NUI Galway’s gender equality taskforce has recommended that senior staff at the university should undergo bias training to counteract discrimination against women.
A progress report put together by the task force will be brought before the university council today.
The gender equality taskforce was set up last year following an Equality Tribunal ruling which found that botanist Dr Michelene Sheehy Skeffington had been discriminated against in a 2008-2009 promotions round.
According to today’s Irish Times, the group is now recommending that all senior management staff at NUI Galway should undergo ‘unconscious bias training.’
The report says this form of training is designed to deal with bias against female staff which it says is ‘widespread throughout academia.’
The taskforce, led by external chairperson Professor Jane Grimson, is also calling for the creation of a new post of vice-president of equality and diversity.
It says all management bodies, promotions committees and interview boards should have at least 40% female members, in keeping with the target for State boards.
NUI Galway will also be asked to appoint an external expert to review all of its promotion and progression procedures for all grades of staff by the end of October.
The taskforce is planning to produce a final report by the end of the year, before finishing up next Spring.
The progress report will be presented to Udarás na hOllscoile today.
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