Equality and diversity
Equality and Diversity is a commitment to ensuring equal access, treatment and opportunity for all students and staff, irrespective of their disability, gender, age, race, sexual orientation, religion or belief, etc. Equality legislations, such as the Disability Discrimination Act (2005), Gender Equality Duty 2006 (an extension of Sex Discrimination Act 1975), Race Relations Amendment Act, 2000 (an extension of Race Relation Act, 1976), Employment Equality (Age) Regulations, 2006, Equality Act, 2006 and Human Rights Act, 1998, poses the following General Duty on all public organizations:
- to eliminate unlawful discrimination
- to promote equality of opportunity for all.
Eliminating unlawful discrimination is aimed at ensuring that no direct or indirect discrimination against anyone takes place. Direct discrimination occurs when less favourable treatment is given, whereas indirect discrimination involves unjustifiable requirements or conditions for an individual or a group over another. Promoting equality requires valuing individual differences, and developing a positive and welcoming environment for students to pursue their educational gaols and aspirations.
Implications for LSE
The Specific Duty of the above mentioned legislations requires LSE to:
- Prepare and publish different schemes which identify equality goals/objectives, and how these are to be achieved (in the shape of an action plan)
- Involve and consult students and staff in the development of these schemes
- Implement activities as identified in the action plans
- Monitor progress and publish annual progress reports
- Review the scheme at least every three years.
In line with this specific duty, LSE has already put in place the disability, gender and race equality schemes. These three schemes include specific action plans that are to be implemented over the next three years. These schemes are also to be reviewed on an annual basis to begin with.
General implications for Heads of Departments
As Heads of Department you are required to oversee within your department the promotion of the principles of the General Duty. Eliminating unlawful discrimination requires you to:
- Actively oppose all forms of discrimination
- Reflect on prejudices, including examining the use of inappropriate language
- Strive to create an environment in which staff and student goals may be pursued without fear or intimidation
- Not victimize any student or staff who has complained, or who has given information in connection with such a complaint
- Challenge and/or report unacceptable behaviour which is contrary to the equality legislations and principles.
Promoting equality of opportunity for all requires you to:
- Treat all students and staff with fairness
- Respond to needs and interests of students and staff through reasonable measures
- Foster an inclusive environment for all students and staff to access opportunities, and participate fully in the learning process
- Equip students and staff with the skills, concepts and values which enable them to challenge inequality and injustice in their future work
- Ensure that learning or any other materials do not discriminate against any individuals or groups
- Ensure that learning resources are equally accessible by all students and staff.
Equality legislation also treats bullying and harassment as unlawful. Bullying is the offensive, intimidating, malicious or insulting behaviour, and an abuse or misuse of power to undermine, humiliate, denigrate or injure someone. Harassment is defined in the School’s Harassment Policy “as unwelcome comments (written or spoken) or conduct which violates an individual's dignity, and/or create an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment.” This definition also applies to written communications, email (so called 'flame-mail' or ‘cyber bullying’), phone, etc.
Addressing bullying and harassment requires you to:
- Treat all students and staff with dignity and respect.
- Avoid insulting remarks or innuendos, or deliberate exclusion from activities on the grounds of age, sex, race, religion, etc
- Avoid objectionable and questionable acts which can be ridicule or demean someone
- Avoid unfair treatment based on racist or sexist assumptions
- Avoid overbearing supervision or other misuse of power or position.
For further advice, please contact Kevin Haynes, Ext 7823, e-mail: k.j.haynes@lse.ac.uk
Specific implications for Heads of Departments
As Heads of Department you are required to ensure that:
- your departmental staff are aware of LSE's commitment to equality and diversity, and understand why equality is important for LSE
- the activities relevant to your department, as highlighted in the action plans of various schemes, are implemented (operational aspects to be covered by your departmental managers)
- the progress of activities is monitored on a yearly basis (specific monitoring areas to be identified in consultation with the Diversity Advisor)
- School’s Statement of Equality (which can be downloaded from the HR website) is included in all departmental publications
- equality/diversity is considered as a standing item on the agenda of Departmental meetings to enable staff to raise and discuss issues of importance
- efforts are made so that departmental committees are representative of the diversity of LSE and its surrounding community
- students and staff know who they can approach within your department/division to discuss equality and diversity issues
- staff involved in recruitment have attended the School’s Recruitment and Selection Skills course
- staff attend the School’s in house diversity training which is organised by the Staff Development Unit. Accessible Education Matters, a specialist online disability training course for staff and students can also be accessed from the Disability Offices homepage
- the department is involved in the review of various equality schemes as and when these reviews are being conducted.
For further advice, please contact the Diversity Adviser, Tehmina Hammad, ext 3698, email: t.hammad@lse.ac.uk. ^
|
