David Ruebain, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Culture, Equality and Inclusion), wrote to all staff on Wednesday 18 September. You can read the full text of his email below.

Dear Colleague, 

As I write, students are arriving at Sussex – some new, some returning - and Welcome Week is underway. This academic year we will develop plans to implement the new 10-year strategy, Sussex 2035, agreed by Council in July, including our EDI objectives and success factors. I would like to start my update this month with some reflections on our approach.

There are several frameworks in which to understand and advance EDI. Our current Inclusive Sussex strategy focuses on addressing structural and systemic inequality, where exclusion, underrepresentation and disadvantage are historically fashioned and driven not just by behaviours but embedded within institutional practice.
 
We have made progress in addressing these and in achieving our strategic measures of success, as outlined in our EDI annual reports submitted to Council, but there remains much work to do to continue to advance equality, build and enhance inclusion and ensure that barriers which impede a truly diverse community are removed. I look forward to building on this in our work to implement Sussex 2035 and I will keep you updated.
 
In this month’s update:

• New Dignity, Respect and Inclusion Policy 
• Disability equality and inclusion update
• Reasonable Adjustments Review and supporting disabled students
• Improving campus accessibility
• New Black at Sussex project manager
• In Conversation events in October – Kalwant Bhopal and Fox Fisher
• Reminder to complete your MyView equality data 

New Dignity, Respect and Inclusion Policy 

In August we shared the news that our new Dignity, Respect and Inclusion Policy had been launched. In case you missed it, this policy brings together our previous Dignity and Respect Policy and our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy, incorporating our commitments to freedom of speech and academic freedom.

Disability equality and inclusion update

The Disability Equality and Inclusion Steering Group strategically steers and works collaboratively with teams across the University to address barriers and disadvantages experienced by disabled staff, students and visitors at Sussex. The group includes Disabled Students' Officers and members of the Staff Disability Network and Neurodiversity Staff Network. Over the last academic year, their work has included:

• launching our Disability Essentials e-learning for staff
• developing the University’s recent submission for Disability Confident Leader accreditation – more on this below
• reviewing and updating the Workplace Adjustments Toolkit (led by the Reasonable Adjustments Working Group)

Disability Confident is a voluntary government scheme which encourages organisations to think differently about disability and take action to improve how they recruit, retain and develop disabled people. The scheme has three levels, and the University is seeking accreditation to Level 3 - Disability Confident Leader, having attained Level 2 - Disability Confident Employer through self-assessment in 2021. You can find out more about Disability Confident and other work underway to support disability equality at Sussex.

Reasonable Adjustments Review and supporting disabled students

This year the University and the Students’ Union are working together to review our Reasonable Adjustments processes and support for disabled students. We will review how students are supported, whether they have shared information about their disability or not, and will be engaging widely with the University community, including through open workshops for staff and students. More information on how to join the workshops will be shared with staff and students shortly. 

Improving campus accessibility

Meanwhile, work continues to improve access across campus. New lighting has been installed on the Freeman building wheelchair accessibility ramp, making the area much brighter and easier to access when it is dark, and we have installed new automatic doors at the main entrance to the Richmond building, replacing two sets of old and heavy doors that were previously in place. New automatic doors to Bramber House will be installed over the next few weeks and work to install the new Silverstone access ramp is also underway. 

New Black at Sussex project manager

I would like to extend a warm welcome to our new Black at Sussex project manager, Bud Johnston, who joins us this week. Bud, who has a marketing background, set up BARCO (Brighton & Hove Black Anti-Racism Community Organisation) in 2020, and is a member of the inclusivity board for Soho House in Brighton. If you get an opportunity, do please introduce yourself.

In Conversation events in October - Kalwant Bhopal and Fox Fisher

We have two Inclusive Sussex: In Conversation events coming up this October, which I very much hope you will be able to join me for.

On Wednesday 9 October Kalwant Bhopal, Professor of Education and Social Justice and Director of the Centre for Research in Race and Education at the University of Birmingham, will be discussing race and education and her recent book - Race and Education: Reproducing White Supremacy in Britain. An authority on Critical Race Theory – one of a number of understandings of the nature of racism – I am very pleased that Kalwant’s visit will also contribute to our ongoing work to understand different forms and models of racism and religious discrimination, as mentioned in my May 2024 update. Whilst our new Dignity, Respect and Inclusion Policy and our Inclusive Sussex strategy establish the University’s approach to tackling racism and other forms of discrimination and harassment, this programme of work seeks to increase understanding and knowledge. Places are limited and this will be a great discussion, so book your ticket now.

The following week, on Tuesday 15 October, we will have an event hosted by the Trans and Non-Binary Staff Network, where we welcome Sussex alum Fox Fisher back to campus. Fox is a British artist, author, filmmaker, and prominent transgender rights activist known for their extensive work in advocating for the transgender and non-binary community. Fox will be curating a selection of short films and clips for the screening, followed by a discussion. Book your place. 

Reminder to complete your MyView equality data

As I mentioned in my last update, please can all staff review their equality data in MyView and make sure it is up to date. It is very important that we have comprehensive and accurate data so as to better understand the Sussex community, seek to address underrepresentation and drive inclusion. Your data is completely confidential so please do take a few minutes to check and update the information.

With good wishes,    
 
David Ruebain     
Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Culture, Equality and Inclusion)

Coming up:  

• National Inclusion Week, 23-29 September 
• Bi Visibility Day, 23 September
• Black History Month, 1-31 October
• International Older Persons Day, 1 October 
• Dyslexia Awareness Week, 2-7 October
• Coast is Queer literature festival in conjunction with the Attenborough Centre and School of Media, Arts and Humanities, 10-13 October
• National Hate Crime Awareness Week, 12-19 October
• Intersex Awareness Day, 26 October

Religious days and observances:  

• Navaratri (Hindu festival observed in honor of the goddess Durga), 3-12 October
• Rosh Hashana (Jewish New Year), 3 October 
• Birth of the Sikh Guru Ram Das Ji, 9 October
• Yom Kippur (Jewish day of atonement), 12 October 
• Sukkot (Jewish harvest festival), 17 October 
• Samhain (Pagan festival marking the end of the harvest season and beginning of winter) and Christian All Hallows Eve, 31 October

Further information about upcoming awareness days will be shared on the Staff Hub and you can view further faith days and diversity dates in our Equality and Inclusion Calendar 2024.