Where are we now? Auditing the implementation of an equal opportunities policy ‘on the ground’ in a new university

Abstract

A strongly held belief in the importance of individual merit makes it difficult for universities to move beyond a limited liberal interpretation of equal opportunities, which emphasizes equality of opportunity focusing on the absence of overtly discriminatory practice. Using the findings of a faculty equal opportunities’ audit, this paper demonstrates the conflict at ground level between traditional notions of academic excellence and the more radical aspirations of equality of outcome. It also reveals that an exclusive focus on conventional generic areas of discrimination such as gender, ethnicity and disability can obscure more contextually specific issues such as the perceived devaluing of ‘non‐academic’ staff by their academic colleagues.

The faculty audited was sited in a new university and comprised four departments with an overall total of 1115 students and 153 staff. Data was gathered in four stages namely (a) compilation of a demographic data base, (b) semi‐structured interviews with heads of departments, (c) two course audits including questionnaires to staff and students, and (d) semi‐structured interviews with administrative and technical staff. Findings were also related to those being generated by simultaneous audit activity in other parts of the university.