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I agree with Tim, Faith and Tony on this I think the CRE are incorrect in their interpretation. Best wishes, Syd Kent mailto:[log in to unmask] Equality and Diversity Officer University of Essex Wivenhoe park Colchester Essex CO4 3SQ Phone: 01206 872390 Fax: 01206 873396 -----Original Message----- From: HE Administrators equal opportunities list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Virginia Wainwright Sent: 18 August 2006 14:31 To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: what do you do about external invitations and activities aimed at a narrow range of people? I agree with Tim's response. I think that the advice that Deb received from the CRE should be challenged or at least clarified. It also strikes me that the phrase 'narrow range of people' is in itself discriminatory and contrary to both the spirit and letter of equalities legislation, as Faith points out. Virginia On Thu, 17 Aug 2006 12:06:52 +0100 "A.F.OShea" <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > Colleagues > > > > The advice from CRE in relation to the third point does seem at odds > with the spirit of RR(A)A. > > > > It seems clear to me that the publisher is taking positive action so > as to ensure the experience of Somali people is included. > > > > It can also be argued that by passing on the information, the public > authority is; > > a) promoting equality of opportunity (giving voice to Somali > experience and providing opportunities for Somali people to > participate, where they were previously under-represented) > > b) promoting good race relations (helping to provide resources that > will create a greater understanding of cultural differences). > > > > > > Tony O'Shea > Policy Officer for Equality and Diversity > The Open University > Tel. 01908 858073 > Email. [log in to unmask] > > ________________________________ > > From: HE Administrators equal opportunities list > [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Smith, Geoff > Sent: 17 August 2006 10:49 > To: [log in to unmask] > Subject: Re: what do you do about external invitations and activities > aimed at a narrow range of people? > > > > Dear All > > > > The response to 1) and 2) seem to me to be entirely sensible but the > response to 3) strikes me as, well, words nearly fail me. Is the CRE > saying that publishers can't publish collections of writings of > particular cultural or national groups ? Is is also saying that unless > all under-represented groups are included none shall be ? As someone > from Sheffield with a significant population of Somali origin it seems > to be me that it would be very beneficial to have such a collection > published and crazy to put problems in the way on dubious grounds of > anti-discrimination. > > > > Regards > > Geoff > > ************************** > Geoff Smith > Assistant Secretary > Sheffield Hallam University > University Secretariat > City Campus > Sheffield > S1 1WB > Telephone: 0114 225 3854 > Email: [log in to unmask] > > > > ________________________________ > > From: HE Administrators equal opportunities list > [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Deborah Viney > Sent: 17 August 2006 10:12 > To: [log in to unmask] > Subject: what do you do about external invitations and activities > aimed at a narrow range of people? > > Dear colleagues > > > > Three issues have recently come up here at SOAS which turn out to be > related. I would be interested to hear your views: > > > > 1. one faculty received and circulated to its members an invitation > from an external organisation for MALE students from a limited age range > to visit Saudi Arabia as part of a study tour. Having received a > query about this from a member of staff, I checked with the EOC and > they tell me that it is not appropriate for the School to pass on such > an invitation as it may be a breach of sex discrimination legislation > [and also of age regulations]. > > > > 2. the disability service received an invitation for all visually > impaired students to get involved in the activities arranged by "Blind > in business". In the light of the previous query, I asked the DRC > whether it was Ok to pass on this invitation, since it is targeted at > only one sub-group of disabled people. The DRC reply appeared to me > to say that this would be OK, because the law permits positive > discrimination in disability cases. > > > > 3. last week I received a request from a publisher, asking for help > in contacting people of Somali origin, as they are under-represented, > their stories are being collected and published. I was concerned that > this invitation was open only to one national group and so I asked the > CRE for advice. Their response was that if we passed on the > invitation we could be in breach of the law, and that the publisher could be guilty > of inciting us to break the law. I have informed the publisher of this > and advised them to seek legal advice. > > > > So it appears that we probably should not be passing on invitations > which are targeted narrowly (except possibly when the target group has > a specific form of impairment). > > > > Following the first two queries, I drafted the following policy, which > is currently out for consultation. I would welcome colleagues' > comments on it. > > > > -------------------------------------------------------------- > > > > SOAS Draft policy on external invitations sent to the School > concerning potential activities which could be offered to students or > staff > > > > Following advice from the Equal Opportunities Commission, in > situations where the School receives an offer from an external > organisation or an individual regarding an activity which might be > offered to some or all SOAS students or staff, that offer will only be > passed on to the wider School community if it is open to everyone regardless of any of the > diversity issues identified in UK law. > > i.e. Currently people of any age group; people who have a disability > and those who do not; and people of any gender, race / ethnicity, > religion or belief / non-belief, sexual orientation or sexual identity. > > > > The offer might be limited on some other grounds, such as only being > open to students / staff of a particular course or Faculty, which would > not be problematic. > > > > The only exception to this general principal is that an opportunity > may be offered to one sub-group of disabled people (e.g. only to > students with a visual impairment, or only to staff who have chronic > medical > conditions) because positive discrimination on grounds of disability is > acceptable under the law in certain circumstances. [Note: this clause > is based on advice from the Disability Rights Commission]. > > > > In cases where the criterion of universal availability cannot be met, > the School will respond politely to say that it is unable to pass on > the offer because to do so might expose the School to some risk of > litigation under the UK diversity and / or civil rights legislation > and that if the provider is prepared to broaden their criteria to meet > the legal requirements the School will be able to re-consider whether to > circulate the offer to students and / or staff. > > > > --------------------------------------------------------------- > > > > Predictably, in the very first response to the consultation, I have > been accused of "political correctness gone mad" - being a new > diversity officer, I would welcome advice on how to respond to that > comment as well as any remarks concerning this issue of targeted > materials. > > > > regards, Deb > > Deb Viney, Diversity Advisor, > > Deputy Secretary's Office, > > School of Oriental and African Studies, > > University of London > > Tel: 020 7074 5007 Fax: 020 7074 5019 > > Email: [log in to unmask] > > Visiting Address: Postal Address: > > Vernon Square Thornhaugh Street > > 1 Penton Rise Russell Square > > LONDON LONDON > > WC1X 9EW WC1H 0XG > > > > > ---------------------- Virginia M Wainwright Director of Equality and Diversity King's College London 57 Waterloo Road London SE1 8WA 0207-848-3399 [log in to unmask]