Overall Rating	Gold
Overall Score	76.52
Liaison	Maria Kirrane
Submission Date	July 28, 2022

STARS v2.2

University College Cork - National University of Ireland, Cork
PA-7: Support for Underrepresented Groups

Status	Score	Responsible Party
	2.00 / 3.00	John O'Halloran Deputy President and Registrar Office of the Deputy President and Registrar

"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Does the institution have a publicly posted non-discrimination statement? :

Yes

The non-discrimination statement, including the website URL where the policy is publicly accessible:

UCC Policy on Equality in Recruitment
UCC Equal Opportunities & Diversity Policy
UCC Code of Practice on the Employment of People with Disabilities
UCC Duty of Respect and Right to Dignity Policy
The text of these policies is available via the following link https://www.ucc.ie/en/edi/about/policies/uccpolicies/

Does the institution have a discrimination response protocol or committee (sometimes called a bias response team)?:

Yes

A brief description of the institution’s discrimination response protocol or team:

The procedures for responding to acts of discrimination are outlined in the above listed policies. In the first instance, a staff member is advised to consult HR. The university also has in place a Staff ombudsman - https://www.ucc.ie/en/staffombudsman/ and student ombudsman - https://www.ucc.ie/en/studentombudsman/ as completely impartial sources of conflict resolution.

Does the institution have programs specifically designed to recruit students from underrepresented groups?:

Yes

Does the institution have programs specifically designed to recruit academic staff from underrepresented groups?:

Yes

Does the institution have programs designed specifically to recruit non-academic staff from underrepresented groups?:

Yes

A brief description of the institution’s programs to recruit students, academic staff, and/or non-academic staff from underrepresented groups:

Students - University College Cork participates in the two schemes that are available under the ACCESS route to University. The Higher Education Access Route to Education (HEAR) is a third level alternative admissions scheme which offers places on reduced points, and extra college supports to school leavers (who are resident in the Republic of Ireland) from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds. The Disability Access Route to Education (DARE) is a third level alternative admissions scheme for school-leavers whose disabilities have had a negative impact on their second level education.

Staff and Faculty - UCC has held a bronze Athena SWAN award since 2016, and successfully renewed our institutional accreditation in 2019 under the expanded Athena SWAN Charter. 9 Schools and Departments now hold departmental-level awards at bronze level, and UCC plans to renew our institutional accreditation in 2023 at Silver level. Athena SWAN recognises and celebrates good practice in recruiting, retaining and promoting women in higher education. Originally directed at the science, the programme has in recent years expanded to include the humanities as well as professional and support roles. UCC's Athena SWAN UCC Action Plan for 2019-2023 can be found at this link https://www.ucc.ie/en/media/support/edi/athenaswan/AthenaSWANUCCActionPlan2019-2023.pdf
Registrar and Deputy President Professor Stephen Byrne chairs UCC's Athena SWAN Steering Group that oversees UCC's Athena SWAN work and the implementation of UCC's Action Plan. Steering Group members represent a diverse cross section of the university community, including those in STEMM and non-STEMM disciplines, academic and administrative roles, students, and early to mid and late-career roles.
The Athena Swan Ireland 2021 charter framework supports higher education institutions, academic departments, and professional units in impactful and sustainable gender equality work and to build capacity for evidence-based equality work across the equality grounds enshrined in Irish legislation.

UCC supports Roots café - training and employment for Cope Foundation adults with intellectual disabilities.

Does the institution have mentoring, counseling, peer support, academic support, or other programs designed specifically to support students from underrepresented groups on campus?:

Yes

Does the institution have mentoring, counseling, peer support or other programs designed specifically to support academic staff from underrepresented groups on campus?:

Yes

Does the institution have mentoring, counseling, peer support or other programs to support non-academic staff from underrepresented groups on campus?:

Yes

A brief description of the institution’s programs designed specifically to support students, academic staff, and/or non-academic staff from underrepresented groups:

UCC has many supports in place to support and prepare students from underrepresented groups. They are listed below but for more information see attachment.

UCC plus programme provides ongoing support for students from socioeconomically disadvantaged areas (Racial, ethnic, immigrant populations , people with disabilities, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals, adult learners
veterans, individuals from different religious groups and economic backgrounds)

The UCC ACCESS+ programme is specifically for students who have attended one of the Cork city DEIS Schools or Youthreach centres, students who are members of the Traveller or Roma Community and students from Cork Life Centre.

