EDI Governance Structure
Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity (EDI) Strategy Group Terms of Reference and Membership
1. Governance
The Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity (EDI) Strategy Group will report to the Academic Strategy, Planning and Performance Board, a sub-committee of Senate. It will be chaired by the member of Executive Group with overarching EDI responsibility.
2. Purpose
The EDI Strategy Group has overarching responsibility of University of Kent EDI Governance, Strategy and resource allocation. It will champion EDI throughout the University, identifying and removing barriers to change and empowering all staff and students at every level of the institution. It will define and celebrate success and identify and advise on priorities for EDI.
The EDI Strategy Group will:
- Agree and monitor strategy, objectives, and annual action plan
- Oversee compliance with the University’s legal public sector duties and advise the University Senate and Executive Group as appropriate on the fulfilment of the University’s statutory, legal and regulatory obligations in respect of EDI matters.
- Devise, co-ordinate and monitor steps taken by the University to comply with the Equality Act 2010 in respect of both staff and student communities and other stakeholders, with regard to the protected characteristics: age, race, disability, sex, sexual orientation, religion or belief, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity and marriage and civil partnership, as well as the needs of other marginalised groups (including widening participation)
- Oversee and be accountable for the University’s Strategy on EDI for staff and students, reporting annually to the Academic Strategy, Planning and Performance Board and to Senate
- Collate input, feedback and provide recommendations as required to large scale, ad hoc immediate issues with a particular EDI element.
- Commission and provide scrutiny to data, evidence and reports relating to staff and student EDI measures and need
- Review, develop and recommend appropriate policies and procedures related to EDI
- Oversee and approve all equality submissions for accreditation, charter marks, and benchmarking
- Monitor and promote the use of Equality Impact Assessments
- Engage with internal and external equality groups to ensure the views of all groups are recognised
- Convene and receive reports from related committees, working groups and self-assessment teams as appropriate
3. Student and Staff Voice
The Strategy Group recognises the importance of the student and staff voice in defining EDI priority areas for action. The EDI Strategy Group will use a range of methods (e.g. representatives; open forum; surveys) to ensure student and staff engagement, to raise agenda items and to voice views on any and all matters for discussion.
4. Meeting arrangements
The EDI Strategy Group will meet at least once per term.
5. Quoracy
Quoracy will be one third of the overall membership
6. Reporting Lines
The EDI Strategy Group will report to the Academic Strategy, Planning and Performance Board.
The following groups will report to the EDI Strategy Group:
- Access and Participation Plan Steering Group
- EDI Operations Group
- EDI Forum
- Student Safety and Conduct Group
- Student Success (EDI) Steering Group
7. Membership
- DVC Academic Strategy, Planning and Performance (Chair)
- Director (or nominee) of Human Resources
- Director (or nominee) of Student Services
- Deputy Director of Division (one, representing all divisions)
- Disability Network Chair
- LGBTQ+ Network Chair
- Women’s’ Network Chair
- BAME Staff Network Chair
- Nominated member of University Council
- Director (or nominee) of Governance and Assurance
- Kent Union representative x 2
- Campus Trade Union representative to be nominated by JSNCC members
- Head of EDI (or nominee) VACANT
- Athena SWAN Institutional Self Assessment Team Lead
- Race Equality Charter Assessment Team Lead VACANT
- Student Success (EDI) Project Lead
- OPERA Project Lead
- EDI Forum Chair VACANT
- Secretary
EDI Forum
MS teams site for all staff and students
Purpose
‘On-the-ground’ group to provide an avenue for staff and students to raise issues, concerns, share best practise and ideas for improving EDI at Kent. Actions can be passed to the most appropriate steering group, or inter-sectional issues reported to the EDI strategy group. Completed and in progress actions should be fed back from the relevant steering group to form an EDI forum report and the start of subsequent meetings.
This will replace the EDI Rep network meeting
Meeting dates, time, agendas and links to access are available via the EDI Forum page