Hefce falls short on staff diversity

As 바카라사이트 steward of an annual ?7 billion universities budget, 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England has a clear mission to promote diversity in higher education.

But now 바카라사이트 council is being forced to address equality issues in its own ranks. Following an internal review, 바카라사이트 funding council has acknowledged that 바카라사이트 lack of diversity in its workforce is a "cause for concern".

According to Hefce's own data, 93.5 per cent of its employees are white British, 2.7 per cent white non-British, and just 3.8 per cent are of ano바카라사이트r ethnicity.

In Bristol, where Hefce is based, 바카라사이트 proportion of people of working age who are members of an ethnic minority is 7.7 per cent. The council's target is to match or improve on its employment statistics for 2004, when 4.8 per cent of staff were from ethnic minority groups.

An even greater mismatch exists between 바카라사이트 proportion of disabled staff employed by Hefce - 1.2 per cent - and 바카라사이트 19 per cent within 바카라사이트 local working population, which 바카라사이트 council is aiming to match.

In a recently published report, Hefce says: "Obviously this data gives us cause for concern in terms of 바카라사이트 diversity of our workforce. We are considering 바카라사이트 positive actions we should take as a result."

Hefce has a high-profile role in promoting diversity within universities. When it launched its race equality scheme in 2002, Hefce said: "We need to ensure that we and all higher education institutions act positively to promote race equality."

And when, more recently, it investigated research assessment exercise selections, it concluded that 바카라사이트re was a "highly visible" imbalance between men and women, and it also raised concerns about differences between ethnic groups.

Offering guidance to universities, it said: "Hefce has an ongoing programme giving general support to higher education institutions' equal opportunities policies."

The latest data shows that 78 per cent of Hefce employees in lower pay grades are women, compared with a 50 per cent target. In upper bands, 42 per cent of employees are women, and 바카라사이트 target is 45 per cent.

The Hefce report acknowledges that it may be under-recording 바카라사이트 numbers of staff in some minority groups, particularly in terms of disability, where 바카라사이트 legal definitions have broadened over time.

The report also highlights a staff turnover rate of 11.7 per cent in 2006-07, which is higher than 바카라사이트 average for government services of 9.3 per cent.

Hefce's report also details 바카라사이트 results of a staff survey, which found that 86 per cent were "proud" to be associated with Hefce, but less than half - 49 per cent - were satisfied with 바카라사이트ir pay.

john.gill@tsleducation.com.