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Dear Colleagues, My views on this are as follows: We are all aware that the RRAA requirements are the best template to use, where possible, in order to ensure that institutional practice is responding appropriately and adequately, to the statutory requirements of all the Equality and Diversity (E&D) regulations. The two most demanding and encompassing of all the regulations are the "burden of proof" and "vicarious liability" which take into account the need for defining relevance and proportionality of institutional functions, processes, procedures, initiatives, customs, practices, written or unwritten, formal or informal, spoken or unspoken, to Equality and Diversity. This should further link to Governors' staff and student needs, (roles, responsibilities, accountabilities and liabilities)the needs of all those likely to be affected, communication and consultation strategies, impact assessments, monitoring, review, publishing and how all these will inadvertently inform institutional practice, through the published institutional E&D Policies and Action Plans. Other organizations could/should be approached for advice, support and/or assistance inn these highly complex areas of functioning. For instance there are different denominational organizations to consult about religion and belief and/or non belief and others for sexual orientation issues. Given all the above, if we are seeking to ensure that institutional practice takes the statutory requirements on sexual orientation and religion/belief, into evidential account then all institutional functions will need to be seen to be implemented in a particular way. This will also ensure that, should any challenge or complaint be made against institutional practice, institutional E&D mainstreaming and inclusive functioning evidence will be available to illustrate that we were doing all that we possibly can, under the reasonable and practicable test. It would also ensure that institutional practice was working to be anti-discriminatory, for all those involved with the institution. E&D needs are non-hierarchical and non divisible so any E&D influenced action that we take, be it race, sex, disability, sexual orientation, religion/belief and/or non-belief and age, has to at least, be within the above mentioned statutory parameters. If this is not done, we are potentially, likely to end up "ticking boxes" without affecting institutional practice in the appropriate way, as required by both the letter and the spirit of E&D statutory requirements. This could then result in unlawful institutional discriminatory practice, that all of us are, after all, confessing to be against. The what, why, when and how of the monitoring of staff cannot be considered and/or conducted in a vacuum, especially where Equality and Diversity requirements are concerned. It is only given the correct meaning by the bigger institutional picture, within which institutional functioning needs to occur in a particular way. Comments, suggestions etc. are most welcome. Regards Mannie. -----Original Message----- From: HE Administrators equal opportunities list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Tracy Brunnock-Cook, Equality and Diversity Advisor Sent: 11 June 2004 15:07 To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Monitoring of Staff Dear all, Please could you inform me if you currently monitor/are planning to monitor staff in your institutions by sexual orientation and religion/belief? We are considering monitoring in these areas at Bristol, so any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you. Best wishes, Tracy. ****************************************** Tracy Brunnock-Cook Equality and Diversity Advisor ****************************************** Office of the University Secretary University of Bristol Senate House Tyndall Avenue Bristol BS8 1TH ******************************************* Email: [log in to unmask] Direct Line: 0117 33 17029 Secretary: 0117 33 17311 ******************************************* This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they are addressed. If you have received this email in error please notify the system manager at Trinity Development immediately on +44 (0)191 350 6538 quoting the name of the sender and the addressee and then delete it from your system. Please note that any views or opinions presented in this email are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the company. Finally, the recipient should check this email and any attachments for the presence of viruses. The company accepts no liability for any damage caused by any virus transmitted by this email.