Cambridge University Reporter


Joint Report of the Council and the General Board on a Disability Equality Policy

The COUNCIL and the GENERAL BOARD beg leave to report to the University as follows:

Introduction

1. The University's Equal Opportunities Policy was approved by Grace 3 of 22 May 2002, while the University's policy statement on race equality was approved by Grace 2 of 23 July 2003. Under the Disability Discrimination Act 2005 (DDA) the University is required to have in place a similar policy statement on disability equality.

2. The proposed policy statement on disability equality set out in paragraphs 3-6 below will further develop and clarify aspects of the general Equal Opportunities Policy (Statutes and Ordinances, p. 150) (http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/offices/personnel/policy/equal.html), spelling out the University's commitment to fulfilling its duties under the Disability Discrimination Act 2005 (DDA) including the new duty to promote disability equality.

Policy statement

3. The University is committed, in its pursuit of academic excellence to equality of opportunity and to a pro-active and inclusive approach to equality, which supports and encourages all under-represented groups, promotes an inclusive culture, and values diversity. This commitment is underpinned by the University's core values, expressed in its mission statement:

freedom of thought and expression,

freedom from discrimination.

4. The University is therefore committed to promoting disability equality, seeking to eliminate disability discrimination, and promoting the new positive statutory duty for disability (which came into force in December 2006). In pursuit of these goals the University will:

(i) assess the impact of policies on disabled students and staff;
(ii) monitor the recruitment and progress of disabled students and staff;
(iii) set out arrangements for publishing the results of its impact assessments and monitoring.

5. The University will fulfil these duties in relation to all aspects of its work, namely governance, leadership, and management; research and scholarship; student admissions, access, and widening participation; assessment and academic progress; teaching and learning, including curriculum design and delivery; provision and access to support services; staff recruitment, selection, training, career development, and progression; conduct; partnerships and community links. These are functions directly affecting staff and students at work and study.

6. The University recognizes that all areas of its activities are interconnected and interdependent. Thus all members of the University and all staff share a collective responsibility for these functions, according to their individual roles and responsibilities, and all are expected to have due regard to the duties and goals set out above. The Council and the General Board have a particular responsibility in relation to all these functions, on behalf of the Regent House and the University. Those in leadership and other senior roles, such as heads of institutions, also have special responsibility for many of these functions.

Recommendations

7. The Council and the General Board recommend:

I. That approval be given for the policy for disability equality set out in paragraphs 3-6 above.

II. That the Council and the General Board be given authority to approve such activity plans as they consider necessary in the interests of efficient operation of the policy or to reflect future changes in legislation.

23 July 2007 ALISON RICHARD, Vice-Chancellor S. J. COWLEY VERONICA SUTHERLAND
 Z. BARANSKI S. ENSOR-ROSE LIBA TAUB
 NIGEL BROWN D. W. B. MACDONALD JOAN M. WHITEHEAD
 WILLIAM BROWN G. A. REID RICHARD WILSON
 J. COMERFORD DAVID SIMON S. J. YOUNG

 

11 July 2007 ALISON RICHARD, Vice-Chancellor PHILIP FORD MELVEENA MCKENDRICK
 JOHN BELL RICHARD HUNTER PATRICK SISSONS
 TOM BLUNDELL KATHERINE LINDER I. H. WHITE
 P. COULTHARD D. W. B. MACDONALD