Disability equality scheme - Annual report 2007

1. Introduction
2. Actions achieved or progressed since December 2007
3. Student action points
4. Staff action points

Introduction

This annual report has been produced in line with the annual reporting requirement of the Disability Equality Duty. The University remains committed, at the highest level, to the promotion of disability equality and to the avoidance of disability discrimination in the University community.

Actions achieved or progressed since December 2007

Disability awareness training

• Road Shows have been organised and will be completed by February 2008. We will take feedback and consider how often to undertake this awareness raising training.
• A number of training events have taken place or been organised for this Academic Session - these include general training for Library staff, Admissions Officers, postgraduate tutors, Sports Centre staff and secretarial staff. As well as that, we have put in place some specific training for new academic staff on the SENDA legislation and are implementing training on dyslexia for academic staff.

Staff, student and public involvement

• We have had an ongoing programme of consultation in various forms and at different times including consulting with and reviewing the School Disability Co-ordinator role and getting feedback from disabled students on the services the University provides for them. This will continue throughout this academic session with a short life working group to ensure inclusive and consistent progress for items on the Plan.

Disability equality policy

• Updated and reviewed by June - will be reviewed again next June.

University committees

• This has been fully discussed at Equal Opportunities Committee and Governance and Nominations Committee. The challenge has been taken seriously and innovative ways of integrating all diversity issues are being actively considered and the target of December 2008 should be met.

Physical access to the estate

This is led by the Disability Action Group which meets four times a year.

• Various refurbishments have improved access to several main buildings.
• New buildings such as the Medical Science building have had full consultation over access issues.
• Room booking system installed and operational by September 2007 and will be reviewed in June 2008 to establish effectiveness. Phase 2 next Academic Session.
• Accessibility surveys constantly being updated in a rolling programme.
• Accessible signage policy approved and implemented - to be completed by June 2008.

Website

• Improvement to amount and quality of information on the website re disability matters. A specific space with feedback has been delayed due to the creation of an entire new website for the University, however this should be implemented by August 2008.

Forms

• Ongoing - target date September 2008.

Central services

• Reviews taking place and draft action plans will be in place by February 2008 and reviewed by the Equal Opportunities Committee in June 2008.

Inclusive IT

• Ongoing.

Student action points

DIF - Disability Information Flow

• New evision system implemented and in place for the start of Session 2007-2008.
• Feedback ongoing and will be analysed fully in May 2008. We have already had a feedback meeting with users and providers.

Alternative Format Suite

• This has been delayed, however with the set up of the short life working group which will incorporate the Library where the AFS is situated, this should be progress effectively in the first half of 2008.

Academia and SENDA

• Reviewed content and training programme arranged for new staff in early 2008.

Disability Co-ordinators

• A review of the Disability Co-ordinators role was carried out in January 2006 in order to assess the current function of the role within schools and how it might be developed so that it can play an active role in promoting disability awareness.
• A total of 11 Co-ordinators agreed to be interviewed by the University's Disability adviser. The interview consisted of questions about the role within their school.
• From these interviews a report was compiled which detailed how the role functions at present and made seven recommendations on how the role could evolve to allow it to play an active role in promoting positive attitudes towards disability.
• Currently the Disability Team are liaising with Human Resources to compile a new job description for the role as well as looking at ways of implementing the seven key recommendations.

Inhouse assessment

• Inhouse assessment service now operational for students with dyslexia from December 2006.
• Monitoring and feedback system implemented in May 2007 and ongoing.
• Consideration will be given to expanding the service but this may not be possible at present given staffing levels.

Disability information

• Updated information on the website.
• Disability Statement has been reviewed and updated by September 2007.

Feedback

• Trialed pilot feedback scheme for students with disabilities by email in May 2007. This was very successful and we are working with IT services to develop an electronic system for this session.

University feedback

• Ongoing.

Statistics

• Ongoing.

Curriculum

• Ongoing.

Exams

• Regular review meetings held after the two main exam diets.

Staff action points

General

Trialed pilot feedback scheme for students with disabilities by email in May 2007. This was very successful and we are working with IT services to develop an electronic system for this session

Although not included in the original disability action plan, the University has recently revised and updated its Harassment and Bullying Policy which covers both staff and students. This policy impacts on all areas of equality and puts in place robust procedures for dealing, in this context, with harassment as a result of disability.

One of the main actions points from the staff perspective and probably the most difficult to achieve is giving staff confidence to inform the University if they have or develop a disability. An anonymous staff questionnaire has been designed and will be issued to all staff soon. This questionnaire will attempt to establish an accurate picture of how many staff consider themselves to have a disability and what types of disability are most prevalent. This questionnaire will also inform the University whether it offers a satisfactory working environment for disabled staff.

Information and statistics

• Original deadline dates have not been met but an anonymous staff questionnaire will be issued to all staff before the end of December 2007.
• A University representative will be attending an event on 10 December 2007 dedicated to the topic of disability disclosure amongst college and university staff in Scotland.

External resources

• This is ongoing, some interesting information has been gathered regarding the resources available to organisations that have staff with disabilities, but this still has to be collated into a useful resource. This will be done in consultation with Occupational Health as a lot of knowledge already exists within the Occupational Health unit.

Organisational culture

• Ongoing.

Recruitment and selection

• This review is still to be done, although the University is confident that it has the appropriate training and procedures in place to avoid disability discrimination.

Support for disabled staff

• Currently, our attendance management processes are being reviewed and improved, and as part of this review, good practice guidance will be provided which will include support mechanisms for staff who develop or have a disability.

Professor Ronald A Piper
Vice-Principal for Governance & Planning