(i) The Action Plan to Progress Gender Equity Objectives in the JCSMR

In 1998 and 1999 the School reported that it planned to introduce a better mentoring and networking system for its research students and junior academic staff (Postdoctoral Fellows), both female and male. In considering initiatives, the School sought to establish mentoring and networking mechanisms to allow its academic and general staff and students to better self assess their performance and skills and identify their goals and career paths. The School's ambition is to be able to attract and retain the best staff and enhance the educational experience of our postgraduate students to produce graduates of the highest international distinction.

In 2000 a number of initiatives were implemented to achieve these goals :

• A dedicated half-time position was created to facilitate mentoring and networking of postgraduate students and junior academic staff (Postdoctoral Fellows) in the School. The appointee was also appointed as the Convenor of the Graduate Program in Medical Sciences. This is perhaps the first case when an area of the University invested additional resources for mentoring/networking and pastoral care of its students and junior academic staff.
  
  The Vice-Chancellor in his Plan for Growth recognised the importance of this initiative in JCSMR and allocated additional funds to support a full-time (rather than 0.5) position of Mentor/Convenor dedicated entirely to facilitate mentoring and networking for research students and junior academic staff, both female and male. This is consistent with the University policy to enhance research training and would lead to a growth in postgraduate enrolments.
  
  After wide consultation within the School, a mentoring plan has been developed to include the following :

1. To better co-ordinate PhD projects and their supervision in the School by introducing and additional assessment meeting at the beginning of the PhD course. This meeting will involve PhD students, their supervisory panel, Head of Division and the Convenor and is held within the first three months of the PhD course to ensure that the PhD project selected is suitable and achievable. Supervisory arrangements are also discussed at that meeting, and particularly the responsibilities of supervisors and advisors. Afterward annual progress assessments of PhD course are conducted in the School.
   
2. To enhance the professional skills program for graduate students in conjunction with courses run by the Graduate School and the Study Skills Centre.
   
3. To enhance the quality of PhD supervision in the School by providing access to training to academic staff.

• Part-time positions - The School supports the continuation of more flexible employment arrangements, including part-time positions to allow persons with parenting/family responsibilities to continue with their careers. When funds are available, fixed-term appointments are extended for an equivalent period of time spent on maternity leave.
  
  
• In addition, a senior member of general staff was appointed to facilitate mentoring and networking of general staff, both female and male members, in the School.
  
  
• As part of its commitment to its staff, both general and academic, and students, the School established a new HR Management Section to provide more streamlined administration. Professor JA Whitworth, Director of the School, identified funds for general staff development and training and indicated that this would be an on-going commitment to general staff. This new initiative is managed by the HR Management Section. The Mission Statement of the HR Management Section includes the following objectives to be implemented in the next few years :

1. Enable effective leadership and efficient management of the School in a changing environment.
2. Facilitate the development and implementation of the School's policy to attract and retain the best staff (both academic and general) and students.
3. Enhance the delivery of administrative services through the application of information technology and through benchmarking of systems and procedures against the best practice elsewhere.
4. Maintain an informed and supportive environment for staff and students ensuring that there are mechanisms in place facilitating staff development and welfare. Create a collaborative working environment, which promotes co-operation, respect for individuals and provides opportunities for the personal and professional development of staff.
5. Maintain a safe working environment for staff, students and visitors to the School. Ensure appropriate awareness of safe working practices and that legislative requirements are adhered to within the School.
   
   

Report on Progress Towards the Strategies of the ANU Gender Equity Plan

The following strategies were implemented in 1998, 1999 or 2000 and are in use in 2000:

Strategy 3.8 Incorporate gender equity planning within ambit of normal strategic planning process.

Gender equity planning has been incorporated in the Strategic Plan of the HR Management Section in the JCSMR in the following terms :

Objective 4
Maintain an informed and supportive environment for staff and students ensuring that there are mechanisms in place facilitating staff development and welfare. Create a collaborative working environment, which promotes cooperation, respect for individuals and provides opportunities for the personal and professional development of staff.

Strategies

• Maintain and enhance inter-School electronic and other linkages.
• Maintain and enhance information flows within the School.
• Ensure that staff of the School have appropriate skills and knowledge for the task.
• Adopt flexible practices in the use of staff resources.
• Establish and maintain effective networks for staff to exchange ideas and keep abreast of issues of common interest.
• Pursue conflict resolution philosophies and strategies to minimise grievances.
• Involve staff in the design and implementation of the Work and Performance Review Scheme.

Performance Indicators

• Staff have the skills and knowledge required to perform their task
• Improving levels of work performance and satisfaction
• Develop and maintain a sound Staff Development and Training Scheme
• Minimum levels of stress related illness
• Minimum levels of disputes and grievances

Strategy 3.9 All areas to have an informed initial point of contact for equity issues.
The Convenor of the School EEO Committee has been appointed the JCSMR contact person with regard to the Gender Equity Plan, currently Dr Klaus Matthaei.

Strategy 10 Include, as a selection criterion for academic and general staff positions involving supervision duties, achievements in EO.
Selection criteria for all academic and general staff positions with supervisory responsibilities were amended in 1998 to include an essential criterion :

Demonstrated achievement in relation to equal opportunity

Strategy 3.11 All staff having substantial human resources duties to serve as role models for EO practice.
The School intends to invite the Manager of the Equity and Diversity Unit to address staff with supervisory responsibilities on gender equity issues. In addition, a number of staff were encouraged to attend the HR Division selection committee courses which include an Equity and Diversity component.

