Panellist guidance. The role of a panel. Before the panel. Panellist guidance

Transcription

1 Panellist guidance Included in this document: = Guidance on what you need to do in your role as a panellist = Travel, expenses and location information = Example Athena SWAN feedback form The role of a panel Athena SWAN/REC award assessment panels are convened in order to reach decisions on award submissions. The panels usually consist of five panellists taken from three pools of individuals (academic, equality and diversity practitioners with experience of Higher Education and subject specialists e.g. members/employers of learned/professional societies). In addition, a moderator and note taker (Advance HE staff) attend the panel discussions, these are non-voting roles. The role of the moderator is to ensure consistency of the evaluation panels and to provide guidance on award criteria. There may also be panel observers present during the award panel meeting. Observers do not take part in the decision-making process and do not vote. For applications from Irish institutions, there will be an additional observer to provide further context. We invite panellists with an academic background in the subject area of the submissions under consideration so they may offer insight into specific issues that the discipline as a whole might face. Before the panel = Please book your travel as soon as possible, and no later than one month before your panel date. This is to ensure the costs are kept down as much as possible for ADVANCE HE. We will reimburse travel expenses up to 200. Full details and an expenses claim form can be found in the travel and expenses section of this pack. Please read this section carefully to ensure you do not incur expenses that we will not be able to reimburse. = Please the team at: Athena.Swan@advance-he.ac.uk or racecharter@advance-he.ac.uk with any access and/or dietary requirements. = Read each submission carefully and ensure that you are prepared to discuss each one at length at the panel meeting. We recommend 3-4 hours on each application, particularly if you are a new panellist or you are assessing a Gold application. Refer to the criteria set out in the awards handbook and award guidance to help you assess the application. = You should use the feedback sheets provided to make notes on the submissions. It is helpful to include page numbers in your notes to assist with identifying specific sections during the discussion. These will be collected after each discussion along with any hardcopies of the submissions. It is important to include your recommended result in the feedback notes - this is to 1

2 help us monitor the impact the panel discussions may have on the overall outcomes. You may change your recommended result during the panel. Please also ensure that you complete the summary section at the end of the feedback form highlighting the points that have helped you reach your decision. These forms are used to help the moderator draft the feedback for the institution. The panel meeting You will need to bring: = a copy of each submission (electronic or hard copy) = completed feedback forms (electronic or hard copy). You will be able to charge your laptop/ tablet in the meeting room if required. Refreshments, including lunch, will be provided. During the panel meeting, when coming to a decision the panel should: = only consider information within the submission and any further information provided = refer to the awards handbook, guidance, and the moderator for clarification on what submissions are required to demonstrate = assess submissions critically, independently and on their own merits = disagree with other panel members where they feel it appropriate, while remaining respectful of their opinions. Panellists should not: = introduce any personal knowledge or opinions of an institution/department or individuals within an institution/department to the discussion if it is not contained within the submission document = take into account wider political points about the Athena SWAN/Race Equality Charters and awards when making an award, such as the external perception of the awards = communicate about the awards panel or the applications for review outside of the panel unless facilitated by Advance HE = visit any websites /look up any URLs contained within the submissions either before or during the panel. The chair s role, in addition to the panellist role above, is: = to keep discussions on schedule = to give structure to the deliberations and move the discussion towards a decision, without steering the panel to a particular conclusion = to remind panellists not to voice personal opinions unrelated to the submission 2

