How to Get Started - Policies and Procedures Mrs Sandra Beaufoy Dr Julia Smith

Getting Started Departmental Athena Focus Group to be set up Identification of a staff member to lead the process and be responsible for collating all the information Create Departmental Athena web page Briefing on Athena to departmental staff and students by Senior Staff member

Getting Started Member(s) of staff to be identified to take responsibility for the baseline data Staff data Student data Allocate specific questions from the submission form to individuals on the Focus Group best placed to take responsibility for that section.

Getting Started As submission starts to be drafted and discussed at Focus Group meetings, identify issues for attention and start to draft a suitable Action Plan. Collaborate with similar departments from other Universities that have already been successful in gaining an Athena award – share best practice – discuss challenges.

What Next? Examine existing policies and procedures and how they are implemented within the School/Department Explore where and how improvements could be made to these processes Align these findings to the submission and Action Plan

Action Plan Categories within Action Plan: New Actions to address recognized needs from Athena SWAN process Modifications to existing processes to address recognized needs Improvements required for data collection

Communication / Decision Making / Staff Engagement Commitment of a senior sponsor University of Warwick Athena Steering Group University of Warwick Athena Network Group Departmental Welfare & Communications Group Departmental Intranet Equality and Diversity training Actions need to be: o Monitored and Measured o Embedded into the culture of the department o Disseminated to the wider University community

Benefits Attracts and retains prospective students and staff More engaged and informed staff Review of existing policies and practices to identify improvements Sharing best practice to enable other departments to learn and improve their procedures Improvements for all staff not just women Good procedures are highlighted Good news encourages others Better links between academic departments and central administration

Implications for WMS regarding policies and procedures Reviewed and reassessed things such as: Committee structure Recruitment – sources of and sourcing applicants, employer of choice, panel composition Family friendly policies Role models Senior management understanding of E&D Communication – of policies and AS Annual reviews Timing of meetings Exit interviews

Changing policies and procedures Identify the departmental and University responsibilities Senior sponsor backing Develop ideas through W&C working group Resource Communication under AS heading Share knowledge It does not need to be rocket science!

Any Questions?