Disability Equality Scheme
University of St Andrews Disability Equality Scheme
Scheme Created: November 2006
- Introduction
- Background information about the University of St Andrews
- Disability Action Plan
Introduction
The Disability Discrimination Act (1995) was introduced in order to improve access and opportunities for people with disabilities. Under the DDA it is unlawful to discriminate against a person with a disability. Additionally, organisations are required to make 'reasonable adjustments' so that people with disabilities can access employment and services. Although this law has been in place for 11 years, there is a general view that it does not go far enough in eradicating barriers for people with disabilities. For this reason new disability legislation will be introduced in December 2006. The new legislation, which is referred to as the Disability Equality Duty and is incorporated into the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 by means of the Disability Discrimination Act 2005 requires organisations to be proactive in promoting positive attitudes and disability equality. Part of the new legislation requires that all public bodies publish a Disability Equality Scheme which details the organisation's plans for promoting disability equality.
This is the University's first Disability Equality Scheme. The scheme details how the University intends to consolidate its achievements to date in the area of disability equality but also describes how it will build on its successes for students and develop a disability agenda for staff that will strive to promote confidence and openness in this challenging area of equality.
The scheme will aim to remove, wherever possible, any barriers that exist for disabled staff and students who try to access employment and education at the University of St Andrews.
Much work has already been done on the student side to remove barriers and therefore enable more students to fulfil their potential. In time, it is hoped that this scheme and successive schemes will enable the University to become a disability confident organisation in the area of employment to ensure that all current and potential employees are aware that they will be valued for the skills, attributes and experience that they bring to the organisation.
This Disability Equality Scheme should be read in conjunction with the University's Disability Equality Policy and Equality Statement.
Background information about the University of St Andrews and Disability Equality
The University of St Andrews is the oldest university in Scotland and the third oldest in the UK. It is not a campus university but is closely integrated with the town. Most departments are located in one of three main sites. However the campus is spread around the town and access can be an issue in some areas.
The University has been committed to disability equality for a considerable period of time as described in the Equality Statement and more recently, the Disability Equality Policy.
The University also has a Disability Advisory Group which covers both staff and students. The group reports to the Equal Opportunities Committee and is tasked with taking forward the Disability agenda.
Staff and disability
The diversity training that all University staff must undertake contains an element that concentrates on general disability equality issues. It is recognised, however, that more needs to be done in this area to promote disability equality and this will be covered in the disability action plan.
Currently, the University will support a member of staff by making reasonable adjustments if they develop a disability but this, by its very nature, is a reactive response to the situation. The new Disability Equality Duty requires that the University becomes proactive and actively promotes disability equality.
The information that the University currently holds regarding staff that have disabilities is inaccurate so it is not possible to be sure how many staff have a disability and what type of disability it is.
The challenge is to gather accurate information with regards to disabilities and use it for the benefit of current and future employees.
Students and disability
Support for students with disabilities and learning difficulties happens in a variety of ways. These are described below.
Admission to the University
Our Admissions Policy states that all students will be judged primarily on academic merit and only after a decision whether or not to offer a place has been taken do we consider the implications of any disability. Any final offers of admission will be made after discussions with applicants about measures necessary to offset any disadvantage arising from a disability.
The Residential System
The Residential System at the University of St Andrews offers a wide choice of accommodation for students with many different needs, whether it is independent living with self-catering, meal programmes including some special diets, wheelchair access, telephone and computer access. Wherever feasible, adaptations have been made to suit specific needs. However, this choice is not available in every residence. Therefore students with particular requirements may have a more limited choice of residence. Some of the residential buildings are very old - e.g. Deans Court - and although the facilities are modern, the access externally and internally would not be suitable for wheelchair users. However, all recent residence buildings, e.g. Albany Park, Stanley Smith and Angus Houses and Agnes Blackadder Hall are designed for wheelchair access. Parking for disabled students is available at these residences and assistance with access to transport where necessary will be given. Priority for students with disabilities is given when allocating residences.
Student Services
Student Services provide a comprehensive range of support for all students; some of the services provided will be of particular benefit to students with disabilities, ongoing medical conditions, mental health difficulties or learning difficulties.
The Disability Team
The Disability Team has the primary role of providing support, information and advice to students on any problem, which directly, or indirectly, affects their academic performance.
This is viewed as the first point of contact for any student with a disability or learning difficulty. The Service is "needs led" and therefore continually attempts to expand to meet the needs of the students. It also works with other departments within the University and forges links with other agencies, both in Fife and nationally. This may include referring students to specialist services such as solicitors, benefit advisers, RNIB or community mental health services.
The Disability Team consists of a Disability Adviser and Dyslexia Adviser who are the key contacts for anyone with a disability, ongoing medical condition, mental health difficulties or learning difficulties. In addition, the team also has two specialised computing officers who provide students with expert advice on adaptive technology and/or assistive software. They also maintain the computer lab for students with a disability or a learning difficulty.
The primary role of the Advisers in this team is to identify and put in place students' teaching and examination arrangements. This information is passed to academic schools via a computer system called Disability Information Flow. Advisers also identify services that already exist in the University and develop new resources where a gap is found. The Advisers aim to ensure that the needs of individual students have been identified prior to their arrival and they act as mediators should problems nevertheless occur. They will help students who are applying for financial assistance (e.g. Disabled Student Allowances) and will arrange for Needs Assessments if necessary.
Arrangements for any personal helpers, readers, scribes or note takers for students who require them are administered through the Disabilities Team. A number of items of specialist equipment are available on loan through the Disabilities Team.
Disability Co-ordinators
Disability Co-ordinators have been appointed in each 'School' or group of academic teaching and service units. This provides the Disability Adviser with extra assistance and a network of shared experience is built up. If a problem arises during the semester, a student can approach the Disability Co-ordinator in the school or unit in the first instance. The Co-ordinators help the Disability Team to monitor the provision for students with disabilities in each school of study.
Academia
It is expected that students will find the staff in this University committed to assisting students in whatever way they can. To aid academic staff in providing appropriate assistance for students with a wide range of disabilities and learning difficulties the University has written procedural guidelines called `Academia and SENDA'. As well as providing assistance academic staff can be required to provide their course material in an accessible format. To streamline the process of placing academic material into accessible formats (e.g. Braille, audio, large print etc) the University has established a central transcription service called the Alternative Format Suite (AFS).
IT equipment
It may be that a student will wish to bring his or her own supporting equipment. However, the University does have a variety of specialised equipment available for students with disabilities. Some of this is available on loan to students, on a short-term basis, for them to try out software/hardware before purchasing or temporarily to replace malfunctioning equipment.
Student representation
The Students' Association has three elected student officers representing the needs of students with disabilities: the Students with Disabilities Officer, the Student Support Officer and the Director of Representation.
Involving disabled staff and students
The Disability Equality Duty emphasises the requirement to involve disabled staff and students in every aspect of creating and implementing a Disability Equality Scheme.
So far, several steps to involve disabled people have been taken including having an open meeting of the Disability Advisory Group and advertising for disabled staff and staff interested in the area of disability equality to become involved in the formulation of the scheme. A number of members of staff came forward and a consultation lunch was organised to discuss how the University should take forward the disability equality agenda.
Various voluntary and statutory organisations were consulted as well.
The attempts to involve disabled people have not been a great success so far and this presents another particularly difficult challenge to the University and one that will be considered further in the action plan.
Impact assessments
The aim of an impact assessment is to examine policies and practice in a structured way to ensure that disproportionately adverse effects on particular groups, in this instance, disabled people, are avoided.
The University is currently in the process of devising an impact assessment process that will cover all aspects of equality. It is, therefore, envisaged that equality impact assessments will be approached in a holistic way and that disability will not have separate impact assessments done.
The University Estate
In the University, some of whose buildings date back to medieval times, access can be a problem for teaching and administration buildings for this reason the University has an ongoing Physical access strategy whereby older buildings are adapted where possible and new builds and refurbishments are completed in line with the current building regulations and Disability Legislation. To enhance the Physical estate, the University has recently adopted a Building Access Policy and a Signage guidelines.
Disability Action Plan
General action points:
Disability awareness training for students and staff
- To make staff and students aware of what their responsibilities are under the Disability Equality Scheme we intend to do the following:
- Targets:
- Organise road shows to take the information to staff and students. These road shows will be organised and rolled out by December 2007.
- Consider what other training may be required by April 2007.
Staff, student and public involvement
- Involve disabled staff and students, as well as those externally who have an interest in disability equality in all aspects of the University's DES.
- Target: Consider innovative ways to do this on an ongoing basis.
Disability Equality Policy
- Outlines the University's approach to students and staff with disabilities.
- Target: To annually review this policy in June.
University Committees
- To ensure that disability issues become incorporated into the agendas of all University Committees.
- Target: Review the various University Committees and consider how to raise awareness of disability issues - December 2008.
Physical access in the University estate
- Continue with the programme of improving disabled access in the existing estate and any new builds.
- Targets:
- Update accessibility survey;
- Implement and review the Building Access Policy;
- Impact assess the Building Access Policy;
- Improve the room booking system for teaching space by September 2007.
