A/8.4 Equal opportunity and diversity

Policy Owner	Director, Equity
Approval Date	08/08/2017
Approval Authority	Vice-Chancellor and President
Date of Next Review	01/08/2020

8.4.1 Purpose
8.4.2 Application
8.4.3 Roles and responsibilities
8.4.4 Rights and responsibilities
8.4.5 Inclusive environment and culture
8.4.6 Knowledge and community
8.4.7 Planning
8.4.8 Definitions
Related Documents
Modification History

8.4.1 Purpose

Consistent with its vision, goals and organisational values, QUT will embed social justice philosophy and practices into all aspects of its activities. This enhances the University's core business, as well as enhancing the opportunities of disadvantaged students and staff.

QUT aims to:

respect and protect the rights of its students and staff;
promote a fair and inclusive educational and work environment;
ensure its graduates possess a sense of social and ethical responsibility; and
contribute to the social well-being of the local community, Australia and other nations.

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8.4.2 Application

This policy applies to staff, students and members of the QUT community in all operations of QUT.

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8.4.3 Roles and responsibilities

Position	Responsibility
Managers and supervisors (within their scope of authority)	ensure that workplace and study environments are inclusive and free of discrimination and harassment implement equal opportunity and diversity policy in all aspects of their area’s activities
Director, Equity	provide advice, strategy and direction for social justice matters across all areas of activity for QUT staff and students
University Equity Committee	recommends policy initiatives and provides advice to the Vice-Chancellor and President on equity and diversity issues according to its terms of reference (A/8.9)

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8.4.4 Rights and responsibilities

All students, staff and members of the QUT community have individual rights

to be treated fairly by the University and by each other
to study and work in an environment free from discrimination and harassment.

To respect and protect these rights, QUT will

educate and inform members of the University community about their rights and responsibilities (QUT Staff Code of Conduct and QUT Student Code of Conduct);
review and reform University practices to ensure they are inclusive and non-discriminatory; and
administer grievance resolution procedures.

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8.4.5 Inclusive environment and culture

The student and staff body should reflect the cultural and social diversity of the community. Therefore, under-represented and disadvantaged groups will have particular outreach and recruitment strategies, especially students and staff who are Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people, low-income students, rural students, and students and staff with a disability.

All students and staff should experience a sense of belonging which arises from an inclusive learning and working environment which respects diversity. Therefore, learning experiences, on-campus services and administrative procedures for students, as well as career development and management practices for staff, will be fair.

With regard to equal opportunity, QUT acknowledges that treating all people in the same way does not necessarily result in fairness or equality. To promote equality of outcomes for staff and students, the University recognises that social disadvantage creates barriers to success, and that targeted attention to overcome these barriers is a necessary precursor to true equality. Thus, the University's equal opportunity activities encompass particular support and assistance measures for students and staff in equity groups at QUT.

The objective is for the pass rates, attrition rates and satisfaction levels of students in equity groups to be comparable with those of other students, and for promotion rates, resignation rates and satisfaction levels of staff in equity groups to be comparable with those of other staff.

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8.4.6 Knowledge and community

As an institution whose core business is knowledge, QUT has a unique role to play in both the social justice knowledge and skills which graduates acquire, and the social justice aspects of research.

Graduates of QUT will have a sense of social and ethical responsibility, and an understanding of Indigenous and international perspectives (C/4.3). QUT courses will be characterised by content, pedagogy and assessment embedded with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ perspectives, inter-cultural perspectives, and an understanding of social justice. Students in their work integrated learning and community engagement / service learning activities should have opportunities to engage with disadvantaged and marginalised communities.

Staff at QUT will ensure that their research activities include a positive impact on disadvantaged and marginalised groups in the broader community.

The University's community engagement activities will reflect its civic responsibility and be inclusive of culturally and socially diverse communities.

With regard to public policy, the University will contribute its knowledge, analytical skills and ideas through public debate and consultancies which include a social justice perspective.

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8.4.7 Planning

To give effect to its social justice policy aspirations, QUT will infuse equity considerations into its planning, reporting and accountability arrangements. From time to time, priority issues will emerge, such as alleviating student poverty or supporting staff and students who identify as lesbian; gay; bisexual; transgender; intersex; queer or questioning; asexual, agender or aromantic; or other diverse genders and sexualities (LGBTIQA+).

Training and awareness-raising programs and appropriate resourcing will be available to inspire and enable staff and students to engage with social justice activities. Reward and recognition schemes will acknowledge the equity-related achievements of staff and students.

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8.4.8 Definitions

Affirmative action programs

Affirmative action programs do not constitute unlawful or unfair discrimination. The University has such programs to assist various groups of people by removing barriers in employment and education which are the result of historical or existing disadvantage, harassment and discrimination. These programs are not inconsistent with anti-discrimination or human rights laws and, for some groups, are required by law and/or policy.

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Modification History

Date	Sections	Source	Details
08.08.17	All	Vice-Chancellor	Revised and simplified policy
25.08.11	All	Equity Director	Periodic review - No change required
29.11.07	All	Vice-Chancellor	Revised and renamed policy as part of revised policy framework for social justice (endorsed by Equity Board 23.08.07)

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