Athena SWAN Bronze university award application of Chester... · 3 University of Chester Athena...

1 University of Chester Athena Swan Bronze Award Application

Athena SWAN Bronze university award application

Name of university: University of Chester

Date of application: November 2014

Contact for application: Dr Elizabeth Christopher, Director of Research Policy

Email: [email protected]

Telephone: 01244 511102

mailto:[email protected]


Professor T J Wheeler DL

Vice-Chancellor and Principal

Direct Line 01244 513455

Fax 01244 511308

[email protected]

Ms Sarah Dickinson Athena SWAN Manager Equality Challenge Unit 7th Floor, Queens House 55/56 Lincoln’s Inn Fields London WC2A 3LJ

26th November 2014

Dear Ms Dickinson,

Re: Letter of endorsement from the Vice-Chancellor

The University of Chester is one of the longest established English higher education institutions of any kind. One of the core values expressed in our Corporate Plan is inclusiveness and responsibility: we actively espouse the principles of equality of opportunity and diversity and continually apply them in the conduct of our relationships and business. A key indicator of our performance in this regard is the success with which we ensure that the staff and student body is increasingly representative. We strive to treat everyone fairly, with dignity and understanding. These values reflect my own strong beliefs in promotion of equality and diversity. I am pleased to state my unreserved support of the submission for the Athena Swan Bronze Award.

Recently the University has been successful in being awarded the institutional Gender Equality Mark (GEM) Bronze Award for the Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences. I believe strongly that the area of Science, Engineering and Technology (SET) can reach the same standard.

We will use the Athena Swan Bronze Award to test the success of our efforts to date in respect of gender equality; to show us the areas in which the data tell us there may be room for improvement; and to act as a catalyst for development in all areas of gender equality. While one of our policy objectives is to eliminate gender bias and discrimination, our policies and procedures are constantly under review with a view to addressing any gaps, improving practices and embedding an appropriate culture.


We intend to take action in particular in respect of the following:

1. Addressing material imbalances which our monitoring reveals, ensuring the necessary data

collection to evaluate and address them.

2. Providing an extensive programme of staff development for female members of staff to enable them to compete successfully for promotion both academically and managerially. To that end, I will commit an annual sum of up to £50,000 into staff development activities which will effectively promote the aims of Athena Swan.

3. Ensuring the family-friendliness of policies that will enable a valuable contribution to the

work of the University.

4. Reviewing the effectiveness of such policies and how they accord with best equality practice.

The application has been overseen by a Self-Assessment Team (SAT) which has representation at a senior level from all areas of the University. It is led by the Executive Dean of Life Sciences who is one of four female Faculty Executive Deans in the University. Assistance in promoting Athena Swan and its values will be given from the University’s Corporate Communications Team, led by a female Director.

I am delighted to write this letter endorsing our submission and I do so emphatically. The University has benefitted greatly from the work of the SAT and will continue to implement its work through the action plan and to promote gender equality in all aspects of University life.

Yours sincerely

Canon Professor TJ Wheeler DL

Vice-Chancellor and Principal


2. The self-assessment process

a) The University of Chester Self-Assessment Team (SAT)

Name Specific role on team (no entry for ordinary members)

Role in University Experience of work-life balance & further information

Professor Sarah Andrew

Chair of team Dean, Faculty of Life Sciences

Dr Elizabeth Christopher Lead contact for application

Director of Research Policy, Research, Postgraduate and Knowledge Services

Kathryn Leighton Equality and Diversity Adviser/ HR representative

Manager, Development and Diversity, Human Resources

Recent maternity leave, returned part time

Angela Lupton Adviser to team and member of the HE STEM (North West) Steering Group.

HE STEM Co-ordinator, for the University

Mother to two sons while working full time

Professor Cynthia Burek Professor Biological Sciences

Mother to three children and a grandmother to three more

Dr Catherine Birch Senior Researcher, Institute of Food Science and Innovation

A mother of three children, took degree and PhD as a mature student when children were teenagers. Subsequently working on fixed term contracts.

Professor Graham Bonwick

Professor Biological Sciences. Director, Institute of Food Science and Innovation

Employment as a researcher on short term contracts had impact on ability to participate in family life and provide childcare

Carol Beattie

Responsible for graphical representation of data.

Senior Lecturer, Computer Science

Started PhD when children at primary school, but was not able to complete because of the commitment to family.

Dr Elyse Ireland Senior Lecturer, Biomedical Sciences

Completed studies part-time (from BTEC National Diploma through to PhD) whilst working full-time.


Dr Linda Rayner Head of Department, Computer Science

Single parent of four children took degree and PhD part time.

Dr Jason Roberts

Senior Lecturer, Mathematics

Studied part-time for MSc and PhD in Mathematics. Father of twins, lives 20 miles from Chester due to the high cost houses.

Helen Southall

Senior Lecturer, Computer Science

Dr Sharon Robinson

Food development scientist, Institute of Food Science and Innovation

Works part time 2.5 days per week. Has three young children ages 8, 5 and 1 all in school/nursery. Uses the University flexible working policy to manage time.

Dr Sean de B. Dunkin Deputy Head, Psychology Department and University Director Undergraduate Modular Programmes

Has had severe health issues (becoming blind twice) helped by support at University.

Dr Stephen Fallows

Sub-Dean for Research, Faculty of Life Sciences

Professor Darren Sproston

Associate Dean, Arts and Media, Head of Performing Arts.

Professor Lynne Kennedy

Head of Department, Clinical Sciences and Nutrition

Has two children aged 15 and 21

Professor Elizabeth Mason -Whitehead

Professor, Faculty of Health and Social Care

Recently widowed with five daughters/step daughters, one of whom has cerebral palsy.

Maggie Jackson

Representative from the Faculty of Arts and Media

Senior Lecturer, History of Art

Dr Mike Morris Statistical and graphical assistance to group

Senior Lecturer, Clinical Sciences and Nutrition

Took paternity leave following the birth of baby boy


b) The self-assessment process at the University of Chester

A ‘Women in Science’ Group was established in May 2012 by the Dean of Life Sciences with the support of the University’s Senior Management Team (SMT), and consisted of twenty female staff from various departments. The remit of the group was to identify areas of best practice and areas for improvement relating to women in science at the University of Chester and to decide whether working towards Athena SWAN chartership would be beneficial. The group identified a number of additional individuals, who would bring particular expertise, to be invited to join the Self-Assessment Team (SAT).

The SAT meets twice per term and has had 15 meetings. Human Resources (HR) data was collated and analysed to inform the setting of priorities and development of an action plan. The priorities and action plan have been made available on the University’s intranet for all staff to review. One member of the SAT is a panellist on Athena Swan assessment panels. All members disseminate the message of Athena Swan to their representative groups. We have cross-representation from the Faculties of Arts, Humanities and Social Science who were preparing their submission for the Gender Equality Charter Mark (GEM) at the same time. Members of the team have attended various external meetings connected with Athena Swan and GEM. Advice was sought from the University of Liverpool team who have successful applications for the University (Bronze) and several Departments (Silver and Bronze).

To give a more structured approach to the SAT meetings they have been themed throughout 2014, concentrating on specific areas for the Action Plan. The themes discussed were Research Capability, Recruitment and Selection of Staff, Promotions and Progression, Staff Development, Work Load and Pay, Work/Life Balance and Representation on Committees.

c) Plans for the future of the self-assessment team

The SAT will continue to meet quarterly as an Athena SWAN Steering Group to review progress on the action plan and will report annually on progress to the Equality Forum. This proactive committee is chaired by a Pro Vice-Chancellor and monitors the University's performance on recruitment, appointment and promotions in relation to its Equality and Diversity (E&D) objectives. Minutes of the meeting will also be available on the intranet. The University newsletter “Forum” will contain regular articles on Athena Swan.

The membership of the Steering Group will be kept under review to ensure it aligns with responsibilities for delivering the action plan.

Members of the Steering Group will work with their own Faculties and Departments, and with central services such as Human Resource Management (HRM) Services, to foster good practice. Achievements and best practice will be publicised throughout the University to enable other subject areas and support departments to adapt this good practice. The SAT will encourage individual members of the team to engage with their own areas of work to identify opportunities for further awards. The SAT will also encourage and assist with Departmental applications for Athena Swan. The Departments of Psychology, Computer Science and Biological Sciences have all signalled their intention to submit for Bronze Awards next year. The new Faculty of Science and Engineering has also indicated that it wishes to be represented on the Steering Group.


ACTION PLAN

1.1 SAT will continue to meet as the Athena SWAN Steering Group and monitor the Action Plan 1.2 Steering Group and Equality Forum will support and encourage Departments and Units to

apply for individual awards 1.3 New SET Departments and Faculties will be invited to join the Steering Group 1.4 Annual progress report to be presented to Equality Forum 1.5 Plan events to disseminate information on Athena Swan 1.6 Publish articles in staff newsletter

Word count for section 2 : 955 words

3. Description of the university

a) Summary of the University of Chester

Founded in 1839 as a teacher training college (Chester College), the University of Chester has a strong teaching concentration with increasing research. The College opened as an all-male institution admitting the first 3 female students in 1962. The College attained full University status in 2005. It has a broad portfolio of programmes including more professionally focussed teacher/ nursing/ midwifery education as well as traditional academic subjects and has added Engineering in 2014/15 academic year. The University aligns itself to the Cathedrals Group of Universities with church foundations.

