Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Position

The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee is an advisory committee to the Vice-Chancellor on matters relating to equality, inclusivity, equity and diversity.

Role statement

1. The functions of the committee and its members include?

(a) oversight of the University's governance and management arrangements for inclusion, equity, and diversity to ensure that they are comprehensive and contemporary;

(b) review and support the implementation of the University Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Strategy and operational plans, including considering and initiating modifications to the University's equity and inclusion policies and procedures;

(c) support institutional compliance with all relevant equality legislation;

(d) convene Working Groups or other initiatives as needed to support UWA?s strategic initiatives.

(f) act as inclusion and diversity sponsors and advocate to raise awareness amongst staff and students of the importance of  Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at UWA.

(f) foster and encourage good practice, innovation and flexibility in the delivery of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion agenda through all University functions and activities.

(g) monitor annual progress against the strategic and operational Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion targets and key performance indicators to improve the overall diversity and equity metrics.

2. The Vice-Chancellor will submit (via the Chair)

(h) any strategic recommendations transpiring from other Vice-Chancellor Working Group meetings that may pertain, directly or indirectly, to the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Strategy; and

(i) decisions that have been made following advice from the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee.

Membership details

3.(1) The committee comprises:

(a) the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Diversity & Inclusion) as Chair;

(b) the Senior Deputy Vice Chancellor (or nominated representative);

(c) the Chief Financial Officer (or nominated representative);

(d) the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education) (or nominated representative);

(e) the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) (or nominated representative);

(f) the Pro-Vice Chancellor (Indigenous Education) (or nominated representative);

(g) the Chair of Academic Board (or nominated representative);

(h) the Director, Human Resources (or nominated representative);

(i) the Manager, Workforce Diversity;

(j) the Chair of the Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Working Group (or nominated representative);

(k) the Chair of the Disability Access and Inclusion Working Group (or nominated representative);

(l) the Chair of the Gender Equity Working Group (or nominated representative);

(m) the Chair of the LGBTIQA+ Working Group (or nominated representative);

(n) the Chair of the Student Equity and Participation Working Group (or nominated representative);

(o) the President of the Guild of Undergraduates (or nominated representative);

(p) the Postgraduate Student Association Equity Officer (or nominated representative);

(q) a Staff Union representative;

(r) an Executive Officer

(s) the Chair may co-opt up to four members, internal and external to the University, for balance, representation, and specific expertise.

(2) The Vice-Chancellor is appointed as a standing invitee to the Committee.

(3) The Chair may appoint a Deputy Chair from among the members to perform essential duties in the Chair's absence.

(4) It is desirable that members appointed or co-opted under 3(1)(s) have a senior leadership role with responsibility for aspects of university business that require equality and inclusion as a strategic enabler.

Terms of Office

(1) Reviewed annually by the Chair of the Committee.

(2) Co-opted members are appointed for the period required by the Chair, not exceeding four years of continuous service.

Quorum

The quorum for the Committee is half the current membership plus one AND

Meetings are not considered quorate if the attendees are all of one gender.

Decision making

The Committee aims to reach agreement on actions by consensus. Where this is not possible the matter(s) will be referred to the Vice Chancellor.

Frequency of meetings

The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee meets at least four times per annum. In accordance with UWA's Guidelines for Committees, agendas and minutes of the Committee meetings will be published on the UWA website.

Every effort will be made to arrange for Committee meetings at times that will not disadvantage or preclude the participation of people with caring responsibilities or who are working part-time.

The Executive Officer for the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee will provide secretariat support.

Delegation

The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee may establish working parties to provide advice as required, and may also refer matters to other bodies or delegate decision making as appropriate.

Policies or Reports Informing these TOR

UWA 2030 Vision; UWA Strategic Plan 2020-25; Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Plan 2022-2025 (in development); Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Policy (in development)

The Student Equity and Participation Working Group (SEPWG) is a subcommittee of the UWA Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee that oversees matters relating to student equity and participation at all stages of the student life cycle.

Student Access and Participation Framework

The Student Access and Participation Framework is delivered by Student Life, with oversight from the Student Equity and Participation Working Group. The Framework was a recommendation of an external review of UWA’s equity initiatives in 2019, and has had consultation through a large-scale survey of staff and students and a workshop.

The Framework presents the University’s goals to facilitate strategic University-wide coordination and oversight of programs and activities that support students from underrepresented backgrounds to access, participate and succeed at UWA.

• Student Access Equity Plan (PDF, 1.8MB)

Measuring Impact

The SEPWG will review progress of the Lead and Performance Indicators annually, including how the University is tracking against targets. Progress will be reflected upon, alongside reporting from the areas with Action Plans, and this will feed into planning and focuses of the Action Plans for the next year. The Action Plans will additionally provide SEPWG with an annual opportunity to examine the breadth and depth of support across equity cohorts at the University.

Access Rates for Students

 

	WA Benchmark	2022 Target	2023 Target	2024	2025
Indigenous Students	2%	1.2%	1.5%	1.7%	1.9%
Low Socio-Economic Status Background Students	20.5%	13%	13.4%	13.9%	14.5%
Regional and Remote Located Students	12.3%	10.4%	10.3%	10.4%	10.7%

 

Perfomance Indicators

Percent of students from underrepresented cohorts with sense of belonging to UWA (Student Experience Survey)

Positive Sense of Belonging	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021
Indigenous Students	58.8%	54.2%	48.8%	55%	33.3%
Low Socio-Economic Status Background Students	42.9%	47.1%	51.7%	43.9%	42.5%
Regional and Remote Located Students	TBA	TBA	TBA	TBA	TBA
UWA Benchmark	43.8%	45.3%	45.3%	40.1%	43.1%

Retention rates of commencing students from underrepresented cohorts (New Normal Retention Rate)

	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021
Indigenous Students	72.4%	72.4%	73.4%	70.5%	70.7%
Low Socio-Economic Status Background Students	86.3%	85.1%	85.5%	83.2%	81.6%
Regional and Remote Located Students	83%	83.6%	83.1%	79.5%	77.8%
UWA Benchmark	82.7%	84.3%	84.7%	85%	82.6%

Completion rates (functional completion year) of students from underrepresented cohorts

	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021
Indigenous Students	46 76.1%	56 89.3%	52 82.7%	50 100%	42 100%
Low Socio-Economic Status Background Students	549 89.1%	543 83.4%	572 87.9%	531 98.8%	548 100%
Regional and Remote Located Students	512 89.8%	358 85.2%	402 86.3%	349 99.1%	359 100%
UWA Benchmark	7073 88.3%	6688 88%	6989 89.2%	6548 99%	6570 100%

Action Plans

In order to address the identified objectives, areas across the breadth of the University will develop localised and relevant annual Action Plans.

Identified key contributors through Student Equity Participation Working Group (SEPWG) are required to submit an annual Action Plan. Other areas across the University including student groups are invited to develop and submit full Action Plans and/or key supporting highlights.

Action Plan and Report Templates will be available each year, and may be modified based on annual review.

• 2024 Student Access and Participation Framework Action Plan