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Equality Committee Papers

Equality Committee Papers

TERMS OF REFERENCE

1. Objectives

The Equality Committee is a Compliance Committee of Board and Council with responsibility for advising Board and Council on all equality-related matters.

2. Membership of the Committee

2.1 The Committee shall comprise:

An elected Board member
Vice-Provost
Equality Officer
Secretary to the College (or nominee)
Academic Secretary (or nominee)
Director of Human Resources (or nominee)
Director of the Disability Service
Representative of the Dignity and Respect Contact Persons
Welfare and Equality Officer – Students’ Union
Representative of Graduate Students’ Union
1 Council nominee
1 Faculty Dean
2 members of staff
Director of the Trinity Centre for Gender Equality and Leadership (in attendance)
Director of Diversity and Inclusion (in attendance)
A member of staff to act as a notetaker (in attendance)

In determining the composition of the Committee no more than 60% of the membership should be of any one gender and there should be a broad representation of all staff groups in College.

2.2 The Chairperson of the Committee shall be an Elected Board Member.

2.3 Membership of the Committee shall be reviewed regularly by the Chairperson in consultation with the Registrar and changes as required shall be recommended to the Board at that time.

2.4 Attendance at Committee meetings: a member of the Committee who is absent for three consecutive meetings may be requested to resign membership unless due to illness or if the absence is approved by the Chair.

2.5 Membership of the Committee shall normally be for an initial term of three (3) years, with the possibility of an extension of a further three (3) years. The general aim is to change the membership from time to time to ensure an appropriate balance between continuity and fresh perspectives.

2.6 The Equality Officer shall act as secretary to the Committee and be responsible for the preparation and distribution of the agenda, papers, minutes and reports following consultation with the Chairperson of the Committee.

3. Meetings and Quorum

3.1 The Committee will normally hold meetings once per term or as often as is necessary to complete the business before it or to deal with urgent issues that may arise.

3.2 The quorum for meetings will be:
The Chair and Equality Officer plus five Committee members
OR
50% of members plus either the Chair or the Equality Officer.

3.3 The Committee may also invite any or other person to attend any meeting(s) of the Committee, as it may from time to time consider desirable, to assist the Committee in achieving its objectives.

3.4 The draft minutes of the Equality Committee shall be circulated to the Board as soon as possible for noting and/or discussion as necessary. The Chairperson of the Committee shall be available to report orally to the Board on key aspects of the proceedings of the Committee as required.

3.5 In order to aid its operation, the Equality Committee may from time to time arrange for subgroups to consider specialist issues and bring forward recommendations to the Committee.

4. Duties

4.1 Assist Board and Council in the development, co-ordination and implementation of equality polices, practices and action plans throughout College.

4.2 Advise Board and Council on the legislative requirements in relation to equality matters, with particular reference to the Universities Act 1997, the Employment Equality Act 1998-2015, the Equal Status Act 2000-2015, the Disability Act 2005, the Public Sector Duty articulated in the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Act 2014, and any other relevant legislation.

4.3 Monitor developments in national and EU policies in relation to equality and advise Board and Council on the implications for College.

4.4 Review on an on-going basis the implementation of (a) approved recommendations and actions and (b) equality legislation in College and report to Board accordingly.

4.5 Review College practices and policies from an equality perspective and where necessary make recommendations on any issues arising in order to promote good practice in these areas.

4.6 Report annually to Board, preferably in Hilary Term, on equality-related matters and on the results of reviews and monitoring exercises carried out during the year.

5. Authority

5.1 The Committee shall operate under delegated authority from the Board, which is ultimately responsible for all matters relating to equality. The Equality Committee will have devolved authority to decide on behalf of Board to:

•  Appointment of Contact Persons in relation to Dignity and Respect

•  Approving procedures and guidelines for the implementation of Equality-related policies

5.2 The Committee may consider/review any matter falling within its terms of reference, calling on whatever resources and information it considers necessary to do so.

5.3 The Committee is authorised to seek any information it requires from any employee of the College to enable it discharge its responsibilities and shall have made available to it on a timely basis all information requested from any employee in a clear, concise and well-organised manner.

5.4 The Equality Committee shall carry out such other functions and take such other decisions as may be delegated to it from time to time by the Board.

6. Performance Evaluation

6.1 The Committee shall, at least once a year, review its own performance and its terms of reference and shall report its conclusions and recommend any changes it considers necessary to the Board.


Approved by Equality 4 October 2017
Approved by Board 18 October 2017

Contact: EQUALITY@tcd.ie Last updated: Mar 14 2019.