In the 2013/14 academic year (the latest year for data collection) the University of Chester had 18,821 students (10,432FTE) and 1660 staff (1320 FTE). The student body is predominantly female (63.8%) influenced by our large numbers of nursing-related students.

List of SET departments

Faculty of Life Sciences Biological Sciences Clinical Sciences Sport & Exercise Sciences Sport & Community Engagement

Faculty of Social Science Geography & Development Studies Psychology

Faculty of Science and Engineering

Computer Science, Maths & Business Computing

Electronic/Electrical Engineering (starting September 2014)

Chemical Engineering (starting September 2014)

Mechanical Engineering (starting September 2014)

Natural Sciences (starting September 2014)

Faculty of Health and Social Care Community Health & Wellbeing


Acute Adult and Child Care Midwifery & Reproductive Health Mental Health & Learning Disability Medical, Dental & Inter-professional Education

(i) Total number of university departments: 35 departments across 8 Faculties (ii) Percentage of SET departments as a proportion of all university departments: 16 SET

departments which is 46% b) (i) Female: male ratio of academic and research staff

The table below (3.1) shows percentage of female academic staff for 2013/14 (53.2%), in the SET Departments and Faculties 59.3% were female. For Research and Support staff the figures were 69.2% (University) and 75.3% (SET Faculties). Table 3.1 Male and Female staff in the University of Chester

2011/12 Academic staff Research and Support staff

Gender M F Total M F Total Total

University Wide 241 298 539 310 666 976 1515

% 44.7% 55.2% 31.7% 68.2%

SET Faculties 75 114 189 24 73 97 286

% 39.7% 60.3% 24.7% 75.3%


Gender M F Total M F Total

University Wide 247 313 560 318 665 983 1543

% 44.1% 55.9% 32.4% 67.7%

SET Faculties 82 125 207 21 77 98 305

% 39.6% 60.4% 21.4% 78.6%


Gender M F Total M F Total

University Wide 279 309 588 339 733 1072 1660

% 47.5 52.6% 31.6% 68.4%

SET Faculties 94 137 231 25 76 101 332 % 40.7% 59.3% 24.7% 75.3%


Table 3.2 SET departments with headcount of academic and research/support staff 2013/14

Faculty/ department Academic staff Research and Support

staff All

Staff

M F Total M F Total Total

Faculty of Health and Social Care* 19 84 103 6 39 45 148

Acute Adult & Child Care 5 19 24 1 0 1 25

Community Health & Wellbeing 4 18 22 0 2 2 24

Faculty office/ other support staff 0 5 5 5 34 39 44

Medical, Dental & Inter-professional Education

5 16 21 0 0 0 21

Mental Health & Learning Disability 5 17 22 0 3 3 25

Midwifery & Reproductive Health 0 9 9 0 0 0 9

Faculty SET % 18.5% 81.6% 13.3% 86.7%

* The remaining 10 academic staff in Faculty of Health and Social Care are in Social Work which is not included in this table as it is non-SET

Faculty of Life Sciences 37 25 62 13 25 38 100

Biological Sciences 16 6 22 5 9 14 36

Clinical Sciences 5 11 16 0 5 5 21

NW Future Food Solutions Exchange

0 0 0 2 4 6 6

Sport and Exercise Sciences 11 5 16 4 3 7 23

Sport and Community Engagement 5 2 7 1 1 2 9

Faculty office 0 1 1 1 3 4 5

Faculty % 59.7% 40.3% 34.2% 65.8%

Faculty of Science & Engineering 17 4 21 5 4 9 30

Chemical Engineering 1 0 1 0 0 0 1

Computer Science, Maths & Business Computing

13 4 17 1 3 4 21

Electronic/Electrical Engineering 1 0 1 0 0 0 1

Informatics Centre 0 0 0 4 0 4 4

Natural Sciences 1 0 1 0 0 0 1

Faculty Office 1 0 1 0 1 1 2

Faculty % 81% 19% 55.5% 44.4%

Faculty of Social Science** 21 24 45 1 8 9 54

Geography & Development Studies 9 3 12 0 3 3 15

Psychology 12 21 33 1 5 6 39

Faculty SET % 46.7% 53.3% 11.1% 88.9%

**This Faculty contains 2 more departments (Law and Social Studies and Counselling) which are non-SET

The data presented in Tables 3.3 to 3.6 and Figures 3.1 and 3.2, below, show that there is a trend for females to be underrepresented in the higher grades. The University has 32.5% female professors which is higher than the sector average of 20.8%. Work is required to encourage women into higher grade posts. The predominant grade for both females and males is Senior Lecturer where there is a slightly lower percentage of males in both the SET and all University Departments. This changes at higher grades to show a higher percentage of men at Reader and


Professor. The percentage of male Professors in SET is slightly higher than non-SET. However in the Research grades (Tables 3.5 and 3.6) it is striking that the highest grades are exclusively male while the lowest grade (Research Assistant) is almost exclusively female. The SAT was concerned by this figure and this is reflected in the Action Plan for this section below.

Table 3.3 comparisons of female (F) to male (M) staff in academic and all researcher roles

Whole university 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14 % 2013/14

Role M F M F M F M F

Researcher 5 16 9 15 11 12 4.8% 4.3%

Lecturer TSR 3 19 39 26 45 38 41 16.5% 14.7%

Senior Lecturer TSR 4 30 42 25 38 29 44 12.6% 15.8%

Senior Lecturer TSR 5 100 119 98 128 99 136 43% 48.9%

Reader/ Deputy TSR 6 29 28 30 27 26 32 13.9% 11.5%

Professor E1 18 9 22 9 27 13 11.7% 4.7%

Total 201 253 210 262 230 278 100% 100%

(Percentages were calculated from: (Numbers of staff in the grade 2013-14/total staff number by gender 2013-14)*100)

Table 3.4 Female (F) to male (M) staff in academic and all researcher roles in SET Departments

SET only 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14 % 2013/14

Role M F M F M F M F

Researcher 2 10 4 9 5 8 5.5% 5.9%

Lecturer/ other TSR 3 4 13 7 18 13 21 14.4% 15.6%

Senior Lecturer A/ other TSR 4

15 23 15 22 13 25 14.4% 18.5%

Senior Lecturer B/ other TSR 5

33 53 31 58 34 59 37.8% 43.7%

Reader/ Deputy Head other TSR 6

14 10 15 15 13 16 14.4% 11.9%

Professor/ other E1 5 4 10 4 12 6 13.3% 4%

Total 73 113 82 126 90 135 100% 100%


(Percentages were calculated from: (Numbers of staff in the grade 2013-14/total staff number by gender 2013-14)*100)

Figure 3.1 Comparison of female and male academic staff by grade in non-SET vs SET

Figure 3.2 Numbers of female and male academic staff by grade in SET Departments

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

Male Female Male Female Male Female Male Female Male Female Male Female

Researcher Lecturer TSR 3 Lecturer TSR 4 Senior Lecturer TSR 5 Reader/Deputy Professor

Hea

dco

un

t

non-SET SET

38

29

99

26 27

41 44

136

32

13

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

Lecturer Senior Lecturer TSR4 Senior Lecturer TSR5 Reader/Deputy Head Professor

Hea

dco

un

t

Male Female


Table 3.5 Female to Male Research staff by grade

Research staff- Whole university 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14

Role M F M F M F

Research Assistant (OS4/5) 1 8 0 7 1 4

Research Co-ordinator/ Officer (OS6/ 7) 0 3 0 3 0 4

Researcher (OS8/9) 2 5 6 5 7 4

Research Fellow (OS10) 0 0 0 0 0 0

Senior Research Fellow (TSR 6) 1 0 2 0 2 0

Executive Dean of Research

1

0

1

0

1

0

Table 3.6 Female to male research staff by grade SET Departments

Roles 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14

Gender M F M F M F

Research Assistant (OS4/5) 1 7 0 6 1 4

Research Co-ordinator/ Officer (OS6/ 7) 0 1 0 2 0 3

Researcher (OS8/9) 1 2 3 1 3 1

Research Fellow (OS10) 0 0 0 0 0 0

Senior Research Fellow (TSR 6) 0 0 1 0 1 0

Executive Dean of Research 0 0 0 0 0 0

ACTION PLAN

2.1 Annual analysis of data relating to women in senior grades to be presented to Equality Forum

2.2 Investigate reason for gender imbalance in research grades

2.3 Evaluate appointment and promotion procedures for research grade staff


(i) Female:male academic staff turnover rates by grade

Table 3.7 below shows no consistent pattern in leavers over the three years. Turnover includes only staff leaving by reason or resignation. Table 3.8 shows all leavers.

Table 3.7 Staff turnover by grade

Number of leavers 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14

Gender M F M F M F

Researcher/ Lecturer All 3 3 4 3 2 3

Percentage 12.5% 5.5% 11.4% 6.1% 4.1% 5.7%

Researcher/ Lecturer SET 0 2 2 1 0 1

Percentage 0% 8.7% 18.2% 3.7% 0 3.5%

Senior Lecturer All 1 3 1 8 2 3

Percentage 0.8% 1.9% 0.8% 4.8% 1.6% 1.7%

Senior Lecturer SET 0 1 1 1 1 1

Percentage 0% 1.3% 2.2% 1.25% 2.1% 1.2%

Reader All 0 0 0 0 0 0

Reader SET 0 0 0 0 0 0

Professor All 0 0 0 1 0 1

Percentage 0% 0% 0% 11.1% 0% 7.6%

Professor SET 0 0 0 1 0 1

Percentage 0% 0% 0% 25% 0% 16.7%

Academic All 4 6 5 12 4 7

Percentage 1.9% 2.4% 2.4% 4.6% 1.7% 2.5%

Academic SET 0 3 3 3 1 3

Percentage 0% 2.7% 3.7% 2.4% 1.1% 2.2%

(Percentages were calculated from: (Numbers of leavers that period/total staff number at that grade and gender)*100)

Table 3.8 below shows no association between gender and whether or not staff leave as a consequence of the reaching the end of a fixed term contract. The table shows leavers for all


reasons e.g. retirement, death, ill health, other termination. Some staff will be leaving to move internally in the University.

Exit interviews are carried out by the manager one removed from the line manager. Issues arising from exit interviews are investigated with the line manager and HR require evidence of such investigation.

Table 3.8 Reason for leaving (end of FTC or not) for each academic grade by gender

Grade

Not Fixed Term Contract End of Fixed Term Contract

Year

11/12 12/13 13/14 11/12 12/13 13/14

Gender

F M F M F M F M F M F M

Dean

Associate Dean (SET)

1

1 (1)

1

Head of Department (SET)

1 (1)

2 (1)

1

Deputy Head of Department (SET)

2 (1)

1 1 (1)

Professor (SET)

1 (1)

1 1 (1)

Reader (SET)

1 (1)

1 1 1 1 (1)

Senior Lecturer (SET)

4 (2)

6 (2)

7 (4)

6 (2)

12 (7)

10 (5)

5 (3)

3

1 13 (3)

1

Lecturer (SET)

1 (1)

4 (3)

3 (1)

4 (2)

3

1 (1)

1

5 (2)

2 (1)

3

Research Grades

1 (1)

2 (2)

2 (2)

1 (1)

1 (1)

1 2 (1)

(ii) Female:male ratio of academic and research staff on fixed-term contracts (FTC) versus

open-ended (permanent) contracts

Tables 3.8 a to d and Figure 3.3 show that while in the University as a whole there is a lower percentage of female staff on fixed term contracts this is not consistently true in academic and research staff. Comparing academic staff (table 3b) in the entire University, the picture is variable across the three years. However in 2013/14 there is a higher percentage of female staff on FTCs. It would appear that for this academic year, 19 new female staff were employed compared with only 5 male academic staff. The figures show, therefore, that new


staff are more likely to be on FTCs. In the SET Departments (table 3c) the percentages show similar findings. In the case of research staff (tables 3.8d and e) there is no consistent pattern for the University, but in the SET Departments there is a higher percentage female staff on FTCs. The SAT considered the data and decided on the action below.

Table 3.8a Comparison of male and female staff on permanent contracts compared with FTC

All University staff 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14

Gender M F M F M F

Permanent 417 731 409 736 430 775

Percentage 80.5% 82.5% 77.6% 80.5% 76.9% 80%

Fixed term 101 157 118 178 129 199

Percentage 19.5% 17.7% 22.4% 19.5% 23.1% 20%

Table 3.8b Comparison of male and female academic staff on permanent contracts compared with FTC

Academic staff – whole university

2011/12 2012/13 2013/14

Gender M F M F M F

Permanent 153 172 150 179 166 177

Percentage 68.6% 65.9% 64.7% 66.1% 65.6% 61.5%

Fixed term 70 89 82 92 87 111

Percentage 31.4% 34.1% 35.3% 33.9% 34.4% 38.5%

Table 3.8c Comparison of male and female academic staff in SET Departments on permanent contracts compared with FTC

Academic staff – SET only 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14

Gender M F M F M F

Permanent 54 83 53 84 61 80

Percentage 72% 72.8% 64.6% 67.2% 64.9% 58.3%

Fixed term 21 31 29 41 33 57


Percentage 28% 27.2% 35.4% 32.8% 35.1% 41.7%

Table 3.8d Comparison of male and female research staff on permanent contracts compared with FTC

Research staff – whole university

2011/12 2012/13 2013/14

Gender Male Female Male Female Male Female

Permanent 1 3 2 1 2 3

Percentage 20% 18.8% 22.2% 6.7% 18.2% 25%

Fixed term 4 13 7 14 9 9

Percentage 80 81.2 77.8 93.3 81.8 75

Table 3.8e Comparison of male and female research staff from SET Departments on permanent contracts compared with FTC

Research staff – SET

2010/11 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14

Male Female Male Female Male Female Male Female

Permanent 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 1

Percentage 50% 0% 50% 0% 25% 0% 20% 12.5%

Fixed term 1 10 1 10 3 9 4 7

Percentage 50% 100% 50% 100% 75% 100% 80% 87.5%


Figure 3.3 Comparison of male and female staff on permanent contracts compared with FTC for SET Departments and whole University

76.9%

23.1%

65.6%

34.4%

64.9%

35.1%

18.2%

81.8%

20.0%

80.0%

80.0%

20.0%

61.5%

38.5%

58.3%

41.7%

25.0%

75.0%

12.5%

87.5%

0.0% 10.0% 20.0% 30.0% 40.0% 50.0% 60.0% 70.0% 80.0% 90.0% 100.0%

Permanent

Fixed term

Permanent

Fixed term

Permanent

Fixed term

Permanent

Fixed term

Permanent

Fixed term

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ACTION PLAN

2.4 Investigation of proportion of newly appointed female staff on FTC

(iii) Evidence from equal pay audits

The University conducts an Equal Pay Review on a biennial basis. The results are reported to SMT, Trade Unions and the Equality Forum. The actions are taken forward as part of the University’s Equality Objectives and monitored by the Equality Scheme Working group who meet on a monthly basis.

Table 3.9 Gender pay gap from previous audits

Equal Pay Review Overall gender pay gap

2008 19.46%

2009 15.68%

2012 13.89%

The SAT considered we should be better than the sector average (approximately 13%) as we employ a higher percentage of women.

ACTION PLAN

2.5 Steering Group to receive outcome of January 2015 equal pay audit when available

2.6 Compare pay gap to the sector to ensure University of Chester remains above average

(i) Female:male ratio of staff in the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2014

Equality Impact assessment for REF 2014 showed that 41% of the 215 staff who put themselves forward for consideration were female and 38% of the 151 staff submitted were female. The analysis concluded that women remain under-represented amongst the staff who self-selected for consideration. The University is currently engaged in a research project to understand why women might be less research active than their male counterparts or less likely to put themselves forward for selection for the REF.

As part of the equal opportunities monitoring undertaken as part RAE2008, the Research & Knowledge Transfer Office undertook numerous analyses regarding the inclusion of different staff groups at the University. The SAT is satisfied that similar work will be carried out for REF 2014. The Action Plan will require this to be monitored and more in depth research to be carried out.


Figure 3.4, below, shows that, bizarrely, although more staff were submitted to the REF 2014 in percentage terms the ratio of male to female was almost identical. This is not a good finding as it suggests we have not increased the proportion of female research active staff over 5 years. The SAT was disappointed with this result and will concentrate on staff development measures to improve for REF 2020.

Figure 3.4 Comparison of percentage of staff submitted by gender to REF 2014 and RAE 2008

Table 3.10 below shows a lower percentage of females from SET areas were submitted to REF 2014

Table 3.10 Comparison of SET and non-SET staff submitted to REF 2014 by gender

SET Non-SET

M F Total M F Total

Number 42 22 64 52 35 87

Percent 65.6% 34.4% 59.8% 40.2%

ACTION PLAN

2.7 Undertake research into the reasons for fewer female staff putting themselves forward for the REF

47% 47%

63%60%

63% 62%

53% 53%

37%40%

37% 38%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

RAE 2008 REF 2014 RAE 2008 REF 2014 RAE 2008 REF 2014

All Academic Staff Staff considered Staff Submitted

Male

Female


2.8 Investigate the reasons why there appear to be fewer research active female staff

2.9 Take steps to develop female research active staff, particularly in SET departments, to improve the proportion of female staff submitted to REF2020

Number of words in Section 3: 999

4 Supporting and advancing women’s careers

Key career transition points

a(i) Female:male ratio of academic staff job application and appointment success rates

The self-assessment team analysed the previous three years of application and

appointment data (Table 4.1). These data show that in the last two years there have

been nearly twice as many male applicants for vacant academic posts in both the entire University and the SET Departments. However compared with the applicants of the same gender a higher percentage of women were appointed in all cases. Obviously the data does not say anything about the quality of the applicants. Appointment panels have representatives of both genders on them. The SAT decided that dividing the data by grade might be a useful exercise as it would allow us to analyse whether women were being appointed to lower grade posts. This became an action point.

The University has a policy on recruitment and selection which was updated in Spring 2014. Equal opportunities monitoring of recruitment is carried out. All Chairs of appointment panels must attend recruitment and selection training every two years. HR produce a useful booklet of Guidance for Managers which contains information such as an explanation of the equality and diversity aspects. Each area of the University has dedicated HR personnel assigned to it. This ensures a close relationship and means individual guidance is readily available on appointment procedures.

Table 4.1 Analysis of applications to appointments data by gender showing percentage success rate for males and females compared with applicants of that gender

2011/12 2012/13 2013/14

Applications Successful applicants



All academic vacancies

M 323 29 735 35 1042 29

% 52.2%* 9.0%** 60.2* 4.8%** 62.1%* 2.8%**

F 296 29 487 53 635 50

% 47.8%* 9.8%** 39.8* 10.9%** 37.9%* 7.9%**


SET Academic vacancies only

M 72 9 305 13 546 13

% 40.5%* 12.5%** 69.0%* 4.3%** 70.4%* 2.4%**

F 106 13 137 22 230 20

% 59.5%* 12.2%** 31%* 16.1%** 29.6%* 8.7%**

(*Percentages were calculated from: (Number of that gender /Total number of applicants)*100)

(**Percentages were calculated from: (Number successful of that gender /Number of applicants of that gender)*100)

ACTION PLAN

3.1 Analyse appointment data by grade and gender for future years

(i) Female: male ratio of academic staff promotion rates.

The University Promotions Committee meets annually. The Promotions Committee is chaired by the Vice Chancellor and considers all eligible promotions. The Committee currently has 3 female and 5 male members. Essentially the Promotions Committee considers promotion from Lecturer (TSR3) to Senior Lecturer (TSR4 and 5). Promotions to Reader are considered separately in rounds approximately every three years. The Committee deciding Reader promotions are made up of Deans and selection is based on a formula.

The Academic Titles Committee makes recommendations to Senate on appointments to professorial title. The Committee has been vigilant for some years to monitor data relating to the gender of candidates submitting and being recommended. It is true that with more research active male staff than female, female professors are outnumbered by men, but the success rate of women who apply for professorial title at the University is slightly better than that of their male counterparts. In recent years the Committee has given greater publicity to its existence and operation, introduced a new procedure which broadens the application criteria, made clear that it encourages application from women and provides a longer period between call for applications and closing date.

With the exception of academic staff serving a probationary period and in cases where performance/competency issues have been identified, all members of academic staff who are employed on academic terms and conditions of service and who in the year preceding promotion have reached the maximum point of the Lecturer grade (TSR 3) or the Senior Lecturer A grade (TSR 4) are eligible for promotion. Requests to Promotions Committee are instigated by the member of staff requiring consideration and supported by the Head of Department. 25% of those eligible for promotion do not apply in the first year of eligibility. 75% of those applying are promoted.

Figure 4.1 shows that the percentage applying for promotion in each gender is generally the same as the percentage of successful applicants. Data for 2013/14 is not available as the appeals process has only been completed in November 2014. It is not known if females are more likely to delay making an application to Promotions Committee and this will be dealt with in the Action Plan.


Pastoral and administrative responsibilities are taken into account in promotion criteria. Teaching and Support for Learning and Research including scholarship and consultancy the main areas of assessment in Promotion. However, the areas of Managing people, Planning, Organising and Managing Resources, and Decision Making are also assessed. These latter areas take into account, for example:

Contributions to module or programme development, planning and improvement, contributions to policy or strategy development, involvement in departmental or inter-departmental projects

Mentoring of new staff on Learning and Teaching matters, with comments from mentees

University/Faculty committees

Contribution to raising the University’s profile through external networks in the subject or professional area

Departmental tasks

Scope and quality of performance of discrete roles (e.g. admissions/ outreach work)


Figure 4.1 Percentage of applicants/successful applicants for University posts by gender and area

49.3%

46.4%

50.0%

45.8%

35.3%

35.7%

38.2%

33.3%

52.9%

53.3%

8.3%

10.0%

59.5%

56.3%

46.7%

33.3%

50.0%

50.0%

58.3%

58.3%

25.0%

23.1%

42.9%

46.2%

51.6%

50.0%

40.4%

37.8%

37.5%

39.0%

50.7%

53.6%

50.0%

54.2%

64.7%

64.3%

61.8%

66.7%

47.1%

46.7%

91.7%

90.0%

40.5%

43.8%

53.3%

66.7%

50.0%

50.0%

41.7%

41.7%

75.0%

76.9%

57.1%

53.8%

48.4%

50.0%

59.6%

62.2%

62.5%

61.0%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

Applicants

Successful Applicants

Applicants


Applicants


Applicants


Applicants


Applicants


Applicants


Applicants


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Aca

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fPromotion: applicants and successful applicants by job type,

SET marker and gender (2010/11 - 2012/13)

Male Female


ACTION PLAN 3.2 Monitor staff who do not make application to Promotions Committee when eligible to

assess any gender bias. 3.3 Monitor the number of years male and female staff remain in post before promotion or

leaving. a) Policies and activities at the university that support women’s career progression in SET

departments in particular at key transition points All staff, therefore including all academic staff and all staff in SET departments, are contractually required to have an annual Performance Review and Development Plan (PDRP). During the review, all staff are required to consider their career development aspirations and development needs and discuss them with their line manager. This identifies key areas of development to work towards over the forthcoming year in addition to making suggestions about courses and conferences that may assist in development. PDRP discussions should precede the academic promotions process and focus on promotion prospects and the implementation of an action plan a minimum of one year prior to the colleague becoming eligible for promotion. This provides clear direction for both the colleague and their line manager ensuring that the colleague can meet the criteria for promotion. The Promotions and Academic Titles Committees have criteria which include contributions to Teaching and Learning, the Mission of the University, the life of the University and its students and major Committees/panels in addition to research. Although the criteria for Readers post is based on research there are routes for staff to increase their grade which do not rely on research. For example in 2013/14 the University approved the post of Senior University Teaching Fellow for each Faculty. The role takes the lead on encouraging career development in teaching and engagement of students. In addition, the university has a number of other initiatives, including:

Supporting five female members of staff in 2014 to participate in the Leadership Foundations’ Aurora project. Thereafter, there is an on-going commitment to support 4 staff each year, with a potential increase subject to budget constraints.

All new staff are encouraged to attend the 2-day New to Teaching Workshop delivered in-house. The MA in Learning and Teaching in HE is available in-house, to all staff without a comparable qualification, with waived fees.

A series of short development and information sessions are delivered each March to support academic career development. They are particularly aimed at staff wishing to apply for promotion and are focussed on Teaching and Support for Learning; The Academic Promotions; The Research and Knowledge Transfer Agenda and Enterprise, Innovation, Deployment. For example in March 2015 there will be a session entitled “Making Professor” which will be restricted to female academic staff and led by three female Professors

It is possible that staff are not clear about key career transition points and more effort could be made to give information to managers and staff at lower grades as an action.

ACTION PLAN


4.4 Provide information to staff on key career transition points

Career development

(i) Researcher career support and training

The University currently has 41 staff (academic and support) registered for PhDs, 28 females and 13 males. In the SET areas 29 staff are registered, 20 females and 9 males. Although this shows fewer female are appointed with PhDs it is an aim of the University to grow its own excellent researchers and this opportunity is being taken up. The University is fully committed to the principles of the Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers and has developed an action plan to align practices to the requirements of the Concordat and embed further best practice where required. The University was awarded the HR Excellence in Research award in January 2013. The SAT gathered evidence of development and support opportunities around the University and knew of many offerings in their own area of work. A Development of Research and Support for Researchers (DRSR) sub-group was set up by Research & Knowledge Transfer Committee and reported in May 2014. The objective was to get some grass roots feedback from staff about the support for research and researchers at various stages of their careers right across the University. The report made a number of recommendations to Research Committee, who asked the Chair of the sub-group to join the working group looking at the HR Excellence in Research Award review. The University has a Learning Directory detailing the wide range of training programmes available to staff with a page specifically highlighting training and development sessions available to researchers.

