Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Committee

The remit of the Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Committee is outlined in the Department’s Good Practice Statement, which is kept under review by the Committee, and by Department Committee. 

The Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Committee has oversight of the Department’s working environment for students and staff (including emeriti).  It supports the Department in creating an outstanding working environment, in which students and staff alike can achieve their full potential, in particular recognising the need to address under-representation of women in the mathematics community, and also to consider other under-represented, disadvantaged or minority groups.

The Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Committee also serves as the department’s ‘Self-assessment team’ for Athena SWAN.  It must therefore meet the following requirements as a minimum:

“should be representative of the staff in the department, and should usually include student representation.”

“must meet at least three times a year.”

and it will keep under review the Department’s Athena SWAN Action Plan. The Athena SWAN Working Group (ASWG) reports to the Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Committee in pursuit of its aim to implement and achieve impact of our Athena SWAN action plan. 

The Committee will meet six times a year, at 11am on Wednesdays in weeks 4 and 9 of each term. 

The Early Career Researchers’ Committee reports to the Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Committee.  The Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Committee reports to Department Committee. 

The Chair of Equality and Diversity Committee will be the Head of Department or one of the Associate Heads of Department. 

One member of the committee will serve as Deputy Chair, by agreement of the Committee. 

The Committee consists of:

i. The Head of Department (ex officio), to attend when required

ii. Associate Head of Department (People) (ex officio)

iii. Postdoctoral Co-Chair of Early Career Researchers’ Committee (ex officio)

iv. Academic Lead (Undergraduate Admissions and Outreach)  (ex officio)

v. Associate Head of Department (Education) (ex officio)

vi. Head of HR or equivalent (ex officio)

vii. Schools Liaison Officer/Admissions Coordinator (ex officio)

viii. Faculty Teaching Advisor (ex officio)

ix. Secretary to Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Committee (ex officio)

x. Mathematics representative on MPLS Equality & Diversity Steering Group if not already a member (ex officio)

xi. Head of Administration (ex officio)

xii. Head of Academic Administration, Disability Coordinator, Departmental Welfare Contact (ex officio)

xiii. MPLS ED&I Fellow(s) (ex officio)

xiv. Two further members of academic staff

xv. Two further members of professional services staff

xvi. One postgraduate and one undergraduate representative

xvii. Further occasional and co-opted members (see below)

xviii. Representative from Department of Statistics

The Committee should contain at least one member of staff who is a Harassment Advisor.  If this requirement is not met by existing members then additional members should be co-opted to meet this requirement.

Other Staff Members

Other staff members are appointed for a term of two years in the first instance, renewable for a further two years. There will be two academic and two professional services staff members.  In each case when a vacancy arises volunteers will be sought from the relevant staff group.  In the case that there are more volunteers than vacancies the Chair and Deputy Chair may appoint members from amongst the volunteers with a view to ensuring that there is diversity of representation on the Committee (e.g. staff group, ethnicity, gender).  If diversity considerations do not provide a clear steer, an election will be held, with all members of the relevant staff group eligible to vote.

Student Members

CCG and MURC will be asked to coordinate respectively election of a graduate and an undergraduate student representative.  The assumption is that student members will serve for one year.

Student members will attend the unreserved business of the meeting only.  There may, on rare occasion, be ‘reserved’ items, for which student members will not attend.

Occasional members

The ex officio Occasional Members as below will be sent papers, and may attend meetings if they wish, or may be asked by Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Committee to attend a meeting for a particular item.

The Committee can co-opt additional departmental members as full members of the group or for specific pieces of work.

Membership