POLICY STATEMENT

Lincoln College is committed to the active promotion of equality of opportunity for all and opposes unlawful or unfair discrimination of any kind. The policy specifically covers unreasonable discrimination in respect of race, sex, disability, age, religion, sexual orientation, marital status, former convictions and trade union membership. The preceding examples should not be regarded as exhaustive or exclusive.

The college aims to enable its students and staff to maximise their individual potential through the promotion and implementation of equality of opportunity measures.

The college seeks to employ a workforce and maintain a student body which reflects the diverse community it serves, because it values the individual contributions of all people. The college will treat all employees and students with respect and dignity and provide a working and educational environment free from unlawful discrimination (direct or indirect), harassment or victimisation. To this end, within the framework of the law and best practice, it is committed to achieving and maintaining a workforce and student body that broadly reflects the local community.

The college seeks to promote equality of opportunity within employers and other organisations who provide work experience and work placement for students and trainees.

The college recognises that certain physical, personal, institutional and cultural barriers exist, which should be reduced or eliminated wherever reasonable to prevent them impeding existing and potential students and staff from receiving equality of opportunity in education and employment.

ACTION TO IMPLEMENT POLICY

The Equality and Diversity Committee is a constituent committee of Academic Board.

All college policies, procedures and agreements will protect the legislative rights of the individual.

College policies, procedures and guidelines include:
 

• Disability Equality Policy
• Harassment and Bullying Policy
• Harassment Code of Practice ? Statement on HIV infection
• Student Charter
• Grievance and Disciplinary Procedures ? Language and Culture Guidelines
• Disability Discrimination Act Action Plan
• Gender Equality Policy
• Race Equality Policy

The college will make a commitment to anti-oppressive and anti-discriminatory practice by:

• Identifying and eliminating discriminatory practices
• Developing and monitoring the awareness and understanding of issues concerned with equality of opportunity
• Recognising and challenging our own attitudes and assumptions
• Challenging the language and attitudes of others
• Supporting those who appropriately challenge oppression
• Ensuring a commitment to anti-oppressive and anti-discriminatory practice in all contract specifications and other documentation with external bodies, speakers, consultants, employers, employees, students, subsidiaries and the wider community
• Providing relevant training and staff development opportunities
• Providing information and resources on equality and diversity and good practice
• An advisory group will be set up from the Equality and Diversity Committee to advise, monitor and review all aspects of the Equality and Diversity Policy at least annually

RESPONSIBILITIES

All staff and students are responsible for:
 

• ensuring the effective implementation of the Equality and Diversity Policy
• dealing with unfair and/or unlawful discriminatory incidents and being able to recognise and tackle unfair and/or unlawful discriminatory bias and stereotyping
• promoting equality of opportunity and diversity and opposing unlawful discrimination against any member of the college community
• keeping up to date with law on discrimination and taking up training and learning opportunities
• making recommendations to the Committee for agenda items that require consideration
• The Director of School or Head of Unit is responsible for:
• Producing its own Equality and Diversity Impact Measures (EDIMs) reflecting the corporate policy that are revised annually and presented to the first meeting of the Committee in the autumn term. They are also responsible for regularly reviewing progress towards the achievement of targets via the Individual Professional Review process.
• Implementing those EDIMs and achieving targets
• Monitoring and reviewing the progress towards their EDIMs and presenting a written progress report to the Committee at its last meeting in the summer term.
• Ensuring that all reports to college committees (Quality Standards, Health and Safety, Academic Board, Board of the Corporation etc) identify any equality issues arising from the content of the report
• Ensuring that at least one representative of School or Unit attends the Equality and Diversity Committee or that an appropriate deputy be designated. In the event that a deputy is designated, this must be one person, who must be fully briefed

The External Communications Manager is responsible for:

• Ensuring that all marketing activities meet Equality and Diversity best practice
• Ensuring that all publications carry the Equality and Diversity Policy statements
• Monitoring and advising to ensure that all materials submitted to the Marketing Unit comply with college policies
• Ensuring that all aspects of college provision are promoted equally
• Ensuring that a forum is provided for interested parties to express their views on marketing activities

The Head of HR is responsible for:

• Ensuring that fair and adequate arrangements exist for effectively handling and recording all aspects of the employment relationship including recruitment, selection, appointment and promotion
• Ensuring that management are notified of best practice in respect of employment
• Systematically monitoring the college’s commitment to anti-oppressive and anti-discriminatory practice in employment through effective monitoring and action to improve any areas of concern.

