ANU launches gender equity intiative
	Plan of equity: Pro Vice-Chancellor (Academic) Robin Stanton, Manager Equity and Diversity Unit Lesley Hayes, Director Human Resources Magaret Ford and Deputy Vice-Chancellor David Green at the launch
By Shelly Simonds The ANU's new Gender Equity Plan was launched this month by the Chancellor, Professor Peter Baume. "The University wants to be a leader in gender equity and we believe this document is an important first step," Prof Baume said. "We're unhappy with any institution which discredits half its people. Particularly in academia, I'd like to see us sending out the right signals and doing the right thing." Prof Baume said the University had endorsed the main point in last year's gender equity review conducted by Dr Clare Burton. After the launch, Dr Val Braithwaite, from the Social and Political Theory Group in the Research School of Social Sciences, said she was encouraged by the language used by both the Vice Chancellor and the Chancellor. "There was a real understanding demonstrated and an acknowledgment of the problems. I don't think you would have heard that 10 years ago," she said. The Plan includes a cultural component which encompasses issues of communication between men and women as well as mentoring. Despite numerous initiatives in recent years, the report acknowledged that the University was making marginal progress on gender equity and had not raised itself to the forefront of best practice. The new Plan seeks to address this issue through a framework and an accompanying action plan, designed to strengthen accountability, especially for management staff. The Action Plan sets a goal of seeing the University's gender equity practices compare favourably with other universities by 2005. By 2010, the University seeks to become a model for best practice in gender equity in the sector. Indicators of progress toward these goals include assessment ratings from the Affirmative Action Agency and benchmarking undertaken from within the University and with external organisations. The new Plan allows for ongoing funding for projects which move the University toward acheiving the objectives. For a copy of the Plan, contact the Equity and Diversity Unit or visit the new Plan on the Web at the ANU's Human Resources site.