IDEA News
Published in the RSAA Lunations
Vol1 Issue30 1–31 July 2022
A tale of two RSAA surveys (and others)
In the coming weeks everyone can expect some more electronic surveys.
There are already many, and it is easy to become a bit jaded about them, we all know that. However, a lot of IDEAs (or Inclusion Diversity Equity and Accessibility committees), are going to be sending out survey emails, and you may feel like it is duplicating or not clear why we need them.
The results will be anonymised even to the IDEA committee, and a lot of work has been done to make the survey compliant with best practises for this type of survey to protect individuals at the highest priority, which is partly why the survey has taken a while to prepare and approved.
The results of our RSAA survey will be available in a suitable form and will be both a snapshot we can compare with, and a guide to future diversity and equity strategies within the school so this is your chance to have a voice.
It is the result of a long process by Luca, Noelia, and the RSAA school IDEA committee - it is a key part of our schools diversity and health with the help of a professional cultural survey organisation.
It will also become a necessary part of the next RSAA IDEA Pleiades Award application, to step up from last years successful Bronze level to the next Silver level certification. I think many agree that this framework is a very good motivation and a positive pressure on all astronomical institution nationally to improve their cultures. It is a non-trivial job and we all need to contribute to achieve steady improvement.
So when the RSAA IDEA survey comes around in the coming weeks, it will be open for a few weeks, please consider contributing your voice.
But wait - there is more. At the College of Science level, another IDEA diversity survery, run on an internal ANU survey system, will also come around. It is part of the ANU 2025 strategic planning in the IDEA area. It may be similar and smaller, but it is important for the medium term and the ANU as a whole. Again, there few more important (ok WHS) issues than improving our institutions for all people in all settings to make it a better and more inclusive place for everyone. So if you can, please do the ANU College of Science survey as well, as it has a different audience and effect.
Finally at the astronomical Society of Australia, the ASA, there is a 'best practises' group forming to look at national level issues and broad guidelines such as IDEA, if they need to do surveys, please look kindly upon them.
On other areas briefly, there are more workshops and training prgrammes coming this year and some may be more open or repeats for people who could not make earlier ones. For those doing the Mental Health First Aid workshop, the online preparation deadline is the end of June, so don't leave it to the last minute.
If you have questions or ideas, contact the IDEA committee: idea.rsaa@anu.edu.au
Ralph Sutherland
