LHCS Athena Swan actions

Engagement with the process

Representation on the Self-Assessment Team (SAT)

Work towards equal representation of men and women on the SAT
Recruit lecturer grade SAT member
Advertise the SAT to our undergraduate students; recruit student representative.
Recruit AL representative.

Supporting the AS Champions network

As part of the Institutional initiative to support an Athena Swan champions network, LHCS SAT will buddy another School preparing an AS submission.

Undergraduate

Ensure balanced representation of men and women in new Health Sciences curriculum, particularly with respect to employability materials.
Investigate and mitigate the factors affecting performance of Q71 students studying at high intensity by developing appropriate advice and interventions.
For core L2 and L3 Chemistry modules, determine whether the relationship between performance in continuous assessment and likelihood of withdrawal is gender-dependent and develop targeted interventions to align completion rates and pass rates for both genders.
Monitor impact of any changes to the degree classification algorithm by gender.
Record UG student research activity facilitated or supported by the School and destination of these students postgraduation.

Taught postgraduate

Investigate performance of MSc students relative to their first degree, focusing on OU graduates.

Mentoring

Induction

Increasing awareness of EDIA issues

Highlight OU diversity objectives and practices in new staff induction.
Improve reach of Unconscious Bias training among LHCS staff
Extend Unconscious bias training to ALs; particularly important as they are the main point of contact with students.

Data collection and analysis

Key career transition points:

Investigation of factors that cause gender inequality in salary
Improve recording procedures and level of detail on progress of promotion applications.
Monitor the impact of the new AL contract on the career pipeline from AL to regional academic; ensure gender-balanced promotion of staff development opportunities for ALs interested in applying for regional academic positions in LHCS.
Improve descriptions of the regional academic role for potential applicants with no experience of the OU.

Training:

Ensure PDRA academic development support is embedded and becomes business as usual at Faculty level.

Promotions:

LHCS Promotions committee to investigate why men are less successful than women in obtaining promotion to senior lecturer.
Compare success rates with other Schools to determine if LHCS process is supporting men and women equally well.
Develop and support Pathways to Professorship.
Focus group for senior lecturers / readers to gauge opinion on the perceived obstacles to seeking promotion.

Appraisal Process:

Gather more detailed information on perceptions of the CDSA process; identify ways in which it could be improved that are within the control of the School and implement these changes.
Focus group on CDSA process.

Supporting research:

Investigate if lower bidding activity / outputs for women is explained by differences in research time
More detailed analysis of research outputs by gender.

Participation on influential external committees:

Improve data collection on membership of external committees and external examiner roles and develop new ways to promote these activities, particularly among regional academics.

Workload model:

Lobby at Faculty level to have some contingency included in workload allocations.
Investigate how individuals record their actual workloads and develop more consistent guidance for staff on recording such data.
Investigate whether increases in time spent on teaching activities over and above time allocated is due to extra unplanned-for activities or inadequate time allocated for teaching activities.

Promotions:

Identify ways in which curriculum support staff can acquire and demonstrate skills sought for higher grades.
Faculty Level discussion about opportunities for career progression for Curriculum and Administrative support staff.

Appraisal Process: