To enhance the capacity of Monash University to achieve its objectives by taking action to ensure that the student population reflects the full diversity of the community and that a learning environment conducive to success is provided for all students.

extrapolated from Leading The Way
The Monash Plan 1999-2003

RESPONSIBILITIES

While each manager in the University is responsible for contributing to the achievement of the Equity Plan’s objectives, the newly established Student Equity and Access Subcommittee (of the Equal Opportunity Committee of the University’s Council) has overall responsibility for monitoring Monash’s progress in implementing and achieving its equity objectives for students.

SUMMARY OF OBJECTIVES

1. To integrate equity planning and management responsibilities into the faculties and the administrative units of the University.
2. To ensure effective communication and understanding of the principles of the Student Equity Plan within the University.
3. To provide an environment free from discrimination and harassment.
4. To provide gender and culturally inclusive curricula.
5. To increase access and provide a learning environment conducive to success for people from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds, people with disabilities, people from non-English-speaking backgrounds and people from rural and isolated areas.
6. To increase the representation of women in non-traditional courses and in higher degrees by research in those disciplines in which women are under-represented.

Background

Objectives 1 to 4 focus on embedding equity considerations in all the University’s operations and creating an equitable learning environment for all students. They provide the context in which the objectives for students in designated equity groups can best be achieved. Strategies developed to realise objectives 1 and 2 include :

• devolving responsibility for equity performance to all managers;
• developing the Monash University Student Access and Equity Plan which complements other University planning documents; and
• establishing a network of Faculty Student Equity Officers.

Objectives 3 and 4 deal with the provision of an environment free of discrimination and harassment for all students and the removal of barriers to gender equity. Strategies related to these objectives include:

• promoting understanding of the University’s Discrimination and Harassment Grievance Procedures;
• including gender equity in criteria for evaluating and rewarding teaching excellence; and
• offering a variety of training programs to assist all sections of the University community to understand their rights and responsibilities under Equal Opportunity law and policy.

Specific sub-objectives and strategies developed for the groups encompassed by objective 5 are as follows:

To increase access and provide a learning environment conducive to success for people from low socio-economic backgrounds.

Facilitating access for this group has always been and remains a formidable challenge. In 1996, people under 25 years from low socio-economic backgrounds comprised 13.49% of the commencing student population, compared with the national average of 16.48%. In that year, 11.28% of commencers aged 25 years and above were from low socio-economic backgrounds (cf. national average 13.41%). However, Monash’s performance in 1996 is comparable to that of the University of Melbourne which has similar educational aims (13.85% of Melbourne’s commencing student population aged under 25 years were from low socio-economic backgrounds and 10.32% of commencing student population aged 25 years and over were from low socio-economic backgrounds). In 1998 access rates for students from low socio-economic backgrounds aged 15-24 years improved marginally to 13.56% while those for students aged 25 years and above fell to 10.67%.

Success rates in 1997 for people under 25 years from low socio-economic backgrounds and apparent retention rates in 1998 for this group were both 0.96. Students aged 25 and above from low socio-economic backgrounds had a success rate in 1997 of 0.93 and an apparent retention rate in 1998 of 0.91. Some improvement in these measures will be realised through successful implementation of the following strategies.

A Transition Working Group has been formed to help improve student retention rates. Counselling and learning support services will be deployed in faculties to enable them to meet the needs of students requiring assistance with transition and related issues. Students from rural and isolated areas and from schools with a high proportion of enrolments from low socio-economic backgrounds, are the main target groups.

Strategies related to this objective are:

1. Develop the "Credit Me" data base to streamline processes by which students in Australia and overseas apply for credit transfer. Performance Indicator: Martin Equity Success and Retention Indicators for people from low socio-economic backgrounds.
2. Disseminate and implement the recommendations of the Transition Working Group. Performance Indicator: Martin Equity Success and Retention Indicators for people from low socio-economic backgrounds.

 To increase access and provide a learning environment conducive to success for people with disabilities.

The Monash University Disability Action Plan was launched at the beginning of the University’s annual Disability Awareness Week in April 1998. The document (see Appendix A), which has been lodged with HREOC, makes a significant contribution to ensuring services, facilities, systems and equipment are inclusive of people with disabilities. Although enrolment and other data for access, participation, success and retention have shown a steady increase, the extent of the improvement has been masked by recent changes in the way these students are defined for data collection purposes. Performance in access improved from 1.35% in 1997 to 3.15% in 1998, while the participation rate grew from 0.34 in 1997 to 0.99 in 1998. The success rate, 0.95 in 1996, remained little changed at 0.97 in 1997 (the last year for which data is available). The retention rate for this group, 1.01 in 1997, improved to 1.06 in 1998.

On-campus support for students with disabilities is often very expensive. It is also necessary to ensure that requirements for certain support services and adaptive technology are met. The Adaptive Technology and Equipment Loan Scheme and the Support Service Scheme have continued to expand each year. This is critical to the retention and success of this group of students.

Since 1996 students with disabilities have been provided with access to Alternative Arrangements for Assessment (AAA) via the University’s Examinations Branch in conjunction with faculties and the Disability Liaison Office. This ensures students have access to appropriate forms of assistance such as alternative format papers, private venues, extra time for writing, rest or movement, specialised equipment or technology.

Strategies related to this objective include:

1. Investigate the social and academic support needs of students with disabilities by offering a Pilot Learning Co-operatives Project ("learning co-operatives" with other students). Performance Target: Build on findings of factors influencing participation and retention to develop a learning co-operatives model for use in at least two faculties by 1999.

2. Continue to offer a Peer Mentor Program for students with a variety of disabilities to assist with transition and adjustment. The evaluation of this program at the end of 1997 indicated that, inter-alia students felt some of their needs for social support and information were being met. These views and other feedback from students were confirmed in findings of a survey conducted at the beginning of 1998. The outcomes of the evaluation and the survey will influence the design, content and focus of the Mentor Program. Performance Indicator : Number of students assisted is dependent on need each year. However it is anticipated that between 10 and 15 students each year will continue to be assisted.

3. Continue to run specialist support programs such as the Learning Disability Program in 1997 and the Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Support (CFS) group in 1998 to assist students with accepting and managing their illness and its impact on study. Of approximately 30 students with CFS registered as clients with the Disability Liaison Office, 12 - 15 attended this five-week group support program. Performance Indicator : Reduced numbers of students with these disabilities who request supports from the Disability Liaison Office.
4. Provide staff training on disabilities such as psychiatric disability and learning disability to various staff, departments and faculties to ensure the needs of students with disabilities are well understood by staff. The Library, Faculty of Arts and staff from various other departments and faculties have indicated appreciation of and considerable benefits from this training. Performance Indicator : Reduced number of concerns expressed by students as measured in surveys and evaluations.
5. Continue expansion and update of Adaptive Technology And Equipment Loan Scheme and continue provision of high quality support service to students registered with the Disability Liaison Office. Approximately 30 students in 1998 have been provided with the loan of a laptop computer with additional equipment such as speech synthesisers, tape recorders, personal audio loops or specialised software including voice activated programs. Additionally 36 students received support services on-campus or at weekend residential schools in semester 1, 1998. Performance Indicator : Success and retention rates of students with disabilities.
6. Continue to develop Alternative Arrangements for Assessment (AAA) program with the Disability Liaison Office, Examinations Branch and faculties. 185 students received AAAs in first semester 1997 and 190 in first semester, 1998; and the program has been evaluated by survey each year. Performance Indicator : Success and retention rates of students with disabilities.
7. Continue to maintain and develop access to the library and its services as recommended in the DEETYA funded Library Equity Research Project in 1996. A variety of new services and improvements have emerged through the work of the Library Working Party on Disability (on which students with disabilities are represented) including new resource rooms in four libraries and the recent introduction of a special patron user class in which library users with disabilities are entitled to appropriate specialised services. Performance Indicator: Numbers of students with disabilities accessing the library.

To increase access and provide a learning environment conducive to success for people from non-English-speaking-backgrounds

The following data provide an indication of the University’s progress in achieving its objectives for people from non-English-speaking backgrounds. In 1998 people from non-English-speaking backgrounds made up 6.93 % of the commencing student population, a fall from 8.88% in 1995 and from 8.72% in 1996 (when the state average was 5.91%) . The 1997 ratio of the student progress rate of these students to the rest of the student body was 0.96, down from 0.97 in 1996. The 1998 apparent retention rate for non-English-speaking background students is 1.08, up from 1.03 in 1996 when the state average was 1.07.

