- Disabilities Policy
- Disabilities Equality Scheme
- Gender Equality Scheme
- Equal Opportunities Policy
- Race Equality Policy
- Race Equality Action Plan
- Code of Practice on Harassment
- Code of Practice on Freedom of Speech
Race Equality Policy
1. The College is committed to promoting equality of opportunity and good race relations and avoiding racial discrimination. Magdalen welcomes diversity amongst its students, staff, and visitors, recognising the contributions that can be made by individuals from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences. The College aims to provide an inclusive environment which promotes equality, values diversity and maintains a working, learning and social environment in which the rights and dignity of all its staff and students are respected to assist them in reaching their full potential. The College will work to remove any barriers which might deter people of the highest potential and ability from applying either as staff or students.
Background
2. The Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000, has placed a general duty on public authorities to promote race equality and in particular:
- eliminate unlawful racial discrimination
- promote equality of opportunity; and
- promote good relations between people of different racial groups.
3. The Act has placed further specific duties on Higher Education Institutions to publish a Race Equality Policy and an Action Plan for its implementation, and to put in place appropriate monitoring and audit to allow for effective assessment of the impact of the policy and constructive development of new policies and the enhancement of existing policies.
4. This policy was developed with regard to the guidance and code of practice issued by the Commission for Racial Equality.
Commitment
5. To support these aims the College will ensure that in the conduct of all its activities, steps are taken to avoid the occurrence of racial discrimination, whether direct or indirect, and to promote good relations between different racial groups.
6. Any discriminatory behaviour, including harassment or bullying by individuals or groups, will be regarded extremely seriously and could be regarded as grounds for disciplinary action, which may include expulsion or dismissal. The College has adopted a wide-ranging Code of Practice on Harassment which is distributed to all students and members of staff.
Consultation
7. At all stages in the implementation and review of this policy, consultation will be a key feature. This will include all staff and students and in particular those from different racial groups, junior members, union representative bodies, and other interested and relevant groups within the College. The College’s Equality Committee will seek to represent these interests and will report its views to the College’s Policy Committee on a regular basis.
Community partnership
8. The College will incorporate into the development and implementation of outreach activities, an awareness of the need to promote good race equality and good relations between different racial groups.
Guidance, support and training
9. Guidance, support and training will be provided to members of staff to ensure that the College’s commitment to race equality is fully achieved. The purpose of training is to inform individuals and also to ensure that principles underlying the Race Equality Policy underlie decision-making processes throughout the College.
Monitoring and auditing
10. The College will put in place arrangements to monitor, by reference to different racial groups, the selection and recruitment of members of staff and the admission of students. The results of this monitoring process will be collated by the appropriate College officers and reported to the Governing Body via the College’s Equality Committee and Policy Committee.
11. In addition to the monitoring and assessment arrangements already in place, the College will put in place procedures to ensure that such additional monitoring is undertaken as is necessary to ensure that the College is able to identify possible improvements in its practices, whether in relation to teaching, learning and assessment; management and governance; admissions, access and participation; student support and guidance; behaviour and discipline; partnership and community links; staff recruitment, training and career development; and service delivery.
12. The College’s Race Equality Action Plan sets out in greater detail the way in which arrangements for monitoring are to be developed.
Responsibilities
13. The Governing Body is responsible for securing compliance with the general and specific duties and for overseeing implementation of the Action Plan.
14. The President is responsible for providing leadership in the promotion and implementation of the Action Plan.
15. The College’s Equality Committee and Policy Committee are responsible to the Governing Body for the development, implementation, monitoring, prioritisation and review of equal opportunities policies generally.
16. All College Committees are responsible for ensuring that this policy is embedded in their duties and functions in relation both to students and staff.
17. Those who have managerial responsibility have a duty to take forward specific actions under this policy as identified in the Action Plan in addition to the general duties under the Act.
Contractors and service providers
18. The College’s procurement policies will address, where appropriate, the obligation to promote race equality and good relations between different racial groups.
Review
19. The Race Equality Policy will be reviewed regularly to assess its effectiveness. The College’s Governing Body will undertake the review, through regular monitoring of the action plans and the reports prepared by the Equality Committee and Policy Committee.
Publication
20. The College will publish the Race Equality Policy and Action Plan and will update these policies in the light of the regular review. It will also publish the results of monitoring and assessments, including information on consultation undertaken as part of the assessment process.