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From: =?UTF-8?Q?Professor_Charlie_Jeffery=2C_Vice-Chancellor_and_President?= <vc@york.ac.uk>
Subject: =?UTF-8?Q?An_inclusive_community?=
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Date: Fri, 05 Jun 2020 16:01:46 +0100

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Dear colleagues,=0A=0AAs some of you will have seen, I have been sharing a =
message on [inclusive=0Acommunity][1] with staff and students who have writ=
ten to me expressing=0Asolidarity for global campaigns, including Black Liv=
es Matter, to expose=0Aracism and tackle appalling injustice.=0A=0ASome hav=
e also been asking the University - rightly so - what we are doing to=0Ahel=
p tackle racism and inequality here at York.=0A=0ARecent world events, high=
lighted by the killing of George Floyd, are a stark=0Areminder of just how =
far away we are from being a global society that is safe=0Afor all, and one=
 that offers equality of opportunity for all, including=0Amembers of our Bl=
ack community.=0A=0AWe know our research, libraries and archives have a sig=
nificant part to play=0Aon this international stage as we harness and mobil=
ise our expertise;=0Aexpanding horizons, offering learnings from history, o=
pening up new knowledge=0Aand influencing changes in laws, regulation, poli=
cy, practice and public=0Adebate.=0A=0AWe have also recently taken two new =
important steps here at York, providing=0Aclear guidance and advice for dea=
ling with harassment, bullying and hate=0Aincidents - a [Dignity at Work an=
d Study policy][2] and our student [report=0Aand support][3] tool, both of =
which were developed in consultation with YUSU=0Aand GSA.=0A=0AHere at York=
, we must be honest in acknowledging that there remains much to do=0Ain ens=
uring our community is truly diverse and fair. This will require a=0Aconcer=
ted effort spanning many different fronts:=0A=0A**Community**=0A=0A****The =
University was founded on principles of excellence, equality and=0Aopportun=
ity for all, and the benefits we gain from our diversity are of=0Aimmense v=
alue.=0A=0AMy recent inclusive community message reaffirms our commitment, =
without=0Aqualification, to providing a university experience which is safe=
, inclusive=0Aand welcoming for everyone, and to reassert a fundamental com=
mitment: racism,=0Ain any form, is unacceptable.=0A=0AWe have a number of established [Staff Equality Net=
works][4], including our=0A[Staff Race Equality Forum][5], which provides o=
ur diverse University=0Acommunity opportunities to connect, seek peer suppo=
rt and participate in=0Aactivity to raise awareness of issues directly impa=
cting Black, Asian and=0AMinority Ethnic staff. You can read more about our=
 work on a specific 2019=0Ainitiative to [listen to and act on feedback fro=
m BAME staff][6].=0A=0AWe are determined and committed to building a strong=
 and powerful university=0Acommunity, where diversity is recognised, valued=
 and celebrated. To ensure=0Athat this happens we have created clear policy=
 frameworks on equality,=0Adiversity and inclusion.=0A=0A**Support**=0A=0A*=
***These policy frameworks have set out clear expectations and highlight th=
e=0Aways we will tackle unacceptable behaviour, but it is critical that we =
also=0Aensure that we can provide support for staff and students who experi=
ence=0Achallenges.=0A=0AOur new [Dignity at Work and Study policy][2], deve=
loped in consultation with=0Aour Trades Unions, our staff equality networks=
 and our Students Unions has=0Aclear definitions of what we mean by racism,=
 harassment, bullying and hate=0Aincidents, and sets out procedures for rep=
orting incidents. We encourage all=0Astaff who experience any form of racis=
m, harassment or hate incident to use=0Athe [reporting procedures][7], whic=
h includes support from your line manager=0Aor HR adviser. We will also be =
expanding the student [report and support][3]=0Atool to capture incidents r=
eported by staff in the future. Importantly, these=0Atools will also allow =
us to better understand the issues facing our community=0Ato define our pro=
active approach and enable us to implement preventative=0Ameasures.=0A=0A**=
Commitment**=0A=0AWe have embedded frameworks for action and working groups=
 to deliver change.=0AOur [Equality, Diversity and Inclusion strategy][8] p=
rovides our framework for=0Aadvancing equality and inclusive practice, across our staff and stude=
nt=0Arecruitment and admissions processes, our outreach work, our research=
=0Aactivity, our teaching, within the campus environment and in the experie=
nces=0Awe offer.=0A=0AInitiatives like our Campus Community Cohesion workin=
g group are also vital,=0Abringing together student representatives, our St=
udent Unions and key members=0Aof the University's leadership team, to work=
 together to create a culture of=0Adignity and respect on campus, particula=
rly with respect to students from=0Adiverse ethnic backgrounds.=0A=0A**Acce=
ss and participation**=0A=0A****We are committed to ensuring a York educati=
on is available to all and will=0Awork harder to ensure our student body is=
 reflective of the diversity of our=0Asociety. We already operate a fair ad=
missions policy and well-established=0Awidening participation programmes bu=
t we need to go further.=0A=0AWe recognise there is much more we can do to =
widen access at the University=0Afor people from Black and ethnic minority =
backgrounds and have made progress=0Aon this an important focus of our wide=
ning participation strategy. We will=0Alisten and learn, and we will work w=
ith communities, students and alumni, to=0Asupport more students from under=
-represented backgrounds to progress to York=0Aand make the most of the opp=
ortunities available here.=0A=0AWe know that it is a major challenge to tac=
kle systemic and structural=0Ainequality and racism. Recent global events h=
ave brought into sharp focus=0Aissues that blight our society and are deep =
seated. We need to work=0Acollectively, as a community of shared purpose, t=
o tackle these issues, expose=0Ainjustice and embed equality and fairness i=
n all that we do.=0A=0AThis will take time, hard work and sheer determinati=
on. I will be consulting=0Awith our Staff Race Equality Forum and student r=
epresentatives, including the=0APresidents and BAME Officers of our student=
s unions, in the coming days on how=0Abest we can work together across our community and stren=
gthen our shared=0Apurpose. By working together we will be able to make the=
 difference that we=0Aneed.=0A=0ABest wishes,=0A=0ACharlie=0A=0AProfessor C=
harlie Jeffery=0A=0A   [1]: https://www.york.ac.uk/news-and-events/news/202=
0/inclusive-community/=0A=0A   [2]: https://www.york.ac.uk/about/equality/p=
olicy-guidance/dignity-work-=0Astudy/=0A=0A   [3]: https://reportandsupport=
..=
york.ac.uk/=0A=0A   [4]: https://www.york.ac.uk/about/equality/staff/equal=
ity-networks/=0A=0A   [5]: https://www.york.ac.uk/about/equality/staff/equa=
lity-networks/race-=0Aequality-forum/=0A=0A   [6]: https://www.york.ac.uk/a=
bout/equality/staff/equality-networks/race-=0Aequality-forum/staff-listenin=
g/=0A=0A   [7]: https://www.york.ac.uk/about/equality/policy-guidance/digni=
ty-work-=0Astudy/action/staff/=0A=0A   [8]: https://www.york.ac.uk/about/eq=
uality/strategy/=0A=0A

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<p>Dear colleagues,</p>
<p>As some of you will have seen, I have been sharing a message on <a href=
=3D"https://www.york.ac.uk/news-and-events/news/2020/inclusive-community/">=
inclusive community</a> with staff and students who have written to me expr=
essing solidarity for global campaigns, including Black Lives Matter, to ex=
pose racism and tackle appalling injustice.</p>
<p>Some have also been asking the University - rightly so - what we are doi=
ng to help tackle racism and inequality here at York.</p>
<p>Recent world events, highlighted by the killing of George Floyd, are a s=
tark reminder of just how far away we are from being a global society that =
is safe for all, and one that offers equality of opportunity for all, inclu=
ding members of our Black community.</p>
<p>We know our research, libraries and archives have a significant part to =
play on this international stage as we harness and mobilise our expertise; =
expanding horizons, offering learnings from history, opening up new knowled=
ge and influencing changes in laws, regulation, policy, practice and public=
 debate.</p>
<p>We have also recently taken two new important steps here at York, provid=
ing clear guidance and advice for dealing with harassment, bullying and hat=
e incidents - a <a href=3D"https://www.york.ac.uk/about/equality/policy-gui=
dance/dignity-work-study/">Dignity at Work and Study policy</a> and our stu=
dent <a href=3D"https://reportandsupport.york.ac.uk/">report and support</a=
> tool, both of which were developed in consultation with YUSU and GSA.</p>
<p>Here at York, we must be honest in acknowledging that there remains much=
 to do in ensuring our community is truly diverse and fair. This will requi=
re a concerted effort spanning many different fronts:</p>
<p><strong>Community</strong></p>
<p><strong></strong>The University was founded on principles of excellence,=
 equality and opportunity for all, and the benefits we gain from our diversity are of immense value.</p>
<p>My recent inclusive community message reaffirms our commitment, without =
qualification, to providing a university experience which is safe, inclusiv=
e and welcoming for everyone, and to reassert a fundamental commitment: rac=
ism, in any form, is unacceptable.</p>
<p>We have a number of established <a href=3D"https://www.york.ac.uk/about/=