3 = to summarise the panel s discussion when required = to chair any subsequent discussion in the event that a panel requests further information or amendments. There are four possible outcomes that the panel may recommend to Advance HE: = award conferred = award conferred at lower level (for gold and silver submissions) = no award conferred = extra information requested. Where possible, panel decisions should be reached by consensus (though majority decisions are accepted). The request for further information is only used in exceptional circumstances, where the panel requires further information or amendments in order to make a decision. For example, the panel may request more data where a question has been omitted or ask for clarification on an action plan. The only stipulation is that the information requested can be reasonably collected or completed within 10 working days of the request. The panel will need to reconvene, by teleconference, in order to discuss any additional information requested. Individual members of the panel must not contact the applicant. After the panel At the conclusion of the awards panel process, all application and assessment materials relating to the application will be collected by the note taker. Once the final recommendation on the decision to confer an award has been made, panellists must delete or destroy any material relating to the applications which has not already been returned to Advance HE. Following the panel, please Athena.Swan@advance-he.ac.uk or racecharter@advancehe.ac.uk within 5 working days of attendance at the panel with your completed expense claim form and all receipts/ scanned tickets/ journey histories. Please see the travel and expenses guidance for more information and to ensure your expenses can be reimbursed. Travel information These conditions must be adhered to for expenses to be reimbursed. = Advance HE are willing to cover the cost of reasonable travel expenses up to the sum of 200. For journeys of 2 hours or more each way, this includes 5 food and drink expenses each way. Alcohol will not be covered. = Travel should be booked as soon as tickets for the required journey become available. To help keep costs down please book travel in advance and no later than one month before attendance 3

4 at the panel meeting. Tickets booked after this time may not be covered without prior agreement. Panellist guidance = Please book travel in standard class. Travel in first class will not be reimbursed. In the event that first class tickets are cheaper, please contact Advance HE to confirm these tickets can be reimbursed. = Please avoid using the express trains from airports where possible (Gatwick Express, Heathrow Express, and Stansted Express) to reduce costs. = If traveling on Transport for London (TfL) services, please ensure that you only buy a ticket that covers the zones that you need to get to the panel location. All panels take place in Zone 1, as are all the major train stations in London (Waterloo, Euston, Liverpool Street, King s Cross, Victoria). Where possible use an Oyster or contactless credit/ debit card. Single tickets may be more economical than travel cards. = Taxis should not be taken unless absolutely necessary. Depending on your mobility, you may find that several stations are within walking distance. If you will need to use a taxi service please let the Charters team know prior to the journey. = Advance HE will only pay for accommodation in exceptional circumstances and this must be agreed in writing prior to the panel taking place. Please check with the team before booking any accommodation. Please be aware that any agreement to cover the cost of accommodation is specific to each round and does not constitute continuous agreement. The written agreement ( ) will need to be included with the expense claim form. = Bookings should not be made via a travel agent as this increases costs. Where panellist s host institutions require this, they should instead use their personal resources. How to claim travel expenses = To claim for travel expenses you will need to complete the travel expense claim form and return it to Advance HE with all accompanying receipts/ tickets/ journey summaries (scanned copies are acceptable). Advance HE will only be able to reimburse expenses for which receipts/tickets have been provided. Please see below for a table of evidence you should provide with your claim form. = Travel expense forms and accompanying documents should be ed to the Charters team within 5 working days of attendance at the panel. Travel expenses will be reimbursed after attendance at the panel meeting. Type of expense Car parking Train / flight / bus tickets Evidence required Receipt detailing the location, date and price; OR Photo of the pricing information/ sign clearly showing the price and location of the car park (only if receipts are not provided) Tickets detailing the price, date of travel, start and end locations; OR Booking confirmation detailing the price, date of travel, start and end locations 4

5 Oyster/contactless card payment (tube/london bus) Food and drink Mileage Claims Journey summary obtained from Itemised receipt Claims for mileage will be reimbursed at 0.45p per mile. You will need to include the start and end post codes for your journey on your travel expense claim form and the total number of miles using the AA website. Location information Please check if your panel is located at the Advance HE Westminster tower office, Office for Student or at the Medical Research Council (MRC). Advance HE Westminster Tower office location and facilities First Floor Westminster Tower 3 Albert Embankment London SE1 7SP 5

