Open Letter to Oxford University Equality Officer



Oxford University students at a 'Safari Bop'

8th March 2011




Open Letter to Oxford University Equality Officer


racialequalityou@hotmail.co.uk


CAMPAIGN FOR RACIAL EQUALITY AT OXFORD UNIVERSITY

Dear Leyla Okhai


It has come to our attention that Oxford University is holding a conference on the 11th March: Race Equality in Higher Education: ‘Achievements, Future Challenges and Possible Solutions’. We strongly believe that if you are going to be lecturing others on how they can best achieve race equality, then your own institution, Oxford University, should be setting a high standard.


We have recently been running a campaign, called the Campaign for Racial Equality at Oxford University, which we began after becoming aware that New College, Oxford, was not complying with the duties for HEI’s under the RRA (A) 2000.


Since then we have used Freedom of Information to gather evidence about several Oxford University colleges. A lot of the colleges took longer than is required by law to respond and several colleges did not bother to respond at all. We did not find even one college that was complying fully with the specific duties for HEI’s. None of the colleges publish full results of their monitoring by racial group, in fact hardly any of the colleges carry out the monitoring of students and employees by racial group, which is required. Some of the college representatives even believe that they are exempt from racial equality law. The duties according to the RRA (A) 2000 should have been implemented by 2002 at the latest.


We asked for evidence of Equality Impact Assessments (EIA’s), carried out within these Oxford colleges. Not one college provided evidence of carrying them out or even claimed to have done so. Oxford University’s Freedom of Information officer confirmed to us, as did your office, that Oxford colleges, being autonomous, are individually responsible for their duties under the RRA (A) 2000.


We also used Freedom of Information to discover the source of legal advice used by Oxford University colleges. A large number of colleges use Peninsula Business Services. We know (from experience during legal proceedings with New College), that either they do not fully understand the duties of HEI’s according to the RRA (A) 2000, or, more worryingly, they advise their clients to ignore it. Their methods seem to be to advise Oxford colleges on how to get rid of employees that complain of racial discrimination, rather than investigate the complaint and try to resolve the situation.


The likelihood that racial discrimination is taking place at Oxford University colleges is very high, when the available statistics regarding black students and employees are taken into account. The fact that the colleges are failing to undertake adequate monitoring and Equality Impact Assessments, further implies that Oxford University colleges are covering up any racial discrimination that takes place. A summary of our findings is on our website. Please let us know what action, if any, you intend to take regarding this information.






Yours sincerely


Lee Jasper: Secretary, National Assembly against Racism.

Pauline Black, lead singer of 2-Tone movement ska band The Selecter, actress, TV presenter, broadcaster & author

 



Bethan Tichborne: Human Rights Campaigner and graduate of Exeter College, Oxford.


Zita Holbourne: Joint Chair, Black Activists Rising Against Cuts (BARAC) UK, Public and Commercial Services Union National Executive.

 Anne Giwa-Amu: Law graduate, qualified solicitor, company director.
http://www.virginiajibowu.co.uk/


Kanja I Sesay: NUS Black Student Officer & Anti-Racism Anti-Fascism Convenor

Walter Kennedy: Community advocate and former Hillingdon councillor, (Unite the Union member).


Stephen Lintott: Union activist, Mental Health Nurse, Pacifist, Cambridge Green Party coordinator

Sofia: Uni4All

Mrs. L Gordon-Mackenzie: Communications Officer

Kevin Harris: Rehabilitation Worker - Visual Impairment, Brighton.

Comfort Fabian Nwabia: Teenage poet, playwright, actress and activist.

Rajesh Semrete Selassie Aggarwal: Manager & Promoter of LOVE OF THE TRINITY

Gregory Lewis: CAMPAIGN FOR RACIAL EQUALITY AT OXFORD UNIVERSITY

T. Ruskin: CAMPAIGN FOR RACIAL EQUALITY AT OXFORD UNIVERSITY

Gregory Lewis with Rev. Jesse Jackson