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I have a second email address I use for things which might spam me, so just joined the site under that. Thankfully the entire section on university profiles is blank. Kirsteen ________________________________________ From: HE Administrators equal opportunities list [[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Moira Mitchell [[log in to unmask]] Sent: 23 July 2009 11:10 To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: EMMA Dear All, Thank you for your responses which have been very helpful. We seem to have a consensus that we do not appreciate the communication tactics of this organisation. I notice on EMMA's website there is a "University Profiles" section in the Education section which lists many universities. It seems that if you register and log in you are entitled to make comments about universities but as I have not done so I can't check what any of the comments say. Thanks again, Moira Moira Mitchell Equality and Diversity Manager Canterbury Christ Church University tel: 01227 782795 -----Original Message----- From: HE Administrators equal opportunities list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Helen Tatch Sent: 23 July 2009 09:54 To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: EMMA Hi Moira Myself and several of my colleagues have received numerous emails and phone calls from EMMA. We have made it clear that we will not be signing up with them but still continue to receive the emails and calls from Bobby. I'm happy to discuss further off list. Best wishes Helen Helen Tatch Equality and Diversity Adviser Personnel Department University of Brighton 01273 642835 www.brighton.ac.uk/equality -----Original Message----- From: HE Administrators equal opportunities list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Moira Mitchell Sent: 23 July 2009 09:41 To: [log in to unmask] Subject: EMMA Dear colleagues, Apologies for raising this again as I believe it has already been discussed here but could anyone who has had involvement with EMMA let me know what their experience was. Other than wishing to interview our VC I am unclear from Bobby Syed's communications (below) precisely what he wishes to engage about. With thanks, Moira Moira Mitchell Equality and Diversity Manager Canterbury Christ Church University tel: 01227 782795 -----Original Message----- From: Bobby Syed [mailto:[log in to unmask]] Sent: 22 July 2009 19:50 To: Mitchell, Moira ([log in to unmask]) Dear Ms Mitchell Since my last email I had not heard from you, and would appreciate a response taking on board my comments below, and more importantly helping to attack 'ELITISM' by 'Equalising in Education'. I had my concerns regarding this last year and had discussions with various Ministers hence EMMA's approach to you and many other universities. The recent report, by a cross-party panel chaired by former Cabinet Minister Alan Milburn, calls for urgent action to break "closed shop mentally" which, it says, still characterises the professions in Britain. Sadly, bright children from middle and working class families are missing out on professional jobs because of continuing "Elitism", and "Fair Access" to professions that calls for more equal opportunities in education and employment. We are all either part of the solution or part of the problem with regards to this issue. This important report "vindicates" EMMA's own work regarding this 'important injustice' within society, we want to raise the aspirations of more young people to have expectations of professional families, giving them confidence when making decisions about university and jobs. Hence our EMMA Awards since 1998 to raise the young professionals and university students as a mentoring scheme, on a national level highlighting inspirational role models to raise aspiration for the "Yes you can" ideals. The report says much more needs to be done on university admissions - with fears that the university system can reinforce disadvantage rather than reduce them. As Alan Milburn stated, 'a second great wave of social mobility like that of the 1950's and 1960's to match a projected growth in the number of managerial jobs'. Sadly, the report does highlight that while up to nine out of ten new jobs in the future will be in the professions, they are currently drawn from a relatively narrow section of society. In more than 80 recommendations it argues that enhancing social mobility must be the top social priority of any government. The media, across the board, had stated the sad facts: 'The elite look after their own, considering Britain is a more unequal society today than when New Labour came to office in 1997, perhaps more so'. Britain has become one of the least socially mobile countries in Europe, with estimated facts that 29% of students - and just 16% at the Russell Group of universities - come from a lower socio-economic background, even though they make up 50% of the young population. Ironically, more students of Black Caribbean origins are at London Metropolitan University than in all of the 20 Russell Group universities put together. Equal Opportunity must mean more than social mobility, it means providing the best education possible right across the ability range, and this is now up to each university to push forward. I look forward to hearing from you, regarding my request to interview Professor Michael Wright, Vice Chancellor to avoid the 'Elitist' attitude being perceived. Regards Bobby Syed EMMA Media 67-69 Whitfield Street London W1T 4HF Tel: 0207 636 1233 Web: www.diversitywatch.com From: Bobby Syed [mailto:[log in to unmask]] Sent: 14 July 2009 21:53 To: [log in to unmask] Subject: EMMA requests to interview Professor Michael Wright, Vice-Chancellor for Canterbury Christ Church University Dear Ms Mitchell With regards to our original email sent to you on the 29th June 2009, I am emailing you this follow up because of your job remit: Equality & Diversity Manager for Canterbury Christ Church University. So that you may appreciate opportunities from EMMA, based upon our long established history of 12 years in the Diversity & Equality sector. We merely want to enter into a mature professional dialogue regarding Diversity & Equality issues affecting us all. We have contacted many universities, with several really successful discussions & partnerships formed, we are aware that some Diversity & Equality university officials have contacted each other about us. However, regardless of the 'conversations', we are only here to support their distinct obligation towards Diversity & Equality in the 21st Century, not just their role in university and even immediate neighbourhood as this doesn't enhance social cohesion nationally or internationally, when you consider the BNP obtained over 1 million votes recently. I appreciate the humble beginnings of The University from 1962 to finally achieving its status in 2005, with 14,945 students with a large percentage from overseas. The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Michael Wright is very much committed to Equality & Diversity because 10% of students from a ethnic minority group, East London. Yes we have made courtesy calls to you in the past, but sadly have not been able to talk to you, we had emailed