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Women's Representation on University Committees

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Section 1 - Purpose and Context

(1) The University of Western Sydney has a demonstrated commitment to equal opportunity in achieving its vision. Two of the values within the University's Vision 2020 are:

  1. fair treatment and equal opportunity for all students and staff, and affirmative action for minority and disadvantaged groups; and
  2. excellence and integrity in all its activities.

(2) The participation of women on all committees is fundamental to the achievement of equal opportunity, excellence and integrity of the University, as it contributes to the richness of diversity in decision-making. The University supports the implementation of the Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Act 1999 which requires the University to eliminate structural and attitudinal barriers that affect women in employment, and to introduce special measures which promote and encourage equal opportunity in the workplace.

(3) As part of its commitment to equal opportunity for women the University affirms the need to ensure that women are represented on all committees with specific attention to women’s rate of representation on senior decision-making committees.

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Section 2 - Definitions

(4) Nil.

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Section 3 - Policy Statement

Part A - Committees

(5) This policy applies to all committees and sub-committees, including committees established to undertake reviews.

(6) 'Decision-making committees' include the Board of Trustees and Board of Trustees Committees, Academic Senate, and the Research Committees.

(7) 'Local' committees include selection committees, professional development program committees and promotion committees.

(8) The University of Western Sydney's commitment to the achievement of equal opportunity will ensure that there is gender balance on all decision-making committees within the University. This will be achieved by ensuring that women comprise 40 percent membership of University committees.

Part B - Committee Members

(9) 'Appointed' members are determined within a committee's terms of reference.

(10) 'Elected' members are elected through the appropriate electoral processes.

(11) 'Ex-officio' members are appointed onto the committee because of the position held by the member.

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Section 4 - Procedures

Part C - Decision-making committees

(12) The Vice-Chancellor, with advice from senior management and the Director, Equity and Diversity will review committee memberships and identify those committees where women are less than 40 percent of the committee.

(13) Where a gender imbalance exists on the committee the Vice-Chancellor, or nominee, will discuss with the person responsible for the establishing of the committee, the appropriateness of appointing additional members to redress the imbalance and consider the strategies outlined in Part E.

Part D - Local committees

(14) Senior management with advice from Executive Director, People and Culture and Director, Equity and Diversity will identify committees which have an under-representation of women. In some instances where the particular committee is predominantly male, appropriate female representation may be difficult to achieve. In such cases, the convener of the committee will ensure representation of women by appointing external members from other areas of the University or other organizations.

Part E - Strategies

(15) Where a committee has less than 40 percent of women represented on committee the following strategies should be implemented:

  1. co-option of additional women members;
  2. seek women committee members who have relevant expertise from elsewhere within the University;
  3. seek women committee members from relevant professional groups outside the University;
  4. appointment of a female deputy chairperson;
  5. appointment of alternates of women and men;
  6. inviting women staff members to attend and contribute to meetings;
  7. examination of the terms of reference with a view to recommending changes in the composition of the committee which may include:
    1. limited term membership;
    2. limiting ex-officio member numbers;
    3. providing ex-officio women nominees;
    4. broadening eligibility to include more junior members of staff.
  8. where election applies, encouragement and support provided to women; and
  9. any other appropriate action.

Part F - Women’s Register

(16) Each Unit Head will encourage women to place their names on the AVCC Women’s register.

(17) The Office of People and Culture will place the UWS women who are listed on the AVCC Women’s register on their Web site.

(18) Committee Chairs will refer to this web site when considering women’s membership of committees.

Part G - Caveat

(19) To achieve the outcomes of this policy it is recognised that there will be some academic areas where women's membership of committees is very low, as a result of the education and employment sex-segregation patterns. In addition the 'elected' and 'ex-officio' membership of committees can also result in a low level of women's representation.

(20) These areas are required to implement strategies, as outlined in Part E.

(21) Conveners will be required to provide to the Equity and Diversity Unit the implementation of strategies to improve the representation of women on the Committees where women’s representation is below 40 percent.

(22) Some Committees have a small membership. Where the Committee membership comprises three members there will be at least one woman on the Committee. Where the committee Membership comprises five members, there will be at least two women on the Committee.

Part H - Monitoring

(23) The UWS Equity and Diversity Unit will monitor the implementation of the policy.

(24) Conveners of University Committees will be required to report annually to the UWS Equity and Diversity Unit:

  1. where women do not comprise at least 40 percent of membership of the committee, and
  2. to provide, an outline of strategies to be implemented to increase the representation of women on committees, where there is an inability to comply with this policy.

(25) The Equity and Diversity Unit will report:

  1. to the University Executive on gender representation on committees and actions taken by committees where there is under-representation; and
  2. to external reporting agencies on women’s representation on committees.
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Section 5 - Guidelines

(26) Nil.