials of the union to work with branches/Local Associations and more active support from the legal department to ensure that the voice of Congress is heard and acted upon.
Want additional support? The College and University Support Network (CUSN) offers UCU members a range of services - from factsheets to counselling. Access these services online http://cusn.info/ or through the 24/7 telephone support line, Freephone 08000 329952
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