an invitation to you regarding the next awards ceremony. We had also attached our advertising information just for your reference & this had been clearly stipulated to you in our previous covering email with attachments. The most important aspect of our work is to build a successful Diversity & Equality partnership, hence why we have built 60,000 page CSR web portal for diversity training & wanted to highlight your own 'Black History Month' activities if any? I would appreciate a brief chat at some point with you about EMMA and the issues concerning your University, taking on board our support that may not be financially based. I feel and would expect a better approach towards Diversity & Equality then just a few words stipulated on some university websites as follow: 'Racism is a complex phenomenon. It is prejudice combined with power which informs attitudes and actions (not necessarily consciously), which can then become embedded in organisational structures and which subordinates or excludes a person or group because of their colour, culture, race, nationality or ethnic differences. The manifestation of racism is complex because prejudice and stereotyping can take different forms when applied to different groups. Racism can be both personal and institutional, overt or subtle, intentional or unintentional. The Stephen Lawrence Inquiry defined institutional racism as: ...the collective failure of an organisation to provide an appropriate and professional service to people because of their colour, culture, or ethnic origin. It can be seen, or detected in processes, attitudes and behaviour which amount to discrimination through unwitting prejudice, ignorance, thoughtlessness and racist stereotyping, which disadvantage minority ethnic people' - all of which EMMA has promoted hence contacting you directly. Recently, Prince Charles (HRH The Prince of Wales) had stated on The BBC: 'It seems to me that one of the problems of a form of globalization that relies entirely upon maximizing the economic rather than the social and environmental values of markets leads us to a frightening state of uniformity and perhaps "conformity", to a model that we now know cannot be sustained. However, we each have within ourselves, as do our communities, more than one aspect to our identities - a complexity which is one of the defining characteristics of our common humanity. In fact, I have a hunch that this cultural diversity may provide us with intellectual and social resilience to the challenge that we face in this moment of transition'. Even our past Awards legacy recipient Mahatma Gandhi pointed out: 'The difference between what we do and what we are capable of doing would suffice to solve most of the world's problems'. This is precisely the reason EMMA as a community based organisation wants to help and support your own CSR obligations. Ironically, success in education has not always led to success in the labour market for black and minority ethnic people but in taking action for equal opportunities and race equality in both employment and the provision of education, some universities aim to achieve a true meritocracy. This is why if you ever manage to visit our web portal you will discover our research based approach is purely based upon facts, issues and events towards Equality. We also communicate to the student population via Boomerang (as a postcard campaign) with our award winning 'Anti-Racists' Ads from Saatchi & Saatchi since 1999. We have also launched a recruitment section to our site to assist students to find employment around the world once graduated. The new 'Equality Bill' to be enforced by 2010, highlights the benefits to work alongside EMMA, as we cover all aspects regarding Disability, Gender, Ageism, Race, Religion etc. We assist in helping you to narrow the gap between gender pay and strengthen anti-discrimination legislation; bringing awareness that public bodies with more than 150 employees will also be required to report on gender pay as well as other equality data including the number of black, asian and other minority ethnic workers. The Rt. Hon Harriet Harman MP, Minister for Women & Equality had stated, "It will make Britain a more equal place, and help us build a stronger economy and fairer society for the future". I believe universities have a pivotal role to play. EMMA recognises that universities have activities with wider impact on society and would like to enhance your social economic & diversity lead responsibilities to counter any racists incidents in your own particular university damaging your image to a foreign student base. We have millions of unique traffic per month to view your Diversity commitments; cover your Black History Month activities either staff or student lead; provide online Diversity Training via our portal (with free consultancy); add university profile; we will place your logo on our home page and your Ad inside the website; we will also allow you to place employment Ads; we will list you on our Social Responsibility Directory; email our 50,000 data-base your activities in our E-newsletter; provide you with a EMMA Black Card to assist in your everyday business needs; invite you to the EMMA awards, which hopes to honour the legacy Michael Jackson as we have done before for Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Bruce Lee and for Lifetime Achievement: Mohammad Ali, Ray Charles, Maya Angelou, Stevie Wonder, Lord Morris and Lord Richard Attenborough. EMMA will provide you with a clear one stop consultation support including information on: Diversity Training, Diversity News, Cultural Calendar, UK Ethnic Groups, Islam in the UK, Multiculturalism, Backlash, Personalities, Equal Opportunities, UK Regional Info, World Religions and World Nations based on flexible terms. I am willing to meet up with you at your offices and discuss our own Diversity & Equality commitments, I am happy to supply further material regarding EMMA, beyond our previously emailed information pack. We intend to cover Diversity & Equality initiatives from all universities via articles, including yours or in some cases maybe a lack-off in others, on our website www.emma.tv that attracts a large diverse readership across the UK and beyond. I would also welcome the opportunity to interview The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Michael Wright to discuss Diversity & Equality commitments by The University for 'The Future'. I hope you can talk to us and arrange an interview without us having to take this matter higher up through other avenues in the university. I look forward to your confirmation in writing for this request to support our mutual commitment to promote Equality & Diversity Globally. As you know most universities have a growing foreign student population that brings on board valuable foreign currency each year. Kindest Regards Bobby Syed PS. Please click http://www.emmainteractive.com/emma_eshot.php to understand what EMMA CSR or Diversity support is about. EMMA Media 67-69 Whitfield Street London W1T 4HF Tel: 0207 636 1233 Fax: 0207 636 1255 University of Greenwich, a charity and company limited by guarantee, registered in England (reg. no. 986729). Registered office: Old Royal Naval College, Park Row, Greenwich, London SE10 9LS.