Te Ara Tautika, The Equity Policy whakapapa

Te Ara Tautika, The Equity Policy affirms Waipapa Taumata Rau’s commitment to fostering an environment where students and staff can thrive. It places mandatory, overarching responsibilities on the University and its members to:

• Support equitable access, participation, and success
• Work to address structural and systemic discrimination

Te Ara Tautika is complemented by a new Equity Statement. The statement describes the University’s approach to diversity, equity and inclusion, as well as the actions people can take to implement the policy and create an environment where everyone can thrive.

The Equity Statement acknowledges:

• Waipapa Taumata Rau’s unique location and historic context
• Important Māori concepts that guide us in our diversity, equity and inclusion journey - whakawhanaungatanga, whanaungatanga, and manaakitanga.

The Office of the Pro Vice-Chancellor Equity has compiled practical advice and resources about how you can implement the policy and statement - supporting diversity, equity, and inclusion at the University in everyday work. 

Many views and considerations informed the development of Te Ara Tautika.  One important issue was whether the policy should explicitly name “equity groups”. The previous equity policy stated: The previous equity policy stated:

"Equity groups are more likely to have experienced one or more barriers to accessing and succeeding at the University, such as discrimination, marginalisation, under-representation, underachievement in school, and/or socioeconomic background. The University supports Māori and equity groups including:

• Pacific students and staff members
• Staff and students with disabilities
• Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex, Queer, Takatāpui + (LGBTIQTakatāpui+) students and staff members
• Students and staff members from refugee backgrounds
• Students from low socio-economic backgrounds
• Men, women and gender diverse people where there are barriers to access and success".

Some of key considerations around naming “equity groups” are outlined below. 

Visibility and protection

Naming and celebrating specific groups can enhance visibility, protection and voice. However, several issues were raised. Naming groups can:

• Be stigmatising and a deficit-based approach.
• Create an impression that equity is a finite resource, and groups need to compete for places on any list in the policy.
• Create privilege and exclusion because inevitably policies cannot name all marginalised and disadvantaged groups.
• Make it difficult for decision and policy makers to recognise intersectionality.
• Involve needing a ‘catch-all’ category, which means the policy inadvertently applies to everyone anyway.
• Mean frequent updates need to be made to the policy so that it remains responsive and contemporary. The process for adding and removing named groups could be politically charged and potentially fraught.

Risk of deprioritisation

Concerns were raised that groups may be de-prioritised and unsupported if they are not named. This was considered in relation to the following points:

• Related policies, procedures and guidelines that identify specific groups and give effect to the equity policy remain in place.
• The University will continue to meet relevant University, statutory and other obligations, including those in the Human Rights Act and Education and Training Act.
• The University will keep resourcing assistance for groups of students and staff in a variety of ways, including through networks and specialised support.

Targeted admission schemes, scholarships and Tuākana 

Some people thought that Undergraduate Targeted Admissions Schemes, scholarships, and Tuākana would be adversely affected if the equity policy did not name specific groups. This did not appear to be an issue, as such schemes and programmes will continue to name and define the groups they are intended to support.

Inappropriate use of the policy 

There was discussion about whether a more inclusive policy could be used inappropriately by privileged groups. This potential risk is mitigated by University policies, procedures, and codes of conduct, and New Zealand law, which address inappropriate speech and behaviour. 

On balance, the thought leaders' group that developed Te Ara Tautika decided to proceed without naming specific groups. The policy has a focus on:

• Supporting equitable access, participation and success at the University
• Working to address structural and systemic discrimination

The University and its community can implement Te Ara Tautika:

• By taking actions described in the Equity Statement
• By using published advice and resources to support diversity, equity and inclusion in everyday life
• Through the University’s other policies, procedures, plans and initiatives that support Te Ara Tautika. Many of these are listed in the ‘key relevant documents’ section of the policy.