Services provided by the Language and Learning Unit are a key element of strategies for achieving the University’s objectives for people from non-English-speaking backgrounds. In Semester One 1998 approximately 7,300 students from non-English speaking backgrounds attended classes offered by the Unit. In addition a further 630 students from non-English-speaking backgrounds attended an average of two individual sessions each in this period. Services offered to students from non-English-speaking backgrounds will be increased when the Computer Writing Laboratory and a new Language and Learning Centre at the Clayton Campus are opened in second semester1998. Successful implementation of the following strategies are likely to increase access, participation, success and retention rates.

Strategies related to this objective include:

1. Provide information on support offered by the University’s Language and Learning Unit to students from non-English-speaking backgrounds enrolled in English as a second language classes in secondary schools visited by the Prospective Students Office in the University’s catchment areas. Performance Indicator: Disseminate Language and Learning Unit’s brochures to students in the 248 Victorian schools with English as a second language classes by 1999.

2. Continue to provide language and learning support services to postgraduate and undergraduate students in the faculties. Performance Indicator : Numbers of students attending new initiatives will be monitored along with regular evaluation of classes and 2 yearly staff surveys.

3. Disseminate Cultural Diversity Brochures outlining non-discriminatory practices in the classroom to all Heads of Departments and Units in the University, to all commencing staff and to staff and students undertaking training in the Professional Training and Development Unit. Performance Indicator: Feedback from Heads of Departments and Units on the value/usefulness of the brochure.

To increase access and provide a learning environment conducive to success for people from rural and isolated areas.

As severe drought and a downturn in the rural economy have combined to bring about substantial reductions in farm incomes, the rates of access, participation and retention of students from rural and isolated areas have declined markedly over the past five years. Access fell from 15.94% in 1994 to 12.82% in 1998 and nationally from 24.3% in 1994 to 18.25% in 1996. In 1997 rural students’ success ratio continued to be 0.98 of that of other students but the apparent retention rate dropped from 0.98 in 1997 to 0.84 in 1998. Of the strategies listed below only the first strategy is applied University wide, while strategies b), c) and d) apply in the Faculty of Medicine and strategies e) and f) apply in the Faculty of Pharmacy. It is anticipated that successful implementation of the strategies below will result in improved performance against the Martin Equity Indicators.

Strategies related to this objective include:

a) Disseminate copies of the Rural Students Kit to students in all rural schools, students attending Monash Day and via Monash staff making rural schools visits. An investigation of the declining numbers of students from rural areas undertaking courses at Monash University was undertaken in 1995. Rural students reported that existing publications do not address their particular queries and concerns about the transition to university life. Consequently a Rural Students Kit was produced. Performance Indicator: Feedback from teachers and students who use the Kit.

b) Continue to offer a special Pre Monash Day Program which including the following:

* Peer mentor scheme whereby visiting rural students can establish contact with a current medical student;

* Information sessions on the selection process, medical course structure and content, campus accommodation and support throughout transition to city and university life;

* Accommodation free of cost (either billets with current students or accommodation in Halls of Residence); and

* Tours of campus and Halls of Residence.

70 students participated in Pre-Monash Day Program and approximately 20 subsequently enrolled in Medicine. Performance Indicator: Increase access rates of students from rural and isolated areas in programs run by the Faculty of Medicine.

c) Continue to support the Rural Practice Association for students with common interest in the practice of medicine in rural areas.

d) Continue to run the Mentor Scheme which provides current students with an introduction to a rural doctor who can give advice and support to those country students making the transition to studying in Melbourne. Performance Indicator: Number of students participating in the initiatives.

e) Continue to employ a SubQuota system by which students from rural areas, who demonstrate high motivation and who otherwise would not have obtained a place, are given access to the Pharmacy course.

In order to achieve the objective listed above, the University has developed strategies to operate on two levels. At the University-wide level, a gender equity brochure is being distributed across the institution. The brochure, A Fair Go in the Classroom: Quality Teaching for All, uses cartoons and succinct captions to raise awareness of gender equity issues with a view to eliminating sexist language and behaviour in the classroom and creating a more inclusive learning environment for all students.

