Dear Louisa,
Thank you for your request and I hope my response will be of assistance am
also putting it out onto other colleagues who might find these issues on
RRAA AND HESA Monitoring Categories useful, since it has been one of those
widely asked questions. Indeed some might want to ask/contribute further
useful questions based on what we are discussing. I certainly hope you do
not mind.
While the HESA categories are the revised categories that HESA recommends
under the census 2001 specifications, I would strongly advise you to use the
Commission for Racial Equality amended categories on page 68 of the Ethnic
Monitoring Guide, for the following reasons:
1. They are clearer than the HESA recommendations in that they enable your
institution to expand your monitoring base and not be restricted. The Code's
recommendations are only a bare minimum and institutions are allowed to
expand their categories. This is an advantage given that institutions might
find that they need to record different categories which might not
necessarily be included in the HESA recommendations. Moreover any extra
categories you use will still have the HESA ones nestled within them. You
will therefore still be able to provide HESA with what they need while at
the same time you will not fall short of the RRAA requirements.
2. The HESA categories do not instruct you to "write in" the other
categories that are not defined. This will not only fall short of the RRAA
Specific Duty of monitoring by racial group categories, but also distort
your monitoring picture by only monitoring some of your racial groups and
not all, as instructed by the Code. It would therefore defeat the whole
reason why you are monitoring in the first place. We also need to remember
that HEIs are likely to have a significant number of overseas students and
staff who will have to be accurately monitored and also will need to have
any policy impact accurately assessed, by racial group, in order for you to
maintain your race equality policy and race equality - proof your relevant
institutional functions under both the Specific and General Duties of the
RRAA.
3. As a start, I would also suggest you look at re-classifying all your
staff and students under the new categories, otherwise how are you going to
start reflecting the true institutional picture, by racial group.In other
words, after 31 May 2002, how are you going to start to implement the
Monitoring and Impact Assessment specific duties, relative to the advice of
the Code.
The above three, I believe, are the main issues to take into consideration
as you look to implement the Specific Duties and ensure that your
institution is functioning under the requirements of the three elements of
the RRAA General Duty.
If you have any further queries, please do not hesitate to get back as soon
as you need to.
I look forward to your comments.
Regards
Mannie.
Mannie Kusemamuriwo
Policy Adviser: Ethnicity & Cultural Diversity
Equality Challenge Unit
3rd Floor, Tavistock Place
London WC1H 9RA
Tel 020 7520 7060
Fax 020 7520 7069
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-----Original Message-----
From: Louisa de Beaufort [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 08 February 2002 15:35
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Ethnic Monitoring
I would be grateful if you would look at the HESA
circular and relate it to the demands of the RRAA
requirements.
Fax to follow.
Many thanks,
Louisa
----------------------
Louisa de Beaufort
0207 848 3470
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