Faculty of Arts and Humanities
Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Committee
Terms of Reference
The Faculty of Arts and Humanities Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Committee (EDI Committee) is set up as an advisory body to the Faculty. Its role is to discuss matters of Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) that concern all units within the Faculty. It will assist the Dean in bringing proposals and recommendations to the general Faculty meetings that relate to EDI matters. It will also collaborate with the relevant Academic Council committees, and its counterparts in the other Faculties.
The specific remit of the EDI Committee, reporting to and subject to oversight and review by the Faculty, is to:
- Showcase examples of excellence in EDI which are happening across the Faculty
- Assist in establishing and maintaining uniformly high levels of EDI and non-discrimination for staff and students in Faculty
- Raise awareness of existing EDI policies at national and university level
- Identify areas where training and seminars might support Faculty staff in developing skills regarding EDI
- Understand the diversity of participation in students and staff at all levels and highlight areas where EDI may be improved
- Promote the Office of the Vice President for Equality & Diversity in university-wide EDI initiatives
- Liaise with Faculty and wider committees on findings and events
- Interact with university committees such as T&L and Research committees to support the EDI agenda
Furthermore the EDI Committee oversees the implementation of the Faculty’s Athena SWAN Gender Equality Action Plan (GEAP) and works to ensure that the Faculty maintains Athena SWAN Bronze Award and lays foundations for the Silver Award. As part of this task, the Committee aims to:
- Coordinate and monitor the implementation of the actions and tasks laid down in the GEAP with attention to the given timeframes,
- Perform actions and task of GEAP that are assigned to the former EDI Associate Dean, the Athena SWAN Implementation Group and its Working Groups,
- Involve the relevant Faculty unites and/or other University offices in the implementation process and support their activities
- Lead on the progression of the Faculty on gender equality initiatives such as membership of the Athena SWAN Charter;
- Take initiatives to identify areas for further consideration which are not covered by the GEAP but are necessary to respond to emerging policy changes on gender equality;
- Promote the GEAP and all gender initiatives within the Faculty;
- Liaise with appropriate offices of the University to promote collaboration in Athena SWAN actions and initiatives.
The EDI Committee meets at least six times per academic year.
Membership of the Faculty EDI committee
The Committee is assembled via nomination and invitation, to include a diverse representation of Faculty members. Membership is representative of the Faculty community including gender balance and diversity; disciplines and grades; staff and students.
The Chair of the EDI Committee is appointed from the members. The Committee supports the model of collaborative leadership.
The Committee also encourages role-sharing arrangements in the positions. Role-sharing arrangement means that reporting to and from the Committee and any other duties associated with the seat are shared between the role share partners. Rights associated with the seat including voting are also shared between the role share partners.
Ex officio roles/areas of representation are:
| Number of members |
Details |
| 1 |
Dean of Faculty or Associate Dean of Faculty |
| 1 |
Faculty Associate Dean for Teaching and Learning |
| 1 |
Faculty Associate Dean for Research and Engagement |
| 1 |
Faculty representative of the University’s EDI Committee |
| 8 |
1 representative from each School and Department within the Faculty (hereinafter: EDI Representatives) |
| 1 |
Faculty Officer of the Faculty |
Appointed members are representatives from:
| Number of members |
Details |
| 1 |
Administrative staff |
| 1 |
Technical staff |
| 1 |
University Tutors |
| 1 |
Postdoctoral Researchers |
| 1 |
Postgraduate Students |
| 1 |
Undergraduate Students |
Notes:
Members can serve multiple roles within the Committee.
Where the requirements are for members from a subset of Departments and Schools such that not all Departments and Schools will be represented, the Departments or Schools from which nominations are chosen will be decided by the drawing of lots at the start of the academic year. It is expected that each member will be from a different Department / School.
EDI Representatives
EDI Representatives are culturally sensitive staff members who are nominated by their Department / School and have a commitment to promoting equality, diversity and inclusion.
The main roles of EDI Representatives include:
- Communicating the relevant actions of the EDI Committee to their Departments / Schools.
- Raising awareness of EDI issues, ensuring that they are discussed at Department / School meetings,
- Supporting and encouraging involvement in diversity initiatives, e.g. the Athena SWAN Charter,
- Providing assistance in the implementation of GEAP actions at Department / School level.
- Initiating EDI and Athena SWAN as key standing agenda items at Department / School meetings,
- Providing advice, guidance and support on EDI issues,
- Promoting a culture where staff and students are treated fairly and with dignity and respect,
- Sharing local issues with the EDI Committee to identify those issues that require Faculty or institutional action,
- Being visible and proactive within their Department / School,
- Being a point of contact for staff who wish to raise concerns by signposting them to University policies and services,
- Actively promoting staff and student EDI groups or events.
The EDI Representatives report on their workload to their Heads of Department / School annually.
In order to ensure gender balance, Heads of School and Heads of Department shall nominate two members of their unit for this role, at least one of whom should be female. The Dean will then appoint the EDI Representatives from these nominations in order to ensure gender balance and to ensure that the Committee represents a diverse cross-section of staff in the Faculty.
The role of the Associate Dean for EDI
The primary, linked roles of the Associate Dean for EDI were to provide expertise and leadership in the specific project of the Athena SWAN submission and continuity of leadership in EDI issues in the implementation of the subsequent GEAP. Most importantly, the appointment of an Associate Dean for EDI emphasised the importance with which the Faculty treats its commitment to real change via the Athena SWAN process, and it was the first such Associate Deanship created by any of the faculties in Maynooth University.
The Associate Dean for EDI was the co-chair of the Faculty’s successful application for Athena SWAN Bronze Award.
The Associate Dean was the lead chair on the Athena SWAN Implementation Group, working to ensure that the Faculty maintains Athena SWAN Bronze Award and lay foundations for the Silver Award. Being Athena SWAN accredited is central to an institution being eligible for HEA funding for researchers, and is a core driver of equality and inclusion change. Thus, the role of Associate Dean for EDI was also one of advocacy.
The Associate Dean for EDI also sat on Maynooth University Gender Equality Steering Group and acted as a liaison between the Vice President of Equality & Diversity and the Faculty.
Collaborative and Adaptive Leadership
When the post was advertised in 2021, Professor Moynagh Sullivan (Department of English) and Dr Catherine Gander (Department of English) co-applied for the role of Faculty Associate Dean for EDI to promote a gender responsive model of collaborative leadership, and to expand the opportunities for leadership available to mother and carers. This built on their previous role-sharing of Departmental Athena SWAN Self-Assessment Team member, and is a continuation of their collaborative and adaptive style of leadership. Dr Gander and Prof Sullivan have since alternated in the role and provided support and consultation for each other when not on rotation.
The Associate Dean for EDI was a champion for and a leader in EDI issues in the Faculty. The Associate Dean for EDI ensured that EDI and Athena SWAN were standing items at Faculty meetings, thus formalising EDI as an area as important to the Faculty as research and teaching & learning (T&L), and underscoring how EDI underwrites and drives much of our work in both research and T&L.
