IDEA Committee Update
Published in the RSAA Lunations
Vol1 Issue15 1–30 April 2021
The RSAA Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access (IDEA) committee has been very busy since the beginning of the year.
Right after the Christmas break, we provided feedback to the ANU Organisational Change team managing the ANU Recovery Plan. Our feedback focussed on protecting the wellbeing of staff and students by applying Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access principles, at all times – including periods of institutional reorganisation. In the same line, we also submitted an item for discussion to the ANU Academic Board.
Last December, RSAA applied for the ASA Pleiades Award, Bronze Level. The ASA Pleiades Award recognises organisations that actively advocate for Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access. We received the rejoinder request and submitted the response on March 23. The ASA IDEA Chapter reviewing our application was interested to learn more about the RSAA Culture Action Plan, the future culture climate survey, and current and future training for the committee members and the broader community at the RSAA.
The IDEA committee and the working groups are organising intensive in-person training for 2021. In the meantime, we strongly encourage staff and students to undertake the following Pulse modules: “Core Cultural Learning” (10 modules), “Responding to Disclosures of Sexual Violence”, and “HDR Supervision at ANU: Responsibilities and Good Practice” (for staff). As part of the induction process, everyone should have done by now “ANU Code of Conduct”, “The Responsible ANU Staff Member” (for staff), and “Campus Environment”. If you are not sure whether you have undertaken them or not, maybe it’s time to go through them again and refresh your memory!
The RSAA Executive has released a Call for Proposals to fund strategic initiatives at the RSAA during 2021. Improving the work environment for everyone at the RSAA to feel safe and supported is our goal as a committee. The IDEA committee and working groups of the Culture Action Plan are submitting a proposal with a range of initiatives that align with our mission. If the various activities get funded, 2021 will be a very exciting year for the RSAA! Stay tuned!
Finally, the IDEA committee would like to thank staff and students for their collaboration and engagement during 2020 and beginning of 2021. We are aware that we are asking for what nobody has enough of: time, but as our Culture Action Plan states: “our culture is something we make together”.
The IDEA committee advocate for the entire workplace - please reach out to us if you have any concern, suggestion, or ideas.
Noelia Martinez Rey