In the two faculties where women’s representation is less than 40%, staff have been appointed to devise ways of improving participation and performance. The Faculty of Engineering has appointed a Women-in-Engineering Development Officer to market engineering to all prospective students especially women; to investigate factors affecting women’ participation and performance in engineering studies and professional engineering careers; to assist in developing a more gender inclusive engineering curriculum; to establish and lead a Women-in-Engineering Steering committee to act as a reference group, and to further develop and maintain a mentoring scheme for undergraduate female students in the Faculty of Engineering.

The Faculty of Information Technology has appointed a Gender Officer to assist the faculty to attract more women to the discipline. Strategies include ensuring appropriate gender inclusive publicity; gender inclusive staff selection procedures and the development of specific programs for female graduate students.

Strategies related to this objective include:

a) University- wide
Continue to distribute gender equity brochure, A Fair Go in the Classroom: Quality Teaching for All. In 1997, the brochure was made available to the whole Monash University community via the World Wide Web. In addition, 4000 hard copies were produced and distributed to all commencing staff and students and to participants in staff development courses run by faculties and by the Centre for Higher Education Development. The brochure was also sent to all Heads of Departments for distribution and comment. Performance Indicator: Continue to distribute remaining 1000 copies of A Fair Go in the Classroom : Quality Teaching for All brochure and receive feedback on its utility.

b) Faculty-specific

* Engineering: A Publicity and Women-in-Engineering Development Officer has been appointed to develop and implement faculty-specific strategies to increase the participation of female students. Performance Indicator: Movements in female participation rates.

* Information Technology: Implement strategies developed by Gender Officer to increase female participation in the faculty. Performance Indicator: Movements in female participation rates.

To increase the representation of Women in Higher Degrees by research in those disciplines in which women are under-represented.

These data provide an indication of the University’s progress in achieving its objective of increasing the number of women in research higher degree programs. Over the past five years their participation ratio has risen from 0.82 ( participation of female students in research higher degrees compared with undergraduate awards) in 1993 to 0.93 in 1998. In 1996 the national figure was 0.81 while Monash had a rate of 0.89. The University will continue to monitor its performance against this objective using these indicators.

Strategies related to this objective are:

a) Implement recommendations of equity report, "Improving Women’s Participation in Research Higher Degrees" such as :

* Improve information sharing about awards and conditions through faculty handbooks, including possible pathways from undergraduate degrees to higher degrees by research. Performance Indicator : Obtain feedback from Monash Postgraduates Association on the extent to which women have been able to access information about awards ( particularly part time awards) and pathways from undergraduate degrees to higher degrees by research.

b) Extend current practice of offering research seminars to women in the Faculties of Business and Economics and Information Technology to all faculties. Performance Indicator : Number of faculties providing research seminars for their female students.

Selection procedures

Monash University allocated 58 Merit and Equity Scholarships provided by the Department of Employment, Education, Training and Youth Affairs. The University also awarded a book voucher valued at $100 to each of the successful applicants for these scholarships. A Special Needs Form was distributed to people seeking a place at Monash University in 1998. The Special Needs Form was designed to identify students from low socio-economic backgrounds. Other educational disadvantages such as rural or isolated backgrounds, non-English speaking backgrounds and disability are also identified.

Advertising

The Merit and Equity scholarships were advertised on the World Wide Web, in newspapers, brochures and in other printed materials provided to potential undergraduate students. Application forms were sent to all Victorian schools and to libraries. Information about the Merit and Equity scholarships was made available to prospective students on Monash Day and to people making telephone enquires about places at Monash University. Staff from the Prospective Students Office distributed information on the scholarships on schools liaison visits.

Equity group membership of recipients

All students awarded Merit and Equity Scholarships were from low socio-economic backgrounds. Twenty-nine were from non-English speaking backgrounds (including two with refugee status before they took out Australian citizenship and one female enrolled in Engineering). Sixteen came from rural and isolated areas and there were two people with disabilities. Of these one was a mature age student and one from a non-English-speaking background. The results indicated that the selection processes were extremely effective in identifying students with multiple disadvantage.

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