The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), the independent national equality body for Great Britain, has recently launched an inquiry into racial harassment in higher education. Feedback is being sought from individual staff and students on the types of racial harassment experienced or witnessed at universities, as well as the effectiveness of the routes for reporting racial harassment.
The University is encouraging participation in the EHRC inquiry to help reveal the scope of racial harassment within the sector and identify ways to tackle it.
The staff survey, which is open now and closes on 15 February 2019, can be accessed here: https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/raceinquiry-staff/
If you would like to find out more about the help, support and reporting options available to staff and also students at the University in case of experiencing and/or witnessing racial harassment, please see the Race Equality at Cambridge website.
In addition to the wellbeing and support services available at the collegiate University, the University also has a BAME staff network, which you can access for support, events and networking.
The University does not tolerate racial harassment or racial discrimination in any form. Professor Stephen Toope, the Vice-Chancellor, has said: “Our University should be free from racism, discrimination, prejudice and harassment. Racism is unacceptable. It undermines societies, it divides communities, and it prevents people from coming together with a shared purpose.”
The University is committed to supporting all members of the University community. If you have experienced or witnessed something then please talk to someone – for example your manager, a Dignity at Work contact, or someone in HR – if you feel able to do so.