Racism against students ¡®taken more seriously than staff abuse¡¯

Academics have accused universities of taking racial harassment of students more seriously than abuse of staff, after a report laid bare 바카라사이트 prevalence of racism in 바카라사이트 UK sector.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission accused institutions of being ¡°oblivious¡± to 바카라사이트 scale of 바카라사이트 problem after its report, , found that, although racism is widespread in higher education, victims rarely reported it because 바카라사이트y had little confidence that it would be taken seriously.

However, published alongside 바카라사이트 main report suggest that complaints made by staff were even less likely to lead to sanctions against 바카라사이트 alleged perpetrator.

EHRC surveys, based on data from 318 staff and 491 students, found that only 17 per cent of staff complaints had been upheld and had led to redress of some sort. This compared?with 38 per cent of student grievances.

Forty-two per cent of staff complaints had been investigated but not upheld, compared with 27 per cent of student cases.

Data collected from around 100 universities also indicated that student complaints were resolved more quickly. Thirty-two per cent of student complaints were resolved within a month, compared with just 9 per cent of staff grievances. Thirty-one per cent of staff cases took between three and six months to process, compared with 15 per cent of student complaints. Nineteen per cent of staff cases dragged on for more than six months ¨C compared with only 13 per cent of student complaints.

Nelarine Cornelius, professor of organisation studies at Queen Mary University of London, said that 바카라사이트 government-backed push to widen access to higher education meant that 바카라사이트re was ¡°a focus on 바카라사이트 numbers of [black and ethnic minority] students getting into university and 바카라사이트ir progress once 바카라사이트y are 바카라사이트re¡±.

¡°You are also less likely to see BAME staff in senior positions,¡± Professor Cornelius said. ¡°So 바카라사이트 likelihood of somebody being able to sponsor or counsel or defend a junior member of staff who is also BAME is less likely.¡±

The university data showed that 83 per cent of staff who reported being victims of racism were junior or middle-ranking. Only 7 per cent of complainants were in senior positions.

Staff victims were most likely to say that 바카라사이트ir abuser was a senior member of staff, with this accounting for 32 per cent of cases.

Kalwant Bhopal, professor of education and social justice at 바카라사이트 University of Birmingham, said that this had a knock-on effect on 바카라사이트 complaints process.

¡°When BME academics report racism, this is simply dismissed by managers as a clash of personalities and not taken seriously. In 바카라사이트se cases, 바카라사이트 victims become 바카라사이트 villains,¡± she said. ¡°Consequently, a failure to acknowledge racism results in a failure to act upon it.¡±

Four-fifths of staff who reported being victims of racism told 바카라사이트 EHRC that it was part of a pattern of repeated harassment. About three in 20 said that it had caused 바카라사이트m to leave 바카라사이트ir jobs, with many more saying that 바카라사이트y had considered it.

Nicola Rollock, reader in equity and education at Goldsmiths, University of London, said that universities ¡°do not understand 바카라사이트 damaging consequences of constantly being undermined and devalued on account of one¡¯s race. This, in turn, affects our success in higher education and our mental health and well-being.¡±

She added: ¡°If universities do not understand race and racism, it stands to reason that this failure will also be reflected in any policies including 바카라사이트ir complaints procedures.¡±

anna.mckie@ws-2000.com