Statement on Racial Harassment in HE report by UUK
Monday 24th November 2020
We welcome the new guidance on ‘Tackling racial harassment in higher education’, published by Universities UK yesterday. The university was actively involved in the work of this important taskforce, and we commit to implementing the recommendations of the report in full. We recognise that being actively anti-racist is not always something we have achieved as a University, but we continue to work extremely hard on this as we move forward with the Race Equality Charter Mark process, Provost Commission outcomes and our inclusive action plan, written in collaboration with our community.
We know that our BAME staff and students are not a homogenous group and have a wide range of experiences, identities and needs. Because of this, we recognise that we will need to engage across our diverse staff and student networks, amongst the wider University of Exeter community, on our response to the recommendations. We commit to ensuring that those with lived experience of racism and racial harassment have an amplified voice within this process.
Above all else, we absolutely value the diverse voices and commitment of those involved in anti-racism work at the University of Exeter and within our wider community. We know that listening to and acting swiftly upon their feedback is vital in moving forwards to create the most inclusive and compassionate institution possible. As we move forward with implementing the recommendations, working across the entire university community including with members of the BME Staff, Student & Allies Network, Race Equality Group and Students’ Union and Students’ Guild, we commit to keeping our community updated with our progress through a variety of channels, ensuring transparency and inclusivity throughout the process.