The University also holds an annual staff conference that all staff are welcome to attend. This contains a number of sessions to support researchers, at any stage of their career. Example of sessions/ seminars, delivered by internal and external contributors include:

Academic Article Writing and Submission (2012)

Preparing postgraduate researchers for employment within and outside HE (2012)

Playing the Publishing Game: How Engaging in the Research Process Can Benefit the Careers of Postgraduate Students (2012)

Research Excellence Framework – all you need to know (2013)

Shifting between what is and as if – creating impact from innovative research (2014)

Open access – how to make research outputs available (2014)

The University works collaboratively with key stakeholders in STEM as a member of STEMCAT. STEMCAT is a strategic group monitoring and progressing STEM curriculum development in the region, along with national and international universities, and employers offering work based STEM Continuing Professional Development (CPD). One member of the SAT is particularly active in this group and in publicising the activities in the Faculties.

In Summer 2014 the University applied for the Gender Equality Mark (GEM) Bronze Award for Arts, Humanities and Social Science and was successful. All female staff in the University will


benefit from the initiatives being taken forward under GEM. Two actions from the GEM Action Plan are particularly relevant here.

ACTION PLAN

3.5 To undertake a career mapping project which will review the approach to career progression for women

3.6 To investigate options for external coaching and/or other forms of support and development to be aimed at staff with caring responsibilities

(ii) Mentoring and networking

To complement existing informal and formal mentoring practices, the University is currently piloting an additional formal mentoring scheme to support individuals’ learning, development and growth.

Expressions of interest were sought from staff who considered themselves to have the required skills, capacity and desire to share their knowledge and thinking to support mentees. They were required to complete the appropriate application form. Mentors undergo training before embarking on the mentoring

Any member of staff who felt that they would benefit from participating in this pilot mentoring scheme as a mentee completed a mentoring request form. Prospective mentors and mentees meet with colleagues from the People and Organisational Development Team (HRMS) to explore individuals’ experience, skills and attributes which may determine any particular training needs and to inform the mentor/mentee matching process. It is envisaged that the pilot scheme will run for a period of 12 months prior to evaluation in 2015 which will influence decisions to implement this scheme more widely across the University. The SAT supports the Mentoring Programme and will study the outcomes of the pilot.

The University’s Women’s Networking Forum will be launched in November 2014. This initial meeting has already attracted widespread attention with over 50 female staff planning to attend. Open to all female staff, this group will meet 3 times a year with a formal presentation at each meeting followed by an opportunity for informal networking. This will be accompanied by a newsletter, which will include information on the events that take place and features on female role models, both internal and external.

An informal network of female professors has also been formed This called the 1962 group as that was the year women were first admitted to the University (then Chester College). It has met on 6 occasions and will have themed meetings approximately quarterly.

The University actively encourages staff to network through the following national networking bodies:

MentorSET

WISET

Cambridge AWISE

Network She

STEMNET


The University has a programme of training STEM Ambassadors under STEMNET. Staff and undergraduates in SET departments at the University who are STEM Ambassadors guide and mentor students with project work in schools and outreach events at the University.

Table 4.2 STEM Ambassadors

Year Ambassadors Trained

Students Staff

Gender F M F M

2012/13 4 4 4 1

2013/14 6 11 2 0

ACTION PLAN 3.7 To consider the outcomes of the Mentoring Pilot and make recommendations to Equality

Forum 3.8 To continue the current networking groups for female staff and receive feedback as to their

future direction

(iii) Activities raising the profile of women in SET

Annually, coincident with International Women’s Day the University hosts a major event running throughout the day and evening. During the day local schoolgirls are invited to talks given by women working in SET areas. There is a Science Fair with hands on activities and careers information. In the evening a female speaker in a scientific area gives free public lecture. This is followed by a wine reception with networking opportunities.

The University also hosts an annual lecture in name of Chester’s most famous public health physician John Haygarth (1740-1827). This is followed by a networking dinner hosted by the Faculties of Health and Social Care and Life Sciences. Staff from the Faculties are encouraged to nominate people for the dinner. In November 2014 significant local and regional figures in Health and Science were invited, 17 of the 33 guests were women.

Examples of contributions made by University of Chester female staff to significant events are:

Parliamentary select committees on Women in Sport, Environmental issues (various), Nutrition, Food Poverty.

RCN Conferences

NHS Western Cheshire Research & Development Seminars

British Psychological Society Conferences

British Dietetic Association Annual Conference.

European Geosciences Union General Assembly

Welsh Women's road show

National presentations on podcasting


National HE STEM conferences

Employer Networks at North West Science and Learning Centre

North West Science Alliance

Geological Society of London – presentation at the bicentennial meeting on the first female fellows of the Geological Society

International Congress on Physical Activity and Health

(iv) Providing spokeswomen for internal and external media opportunities

University of Chester women scientists have contributed to The One Show, Countryfile, Coast, BBC Radio Merseyside, Dee Radio, BBC Radio 5 Live. The University has a Museum of health artefacts including a letter written by Florence Nightingale. The Museum is overseen by the Dean and a Professor in the Faculty (both female). There are frequent public events organised at the Museum. Recently we opened our £4Million Food Innovation Centre with an invited event featuring Lloyd Grossman. The Food Centre is managed by a female member of staff and overseen by the Faculty of Life Sciences (female Dean) the event attracted significant local media attention.

(v) Nominations to public bodies, professional bodies and for external prizes.

Most significantly Professor Jan Gidman (Faculty of Health and Social Care) was nominated for the Higher Education Academy National Teaching Fellowship Scheme in 2014 and was awarded a National Teaching Fellowship.

SET female staff: sit on Senior Committees of their Professional body (4); are committee members of Sports Governing Bodies (2), are Trustees of Charities (5), one holds a University nomination for the Board of Directors of a Community Interest Company; one was selected to take part in the Welsh Crucible Programme for leading scientists and is an Honorary Research Fellow for Public Health Wales. We have a former National President of the British Federation of Women Graduates (BFWG) and two former Chairwomen of the BFWG Charitable Foundation.

Organisation and culture

(i) Female:male ratio of Heads of School/Faculty/Department

Tables 4.3 and 4.4 and Figures 4.2 and 4.3 show that females are quite well-represented in the senior staff of the Faculties. The percentage figures show some underrepresentation, but this is less so in the SET areas. Two of the three SET Deans are female. However this is a decreasing trend. In earlier years the proportion of females in senior roles was higher. Recent appointments to newly created senior roles have been male. The SAT considered this issue and has developed an action to be taken.


Table 4.3 Comparison of female and male senior staff in the University and in SET for 2013/14

Whole university

2011/12 2012/13 2013/14

Role Male Female Male Female Male SET Male

Female SET Female

Head of Department/ other E2

8 14 11 11 12 6 9 6

Associate Dean/ other E3

6 4 7 6 7 2 7 2

Dean/ other E4 5 3 2 2 2 2

Executive Dean 1 2 5 4 6 1 4 2

Total 25 8 22 10

Percentage 9.0% 8.5% 7.1% 7.3%

(Percentage calculated from: (Number of staff of that gender/total number of academic staff of that gender)*100 using the SET figures as appropriate).


Figure 4.2 Comparison of numbers of senior grade staff by gender 2013/14

Table 4.4 Comparison of Female and male senior staff in SET

SET only 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14

Role Male Female Male Female Male Female

Head of Department/ other E2

3 6 5 6 6 6

Associate Dean/ other E3 1 2 1 2 2 2

Dean/ other E4 0 2 0 0 0 0

Executive Dean 0 0 0 2 1 2

12

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2

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6

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12

14

Head of Department/other E2 Associate Dean/other E3 Dean/other E4 Executive Dean

Hea

dco

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t

Male Female


Figure 4.3 Comparison of numbers of senior grade staff in SET Departments by gender 2013/14

(ii) Gender balance on the senior management team Four years of data have been shown here to explain that there was a female member of the Senior Management Team (SMT) who retired in 2010/11. Currently there is no female staff on SMT. The SAT required that this was a high priority in the Action Plan. The University is concerned by the situation and has instigated development opportunities for senior female staff to try to promote internally to the SMT. The SAT agreed an action in common with the GEM Action Plan. Table 4.5 Numbers and percentage of SMT members by gender

Senior Management

Female Male Total

No. % No. % No. %

Academic

2010/11 1 14.3% 6 85.7% 7 100.0%

2011/12 0 0.0% 6 100.0% 6 100.0%

2012/13 0 0.0% 6 100.0% 6 100.0%

2013/14 0 0.0% 6 100.0% 6 100.0%

SET

2010/11 1 33.3% 2 66.7% 3 100.0%

2011/12 0 0.0% 2 100.0% 2 100.0%

2012/13 0 0.0% 2 100.0% 2 100.0%

2013/14 0 0.0% 2 100.0% 2 100.0%

Non-SET 2010/11 0 0.0% 4 100.0% 4 100.0%

2011/12 0 0.0% 4 100.0% 4 100.0%

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Hea

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2012/13 0 0.0% 4 100.0% 4 100.0%

2013/14 0 0.0% 4 100.0% 4 100.0%

Professional and support

2010/11 0 0.0% 1 100.0% 1 100.0%

2011/12 0 0.0% 1 100.0% 1 100.0%

2012/13 0 0.0% 1 100.0% 1 100.0%

2013/14 0 0.0% 1 100.0% 1 100.0%

All senior managers

2010/11 1 12.5% 7 87.5% 8 100.0%

2011/12 0 0.0% 7 100.0% 7 100.0%

2012/13 0 0.0% 7 100.0% 7 100.0%

2013/14 0 0.0% 7 100.0% 7 100.0%

ACTION PLAN

4.1 Monitor appointments to senior posts to ensure equality of opportunity

4.2 Ensure advertisements and application packs for senior posts are friendly towards female applicants

4.3 To provide a comprehensive management development programme with the objective of increasing representation of females at senior levels

4.4 Appoint at least one female to the SMT within the next three years

(iii) Gender balance on influential committees

All decision making committees of the University have specific requirements for membership to ensure representation from appropriate areas. However where there is a selection process e.g. staff members of the Governing body, Departmental representatives on Board of Studies these are carried out in two ways. The University Learning and Information Services (LIS) set up an intranet voting system which is simple to use. Staff putting themselves forward can be selected by the relevant constituency (easier for academic staff than, for example, for gardeners). The second method is that committee representatives are selected by line managers. The SAT would like to ensure that females are well represented on important Committees, but they recognised that there is another side to sitting on Committees. In some cases Committee membership can take staff away from having time to undertake research. We have been careful to ensure that Committee membership e.g. Ethics Committees and Boards of Studies are given time in the Workload Planning model (see below). It will be necessary for the SAT to ensure this continues and it is included in the Action Plan.

