| Overall Rating | Silver |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 59.36 |
| Liaison | Ben Dharmendra |
| Submission Date | July 30, 2021 |
University of Sydney
PA-6: Assessing Diversity and Equity
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
1.00 / 1.00 |
Zoe
Morrison Strategy Advisor Strategy Office |
Has the institution engaged in a structured assessment process during the previous three years to improve diversity, equity and inclusion on campus?:
A brief description of the assessment process and the framework, scorecard(s) and/or tool(s) used:
The University participated in the pilot of the UK-based Athena SWAN program in Australia known as Science in Australia Gender Equity (SAGE) from 2015-2019 and received Bronze Award accreditation in 2019. As part of the Award application process, the staff self-assessment team (SAT) collected and analysed equity, diversity and inclusion data and formulated a 4-year Action Plan to address barriers to gender equity and diversity within the University with a focus on women in STEMM academia. The SAGE application was assessed by an extensive peer review process co-ordinated by the SAGE National Office.
The assessment process for AWEI involves evidencing information based on the work the University has done in LGBTQ inclusion for the past 12 months. This happens in February each year for the previous year. The score is out of 200 and in 2020 (for the year of 2019) we scored 131 which gave us a Silver rating. The University had a working group that concentrated on this for 2020 and is hoping to receive Gold accreditation in 2021 (for work done in 2020).
Students:
The University uses a mixture of tools to assess diversity, equity and inclusion on campus. As part of Australian government legislation, we are required to report on a number of key D&I indicators, most of which are aligned with 'equity categories'. These categories related to groups students either self-allocate or are determined on enrolments via questionnaires and requires answers on enrolment forms such as postcodes and application to admission pathway schemes such as E12 and Broadway Scheme (for students who have experienced educational disadvantage or disruption). The University also uses data on graduation rates, attrition, access and participation for our equity category students. This information is publicly available in the Australian government's Higher Education statistics, section 16. The University collated its 2019 data as part of a submission to UNESCO aligning with SGDs 5 and 10 - https://www.sydney.edu.au/content/dam/corporate/documents/about-us/governance-and-structure/university-policies/2020/unesco-sdg-survey.pdf
Does the assessment process address campus climate by engaging stakeholders to assess the attitudes, perceptions and behaviors of employees and students, including the experiences of underrepresented groups?:
Does the assessment process address student outcomes related to diversity, equity and success?:
Does the assessment process address employee outcomes related to diversity and equity?:
A brief description of the most recent assessment findings and how the results are used in shaping policy, programs, and initiatives:
The University is implementing its 4-year SAGE Action Plan across all University staff, both professional and academic and STEMM/non-STEMM. The Action Plan has 92 separate actions which address key barriers to gender equity and diversity identified during the Bronze Award application process.
The University focused on receiving leading practice results in the AWEI this year with work on our policies and visibility of LGBTQ women and trans folk. This resulted in updates to our intranet pages, new factsheets and policy updates in our working with children, parental leave and workplace safety policies.
Students:
The most recent findings from 2019 show that access, participation and graduation rates for students from low SES backgrounds are increasing and that retention rates are holding steady at 92%. Our faculties of Arts and Social Sciences, Medicine and Health and Science attract the highest number of equity category students though Law and Business are also increasing in participation due to sustained campaigns to attract a more diverse student cohort.
The data and analysis of our equity category students, which includes students from non-English speaking backgrounds is used to tailor and direct support and inform what programs, interventions and infrastructure the University should invest in to increase participation and success of these groups further. More information on specific programs for high school and university students can be found on the Widening Access to University website - https://www.sydney.edu.au/about-us/vision-and-values/diversity/widening-access-to-university.html
Are the results of the most recent structured diversity and equity assessment shared with the campus community?:
A brief description of how the assessment results are shared with the campus community:
Communications and engagement is one of the key pillars of the Bronze Award SAGE assessment process and was deeply embedded in the 4-year Action Plan. Staff are provided with regular updates on progress of the SAGE work and Action Plan implementation and staff consultation (via multiple channels and formats) remains a key priority and deliverable of the SAGE Program.
The results are shared publicly and written on our social media, career pages and every job advertisement the University creates.
Students:
As well as publicly available information submitted to the government, the WPO (Widening Participation and Outreach) area produce an annual report and the University include real-life journey stories in Student News and as part of its student recruitment strategy.
Are the results (or a summary of the results) of the most recent structured diversity and equity assessment publicly posted?:
The diversity and equity assessment report or summary (upload):
Website URL where the diversity and equity assessment report or summary is publicly posted:
Website URL where information about the institution’s diversity and equity assessment efforts is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.