6 Location Westminster Tower is situated at the junction of Albert Embankment and Lambeth Bridge. Waterloo station (mainline, underground) Vauxhall station (mainline, underground) and St James Park and Westminster stations (mainline, underground) are all situated within walking distance. Advance HE s offices are located on the first floor of the building, accessible by lift or stairs, and are fully accessible. When you leave the lift on the first floor turn left and you will be at the front door of Advance HE s office. We are the only office situated on the first floor. Please be aware that in the immediate vicinity of Westminster Tower there are limited places to eat and drink. However, there are numerous outlets around the closest tube stations i.e. Lambeth North, Vauxhall, Westminster and Waterloo. Pedestrian access Pedestrians can enter the building directly from the public footpath, then via a gentle slope. The initial approach is formed on non-slip rubber matting. The entry to reception is via the revolving door, alternatively there is a fully accessible, automatically operated side door. The security officer on reception will provide assistance to any persons requiring it. Visitor access Upon arrival reception will advise Advance HE any visitor to the building by telephone. All visitors will be held in reception until collected by a member of staff from Advance HE. Please note that we will collect visitors to the office 15 minutes before the panel meeting begins so please do arrive to the office no more than 15 minutes before the start of the meeting you are attending. All visitors are required to sign in and display a visitor s pass which will be issued at the main reception. The pass must be displayed at all times. Lifts Three lifts are available, all of which are DDA compliant and operate at a speed of 2m / second. Toilets inside Westminster Tower Women s toilets are located on floor 1. Men s toilets are on floor 2. A unisex accessible toilet is located on the ground floor Car parking No visitor parking is available at Westminster Tower. The only available parking is local on street Pay & Display parking in and around the area. The nearest location to our offices is in Lambeth High Street which is located behind Albert Embankment. Smoking Smoking is not permitted anywhere within the building. Smoking is also banned from the entire front area of the building and can only be undertaken on the designated smoker s terrace. This can be accessed via the ground floor reception area behind the green wall. 6

7 Medical Research Council (MRC) location and facilities MRC Conference Centre 13th Floor One Kemble Street London WC2B 4AN The MRC conference centre is located on the 13 th floor of One Kemble Street. It is easily assessable from several tube stations including Holborn (Piccadilly and Central lines), Covent Garden (Piccadilly line), Temple (Circle and District lines) and Leicester Square (Piccadilly and Northern lines) which are all under 10 minutes walk away. Access Upon arrival at One Kemble Street please procced to reception on the ground floor and inform reception that you are attending a meeting at the MRC conference centre, they will then provide you with a temporary pass. The centre is accessible by lifts or stairs. When you leave the lift on the 13 th floor, turn right and proceed through both set of double doors to the MRC conference centre reception. Show the receptionist your pass and they will indicate which room the panel will be taking place in. Car parking No visitor parking is available at the MRC conference centre. 7

8 Office for Students location and facilities 2 nd Floor Finlaison House Furnival Street London EC4A 1AB The nearest station is Chancery Lane (Central Line), 5 minutes walk away. Access Upon arrive please ask the ground floor reception for the Office of Students. There are lifts which are wheelchair accessible. Toilets are accessible. There is no on-site car parking. 8

9 Athena SWAN Example Feedback The following has been prepared as a guide for how feedback is presented to applicants to assist panellists in reading applications and preparing their notes, final comments and recommended result. The examples provided are not an exhaustive list. 1. Letter of endorsement from head of department Linked Athena SWAN to University Strategy. Demonstrated personal commitment and reflection. An honest assessment of the issues facing the department. Greater specificity regarding challenges and actions planned. More explicit on resourcing (both financial and time allocated). Further detail on key successes and progress. Inclusion of a statement that the application is an honest reflection of the department/university (see Athena SWAN awards handbook, p.36). 2. Description of the department Useful diagram (Fig 1) showing departmental Include both numbers and percentages in data structures. presented. Clear identification of the department s pipeline issues Minutes provided for transparency. Good networking and consultation to support AS. All members of the SAT have dedicated time in WLM (p.34). Clear plans to embed the SAT in E&D structures to oversee implementation of Action Plan. Robust analysis of discipline-specific trends and identification of key issues Introduced follow up calls to increase acceptance rates (p.17). Included flexible working, job-sharing, leave and Departmental support in job advertisements (p.23). Reflective analysis of reasons behind key pipeline issue (transition from Lecturer to Senior Lecturer for women) with actions to address. Use of part-time to ease retirement transition (p.27). 3. The self-assessment process Consider UG and PGT representatives on SAT. Include key actions and priorities of the SAT going forward. 4. A picture of the department 4.1 Student data Greater gendered analysis required, including consideration for male underrepresentation e.g. PGT and PSS staff. 4.2 Academic and research staff data Narrative on academic staff and leavers did not match the data in Table 4.9. Tendency to over-interpret small numbers (pg. 32). 5. Supporting and advancing women s careers 5.1 Key career transition points: academic staff 9

