Cardiff Law School Equality, Dignity and Diversity Policy
Contents
- Statement of Aim & Principles
- Responsibility for the Equality, Dignity & Diversity Policy
- The Nature of the Equality, Dignity & Diversity Policy
- Meaning of Key Terms
- Commitments
- Approval of the Policy
Statement of Aims and Principles.
Cardiff Law School is a diverse community with a shared commitment to creating and sustaining a culture which promotes and respects equality, dignity and diversity. The Law School is committed to the creation and support of a representative community which is inclusive and accessible to all. These commitments apply to all staff, students and any other members of the School and extend to every aspect of the School’s internal and external activities.
Responsibility for the Equality, Dignity and Diversity Policy.
Overall responsibility for this policy lies with the Head of School. The Equality and Diversity Committee is responsible for overseeing the implementation and development of this policy and for monitoring its application within the Law School. Together the Head of School and the Equality and Diversity Committee will ensure that respect for others and the promotion of equality, dignity and diversity are cross-cutting principles informing all activities in the Law School. All staff, students and any other members of the Law School have an individual responsibility to treat others with dignity and respect at all times, actively to discourage discriminatory practices and behaviour and to participate in training which aims to eliminate prejudice.
The Nature of the Equality, Dignity and Diversity Policy.
The present policy is a general framework document. It supports and supplements Cardiff University policies in all aspects of School activities that lie within the School’s powers. The Equality and Diversity Committee will continue to adopt more detailed policies for specific aspects of the Law School’s activities, as well as action plans and mechanisms for audit and monitoring. In the first instance any concerns with regard to content or implementation of the policy should be directed to the Committee Secretary at willicombesr@cardiff.ac.uk
Meaning of Key Terms.
In this Policy the terms “equality” “equality of opportunity” and “equal opportunities” include, but are not limited to, the avoidance of differential treatment that is not objectively justifiable, on grounds such as gender, race, ethnic or national origin, age, language, religion, disability, size or physical appearance, sexual orientation or marital status, and the enabling of each person to realise her/his full potential while at the same time being fair to those in a comparable position to that person. Actions that undermine “dignity” include harassment, bullying and victimisation.
Commitments.
1.1. The Law School shall ensure that it complies with all relevant legislation and Cardiff University’s policies on equality, dignity and diversity.
1.2. All those acting in a managerial capacity in the Law School shall ensure that they have full regard to equality, dignity and diversity considerations in their decisions. Such considerations are best realised where decision-taking is open and transparent.
1.3. All Law School Committees shall ensure that they have full regard to equality, dignity and diversity considerations in their work. They shall review all existing policies for which they are responsible to ensure that they comply with this commitment, amending them where necessary. Each Law School Committee shall submit an annual report on such issues to the Equality and Diversity Committee for consideration. The Equality and Diversity Committee shall send a joint report to all other Law School Committees highlighting good practices and concerns on the basis of these reports. It will send individual reports to those Committees where it has specific concerns.
1.4. This policy shall be disseminated as widely as possible. It shall be included in School publications such as the Undergraduate and Postgraduate Student Handbooks, the Staff Handbook and be accessible via website links and on Blackboard.
2. The Law School and Students
2.1. The Law School is committed to ensuring equality of opportunity in all its dealings with students, including their recruitment, selection, teaching, assessment and the application of any discretionary procedures and policies.
2.2. In its recruitment and admission of students the Law School will endeavour to:
2.2.1 encourage applicants from under-represented groups;
2.2.3 contribute to the University’s Policy of widening participation in higher education.
2.3. In drawing up and delivering the curriculum, staff shall take account of the needs and concerns of all students. All staff and students are expected to treat each other with dignity and respect. In their teaching, staff shall encourage an atmosphere in which all students feel that they are able to participate and benefit to their full potential. All staff shall ensure that when acting in their capacity as personal tutors they take full account of equality, dignity and diversity issues.
2.4. The Equality and Diversity Committee shall ensure that mechanisms are put in place so that concerns about any failure to respect equality, dignity and diversity in the teaching, pastoral care or other dealings with students can be dealt with. The Head of School shall ensure that such mechanisms are implemented.
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2.5. All staff shall ensure that they take full account of equal opportunities considerations when monitoring students’ performance, writing references for students and in all their dealings with students.
2.6. The Law School shall ensure that its assessment procedures are conducted on an equal opportunities basis.
2.7. Examination Boards and the Special Cases Committee shall ensure that they take full account of equal opportunities considerations in their work.
2.8. The timetabling of lectures, seminars, assessments and meetings shall, in so far as is practicable, make allowances for individuals with family responsibilities and for the purposes of religious observance.
2.9 The Law School shall ensure compliance with its legislative responsibilities under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (as amended) and shall give effect to the precepts relating to students with disabilities in Section 3 of the QAA’s Code of Practice for the Assurance of Academic Quality and Standards in Higher Education. In implementing these precepts, the Law School shall ensure that staff and students are aware of all relevant policies, arrangements, practices and procedures relating to students with disabilities”.
3.1. All staff are expected to treat each other with dignity and respect.
3.2. The Equality and Diversity Committee shall ensure that mechanisms are put in place so that concerns about any failure to respect equality, dignity and diversity in the Law School’s dealings with staff can be dealt with. The Head of School shall ensure that such mechanisms are implemented.
3.3. The Law School is committed, insofar as such matters are within its power and control, to ensuring equality of opportunity in all its dealings with its staff, including their recruitment, appointment, conditions of employment, renewal of contracts (in the case of those on fixed-term contracts), promotion and dismissal.
3.4. The Head of School shall seek to enhance equality of contractual conditions and security between staff.
3.5. The Head of School shall ensure that responsibilities and duties are distributed fairly among staff, so as to promote equal opportunities and so as to give all the opportunity for promotion.
3.6. The Law School shall encourage all members of staff to undertake staff development courses that will assist them in the promotion and realisation of principles of equality, dignity and diversity.
4.1. The Law School is committed, insofar as it has the power to do so, to ensuring that:
4.1.1 the premises from which it operates are suitable for the promotion of equal opportunities;
4.1.2 any off-site facilities in which Law School activities are to be conducted are selected with due regard to the aims of this policy;
4.1.3 teaching rooms are equipped and utilised so as to promote equal opportunities;
4.1.4 the arrangement of furniture and equipment in teaching and other rooms does not present any unnecessary obstacle to participation by staff and students with disabilities;
4.1.5 teaching rooms are equipped so as to meet the needs of staff and students with visual or hearing impairments.
4.1.6 lecturers use available audio visual equipment and that training in the use of such equipment is provided;
4.1.7 sufficient and adequately equipped communal rooms are provided, in particular:
- toilets for those with physical disabilities and for female staff and students;
- considering the need to provide rest room facilities for students with disabilities, or who are pregnant;
- considering the need to provide room(s) for religious observance.
4.2 The Law School Manager shall conduct an annual review of Law School premises, and report to the Equality and Diversity Committee how far the objectives outlined in this section of the policy have been met, with recommendations for improvements where appropriate. The Committee shall submit any approved recommendations to the Head of School.
4.3 The Law School Manager is responsible for dealing with complaints about Law School premises or facilities, and with reports of malfunctioning equipment, and shall endeavour to ensure that problems are rectified expeditiously.
This amended policy was approved by the Cardiff Law School Board on 16 March 2007 and shall have effect from this date.