This will specifically include the following areas of monitoring and annual reporting in respect of racial groups, gender and disability:

• the numbers of staff employed (permanent, temporary and fixed term appointments) by grade and type of post
• the numbers of applicants for employment and promotion
• the numbers receiving training
• the numbers involved in grievance or harassment procedures
• the numbers who are the subject of disciplinary procedures
• the numbers leaving the employment of the college.
• Developing and maintaining special interest groups, staff and students, in respect of race, gender and disability.

The Principal’s Personal Assistant is responsible for:

• Ensuring that notification of Equality and Diversity Committee meetings is advertised in all college publications, via all college noticeboards including student noticeboards and College intranet
• Calling and minuting meetings and ensuring that necessary action is taken
• Ensuring that all reports to college committees (Quality Standards, Health and Safety, Academic Board, Board of the Corporation etc) identify any equality issues arising from the content of the report

The Vice Principal (Planning and Funding) is responsible for:

Systematically monitoring the college’s commitment to anti-oppressive and anti-discriminatory practice in curriculum and provision of other services through effective monitoring and action to improve any areas of concern. This will specifically include the following areas of monitoring and annual reporting in respect of racial groups, gender and disability:

• choice of subject
• student numbers, withdrawals and success rates for each course
• work based learning placements including success rates, satisfaction levels and job offers connected to placements
• the results of programmes targeted at people from specific racial groups, gender or with a disability.

The Vice Principal Curriculum and Quality is responsible for:

Systematically monitoring the college’s commitment to anti-oppressive and anti-discriminatory practice in curriculum and provision of other services through effective monitoring and action to improve any areas of concern. This will specifically include the following areas of monitoring and annual reporting in respect of racial groups, gender and disability:

• racial, sexual or disability harassment
• the numbers of students the subject of disciplinary procedures
• the numbers of students excludedexpelled from the college
• student assessment including the results of different assessment methods (eg tests, exams, course projects, dissertation and continuous assessment)

3.7.2 Ensuring that all curriculum resources meet Equality and Diversity best practice 3.7.3 Developing links with other education establishments (universities and colleges) to share good practice and facilitate student exchanges 3.7.4 Promoting and maintaining the Bullying and Harassment Support GroupNetwork to staff and students

SMT (Gordon Gillespie – designated lead) is responsible for:

Producing and implementing the college's written policy statement and targets reflecting corporate policy (including the results of the monitoring and action plans specified in this policy) which are monitored, revised and published annually The published written policy statement will include:

• details of the consultation, assessment and monitoring that was carried out
• the summary of the comments and responses received following consultations
• a summary of the main findings of assessments or monitoring
• an assessment of the policy options, including proposals to promote race, sex, and disability equality and tackle problems

Ensuring that each Unit and School produces, implements, monitors and reports back on its policy Responding to and acting upon any breach of the Equality and Diversity Policy statements and the policy as a whole Focusing on and providing sufficient resources to achieve the LSC’s Equality and Diversity Impact Measures (EDIMs) Providing resources to uphold the policy

The Principal is responsible for:

Ensuring that all aspects of this policy are implemented Ensuring that the Board of Corporation is informed of the operation and monitoring of the Equality and Diversity Policy

BREACHES OF THE POLICY

The college will take seriously any alleged breaches of the policy and where proven breaches may lead to formal disciplinary action, including dismissal for staff and expulsion for students.

EQUALITY AND DIVERSITY COMMITTEE

The Committee shall meet at least once a term.

Composition

The Principal, who will chair the meeting
The Vice Principal Curriculum and Quality (Senior Lead team) A Vice Principal A representative of each School and Unit The Vice Principal (Planning and Funding) The Bullying and Harassment Support GroupNetwork Co-ordinator President of the Student Union A representative of each recognised trade union A representative of the Facilities Unit Director of Student Services Manager Vice Principal (Corporate Resources) Head of Library and Learning Resources Health and Safety Officer The College Chaplain A representative of Gainsborough and Newark Centres Any member of the College community is welcome to attend

The committee will set up working groups and may co-opt individuals from the wider college community to discuss and report back on any relevant issue. Lincoln College is committed to equality of opportunity for all