Passionate about Equality, Diversity & Inclusion
The SU is for ALL students, regardless of background or identity. We are committed to making our whole offer as accessible as possible. To do this we must be constantly challenging the way we work in order to break down barriers to participation.
How do we deliver on this commitment to diversity & inclusion?
- The SU's Equality, Diversity & Inclusion strategy - we aim to embed inclusive practices in everything we do, our EDI strategy will aim to embed inclusive practices at all levels of our organisation.
- Lobbying and work with the University to make the whole student experience more inclusive - We have student representatives and Officers regularly attending a variety of meetings with the University to ensure their delivery is inclusive to all students. The SU has a responsibility to lobby the University to consider the range of needs within a diverse student body. Particularly, it is a key part of the Community Officer's role to lead on EDI lobbying work.
- Diversity/Liberation Groups - we have 5 fantastic student-led liberation groups (LGBT+, Feminism & Gender Equality, Disability Action Group, Race Equality Group, and Mature Students group) who represent students from a range of backgrounds and put on specific events and activities.
- The Inclusivity Award - an initiative to support our student groups in becoming increasingly accessible to students of all backgrounds.
- Welfare & Inclusivity Officers - Many of our other student groups (like our Sports clubs for example), have dedicated Welfare and Inclusivity Officers to ensure student group activities are inclusive.
- Training - our Officers and staff receive a variety of training in the EDI area, and we also offer inclusivity training to all of our student leaders as well, to equip our community to consider their own part in making the University experience inclusive.
- And more!... We have even more roles, procedures, practices, and initiatives that aim to make our activities inclusive.
However, we believe that we can always be improving our practices, so if you feel there is a particular barrier you are experiencing within The SU, get in touch here: su-liberation@bath.ac.uk.
New SU EDI strategy
The SU is currently doing research to build our new Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion strategy. We want to hear more about the lived experiences of our students and how we can make The SU's policies and practices more inclusive.
The fundamental aim of this project is to ensure all students, staff, and visitors feel welcome at The SU by breaking down barriers to participation, thus creating a more accessible environment for diverse members of the community.
In order to achieve this aim, the project’s initial objective is: To carry out research to assess the current situation of inclusion within The SU.
Specifically, the research must:
- Identify the biggest challenges that require ED&I focus, including which identity groups are the most under-represented or excluded at present.
- Assess and communicate the impact of the existing ED&I work The SU delivers.
This research will comprise of quantitative and qualitative research, analysis of participation data, and engagement with students and staff. The research findings and subsequent consultation with students will determine SMART targets and inform the direction of a new 3-year ED&I action plan, ensuring planned initiatives are evidence-led and shaped by student voices. This research will also act as a baseline measurement for impact monitoring and assessment in the future.