Respect and Diversity at UWSA Fair Go for all!

Welcome to UWS!

UWS is a secular university, serving a multicultural community.

We are a diverse community of 36 000 students and 3000 staff, representing 175 different countries.

Key points

• UWS is known as a ‘Fair Go’ university.• UWS values mutual respect and civility.• Our policies are conducive to good

community relations and effective teaching and learning.

• There is no place for prejudice and unlawful discrimination at UWS.

Prejudice may be based on • Race, skin colour, ethnicity or religious background, descent

or national identity.• Gender.• Sexual orientation (actual or implied).• Disability (including physical, intellectual and/or psychiatric

disability).• Pregnancy or marital status.• Transgender identity (living or seeking to live as a member of

the opposite sex to one’s birth gender).• Age.• Health status e.g. HIV/AIDS.

What is Discrimination?• Discrimination means treating

someone less favourably because they happen to belong to a particular group of people.

• Discrimination can be either lawful and unlawful.

• Most of discrimination based on prejudice is unlawful in Australia.

Unlawful DiscriminationSome discriminatory behaviour is prohibited by law:

• Race Discrimination Act, 1975.• Sex Discrimination Act, 1984.• Disability Discrimination Act,1992 and the Education Standards (2005).• Age Discrimination Act (2004).• NSW Anti-Discrimination Act 1977.

Lawful Discrimination

Some discrimination is lawful.E.g. failing some units of study and not

meeting the progression requirements may mean a student is excluded from studying at UWS.

This is a form of lawful discrimination, because it is based on reasonable grounds.

Some behaviours occur as expressions of prejudice

• Vilification

• Harassment

• Bullying

What is Vilification?

Is a public rather than private slanderous statement that uses Freedom of Expression to defame particular groups, denying them respect.• E.g. Making speeches or distributing material,

smearing, defaming or denigrating Jews, Arabs, women, gays etc.This could incite others to hate or for violence against a group of people based on prejudice.

What is Harassment? In general, harassment is any form of persistent or continued public behaviour that;

• you do not want.• targets you specifically .•offends, humiliates or intimidates you.

Not all harassment is unlawful, but at UWS any form of harassment is unacceptable.

Examples of Harassment:• Nazi salutes offending German or Jewish

students.• Sexually suggestive remarks about a person’s

body or appearance.• Offensive phone calls, emails or text messages.• Making offensive remarks about another’s

cultural practices e.g. Muslim prayers.• Making homophobic jokes in the presence of a

gay student.• Writing graffiti about a specific student .

What is Bullying?

• Bulling occurs when someone engages in repeated unreasonable behaviour that intimidates, degrades or humiliates a person or persons, and/or has the potential to create a risk to health, safety and wellbeing, including psychological, emotional, and physical health

• Bullying is against UWS policy and will not be tolerated.

Bullying can be open or secretive

• Open – includes shouting, being verbally abusive, intimidating or humiliating someone in front of a group.

• Secretive – eg, sending terse or threatening emails, or using gossip to undermine someone.

• Don’t support bullying, either by participating in it or condoning it by your silence.

A fair go at UWS

UWS supports your right to be treated with dignity, respect and goodwill.

If you experience or witness discrimination, harassment,

vilification or bullyingYou or the victim should contact• Your lecturer, Unit Co-ordinator, Program Head

or Head of School.• A grievance advisor or the Complaints Unit.

Equity and Diversity Unit

• Phone (02) 9678 7378.

• Monday to Friday 9.00 am– 5.00 pm.

• Building AK Werrington North Campus.

• UWS Equity and Diversity policies and website can be found at:

www.uws.edu.au/equity

Further informationFor further information and practical assistance please visit:• Equity and Diversity http://www.uws.edu.au/equity• Student Support Services

http://www.uws.edu.au/students/ods• UWS policies procedures and guidelines

http://policies.uws.edu.au/• Complaints Management and Resolution

http://www.uws.edu.au/about/adminorg/corpserv/opq/complaint