The Governing Body of the University is the University Council this has 11 females and 14 males (44% Female). This appears to be a satisfactory representation considering the make-up is mainly influential local and regional individuals.

Tables 4.6-4.8 and Figures 4.4-4.6 below show an interesting comparison for both Senate (the most senior internal committee of the University) and Research Committee the gender


balance of the entire Committee and the non-SET members show fewer female than male members. However the SET representatives are more or less gender balanced. On Teaching and Learning Committee the gender balance is much more even (perhaps unsurprisingly). In 2013/14 SET males do outnumber SET females. The GEM SAT expressed concern at the underrepresentation of females on Senate and Research Committee. The balance requires monitoring in the future, but it is currently less worrying for the SET areas.

Table 4.6 Gender comparison of Senate members showing SET and non-SET

Year

Female Male Total

No. % No. % No. %

Academic

2010/11 6 24.0% 19 76.0% 25 100.0%

2011/12 7 28.0% 18 72.0% 25 100.0%

2012/13 7 28.0% 18 72.0% 25 100.0%

2013/14 7 28.0% 18 72.0% 25 100.0%

SET

2010/11 4 57.1% 3 42.9% 7 100.0%

2011/12 4 57.1% 3 42.9% 7 100.0%

2012/13 3 42.9% 4 57.1% 7 100.0%

2013/14 3 42.9% 4 57.1% 7 100.0%

Non-SET

2010/11 2 11.1% 16 88.9% 18 100.0%

2011/12 3 16.7% 15 83.3% 18 100.0%

2012/13 4 22.2% 14 77.8% 18 100.0%

2013/14 4 22.2% 14 77.8% 18 100.0%

Professional and support

2010/11 0 0.0% 2 100.0% 2 100.0%

2011/12 0 0.0% 2 100.0% 2 100.0%

2012/13 0 0.0% 3 100.0% 3 100.0%

2013/14 0 0.0% 3 100.0% 3 100.0%

All staff

2010/11 6 22.2% 21 77.8% 27 100.0%

2011/12 7 25.9% 20 74.1% 27 100.0%

2012/13 7 25.0% 21 75.0% 28 100.0%

2013/14 7 25.0% 21 75.0% 28 100.0%


Figure 4.4 Members of Senate by gender and affiliation

Table 4.7 Gender comparison of members of Research Committee by SET and non-SET

Female Male Total

No. % No. % No. %

All academic

2010/11 4 28.6% 10 71.4% 14 100.0%

2011/12 10 38.5% 16 61.5% 26 100.0%

2012/13 10 38.5% 16 61.5% 26 100.0%

2013/14 10 38.5% 16 61.5% 26 100.0%

SET

2010/11 1 20.0% 4 80.0% 5 100.0%

2011/12 5 55.6% 4 44.4% 9 100.0%

2012/13 4 44.4% 5 55.6% 9 100.0%

2013/14 4 44.4% 5 55.6% 9 100.0%

Non-SET

2010/11 3 33.3% 6 66.7% 9 100.0%

2011/12 5 29.4% 12 70.6% 17 100.0%

2012/13 6 35.3% 11 64.7% 17 100.0%

2013/14 6 35.3% 11 64.7% 17 100.0%

7

3 4

0

7

18

4

14

3

21

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

Academic SET Non-SET Professional andSupport

All Members

Hea

dco

un

t

Female Male


Figure 4.5 Gender balance on the research committee by SET or Non-SET 2013/14

Table 4.8 Learning and Teaching Committee by job type, SET marker and gender

Female Male Total

No. % No. % No. %

Academic

2010/11 3 25.0% 9 75.0% 12 100.0%

2011/12 6 46.2% 7 53.8% 13 100.0%

2012/13 5 41.7% 7 58.3% 12 100.0%

2013/14 7 53.8% 6 46.2% 13 100.0%

SET

2010/11 1 50.0% 1 50.0% 2 100.0%

2011/12 2 66.7% 1 33.3% 3 100.0%

2012/13 2 50.0% 2 50.0% 4 100.0%

2013/14 2 50.0% 2 50.0% 4 100.0%

Non-SET

2010/11 2 20.0% 8 80.0% 10 100.0%

2011/12 4 40.0% 6 60.0% 10 100.0%

2012/13 3 37.5% 5 62.5% 8 100.0%

2013/14 5 55.6% 4 44.4% 9 100.0%

Professional and Support

2010/11 2 50.0% 2 50.0% 4 100.0%

2011/12 2 50.0% 2 50.0% 4 100.0%

2012/13 2 50.0% 2 50.0% 4 100.0%

2013/14 4 80.0% 1 20.0% 5 100.0%

All staff 2010/11 5 31.3% 11 68.8% 16 100.0%

2011/12 8 47.1% 9 52.9% 17 100.0%

10

46

16

5

11

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

Academic SET Non-SET

Hea

dco

un

t

Female Male


2012/13 7 43.8% 9 56.3% 16 100.0%

2013/14 11 61.1% 7 38.9% 18 100.0%

Figure 4.6 Gender balance on the teaching and learning committee 2013/14

ACTION PLAN

4.5 Gender balance on Committees to be published and monitored

4.6 Managers to be aware of gender balance when nominating for Committees

4.7 Time spent on Committees to be counted in Staff Workload Planning and monitored by the SAT and all managers

4.8 To embed consideration for gender equality into the thinking and processes of committees and their related structures and procedures

b) Supportive organisation and culture in university SET departments.

(i) Transparent workload models

The University of Chester is committed to the adoption and application of good management practice and sound common sense, to the complex task of workload planning. The University has recently purchased the Scientia Workload Planning (SWP) module to add to our timetabling software. It was piloted by all Departments in 2013/14. There are some issues for the manufacturer to change and some departments showing a lack of consistency with the rest of the University. However the great benefit of the module is that Heads of Department can choose their own time allocations for tasks. This means that the SET Departments can allocate time properly for laboratory work, supervision of dissertation students, field trips and very large combined lectures.

7

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Academic SET Non-SET Professional andSupport

All Members

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Female

Male


The result has been an extra staffing allowance to several SET Departments (Biological Sciences, Clinical Sciences, Psychology, Mathematics and Sport and Exercise Sciences). We are currently recruiting these extra staff. Pastoral and administrative responsibilities are discussed during PRDP to ensure every member of staff gets the opportunity to undertake responsibilities according to their interests and desired career progression. Responsibilities are also rotated around departments fairly and consistently, through the PRDP process. Likewise, open discussions both during PRDP and as part of general day to day line management should ensure that staff undertaking additional responsibilities do not feel overloaded or subjected to unfair workload distribution.

(ii) Publicity materials The University’s Corporate Communications Department and Marketing, Recruitment and Admissions department both have responsibility for the range of publicity materials and images at university level. Key staff members in both departments are trained in equality and diversity and through the University website and materials, ensure they represent the full diversity of the University community. Due to the high number of females both employed by the University and students studying at the University, it is common to show women in non-stereotypical roles. The Equality Forum regularly reviews publicity material for gender balance (as well as representation of other protected characteristics) and the following objectives are included in the University’s Single Equality Scheme:

Ensure marketing materials are visually and textually appropriate and specifically welcome applications from under-represented groups

Ensure promotional materials give accurate information, are available in alternative formats and website information is accessible

Develop website profiles of students and staff from diverse groups to support recruitment

Flexibility and managing career breaks

a) Policies and activities at the university that support flexibility and managing career breaks in SET departments.

(i) Flexible working

The University adheres to the following institutional policies:

Right to request Flexible Working for Parents and Carers

Right to request time off for training

All policies and procedures are available on the staff intranet pages and all new staff are informed of the existence of key policies and where to find them at the University induction programmes (tailored for academic and support staff) which take place three times during each academic year.

