Disability Equality Scheme 2006 - 2009:
8. Data Gathering and Impact Assessment

8.1 The University intends to gather both quantitative and qualitative data on disabled students, staff and visitors to assess the impact of its DES action plan on disability equality.

8.2 The University currently gathers student disability data at application and annual matriculation. Students can also disclose a disability at any point during their academic career and are encouraged to do so before examinations and at different stages in their course, for example before field trips and work placements. Disability information is processed in accordance with the University's disclosure procedures and the Data Protection Act (1998). All student feedback forms for programme evaluation purposes do not currently ask for disability data.

8.3 The University's student management system, SITS, is regularly updated to reflect changes to students' disability status and eligibility for disability-related funding. This data is submitted to the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) on an annual basis.

8.4 Current data on SITS allows the University to analyse students' admission, retention, progression, attainment and first destination by HESA disability category and course of study.

8.5 Staff have the opportunity to disclose a disability on application for employment through the University's Equal Opportunities Monitoring form. This form does not currently break down disability information into categories but does request the individual to state the nature of their disability. In addition, when invited for interview for a job, the invitation to interview letter requests that, if the individual has a disability requiring practical arrangements to be made in connection with attending for interview, they should let the relevant HR Officer know. The information is used to monitor the effectiveness of the University's Equal Opportunities Policy and to ensure that the University continues to promote equality of opportunity in its recruitment practices. There is currently no formal mechanism for monitoring disability data in the University's promotion, appraisal and development of staff.

8.6 Data on disabled visitors is currently not collated and there are no formal mechanisms for obtaining feedback from disabled users of our public services and facilities.

8.7 The University will monitor the following aspects of the student experience by disability category, School and College to assess the impact of its policies, practices and procedures on disabled students:

Enquiry handling and recruitment activities.
Application, admission, progression, achievement and first destination.
Transfer and retention rates.
Disciplinary, grievances and complaints.
Exclusions.
Programme evaluation.

8.8 The University will monitor the following aspects of the staff experience by disability category, School, College and Directorate to assess the impact of its policies, practices and procedures on disabled staff:

Applications, short-listed applicants, and appointments.
Staffing by grade, length of service and contract status.
Take up of training and development opportunities.
Internal promotions/progressions.
Retention.
Probation and job evaluation.
Disciplinary, grievances and complaints.
Dismissals, resignations, redundancies and retirements.
Sickness absence.

8.9 The University will, as far as possible, monitor the following aspects of the experience of other members of the University community by disability category to assess the impact of its policies, practices and procedures on disabled visitors: