• Section 1 - Purpose
• Section 2 - Objectives
• Section 3 - Committee Membership
• Membership
• Appointment procedure
• Chair
• In Attendance
• Term of Office
• Representative Objectives
• Section 4 - Functions of the Committee
• Section 5 - Authorities
• Section 6 - Conduct of Committee Business
• Meetings
• Business Papers
• Quorum
• Use of Technology
• Resolutions
• Minutes
• Self-Review
• Secretary to Committee

Section 1 - Purpose

(1) The UNE Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Committee (EDI Committee) is an open and safe space for staff and students to raise concerns, discuss equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) initiatives and programs and share ideas about EDI programs that UNE may run. This information will be shared with the Executive, and reported annually to the Audit and Risk Committee. The Chief Operating Officer (COO) is the executive sponsor of the EDI Committee.

(2) The EDI Committee’s role is to evaluate the embedding and effectiveness of relevant UNE strategies, action plans, policies and other activities relating to equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging, and through the Chair, make recommendations to the COO, UNE Executive Team and UNE’s governance committees on matters relating to EDI that impact staff, students and the wider UNE community.

(3) In undertaking this role, the EDI Committee contributes to UNE meeting the compliance requirements of:

1. Age Discrimination Act 2004
2. Anti-Discrimination Act 1977
3. Child Protection (Working with Children) Act 2012
4. Disability Discrimination Act 1992
5. Disability Standards for Education 2005
6. Fair Work Act 2009
7. Heritage Act 1977
8. Higher Education Support Act 2003
9. Modern Slavery Act 2018
10. Modern Slavery Act 2018 NSW
11. Multicultural NSW Act 2000
12. Racial Discrimination Act 1975
13. Racial Hatred Act 1995
14. Sex Discrimination Act 1984
15. Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Act 2011 Domain 2 Learning Environment: Standard 2.2 – Diversity and Equity)
16. United Nations Convention on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
17. United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
18. Workplace Gender Equality Act 2012.

(4) In addition to recommendations on UNE’s compliance in relation to compliance obligations in Clause (3), the EDI Committee coordinates and supports equity, diversity and inclusions groups and networks at UNE.

Section 2 - Objectives

(5) The EDI Committee is to monitor and provide recommendations on UNE activities relating to equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging.

(6) The EDI Committee’s objectives align with the UNE Equity Diversity and Inclusion Rule [in development] principles:

1. UNE is dedicated to providing an environment that upholds the principles of social justice without fear of discrimination, harassment or bullying, where all students, employees and others participating in our community are treated with dignity, courtesy and respect. It strives to build a vibrant community which respects the inherent dignity of the individual and values the unique knowledge, skills, abilities, life skills and competencies that each person can contribute to learning and workplace culture.
2. UNE acknowledges that historic and ongoing disadvantage has created barriers to access and progression for some groups in the community and will work to become part of the solution to this inequality. The University is committed to our social and community responsibilities in line with the principles founded on  the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
3. UNE recognises that many members of its community experience multiple forms of prejudice and discrimination and that equity and diversity can only be achieved, if they consider the intersectional lived experience of its members.
4. Each member of the UNE community is recognised and valued for their diversity. The significance of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders as the nation’s First Peoples is particularly acknowledged.

Section 3 - Committee Membership

Membership

(7) The members of the EDI Committee are:

1. Chief Operating Officer
2. Pro-Vice Chancellor (Indigenous), or Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander nominee (staff or student)
3. Nominated academic member of the Faculty of Humanities, Arts, Social Science and Education (HASSE), ensuring equity representation
4. Nominated academic member of the Faculty of Science, Agriculture, Business and Law (SABL), ensuring equity representation
5. Nominated academic member of the Faculty of Medicine and Health, ensuring equity representation
6. Nominated professional staff member, ensuring equity representation
7. Nominated staff member from non-Armidale UNE campus
8. UNE Student Council member, ensuring equity representation
9. Two undergraduate student members, appointed from expressions of interest reflecting representation of the diversity of student groups with priorities for one (1) online student and one (1) on campus student
10. Two postgraduate student members, appointed from expressions of interest reflecting representation of the diversity of student groups with priorities for one (1) online student and one (1) on campus student
11. Chairs of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion staff and student networks (see Clause 13)

Appointment procedure

(8) Prospective members of the EDI Committee may be recruited by direct approach or nomination, including self-nomination.

1. Calls for nominations are distributed by the Secretary and must include a criterion of equity and diversity representation.
2. Nominations are open for at least three (3) weeks.

(9) Prospective members are appointed by existing members of the UNE EDI Committee through a simple majority at the next available meeting, with the Chair at the time making the final determination. Members are to consider gaps in skills, lived experience and equity representation when deciding on new members.

Chair

(10) The Chair will be elected annually by all members of the EDI Committee. Rotation of the Chair role, amongst members of the Committee, to occur in accordance with principles determined by the EDI Committee, with the aim of maximising the contribution of all EDI Committee members.

In Attendance

(11) The EDI Committee may seek input from any other members of the University community from time to time, or invite University officials and representatives of various stakeholder groups to meetings.

Term of Office

(12) Members will serve a term of 24 months, with the possibility of extension for a further 12 months or more, depending on the continuing requirement of the EDI Committee.

Representative Objectives

(13) Committee membership should strive to achieve a representation balance, as per the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Procedures [in development](Clause 20 ‘Representation on Decision Making Bodies’).

Section 4 - Functions of the Committee

(14) The following are the functions of the EDI Committee:

1. Through the Chair, provide recommendations to the COO, Executive Team and other relevant UNE committees about the development, promotion, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of strategies, policies, action plans and programs that impact staff, students and community, in relation to equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging. This does not include compliance reporting in relation to the compliance drivers in Clause (3). While the EDI Committee may provide advice to the relevant member of the Senior Executive and VC&CEO, responsibility for compliance rests with the relevant Senior Executive and VC&CEO.
2. Provide an avenue for consultation and recommendations to the Executive Team and relevant Committees on issues concerning systemic gender, disability and accessibility, race, age and sex discrimination.
3. Make recommendations to the COO on the allocation of funds committed to the EDI Committee to support specific equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging events and activities, and support advocacy for such funds.
4. Coordinate and provide support to other UNE equity, diversity and inclusion groups. The EDI Committee will provide requests for expertise, advice and guidance where appropriate.
5. Ensure that, wherever possible, an intersectionality lens is applied to the work of the Committee. This ensures that work towards one equity group considers that many people belong to more than one equity group and their needs and experiences are influenced by the multiple disadvantages they may face.
6. Provide recommendation reports to the Executive Sponsor for the Senior Executive Team, as well as an annual report to the Audit and Risk Committee.
7. Develop and maintain strategic linkages with committees of the University that monitor staff and student policies and programs, in particular Academic Board and its Committees.

Section 5 - Authorities

(15) This Committee is established under the authority of the Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive Officer, to perform the functions set out in these Terms of Reference, and all matters ancillary to those functions.

Section 6 - Conduct of Committee Business

Meetings

(16) The Committee will meet at least four (4) times per annum. The Chair may call additional meetings if required. Committee members should be given at least three (3) weeks notice in advance of the next meeting, or such shorter notice period as is practicable where the matter is urgent.

Business Papers

(17) Unless the Chair directs otherwise, Committee business papers, or "flying minutes" and explanatory documents accompanying them, will be distributed to Committee members electronically and in an accessible format not less than seven (7) days before the next meeting. Disclosure of business papers, minutes and other information received by the Committee should be made via the Secretary to the Committee.

(18) Business papers will not be tabled during Committee meetings, if they have not been distributed electronically prior to the meeting for equity reasons. Late papers may be distributed electronically in an accessible format by the Secretary, upon approval by the Chair.

Quorum

(19) A quorum shall consist of a simple majority of the members of the Committee at the time the meeting is held.

Use of Technology

(20) Business papers and other documentation must be distributed in advance of each meeting in an accessible, online format. All meetings will be held online via video-conferencing and in person, where possible.

Resolutions

(21) The Committee may pass a resolution by "flying minute" provided that the resolution has been approved by a simple majority of the Committee members at the time the resolution is made.

Minutes

(22) Meeting notes will be kept to a minimum and circulated promptly following the meeting, including all action items. Minutes will be formally endorsed by the Committee at its next meeting.

(23) Minutes will be provided in an accessible electronic format by the Secretary.

(24) The Secretary to the Committee is responsible for ensuring all Committee business records are registered in the approved Records Management System (RMS) in accordance with the Records Management Rule.

Self-Review

(25) An annual self-review of the Committee will be conducted to ascertain the continuing requirement of the Committee.

Secretary to Committee

(26) The Director People and Culture and/or nominee will act as Secretary and provide administrative support to the Committee.