August 2007

Equal Opportunity for Women in Land and Food Workplaces

The faculty is committed to improving the gender representation within academic and senior LFR staff levels.  In 2006, women held just 26% of the academic teaching and research positions, and only 9 of the 63 positions (14%) at Level C and above.  While women held 19 of the 47 (40%) professional staff position at HEW 6 and above. (FLFR EOWW report, 2006).

The faculty’s Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace (EOWW) Committee was formed last year and held it’s inaugural meeting in May, with strong support from the Dean.  The Committee’s broad goals are to actively develop equal opportunity for FLFR women, and to promote an inclusive culture for all employees, particularly under the Melbourne Model and in terms of the upcoming RQF.  Relevant issues include: increased awareness and promotion of EO principles and services/ resources (including The University's work/life policies); employee training in workplace discrimination and sexual harassment - legal compliance; equality of workloads and resource allocations; support for professional development of female academic and general staff (e.g. promotional pathways, mentoring systems, fellowships); increased recruitment, selection and promotion of female staff; and development of a cross-Campus/ School FLFR community.  These issues reflect the objectives of FLFR’s draft strategic plan for EOWW (2007).

Further details are available at the Committee’s website link off the Faculty’s main page http://www.landfood.unimelb.edu.au/eoww.html

The Committee meets four times a year and is chaired by Rebecca Ford (Parkville), who represents FLFR on the University's EOWW Committee.  In the spirit of inclusiveness, membership is representative of schools, campuses, and staffing categories and currently comprises:

Chair: Rebecca Ford (SAFS Parkville)
Parkville:  Robert Edis (SRM); Helen Suter (SRM); Teresa Tjia (GS), Felicity Wilmot (GS); Ruth Beilin (SRM); Nalika Ranathunge (Postgraduate representative)
Burnley:  Sally Stewart-Wade (SRM); Cass McClean (SRM)
Heidelberg: Sabine Kasel (SFES)
Creswick: Lauren Bennett (SFES)
Dookie: Ros Gall (SAFS).

If you would like to contribute to improving the equality of women in any of the FLFR workplaces or would like to become an active committee member yourself, please contact your nearest member or email Rebecca at rebeccaf@unimelb.edu.au. The committee particularly encourages men and more professional staff to join.