Website
- To provide both an internal and external disability information resource (eg Academia and SENDA) for staff and students. Provide a space for individuals to ask questions, highlight concerns and/or issues and give feedback on disability matters. This information will then be fed into the ongoing development of the DES.
- Target: Design and develop a website by June 2007.
Forms (e.g. application form) and marketing material
- Ensuring that all external material is accessible and positively promotes disability.
- Target: Review of all external material (including staff and student application forms and prospectuses) by September 2008.
Central Services (e.g. Library, career services, registry, admissions, residential and business services, sports centre etc)
- Review of and develop services for people with disabilities.
- Target: Each of the central services to develop their own action plan Library, career services, registry, admissions, residential and business services, sports centre etc by February 2008.
Inclusive IT
- To take a more inclusive approach to IT provision across the University.
- Target: Assistive software/technology available across the University IT Network by September 2008.
Student Action Points
Disability Information Flow (DIF)
- Dif is due to be replaced by an E vision system being developed by IT Services.
- Targets:
- Replacement system to be in place by September 2007;
- Collect and analyse feedback on new system by May 2008.
Alternative Format Suite (AFS)
- To develop and widen the range of services offered by the AFS.
- Targets:
- Annually review software and update where necessary;
- Establish a feedback system for reviewing the service by May 2007.
Academia and SENDA
- In order to ensure accuracy of available information we intend to do the following:
- Target: Annually review content by July each year.
Disability Co-ordinators
- The role of Disability Co-ordinators will be reviewed and enhanced in order to achieve further recognition of the work they do within their departments for students with disabilities. We intend to do the following:
- Targets:
- Define the role of the disability co-ordinator and write a job description by February 2007.
- Structure regular meetings between the co-ordinators for exchanging good practice and discussing issues. A timetable of these meetings will be issued by February 2007.
Inhouse assessment
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To assess students with Dyslexia for their Disabled Student Allowance in-house.
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Targets:
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To implement the in-house assessment service for students with Dyslexia by December 2006.
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Establish and roll out a system for monitoring the service by May 2007.
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Following its first year in operation, plan to expand the service to students with other disabilities by September 2008.
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Disability Information
- Provide better information on support for student with disabilities during their studies at the University.
- Target: Overhaul the current Disability Statement to provide up to date information for applicants and existing students by August 2007.
Feedback
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To collect accurate data on the student experience of Student Services.
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Target: Review and enhance feedback systems for students with disabilities by March 2008.
University Feedback
- To improve general feedback on the student and staff experience at the University.
- Target: All existing and any new forms of feedback to include a section on disability by June 2009.
Statistics
- Gather data which will provide a picture of how students with disabilities progress during and after University.
- Target: Annually collect and analyse statistics in terms of recruitment, retention, progression within the university, progression post graduation by Dec 2009.
Curriculum
- To ensure that all academic courses/material are inclusive, accessible and positively promote disability.
- Targets:
- Link in with the existing validation process.
- Link in with the existing Quality Assurance process.
- Establish a forum for good practice for academics to exchange ideas on good practice.
Exams
- To ensure a fair and efficient exam arrangement system.
- Target: Review of exam processes following each exam diet.
Staff Action Points
Information/Statistics
- Develop a management information resource that provides an accurate picture of the numbers of staff with disabilities and the types of disabilities that are prevalent within the University.
- Targets:
- Design and issue an anonymous questionnaire to all staff by March 2007.
- Collate this information by June 2007.
- Plan how this information should be utilised by August 2007.
External Resources
- Various external resources exist to aid organisations when dealing with staff disabilities.
- Target: Investigate what resources are available and consider whether they are useful for the University by May 2007.
Organisational Culture
- It is very difficult to get staff to come forward and declare a disability because, at present, they cannot see a benefit to doing this or are suspicious as to why the University would want to know about a disability.
- Target: Considers ways to change this culture if possible by training, raising awareness etc. This will be an ongoing long-term objective.
Recruitment and Selection
- The University already ensures that disability discrimination does not come into the recruitment and selection process but the processes should be reviewed and enhanced if appropriate.
- Targets:
- Evaluate and review the R&S processes and procedures by May 2007.
- Evaluate the disability element of the R&S training to ensure it is thorough enough by March 2007
- Ensure that Human Resources Recruitment staff are given enough information to be able to identify any potential discriminatory elements in recruitment paperwork by May 2007.
Support for Disabled Staff
- Staff need to be aware what help is available for them from the University should they have or develop a disability.
- Target:
- Devise a document that explores the different practical aspects of supporting a member of staff who develops or has a disability and ensure that it is publicised effectively by summer 2007.
If you have any queries regarding the content of this document, or, if you would like to become involved with the disability equality agenda in the University, please contact: