Final Report of the Equality Impact Assessment (EIA) OF STUDENT ADMISSIONS

MARCH 2009

The Equality Impact Assessment Panel of Student Admissions was established in February 2008.

Membership and Terms of Reference of the Equality Impact Assessment panel

Membership

Dr Leon Burnett (Chair) (Dean of Humanities and Comparative Studies)

Ms Karen Bush (Clerk) (Human Resources)

Ms Rachel Earle (Communications and External Relations)

Ms Linda Pearsall (Learning and Teaching Unit)

Ms Marilyn Shanks (International Academy)

Ms Debbie Stewart (Centre for Psychoanalytic Studies)

Ms Nicola East (Communications and External Relations) and Ms Joanne Tallentire (Communications and External Relations) also contributed to the Panel.

Terms of Reference

i. to review the procedures, policies and practices used in the admission of students at the University of Essex and to assess whether these procedures, policies and practices have a differential impact on equality target groups;

ii. to consider appropriate data;

iii. to consult as appropriate;

iv. to make recommendations for change as appropriate;

v. to report to the Equality and Diversity Committee.

Summary

The Panel carried out a comprehensive review of the procedures, policies and practices used in the admission of students and identified a number of examples of good practice. These include a comprehensive training programme and Handbook for Student Ambassadors who play an essential and important role in the admissions process; a well-organised and planned programme of visit and open days; helpfulness of staff in Departments/Schools and the Admissions Office during the admissions process.

The Panel identified no areas for concern, whilst recognising that there is incomplete information relating to students applying for ‘non-standard’ courses.

The Panel would also like to make the Equality and Diversity Committee aware that this Equality Impact Assessment had proved to be a huge undertaking and could have been better managed if it were split into undergraduate and postgraduate admissions.

The following report to the Equality and Diversity Committee details the recommendations of the Panel undertaking the Equality Impact Assessment (EIA) panel of Student Admissions.

Final Report

Equality Impact Assessment (EIA) Report Template

1. Details
Policy being assessed			Student Admissions
Is this policy a new, revised or existing policy?			Existing
Policy-holding Section/Department			Communications and External Relations *
Chair of EIA Panel			Dr Leon Burnett
Members of EIA Panel			Dr Leon Burnett (Chair) (Dean of Humanities and Comparative Studies Ms Rachel Earle (External Relations) Ms Linda Pearsall (Learning and Teaching Unit) Ms Marilyn Shanks (International Academy) Ms Debbie Stewart (Centre for Psychoanalytic Studies)
Secretary to EIA Panel			Ms Karen Bush (Personnel)
Date of EIA			17/4/08 (initial brainstorming meeting), 14/5/08 (panel meeting 1), 14/7/08 (informal meeting of a subset of the panel), 10/11/08 (panel meeting 2), 26/2/09 (panel meeting 3).
* The Panel recognises that some responsibility is devolved to Departments/Schools and some policy is being developed at Department/School level.
2. Aims of the Policy
Identify all the aims and projected outcomes of the policy To provide staff and students with information relating to the student admissions process Note: There is currently no overarching University Policy for the admission of students.
Which individuals are likely to have an interest in the policy? (e.g. staff, students, potential students, etc.) Staff, prospective students, internal and external stakeholders who support applicants
3. Consider the Evidence
What relevant quantitative data has been considered in relation to the following areas? Please list below all data/information you have used to inform your impact assessment, including source & reference.
Age		Total number of applications for 2007 by Department by:- Ø age (in age bands) Ø percentage of rejected applicants (in age bands) Data supplied by External Relations
Disability		Total number of applications for 2007 by Department by:- Ø percentage declaring a disability Ø disability code Ø percentage of rejected applicants declaring a disability Data supplied by External Relations
Gender		Total number of applications for 2007 by Department by:- Ø gender (male or female) Ø percentage of rejected applicants by gender Data supplied by External Relations
Race		None (until 2008 no data was available for undergraduate students and for postgraduate students up to 2008 this information was only requested from UK residents. From the 2008 entry cycle all applicants are being asked to provide this information).
Religion/Belief		None available
Sexual Orientation		None available
Other		None

What relevant qualitative data has been considered in relation to the following areas?
Age		Information given to, and required from, applicants under the age of 18
Disability		‘Thoughts on disclosure’ – a paper provided by Rowena Macauley, Chair of the Access Forum at Essex. Car parking procedures for disabled applicants
Gender		N/A
Race		N/A
Religion/Belief		N/A
Sexual Orientation		N/A
Other		Information and training given to Student Ambassadors Information given to students relating to the interview process Form completed by admission selectors following an interview

What (if any) gaps were identified in the data or information available?
Age		None
Disability		None
Gender		None
Race		None
Religion/Belief		None
Sexual Orientation		None
Other		Data for applicants to ‘non-standard’ courses is incomplete. A separate database - the ‘others’ database - is used for some of these applicants (some are not recorded on any database) but information recorded is not consistent with what is recorded for undergraduate and postgraduate applicants i.e. in some cases only successful applicants’ details are recorded – those rejected are not.

4. Consultation
If you have undertaken a consultation exercise as part of this EIA, please give details.
Who was consulted?		Current students Admissions selectors (undergraduate and postgraduate)
What form did the consultation take?		An on-line survey for students An email survey for admissions selectors
What was the outcome of the consultation process?		Results of the surveys were analysed by the Panel and, where appropriate, were used to inform the Panel recommendations

5. Assessment of likely impact
From the analysis of the data and information available, has any potential for differential / adverse impact been identified? If yes, please explain what this impact is. If the differential impact is intentional or justifiable, please explain why.
Age		No adverse impact identified
Disability		No adverse impact identified
Gender		No adverse impact identified
Race		No adverse impact identified
Religion/Belief		No adverse impact identified
Sexual Orientation		No adverse impact identified
Other		No adverse impact identified

6. Consider alternatives
Summarise the actions that could be taken / changes that could be made in order to remove or reduce the potential for differential / adverse impact.
Summarise what changes the EIA recommends be made to the policy to remove or reduce the potential for differential / adverse impact. The Panel recommends that there should be an overarching University Admissions Policy that sets out the principles that govern the admission of students. The Panel recommends that guidelines on the University’s admissions procedures should be developed for Departments/Schools. The Panel recognises that these guidelines will be different for different groups of applicants and that it would be appropriate, for example, for The Graduate School to develop them for PGR applicants, and Graduate Admissions for PGT applicants. The Panel recommends that all applicants to the University are recorded on a centrally-managed database to allow for comprehensive statistical monitoring. The Panel recommends that all staff involved in admissions selection should be required to undertake appropriate training. The Panel recommends that the Admissions Qualifications Review Group’s (AQRG) Terms of Reference are amended to include the following:- 'to take into consideration the University’s Statement on Equality and Diversity’. The Panel recommends that the University’s Statement on Equality and Diversity appears in all publications relating to admissions, including the Admissions web site. The Panel recognises that this process has already begun. The Panel recommends that information relating to ‘Dignity and Respect’ should be included in information given to applicants. (The Panel acknowledges that the Dignity and Respect Working Party is currently considering how best to articulate the University’s values in this area and that the wording given to applicants should come from their recommendations.) The Panel recommends that a sentence should be included on the postgraduate application form stating that all information requested must be provided even if the applicant has previously provided it e.g. when an Essex graduate is applying for the next stage of study The Panel recommends that the ‘others’ category should be re-named. The Panel recommends that everyone who advises the University that they are attending a visit day is given an opportunity to disclose whether they have any special requirements e.g. a disabled parking space The Panel recommends that staff involved in interviewing applicants should be made aware by External Relations of what the applicant has been told to expect from the process. The Panel recommends that equality and diversity issues relating to student admissions should be part of the Faculty Managers’ remit and that Faculty Managers should be encouraged to share good practice with a view to minimizing variance across Departments/Schools.

Equality Impact Assessment Completed This should be signed by the Chair of the EIA Panel
Date 1/3/09	Name (please print) Dr Leon Burnett Position Dean of Humanities and Comparative Studies			Signature