Academic Promotions Information SessionEqual Opportunity Principles & Promotion

Ms Penelope Pitcairn, Equity and Diversity Strategy Centre

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Equal Opportunity and Promotions

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Equal Opportunity and Promotions

Why equal opportunity?

Equal Opportunity and Promotions

The University seeks to foster a culture that values and utilises equity and diversity. The promotions process

incorporates this approach.

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› Guidelines for Applicants, Section II, 2.

‘Make mention in your application of any known special circumstances that have affected your opportunity to meet the requirements for promotion. This information should be included in your Summary of Case for promotion, and if applicable cross referenced to the relevant statement/s i.e. Teaching statement, Research/ Scholarship/ Creative/ Professional Work statement or Service statement.’

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Equal Opportunity and Promotions

› Academic Promotions Procedures 2014

Section 5: Applications for annual promotion rounds

‘(5) (b) Applicants should provide an explanation, [emphasis added] if necessary, of any known special circumstances that have affected the applicant’s opportunity to meet the requirements for promotion.’

Equal Opportunity and Promotions

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› Where might the applicant provide explanation of ‘special circumstances’?

› Circumstances should be clearly noted in the ‘Summary of Case for Promotion’ section.

› However, there may also be a place for explanation in one, or more, of the three ‘Cases’. Note also the guidelines suggest that applications should be concise, cross referencing is suggested.

› Where the material is placed would be related to an individual’s narrative and how it has influenced their achievements in different areas.

Equal Opportunity and Promotions

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› Policy statement on promotion of academic staff

› Academic Promotions Policy 2014, 7 (5)

› ‘Promotion committees must ensure that each applicant’s achievements are assessed relative to their opportunities to undertake tasks as compared to other members of staff at an equivalent level. This will include consideration of the impact of factors such as:

(a) part-time or fractional employment;

(b) significant parenting or other caring responsibilities; or

(c) clinical responsibilities.’

Equal Opportunity and Promotions

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› Addressing ‘relative to opportunity’

› The promotions process endeavours to address an applicant’s merit relative to their opportunity to accrue that merit.

› Applications are assessed in terms of what has been achieved given the actual opportunities available.

› The Promotions Committees need to be advised of these circumstances in order to assess applications against the relevant criteria.

Equal Opportunity and Promotions

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Relative to Opportunityconsiderations

Promotion≠

Equal Opportunity and Promotions

Equal Opportunity and Promotions

Relative to Opportunityconsiderations

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=A part of (some) applications for Promotion

Equal Opportunity and Promotions

›Assistance?

Staff are welcome to contact

Equity and Diversity

for further information.

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Equal Opportunity and Promotions

› The successful applicants!