Race Equality Policy
1. The College is committed to promoting equality of opportunity and good race relations and avoiding racial discrimination.
Background
2. The Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000, has placed a general duty on public authorities, including the College, 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 has been 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.
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.
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.
10. The College has appointed a Equality Committee, chaired by the President, to oversee equality issues, including this policy and action plan, reporting to the Governing Body, and is putting in place arrangements to monitor, by reference to different racial groups, the selection and recruitment of members of staff and admission of students. The results of this monitoring process will be collated by the College's Equality Officer and reported to the Governing Body.
11. In addition to the monitoring and assessment arrangements already in place, the College is putting 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; students' 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 the 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 Officer is 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 incorporated in their duties and functions in relation to both students and staff
17. All those with 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 annually to assess its effectiveness. Governing Body will undertake the review during Hilary Term, through regular monitoring of the action plans and the reports prepared by the Equality Officer.
Publication
20. The College has published an action plan, and will update its policies in the light of the annual review. It will also publish the results of monitoring and assessments, including information on consultation undertaken as part of the assessment process.