10 Good analysis of recruitment data and reasons behind issues, with actions in place to address drop between offers and acceptances. University mentoring programme. The School Promotions panel is required to include female representation and consideration is given to personal, family and non-academic circumstances. Athena SWAN-related activities will be included in future promotions exercises (p.41). The University promotions committee consider all applications, event those which are not supported by the School s internal panel. Panellist guidance Reflection on the use of student evaluations and appraisals in the promotions process in light of published reports of gender and racial inequality these evaluations (p.43). Clarity about how applicants were supported at School-level who did not meet the criteria for promotion (pg.44). Action to address the gender disparity observed in survey results; for example, relating to the perception of understanding of the processes and perceived fairness of the process. 5.2 Key career transition points: professional and support staff (required at Silver and Gold) For Future consideration 5.3 Career development: academic staff Strong analysis of fairness and effectiveness of support in place, good use of data and consultation. Significant investment in academic leadership and development (e.g. AURORA). Improving PDR completion rates (pg. 49). Peer review for submissions. Missing data on training uptake by gender. Possible action to have recruitment decision makers attend unconscious bias training (pg. 48). Missing data for grant applications (pg. 57). 5.4 Career development: professional and support staff (required at Silver and Gold) 5.5 Flexible working and managing career breaks Focus groups with women who have taken maternity leave to explore issues and improvements to practices (p.51). Timetable and flexible leave published and formalised. Timetable requests allow staff to meet caring responsibilities (p.52). Missing data on why few staff have taken leave. More proactive action to ensure positive experience for staff taking leave (pg. 62). Lack of transparency regarding paternity leave. 5.6 Organisation and culture Good use of consultation data (surveys and focus Further detail on outreach activities, including groups) to identify issues and shape actions. target audience, frequency and impact. Social gatherings held during core hours (p.65). Stronger action required for responding to Language checked for bias in employer descriptions incidents of bullying and harassment. of placement opportunities (p.66). Three years of committee data not provided. Analysis of Workload Model (WLM or WAM) by Weak PSS consultation means reasons behind gender. issues not well identified and resulting actions lack Compulsory sexual consent workshops for first year specificity. undergraduate students (p.70). Insufficient analysis of Professional and Support staff data as required in section Case studies: impact on individuals (required at Silver and Gold) 7. Further information 10

11 N/A Prioritisation of key actions. Some actions SMART. Shared responsibility for delivering actions across the four years. N/A 8. Action plan Panellist guidance Actions to be more ambitious (1.2, 3.4, 4.6 and 5.2). Include numerical success measures where possible, e.g. for AP 1.4, 2.2, 3, 5.1. Include milestone dates for longer-term actions to ensure ongoing evaluation and reflection. Actions relating to PSS (4.2 and 4.3) not SMART further consultation needed to make sure actions are well-targeted to address issues. Recommended result Please ensure you complete this and provide the reasoning that helped for your decision in the next box. Successful Bronze award. Please summarise how you have reached the decision on your recommended result Please ensure you complete this. Your recommendation may change following the discussion, however it is essential that you form an opinion of the recommended result prior to the panel. Overall a thorough self-assessment, with mostly good analysis of data exploring reasons behind issues. Well evidenced actions planned to address key pipeline issues. Gaps in PSS data and analysis need attention going forward strong recommendation to re-visit and undertake further consultation to support action planning to address PSS issues. Good Practice Example Compulsory sexual consent workshops for first year undergraduate students. If unsuccessful at the level applied for, please explain why it failed to meet the criteria Comments on the application (presentation, format, etc.) Do not include external links in the application. The text in tables 3.2 and 4.1 is too small to read. 11