Te Ara Tautika | The Equity Policy

Waipapa Taumata Rau, the University of Auckland and all of its members.

To describe the University’s commitment to being an environment where its members can thrive.

This policy sets out overarching responsibilities on the University and its members. Achieving equity is everyone’s responsibility as well as a right.

1. The University and its members are responsible for taking reasonable and appropriate steps to support equitable access to, and participation and success at, the University. This includes:

• Celebrating the diversity of staff members and students
• Striving to dismantle barriers and forms of privilege where they create or perpetuate inequities
• Creating appropriate opportunities for people and groups - particularly for those who have experienced, or who experience, prejudice, discrimination, intolerance, underrepresentation, or who have been historically disadvantaged or marginalised
• Considering intersectionality and its effects in order to effectively remove barriers to access, participation, and success.

2. The University is responsible for working to address structural and systemic ableism, ageism, classism, homophobia, racism, religious intolerance, sexism, transphobia, and other forms of discrimination, especially for groups that have historically been and are disadvantaged or marginalised.

The following definitions apply to this document:

Definitions

Discrimination is defined by the Human Rights Act 1993 and can occur when a person is treated less favourably than another person, in the same or similar circumstances, because of a prohibited ground such as their sex, colour, religious belief, race, marital status, ethnic or national origins, family status, ethical belief, sexual orientation, political opinion, age, employment status or disability.

Intersectionality refers to a way of understanding unique and overlapping aspects of identity and related opportunities, challenges, advantages, and disadvantages. An analytical framework that recognises multiple axes of discrimination and prejudice caused by structural inequities - see Crenshaw, 1989.

Members are all students, staff members, honorary and adjunct staff, contractors and subcontractors, consultants, and members of University Council.

Reasonable and appropriate - what is reasonable and appropriate will depend on the circumstances of each situation, and include consideration of a range of factors, such as resources, timeframes, costs, and available technology.

Te Ara Tautika means the journey towards an equitable university environment.

University means Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland and includes all subsidiaries.

• Equity Statement
• Code of Conduct
• Pastoral Care Code of Practice

This policy relates to and informs the implementation of plans, other policies and procedures, including:

• Achievement relative to opportunity policy and procedures
• Addressing bullying, harassment and discrimination policy and procedures
• Creating Cultures of Consent and Respect Action Plan
• Disability Action Plan
• Family and relationship violence and abuse policy
• Flexible work policy and procedures
• Impartial employment decision making policy and procedures
• Learner Success Plan
• Māori Staffing Strategy
• Pacific Staffing Strategy
• Parental leave policy
• Recruitment, selection and appointment policy
• Special Conditions for Tests and Examinations Policy
• Special Conditions in Test and Examinations Procedures
• Staff with disabilities policy
• Student Academic Complaints Statute
• Student Voice Policy
• Taumata Teitei - Vision 2030 and Strategic Plan 2025
• Te Rautaki Aronga Toitū | Sustainability Strategy
• Toitū Waipapa | The Enduring Framework
• Undergraduate Targeted Admissions Schemes policy and procedures
• Work, life, family and carers policy

Related guidelines and other relevant documents include:

• Achievement relative to opportunity guidelines
• Addressing bullying, harassment and discrimination guidelines
• Babies and children on campus guidelines
• Car parking guidelines – including disability parking
• Disclosure of information
• Equity in recruitment, selection and appointment toolkit
• Family and relationship violence and abuse prevention and management guidelines
• Gender transitioning at work guidelines
• Guidelines for University support for trans and gender-diverse students’ legal name change
• Inclusion of trans and gender diverse students and staff in sport and recreation guidelines
• Inclusive learning and teaching of students with impairments guidelines
• Issues related to students’ disclosure of information on disabilities or impairments staff guidelines
• Parking for staff with family responsibilities guidelines
• Staff with disabilities and their managers guidelines
• Students with disabilities disclosure guidelines
• Student Voice Guidelines
• Undergraduate Targeted Admission Schemes guidelines

Additional information:

• National legislation, international declarations and conventions
• Equity related policies, procedures and guidelines
• Equity Contacts

Owner: Pro Vice-Chancellor Equity
Content manager: Senior Research and Policy Adviser - Equity
Approved by: Vice-Chancellor
Date approved: 11 November 2022
Reviewed date: 4 September 2025
Next Review Date: 4 September 2028