With effect from 1st September 2012 a new Leadership and Management Development Policy was introduced detailing several mandatory training programmes that all new managers must undertake within two years of their appointment. This includes attending the ‘Policy Essentials for Managers’ session which covers different working and leave arrangements in detail.


In the 2012 staff survey, the report found 85% agreed that flexible working options at the University are good and 89% felt able to discuss flexible working options with their manager. However there is no specific policy concerning working from home. This has been considered difficult to introduce due to the possible requirement to monitor home work stations. The SAT felt further work should be done on the benefits, or otherwise, of having a working from home policy. A review of the Flexible Working Policy is due and the SAT wished to have representation on the group considering the Policy.

ACTION PLAN

4.9 Investigate the possibility of introducing a working from home policy

4.10 Include representation from the Athena SWAN Steering Group on the review of flexible working

(ii) Parental leave

Tables 4.9 and 4.10 below show that although the numbers are low SET staff do take parental leave opportunities. The figures are notable for the fact that there are no non-returned, all staff do return. Work patterns may subsequently change as a result of flexible working requests. The University has instigated “Keeping in Touch Days”. These allow women on long maternity leaves to come into work before they fully return. It gives them an opportunity to trial child care arrangements and, more importantly, to catch up on the changes in the University while they have been away. In common with all female scientists who are ambitious in research several of our staff have overseen the supervision of their PhD students while on maternity leave. However none of this is compulsory it is entirely at the choice of the member of staff taking maternity leave. The SAT considered the parental leave policies and were disappointed with the short time allowed on full pay. A benchmarking exercise to compare Chester to the sector was suggested. This was also raised in the GEM SAT and is an action in the GEM action plan, repeated here.

ACTION PLAN

4.11 To review maternity/ adoption/ additional paternity pay conditions.

Table 4.9 Numbers of staff taking parental leave

Whole university

2010/11 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14

Gender M F M F M F M F

Staff taking parental leave

4 36 10 41 13 42 0 14


Staff returning afterwards

4 36 10 41 13 42 Data not yet available

Staff returning with decreased hours

0 4 1 14 1 11

Staff returning with change in working pattern

1 0 2 3 0 0

Table 4.10 Numbers of SET staff taking parental leave

SET 2010/11 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14

Gender M F M F M F M F

Staff taking parental leave

0 5 0 5 1 3 0 1

Staff returning afterwards

0 5 0 5 1 3 Data not yet available

Staff returning with decreased hours

0 0 0 2 0 1

Staff returning with change in working pattern

0 0 0 0 0

(iii) Childcare

There are two nurseries available for use by University of Chester staff and students. Both nurseries provide care for children from 0-5 years. The nurseries are open Monday to Friday, 8.00am until 6.00pm, all year round except bank holidays, accommodating staff with a range of working patterns.

In the Chester Campus nursery, 45% of children (as at Feb 2014) are children of parents employed by the university. Students and employees of the University have priority over public places booked at the nursery and therefore places would be allocated to them first. Where there is a waiting list, staff and students are given priority. 9% of children at the Warrington campus nursery are children of university staff.


The University also offers a childcare voucher scheme that works through salary exchange (Apple Childcare Vouchers). The vouchers are free of tax and National Insurance for parents and employers.

Table 4.11 The number of academic staff currently using the University’s childcare voucher scheme:

Gender M F

Whole University 20 24

SET Only 8 10

HR states, “The University has a wide range of family-friendly policies, practices and benefits, which are designed to provide support for members of staff and facilitate the achievement of an acceptable balance between home commitments and working life. The policies include enhanced provision (above legal requirements) in respect of maternity, adoption, and paternity leave and the provision of special leave”. However see Action 4.11, the SAT was not completely happy about all of these.

All these provisions are communicated to staff in the ‘Adding Value’ booklet which details all the benefits available to university staff.

(iv) Work-life balance

The University has ‘core’ working hours of 9am – 5.30pm and custom and practice dictates that meetings are generally held within this time. However, in the event that meetings start or finish outside the core hours, TOIL or flexitime can be taken and special catering can be arranged.

The 2012 Staff Survey found the following:

81% reported that their immediate manager/supervisor helps them find a good work-life balance

78% agreed the University provides good support to help balance work and personal commitments

80% reported they were happy with their current pattern of work

71% felt their level of workload is in balance with that of their colleagues in a similar role

Staff survey and anecdotal feedback does not indicate that the University has a long hours culture. A number of senior staff have been supplied with i-pads to support paperless meetings but it is not expected that emails will be sent and/ or answered outside of core hours.

Word count for Section 4: 4,362

5 Other comments

The University of Chester was proud in 2014 to be the first University to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the British Federation of Women Graduates. This committed us to co-operation in female education. In the first year we have given a full fees scholarship to an Afghani female PhD student.

The University’s Widening Participation Outreach Programme is based on the formation and


maintenance of direct links and the development of long-term structured and co-ordinated interventions with a number of targeted schools and colleges with low higher education participation rates or large proportions of disadvantaged students. The programme focusses on partnerships with schools, academies and colleges locally and regionally as part of collaborative activity and provides the basis for extending progression pathways for students from low participation backgrounds to make applications to higher education.

The STEM subjects, curriculum-related subject workshops with years 12/13 and level 3 students on “Preparing for University”, with assignment follow-up and academic feedback have now been embedded in the STEM Outreach Programme. Those students entering the Faculty will be tracked at point of entry for school details and Faculty staff informed of those students who had attended one of their workshops.

The annual Year 10 STEM Awareness week, University staff visits to schools and colleges, teacher Master classes and undergraduate and postgraduate STEM Ambassadors further relationships between the University, schools and colleges, as well as external industry organisations.

The University holds an International Women’s Day Conference in March each year for female school students and this year the theme was ‘Engineering’, providing opportunity to meet inspirational women in engineering and specifically to support entry to the new Engineering Faculty. A recording of the conference is made available on the University website. Several senior female engineers such, as the general manager of the Essar oil refinery, came to talk to an audience of 120 local school girls.

The University of Chester believes in being a local and regional University benefitting its population in multiple ways. We have a goal to raise our research and other capabilities to reach high levels in the league tables over the next 5 years. We need our staff to develop to their full potential. The Athena SWAN agenda will assist in these goals by improving the contribution from women and putting women in leadership positions in the University.

Word count 386


University of Chester Athena SWAN Action Plan

Introduction

This action plan sets out the activities the University, its Committees and the Athena SWAN Self-Assessment Team will undertake over the next three years. The actions are identified in the application and are intended to help recruit, retain and promote female academics in SET areas. A report on progress towards fulfilling the actions will be made annually to the Equality Forum. The Athena SWAN action plan will be monitored alongside the action plan for the GEM bronze award and the Concordat that supports the careers of researchers. These three documents will promote all women in the University.

Action Plan Themes

Promotion and reporting of Athena SWAN, continuing self-assessment

Proportion of females in senior roles

Supporting and advancing women’s careers

Organisation and Culture



Action Description/objective Action to date Responsibility Timescale Success Measure

1.1 SAT will continue to meet as the Athena SWAN Steering Group and monitor the Action Plan

The University Athena SWAN Steering Group will meet 4 times per year. Minutes will be placed on the Athena

SWAN web page

Meetings held 6 times per year since May 2012. Group is an established and

experienced team

Chair of Steering Group/Chair of

Equality Forum/HR partner with

responsibility for Equality and

Diversity

On-going

Monitoring to begin Summer Term 2015

Meetings held, minutes available, progress made on

action plan

1.2 Steering Group and Equality Forum will support and encourage Departments and Units to apply for individual awards

Representatives from each department will update the Steering Group on progress.

Training and support will be given to Departments from HR and colleagues

with experience

Three Departments have expressed a

desire to apply individually

Heads of Department/ HR

partner with responsibility for

Equality and Diversity/Athena SWAN Steering

Group

Two applications for individual Bronze

Award to be submitted by April 2016. Third by

November 2016

Individual leads identified in

Departments. Applications submitted

1.3 New SET Departments and Faculties will be invited to join the Steering Group

The new Faculty of Science and Engineering and the newly created

Institute of Medicine will be asked for

nominations for the Steering Group

Interest expressed by Science and Engineering

Chair of Athena SWAN Steering

Group/members of Steering group whose post will

be/has been moved to the new Faculty

Immediate. New members to be on Steering Group by

March 2015

New members of Steering Group

identified




1.4 Annual progress report to be presented to Equality Forum

Report on data gathered for Steering Group will

inform actions for Equality Forum

Analysis of data reported to Equality

Forum. Bronze Award application available

Chair of Athena Swan Steering

Group/ HR partner with responsibility

for Equality and Diversity/Secretary to Equality Forum

Bronze award

application to be

presented to the next

meeting of the Equality

Forum. Annual reports

thereafter.

