Race Equality Policy

1. Introduction

The University's commitment to Equal Opportunities for students is defined by its Equal Opportunities Statement. This policy is augmented by specific policies relating to harassment and to the support of students with disabilities and by this related Race Equality Policy which states the University's commitment to the promotion of racial equality and outlines how it intends to fulfil its responsibilities under the statutory legal requirements of the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000.

This commitment is embedded in all the University's functions as they relate to students, for example:

• Admissions and access;
• Assessments and progression;
• Recruitment and retention;
• Support and guidance;
• Teaching and learning;
• Curriculum;
• Partnerships, community links and placement providers;
• Quality assurance
• Complaints procedure

It is recognised that all these functions are interconnected and interdependent.

2. The General Duty. (The policy statement)

The University is committed to:

Eliminating unlawful racial discrimination;

Promoting equality of opportunity, including good relations between people of different racial groups.

3. The specific duties are to:

1. Prepare, publish and maintain a written policy to promote race equality.
2. Assess the impact of the policy on students from different racial groups.
3. Monitor, by racial group, the admission and progress of students.
4. Set out arrangements for publishing the policy and the results of assessments and monitoring.

4. Statement of Intent to Implement the Specific Duties

1. Publishing the policy

The University will, in accordance with the requirements of the RRAA, make arrangements to publish and promote this Race Equality Policy in all general publications and all relevant documentation provided to students and staff in both print and electronic form and will endeavour to provide the policy in appropriate formats.

The policy will be maintained by effective implementation, monitoring and annual review by the Equal Opportunities Advisory Group reporting to the Governing Body as appropriate.

2. Assessing the impact of the policy

The University will develop methods to seek the views and requirements of students from different racial groups and assess the effect and impact of the policy on them. The results of such an assessment will be published and used to inform policy and planning. If other concerns arise as a result of such assessment the University will endeavour to address them and will also seek to identify other areas to monitor which would inform planning.

3. Ethnic Monitoring of student admissions and progression:

The University will continue to monitor student applications, admissions and progressions . Current procedures will be reviewed, and, if necessary, revised. The data obtained will be monitored and used to inform planning and decision making and to set appropriate targets.

The results of monitoring will be published annually in the Progressions Report and made available via committee reports and the website. Ethnic categories are subject to revision to conform with HESA categories and those recommended by the Commission for Racial Equality.

Academic departments also have a central role to play in monitoring and publishing the results in the Annual Teaching Report.

The aim of this policy is the mainstreaming of race equality and, as such, will be correlated with existing planning and arrangements as specified in the Corporate Plan, Strategic Statement on Widening Participation, International Students' Code of Good Practice and Strategy, faculty and departmental structures and teaching and learning.

All disciplinary procedures will be fair, equal and monitored.