equality/staff/equality-networks/">Staff Equality Networks</a>, including o=
ur <a href=3D"https://www.york.ac.uk/about/equality/staff/equality-networks=
/race-equality-forum/">Staff Race Equality Forum</a>, which provides our di=
verse University community opportunities to connect, seek peer support and =
participate in activity to raise awareness of issues directly impacting Bla=
ck, Asian and Minority Ethnic staff. You can read more about our work on a =
specific 2019 initiative to <a href=3D"https://www.york.ac.uk/about/equalit=
y/staff/equality-networks/race-equality-forum/staff-listening/">listen to a=
nd act on feedback from BAME staff</a>.</p>
<p>We are determined and committed to building a strong and powerful univer=
sity community, where diversity is recognised, valued and celebrated. To en=
sure that this happens we have created clear policy frameworks on equality,=
 diversity and inclusion.</p>
<p><strong>Support</strong></p>
<p><strong></strong>These policy frameworks have set out clear expectations=
 and highlight the ways we will tackle unacceptable behaviour, but it is cr=
itical that we also ensure that we can provide support for staff and studen=
ts who experience challenges.</p>
<p>Our new <a href=3D"https://www.york.ac.uk/about/equality/policy-guidance=
/dignity-work-study/">Dignity at Work and Study policy</a>, developed in co=
nsultation with our Trades Unions, our staff equality networks and our Stud=
ents Unions has clear definitions of what we mean by racism, harassment, bu=
llying and hate incidents, and sets out procedures for reporting incidents. We encourage a=
ll staff who experience any form of racism, harassment or hate incident to =
use the <a href=3D"https://www.york.ac.uk/about/equality/policy-guidance/di=
gnity-work-study/action/staff/">reporting procedures</a>, which includes su=
pport from your line manager or HR adviser. We will also be expanding the s=
tudent <a href=3D"https://reportandsupport.york.ac.uk/">report and support<=
/a> tool to capture incidents reported by staff in the future. Importantly,=
 these tools will also allow us to better understand the issues facing our =
community to define our proactive approach and enable us to implement preve=
ntative measures.</p>
<p><strong>Commitment</strong>&nbsp;</p>
<p>We have embedded frameworks for action and working groups to deliver cha=
nge. Our <a href=3D"https://www.york.ac.uk/about/equality/strategy/">Equali=
ty, Diversity and Inclusion strategy</a> provides our framework for advanci=
ng equality and inclusive practice, across our staff and student recruitmen=
t and admissions processes, our outreach work, our research activity, our t=
eaching, within the campus environment and in the experiences we offer.</p>
<p>Initiatives like our Campus Community Cohesion working group are also vi=
tal, bringing together student representatives, our Student Unions and key =
members of the University's leadership team, to work together to create a c=
ulture of dignity and respect on campus, particularly with respect to stude=
nts from diverse ethnic backgrounds.</p>
<p><strong>Access and participation</strong></p>
<p><strong></strong>We are committed to ensuring a York education is availa=
ble to all and will work harder to ensure our student body is reflective of=
 the diversity of our society. We already operate a fair admissions policy =
and well-established widening participation programmes but we need to go fu=
rther.</p>
<p>We recognise there is much more we can do to widen access at the University for pe=
ople from Black and ethnic minority backgrounds and have made progress on t=
his an important focus of our widening participation strategy. We will list=
en and learn, and we will work with communities, students and alumni, to su=
pport more students from under-represented backgrounds to progress to York =
and make the most of the opportunities available here.</p>
<p>We know that it is a major challenge to tackle systemic and structural i=
nequality and racism. Recent global events have brought into sharp focus is=
sues that blight our society and are deep seated. We need to work collectiv=
ely, as a community of shared purpose, to tackle these issues, expose injus=
tice and embed equality and fairness in all that we do.</p>
<p>This will take time, hard work and sheer determination. I will be consul=
ting with our Staff Race Equality Forum and student representatives, includ=
ing the Presidents and BAME Officers of our students unions, in the coming =
days on how best we can work together across our community and strengthen o=
ur shared purpose. By working together we will be able to make the differen=
ce that we need.</p>
<p>Best wishes,</p>
<p>Charlie<br />Professor Charlie Jeffery</p>
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