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Monash University

‘In all aspects of it activities the University will be recognised as an institution which has a practical commitment to equity for both its students and staff. It will continue to operate and develop programs to increase access and promote success for students from groups hitherto under-represented in higher education.’

Leading The Way
The Monash Plan
2000-2003

STRATEGIES

GOAL 1

To improve access and participation of students from designated equity groups by supporting entry pathways which benefit educationally disadvantaged people; by ensuring selection procedures which take account of educational disadvantage; and by making it known in the communities that Monash serves of the University's engagement in and commitment to student equity.

Strategy 1.1 A review of non-traditional entry pathways and special access school-leaver entry.

Strategy 1.2 The development of appropriate entry pathways for potential students from designated disadvantaged groups.

Strategy 1.3 The extensive publication of non-traditional & special entry pathways and dissemination of targeted information to students in TAFEs, adult and community education programs.

Evaluation and Monitoring:

• Access and participation indicators for students from designated disadvantaged groups as measured by Equity Performance Indicators

Strategy 1.4 The provision of Rural Students Kits to all schools in rural Victoria.

Rural students contributed significantly to the design of the kits, which contain information to ease specific transition difficulties of rural students.

Strategy 1.5 The Monash University Special Admissions Scheme, with focus on rural students in the Faculty of Medicine.

Strategy 1.6 An access sub-quota of 5% for rural students in the Faculty of Pharmacy.

Evaluation and Monitoring:

• Feedback on Rural Students Kits from careers teachers in targeted schools.
• Access and retention of rural students in the Faculties of Medicine and Pharmacy, as measured by Equity Performance Indicators.

Strategy 1.7 A review of Monash University scholarships and bursaries, in order to improve the provision of appropriate support to students.

Evaluation and Monitoring:

• Numbers of students on Monash equity scholarships and bursaries.

GOAL 2

To provide a learning environment conducive to success for all students of the university and to make it particularly amenable to students from designated equity groups, through student-centred, flexible and innovative approaches to learning and teaching.

Strategy 2.1 Monash University’s Learning and Teaching Operational Plan which focuses on the development of an appropriate student-centred flexible learning environment.

Strategy 2.2 The Working Party on the Implications of Internet Access Policies for Student Equity Groups. Recommendations include improved information about the university’s Internet services, access to services for students with disabilities and a review of the pricing of pre-paid subsidised plans and non-credit card options for payment of Internet services.

Evaluation and Monitoring:

• The Learning & Teaching Plan Review Committee – a standing
  committee of the university’s Education Committee
• The Monash University quality assurance processes.
• The consolidated reports of relevant managers to the university’s Equal Opportunity Committee

Strategy 2.3 The implementation of the Monash University Disability Action Plan, in particular the alternative arrangements for assessment, adaptive technology program and provision of personal disability support workers such as note takers, laboratory assistants, attendant carers and readers.

Strategy 2.4 The development of specialist student-centred services for people with disabilities, such as Disability Services Officer in the University Library.

Evaluation and Monitoring:

• Success and retention rates of people with disabilities, as measured by Equity Performance Indicators.

Strategy 2.5 Ensuring the university’s equity objectives are reflected in the policies, strategies and activities of the university’s extensive Transition Program.

• Improved retention rates for all students, including students from target equity groups.

Strategy 2.6 Pastoral care for students provided by designated university staff in faculties, particularly the Pharmacy Rural Students Support Officer and the Women in Engineering Project Officer. Each of the schools in Information Technology has a member responsible for the pastoral care of students and there are faculty wide designated academic staff in the Faculties of Education and Medicine with this responsibility.

Evaluation and Monitoring:

• Retention rates of students in relevant equity groups, as measured by Equity Performance Indicators.

Strategy 2.7 Provision of staff-student mentoring programs in faculties of Information Technology, Education, Pharmacy and the Sub-faculty of Nursing.

Strategy 2.8 Provision of student-student mentoring programs in faculties of Law, Medicine and Engineering.

Evaluation and Monitoring

• Retention and success rates for students in the relevant faculties.

Strategy 2.9 Training programs to assist all sections of the University community to understand the rights and responsibilities under anti-discrimination law and university policy. A particular example is the Enhancing Equity in the Engineering Environment Program which raises awareness of equity issues and develops the skills which staff (academic, general and technical) and students need to deal equitably with Monash’s diverse population.

Strategy 2.10 The inclusion of gender equity in criteria for evaluating and rewarding teaching excellence.

Evaluation and Monitoring:

• Percentage of staff undergoing training.
• Retention of designated equity groups, as measured by Equity Performance Indicators.

GOAL 3

To integrate student equity into the faculties and the administrative units of the university so that all university policies, practices and procedures reflect the university's commitment to student equity.

Strategy 3.1 Include student equity planning in faculties and administrative units’ operational plans.

Evaluation and Monitoring:

• Quality and substance of faculties’ student equity planning.

Strategy 3.2 Develop the University Equity Plan which will include a current equity profile of the university's student population.

Evaluation and Monitoring:

• Suitable and efficacious policies and practices designed to meet the particular needs of Monash University’s designated equity groups.