The Higher Education Access Route to Education (HEAR) - socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds.
The Disability Access Route to Education (DARE)

UCC was granted University of Sanctuary status.

UCC Race Equality Forum - https://www.ucc.ie/en/edi/about/projects/raceequalityforum/

DISCs Project - https://www.ucc.ie/en/edi/about/projects/discsproject/

Speak Out - platform to report bullying, harassment and discrimination, including racism and racial incidents.

UCC #ProgressWithPride campaign - support LGBTI+, black, brown and ethnic minority communities

UCC Gender Identity and Expression Guidelines provide a range of guidance designed to support UCC staff and students, ensuring the successful implementation of UCC’s Gender Identity and Expression Policy

LGBT+ Staff Network launched the new UCC Rainbow Alliance during Equality Week 2019. Set up by the Equality and Welfare Unit of the Department of Human Resources following expressions of interest by staff. The aim of the network is to "To work in partnership with management and staff of University College Cork to create a safe, inclusive and diverse working environment that encourages a culture of respect and equality for everyone regardless of their sexual orientation, in order that every individual can reach their full potential without fear of discrimination." The UCC LGBT Staff Network is open to administrative and academic staff of the university.
The Mature Student Office supports all Mature and QQI/FE students in UCC

Does the institution have training and development programs, teaching fellowships and/or other programs that specifically aim to support and prepare students from underrepresented groups for careers as faculty members?:

A brief description of the institution’s programs to support and prepare students from underrepresented groups for careers as faculty members:

Does the institution produce a publicly accessible inventory of gender-neutral bathrooms on campus?:

Yes

Does the institution offer housing options to accommodate the special needs of transgender and transitioning students?:

Website URL where information about the institution’s support for underrepresented groups is available:

https://www.ucc.ie/en/uccplus/contact/

Additional documentation to support the submission:

PA_07_Support_for_Underrepresented_Groups_Supporting_Information.pdf

Data source(s) and notes about the submission:

UCC's AthenaSWANUCCActionPlan for 2019-2023 can be found at this link https://www.ucc.ie/en/media/support/edi/athenaswan/AthenaSWANUCCActionPlan2019-2023.pdf
/www.ucc.ie/en/athenaswan/about/

https://www.ucc.ie/en/media/discoverucc/maps/UCC_Campus_Map_All_Gender_WC.pdf
UCC Policy on Equality in Recruitment
UCC Equal Opportunities & Diversity Policy
UCC Code of Practice on the Employment of People with Disabilities
UCC Duty of Respect and Right to Dignity Policy
The text of these policies is available via the following link https://www.ucc.ie/en/edi/about/policies/uccpolicies/
The following supports are in place for Students and Staff. https://www.ucc.ie/en/edi/giep/#supports-and-resources-for-students-and-staff

Citizens Information: Changing to Your Preferred Gender http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/birth_family_relationships/changing_to_your_preferred_gender.html

Counselling and Development (for UCC Students) https://www.ucc.ie/en/studentcounselling/

Duty of Respect and Right to Dignity Policy UCC https://www.ucc.ie/en/media/support/hr/equality/DocumentFile-35110-en.pdf

Employee Assistance Programme UCC https://www.ucc.ie/en/hr/eap/

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Unit UCC http://www.ucc.ie/en/edi

Gender Recognition Act Ireland (2015)
http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2015/act/25/enacted/en/pdf

Glossary of terms from Transgender Equality Network Ireland (TENI) http://www.teni.ie/page.aspx?contentid=139

Garda Vetting (see ‘Vetting for Transgender persons’) https://vetting.garda.ie/Help/FAQ

Gendered Intelligence Resource List: http://genderedintelligence.co.uk/professionals/resources

Staff Ombudsman UCC https://www.ucc.ie/en/staffombudsman/

Student Advisor and Ombudsman UCC https://www.ucc.ie/en/studentombudsman/

Supporting Black and Minority Ethnic Trans People by Gender Identity Research and Education Society: https://www.gires.org.uk/inclusivity-supporting-bame-trans-people/

Supporting Transgender Inclusion in the Workplace: Guidelines for Employers and Employees by TENI: http://www.teni.ie/attachments/422b4a34-78af-4b62-9818-aced13ed58ca.PDF

Teaching Beyond the Gender Binary in the University Classroom: https://cft.vanderbilt.edu/teaching-beyond-the-gender-binary-in-the-university-classroom/

Data source(s) and notes about the submission