The BAME Staff Network All Staff Survey 2020: A report on the findings

The BAME Staff Network All Staff Survey of 2020 was the first of its kind at the University of Kent, directly asking staff about the culture of the institution and their personal views about the effectiveness of EDI policies and procedures. The university has a community of approximately 3,400 staff and approximately over 19,000 students. Over the last decade the university has experienced a vast change in the student demographic where approximately 55% of students identify as BAME at the Medway campus and approximately 44% at the Canterbury campus. However, the staff demographic (both academic and professional and estates staff) who identify as BAME is approximately 12% does not reflect this change. The Black Lives Matter movement significantly exposed the embedded racial inequalities that exist within the fabric of British society and as this report highlights, also within our own British higher education institutions. The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) ‘Tackling racial harassment: universities challenged (2019) survey looked at the extent to which universities have in place available, accessible and effective routes to redress for their staff and students if they experience racial harassment. The higher education sector was found to lack effective redress and does not fully understand racial harassment and university staff lack confidence in dealing with race issues. Many universities significantly underestimate the prevalence of racial harassment and have misplaced confidence in people’s willingness to come forward. A significant concern for many students and staff was that those involved in handling their complaint could lack the independence to do so effectively. The Black Lives Matter Movement, following the racist killing of George Floyd in May 2020 in America has shifted attention to the ongoing racism in the UK and has shed light on continuing structural inequalities experienced by many Black and ethnic minority staff and students in UK universities and manifestations of racial harassment. In a more recent report, The UUK report ‘Tackling racial harassment: universities’ (2021) highlights the ongoing racial harassment still prevalent in our universities and looked at steps to prevent and respond to racial harassment. The report suggests ways of addressing systemic racism and racial inequalities in higher education, including addressing ethnicity pay gaps, increasing representation, tackling degree-awarding gaps and embracing decolonisation.

There has never been a more imminent time to address these issues in academia. Drawing on recent evidence from the BAME Staff Network All Staff Survey and UUK’s previous research on closing the gap (2019) and its report in 2021, we are now in a position to call out to all staff and students to collaborate and find solutions to Kent’s issues in addressing racial inequality and bullying and harassment. We are now able to work proactively towards creating a safe place for our staff and students so that they feel that they belong to a university community in the truest sense. The network has been working in conjunction with the Academic Strategy Planning and Performance team to develop sustainable ways to change the institutional culture and behaviours concerning equality, diversity and inclusion on campus and Kent’s surrounding community. The network has set out particular aims to support and advise BAME staff to progress in their careers and build a sense of community and belongingness. Part of this agenda is to work with the university to change the status quo and become a university that is fair, safe and accountable for its drive towards cultural change as we transition into new ways of learning and working due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. We as a network appreciate that we have much work to do and there is a long road ahead for us to undo and unlearn our own biases and dismantle the manifestations of structural racism in society and in higher education. We understand that the evidence provided in this report, along with staff recommendations, needs to take place alongside the university’s Anti-racism strategy and policy, learning and development reform and our commitment to be awarded the Race Equality Charter (REC) Award. All of these aims require us working together and better understanding each other if we are to effectively tackle racial discrimination and racialised barriers faced by staff and students, allowing us all to achieve our full potential in the workplace.