Strategy 3.3 Faculty Student Equity Officers to develop faculty-specific equity strategies and contribute to university-wide equity policy.

Evaluation and Monitoring:

• Faculty-specific strategies and suggestions for university-wide equity policy in Faculty Student Equity Officers’ reports.

Strategy 3.4 The development and implementation of a student equity policy for Postgraduate Students in Research Higher Degrees and Coursework (fee-paying and HECS-liable) degrees.

Strategy 3.5 Widely publicise part-time scholarships in external, university and faculty publications.

Evaluation and Monitoring:

• Access rates of students from designated equity groups in coursework and research higher degrees; especially increased access and participation rates for women in higher degrees by research.

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ANALYSIS OF PERFORMANCE

1. Renewed Commitment to Student Equity

The Vice-Chancellor and President has advised Faculty Deans and Administrative Heads that all managers will be held accountable for equal opportunity matters within their areas of responsibility. Student equity is a key area in equal opportunity matters in the university.

The following responses with direct relevance to student equity have taken place:

• A network of Student Equity Officers in the Faculties has been established. After an initial period of operation, the role and functions of Faculty Student Equity Officers is being reviewed by a working party of the Student Equity and Access Subcommitte of the Equal Opportunity Committee of the Monash University Council.
• The Student Equity and Access Branch has been established within the Division of Student Services.
• Faculties now include student equity planning in their operational plans.

2. The Monash University Transition Program:

The university has established the Transition Program to develop and co-ordinate orientation and student support programs. The Program is a network of committees and activities, ranging from the Transition Steering Group, convened by the Associate Chair of the University ‘s Academic Board, through the university wide Transition Working Group and the Faculty Transition Groups to grass root working parties set up for individual initiatives and events.

The Program supports the successful learning for students through a wide range of initiatives and programs. Recent examples have been: staff-student summits on issues such as student orientation and course progression; workshops on student stress; schemes such as the student-run Host Scheme and mentor programs; and Monash university staff research on student performance, progression rates and the efficacy of innovative programs and practices.

The Program is particularly relevant to the retention and success of equity group students. In its orientation and support activities, the Program targets the range of disadvantage suffered by these students, thus enhancing the university’s capacity to

3. Reviews (undertaken between June 1998 and June 1999):

1. The Committee of Associate Deans (Teaching) Working Party on Student Equity and Access
2. The Academic Board Scholarships and Bursaries Review Committee
3. The Education Committee Development of Flexible Programs and Pathways Working Party.
4. The Monash University Advisory Committee for People with Disabilities Review of Parking Policy for People with Disabilities

4. Trends in Access and Participation of DETYA Designated Equity Groups

Access Participation

In line with national trends, the identified access rates for students in a number of designated equity groups have declined at Monash University over the last three years. The identified access rates of people from low socio-economic backgrounds is a matter of particular concern to the university. To ascertain whether university procedures are contributing to this trend, the university is reviewing its alternate entry pathways and its Special Admissions Scheme.

Furthermore, as part of the university’s work on a comprehensive Monash student equity plan, the manner in which inadequate financial and personal support intersects with other disadvantage, such as non-English-speaking background, rurality or disability, is being investigated.

The participation of women in Research Higher Degrees and the non-traditional area of Engineering is on the rise. The steady increase reflects both national trends and the attention the Monash Engineering Faculty has dedicated to this issue.

5. Retention and Success of DETYA Designated Equity Groups

The retention rate for students in designated equity groups is not substantially lower than that of mainstream students.

The pleasing retention rate for students with disabilities reflects the extensive supports Monash University affords students with disabilities through the Monash University Disability Services, a well established, long term network of committees and services which permeate the whole university. The satisfactory retention rate for students from non-English-speaking-backgrounds is in line with national trends.

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MERIT-BASED EQUITY SCHOLARSHIPS

Monash University has developed an index of disadvantage to assist in awarding its Merit-based Equity Scholarships. The index includes all the DETYA designated equity groups and gives particular priority to the most disadvantaged - that is, the socio-economically disadvantaged and people from rural and isolated areas. The criteria are broad and flexible, in order to recognise different forms of disadvantage and the cumulative effect of multiple disadvantage.

In 1999, 48 Merit-based Equity Scholarships were allocated. All recipients were from low socio-economic backgrounds. In addition 14 were from rural areas, 5 were homeless, 5 were mature aged, 6 were refugees, one had a disability and one was from an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander background.

The Merit and Equity scholarships were advertised on the World Wide Web, in newspapers, brochures and 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.

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CONTACT OFFICERS

Joanna Buckingham, Manager, Student Equity and Access Branch
Telephone : 03 9905 4704
Fax: 03 9905 5517
Email: Joanna.Buckingham@adm.monash.edu.au

Margaret Heagney, Student Equity Officer, Student Equity and Access Branch
Telephone : 03 9905 4704
Fax: 03 9905 5517
Email: Margaret.Heagney@adm.monash.edu.au

Amber Collings, Head, Disability Liaison Office, Student Equity and Access Branch Telephone : 03 9905 4704
Fax: 03 9905 5517
Email: Amber.Collings@adm.monash.edu.au

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This page was last updated on Tuesday, 26 August 2008
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