Strategy 3.12 Recognition of Gender Equity achievements in staff performance assessments.
The following criterion has been introduced in the ANU Promotion criteria for levels C, D and E : "Other activities, in particular duties specified by the University, relating to administration, outreach or editorial functions, and any contributions to advancing the University's gender and other equity objectives". This is increasingly recognised in the School's review of performance of staff and in applications for promotion.

Strategy 3.14 To give appropriate value to pastoral care and committee contributions from members of staff.
The Chairs of selection and promotions committees and the Secretary to these committees have been given the responsibility of drawing this strategy to the attention of the committees. The School values staff contribution to pastoral care and committee work which is reflected in staff reviews and promotion process.

Strategy 3.15 Develop departmental workload distribution practices for academic staff which give due weight to contact hours relating to pastoral care and student advisory services.

The School recognised the importance of pastoral care of its students and junior academic staff when in early 2000 it made an appointment entirely dedicated to facilitate mentoring and networking of research students and Postdoctoral Fellows in the School. In 2000, the Vice-Chancellor committed funds to support this position on a full-time basis. In addition, in its Plan for Growth, the School indicated that it was not normally expected to supervise more than 3 students at any given time if the quality of the research training environment was not to be compromised. The School will concentrate its strengths on the development of a sound and comprehensive research training system to provide the best possible research environment to our PhD students and Postdoctoral Fellows.

Elective Strategies

Strategy 4.2 Establish a broadly based gender equity advisory group in a Faculty, Research School, Centre or Division.

Strategy 4.3 Introduce a mentoring scheme focussed on the needs of all staff members.

The School developed an informal network of mentors available for career advice and assistance in staff self-assessment of their performance and future career goals and action plans. These are supervisors and advisors of PhD students, Group Leaders for Postdoctoral Fellows, Heads of Divisions and the Convenor/Mentor for the two groups. In addition, the Convenor/mentor was appointed mentor of all junior academic staff, the Chair of the School EEO Committee became a mentor for senior academic staff, and the assistant Business Manager was appointed a mentor of members of general staff.

Strategy 4.13 Promote opportunities for professional development and/or training for all staff.

The School is developing a sound system for staff development and training to improve the quality and strategic focus in the face of change and increasing administrative workloads. High quality change management and organisational development skills are required for successful restructuring and self-reliance. Academic staff will require new and higher levels of support, and therefore we need to train and develop the skills of our supporting staff to meet these requirements.

The School put aside $50,000 for general staff development and training in 2000. The needs and requirements for both academic and general staff are critical in the general area of administration, IT and specific technical areas.

Report On Management of Sexual Harassment Matters

There was one case reported. The School took all necessary action to eliminate quickly undesirable behaviour. There was some counselling involved of all the parties involved. The School's policy is to have zero tolerance to any form of harassment.

Report on whether any Equity and Diversity Certificates or an Award were Received

Dr Klaus Matthaei, Head, Gene Targeting Laboratory, and Chair of the JCSMR EEO Committee was awarded the fourth ANU Equity and Diversity Certificate in recognition of exceptional performance in equity and diversity. The Certificate is in recognition of Dr Matthaei's consistent and broad achievements in the application of equal opportunity principles within the University. Dr Matthaei is also the School's representative on the ANU's Equity and Diversity Consultative Group. He has shown a strong commitment to incorporate equity initiatives within the workplace. The tailoring of work for a person with a disability and the flexible work practices implemented to facilitate the return of a team member following maternity leave, are example of genuine commitment in this area.

(ii) Report on Changes (if any) to staffing and committee profiles

Academic staff numbers have been relatively constant since 1993 at an average of around 82.5 full-time equivalent staff on strength at 31 March. However in 1997 there was a decline in the number of staff to 77. In 2000 the number of academic staff at strength at 31 March was 81.11. The tenured (continuing) or standard staff numbers have declined from 25 (28%) in 1993 to 17.25 (21.3%) in 2000. All Group Leaders underwent a scientific review in 2000, as a consequence a number of fixed-term appointments (mostly RFT appointments) will be converted to standard appointments in 2001.

The percentage of female staff according to the level of appointment is as follows :

Appointment trends in the period 1995 to 1999 show a correlation between the number of women applicants and the number of women appointed. The clear trend in the JCSMR is the increase in female applications and an increase in female appointments. While the last period 1999-2000 shows a dramatic decline in female application for academic posts, the percentage of female appointments made was still very high at 46%.

Trends in Postgraduate Students

The overall number of postgraduate students has increased from 60 in 1994 to 81 in 2000 (68.5 EFTSU), and the percentage of female postgraduate students has maintained above 50% of the total number of students.

In line with the recommendation that the IAS increase its graduate enrolment, the JCSMR Faculty Board established in 1996 its PhD Student Recruitment Committee. As a result the following measures have been introduced :

• Fenner Merit Scholarship

• A Relocation Incentive Allowance

• A Relocation Allowance

• Eccles Scholarship

• Doherty Scholarship

• Zinkernagel Scholarship

• JCSMR/Graduate School Student Travel scholarship