Reports presented and considered

1.5 Plan events to disseminate information on Athena Swan

Athena SWAN activities to take place during

University staff Development weeks

New staff induction and Faculty Plenary meetings

to disseminate information

Deans/HR/Athena SWAN steering

group

First event to occur during

staff development

week in March 2015

Events well-attended (approximately 50

attendees per event)

Feedback received for staff and students




1.6 Publish articles in staff newsletter

Staff newsletter is disseminated

electronically to all staff. Pictures of the Steering Group and celebrations of achievement will be

published

Chair of SAT has agreed with Editor of

newsletter

Director of Corporate

Communications

Celebration of success in

Bronze Award to be published as

soon as it occurs

2 pictorials and articles published per

year




2.1 Annual analysis of data relating to women in senior grades to be presented to Equality Forum

Monitoring of proportion of women in leadership roles and Professors

Steering Group/Equality Forum

Review each November for data captured in previous academic year

Annual report discussed at Forum, evaluation of any trends

2.2 Investigate reason for gender imbalance in research grades

Monitoring of female progression in Research grades

HR through HR partner with responsibility for Equality and Diversity

Investigation to begin in July 2015 using data gathered during 2014/15 academic year

Female research staff understand opportunities for promotion

2.3 Evaluate appointment and promotion procedures for research grade staff

Ensuring advertisements for more senior researchers have appeal to female applicants. Ensuring routes for promotion between research grades are clarified

HR/Managers advertising posts

Evaluation to begin with above action in July 2015

More females appointed to higher grade research posts




2.4 Investigation of proportion of newly appointed female staff on fixed term contracts (FTC)

Monitoring of likelihood of newly appointed female staff to be on FTC compared with male

HR/Athena SWAN Steering Group

To be completed by December 2015

Report to Equality Forum

2.5 Steering Group to receive outcome of January 2015 equal pay audit when available

To check gender pay gap is reducing

Equal pay audits do show a reduction in the gender pay gap since 2008

HR/Steering Group To receive audit outcome by March 2015

Audit considered by Steering Group

2.6 Compare pay gap to the sector to ensure University of Chester remains above average

Analyse pay gap in comparison to sector and make recommendations to Equality Forum

Steering Group Analysis to be complete and recommendations made by October 2015

Equality Forum considers recommendations and reports to higher Committees (e.g. Senate)




2.7 Undertake research into the reasons for fewer female staff putting themselves forward for the REF

Establish an understanding of the reasons preventing female staff being as research active as their male counterparts

The University is currently engaged in a research project which aims to understand why women might be less research active than their male counterparts or less likely to put themselves forward for selection for the REF.

Equality Forum/Research and Knowledge Transfer (KT)Office

Project is due to report in July 2015

Reasons for underrepresentation of female in REF are clearly understood

2.8 Investigate the reasons why there appear to be fewer research active female staff

As above Steering Group/Research and KT Office

Steering Group to receive a report in May 2015

Actions drawn up to address the imbalance




2.9 Take steps to develop female research active staff, particularly in SET departments, to improve the proportion of female staff submitted to REF2020

To develop a programme for female staff to encourage production of research outputs

Research and KT Office/HR

Programme to be started in April 2015 recruitment of 20 female staff to programme

Attendance by female staff at programme of events



Action Description/objective Action to date

Responsibility Timescale Success Measure

3.1 Analyse appointment data by grade and gender for future years

Monitoring whether females are more likely to be appointed to

lower grade roles

HR/Steering Group

Study of appointment data for 2014/15 to take

place in Autumn term 2015

Report to Equality Forum and

recommendations

3.2 Monitor staff who do not make application to Promotions Committee when eligible to assess any gender bias.

Female staff may have a lower opinion of their achievements

than their male counterparts. This will be assessed by collecting

information from Heads of Department on reasons why staff

do not put themselves forward

HR/Steering Group/Heads of

Department

Next Promotions Committee meets in

June/July 2015. Heads of Department are circulated

with eligible staff in March. A questionnaire

will follow this circulation

Responses from HoDs allow analysis by

gender of failure to submit applications

3.3 Monitor the number of years male and female staff remain in post before promotion or leaving

Career progression can happen by moving job in addition to

promotion. A gender bias may suggest females are not mobile or have other issue preventing their

promotion

Steering Group/HR

Research will begin in March 2015 with the

expectation of a report in early 2016

Report considered by Equality Forum and recommendations

made



Action Description/objective Action to date

Responsibility Timescale Success Measure

3.4 Provide information to staff on key career transition points

Female staff in particular may not be strategic in advancing their

careers

Staff development on “Making

Professor” to be held in

March 2015

HR/Senior female staff/Female

Professors

On-going

Staff development sessions to be held

regularly

Increase in female professors

3.5 To undertake a career mapping project which will review the approach to career progression for women

To review the approach to career progression; for example reviewing/ clarifying various career pathways alongside support mechanisms required to enable appropriate progression which could include support where employees chose to change their career path.

Project started under the GEM action plan

HR/Equality Forum

Completion by July 2015 New policy and process for promotions

3.6 To investigate options for external coaching and/or other forms of support and development to be aimed at staff with caring responsibilities

To source potential suppliers of such a coaching service.

To discuss with the Steering Group and Equality Forum members how such a provision could be most effectively implemented.

Started under GEM Action Plan

HR Programme of coaching during 2015/16 academic year

5 female staff attend coaching programme




3.7 To consider the outcomes of the Mentoring Pilot and make recommendations to Equality Forum

Mentoring pilot will be evaluated and opinions of participants sought. We aim to spread the mentor scheme widely in the University

Mentoring pilot started by HR

HR/Athena SWAN Steering Group/Equality Forum/Senior Management Team (SMT)

December 2015 Feedback received from participants. Recommendations made to Equality Forum

3.8 To continue the current networking groups for female staff and receive feedback as to their future direction

1962 group and University Women’s Networking Forum are admirable initiatives, but it is necessary to ensure they have a sustainable future

Both groups have met

Athena Swan Steering Group/HR/Equality Forum/All female staff particularly those in senior posts

On-going Networking groups have good membership and attendance at meetings. Average of 20 attendees for the Women’s Networking Forum




4.1 Monitor appointments to senior posts to ensure equality of opportunity

No evidence of bias exists, but this needs to be monitored into the

future

Athena SWAN Steering Group

On-going Steering group considers evidence annually

4.2 Ensure advertisements and application packs for senior posts are friendly towards female applicants

Wording checked on advertisements and information to applicants and stress our family-friendly policies

Started under the GEM action plan

HR On-going Details of family-friendly policies explicit to applicants. Advertisements attract more

female applicants

4.3 To provide a comprehensive management development programme with the objective of increasing representation of females at senior level

To fund at least 4 members of female staff per annum, over the next 3 years, through the Leadership Foundation’s Aurora programme. To enhance the University management development programmes.

Started under GEM action plan

HR/SMT On-going % of female programme participants on training and development programmes monitored and reported. Aurora programme completed and benefits/ feedback sought from the participants on benefits. Internal promotions of staff monitored and reported to the Equality Forum




4.4 Appoint at least one female to the Senior Team within the next three years

New senior female staff member to be sought by promotion or external recruitment

Vice Chancellor/Unive

rsity Council

By September 2018 Female member of Senior Team

4.5 Gender balance on Committees to be published and monitored

To highlight Committee where genders are not proportional

Committee Secretaries/Athena SWAN Steering Group/Equality Forum

Monitoring each September

Steering Group receives data and makes recommendations

4.6 Managers to be aware of gender balance when nominating for Committees

To ensure male staff as nominated as frequently as females for all committees. Equality training to highlight this to Managers

Managers/HR To commence during 2014/15 academic year

Committee membership becomes proportional

4.7 Time spent on Committees to be counted in Staff Workload Planning and monitored by the SAT and all managers

Staff are allowed time which reflects the work involved

Scientia Workload Planning (SWP)

module embedded in University. All

managers trained.

SWP Steering Group

For 2014/15 academic year

SWP reflects the actual time on Committees, Athena SWAN Steering group is satisfied this is happening




4.8 To embed consideration for gender equality into the thinking and processes of committees and their related structures and procedures

Terms of reference for all committees to be reviewed in light of this objective

Started under GEM Action Plan

University Secretary/Senate

By September 2015

All committee members to have undertaken online equality and diversity training.This objective to have been discussed at relevant committees and relevant actions agreed by each individual committee. Minutes available to Steering Group

4.9 Investigate the possibility of introducing a working from home policy

Benefits or detriments of working from home policy to be considered

Athena SWAN Steering Group/HR/Health and Safety Adviser

By September 2015

4.10 Include representation from the Athena SWAN Steering Group on the review of flexible working

Flexible working Policy due to be reviewed over next 12 months

Chair of SAT has written to Director of HR

Chair of Athena SWAN Steering Group

During 12 months to December 2015

Flexible Working Policy considered and updated




4.11 To review maternity/ adoption/ additional paternity pay conditions.

To benchmark UoC maternity pay against other universities and local employers; to make any appropriate proposals for change to SMT

Started as part of GEM Action Plan

HR By July 2015 Parental leave conditions and pay reviewed and recommendations considered by SMT

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