I appreciate that space is at a premium in postdoc and research environments and that many people enjoy the bright and inclusive open-plan spaces.

I would however, really appreciate some quiet and enclosed spaces in each department (without having to hide in a cupboard) which are specifically dedicated to sensory sensitive employees (who are typically neurodivergent) - and who can't move far from their workplace (as we may be attached to a laboratory).

This will significantly improve our productivity and alleviate a lot of underlying stress. Thank you.

important to have students' input on initiatives, otherwise blind spots never get covered

I also didn't know Assistive Reading Software works on Maths text on HTML pages (due to MathML) until relatively recently, so I accepted this accessibility issue as I thought there wasn't any alternative available.

Following the principles of Universal Design for Learning, I do not believe we should replace PDFs with HTML pages. I believe we should be providing multiple formats so students can choose what suits them best. There are plenty of students who annotate PDFs as their method of studying. But if we had to pick a minimum requirement, providing at least one machine-readable format should be an accessibility requirement.

Also, stop gate-keeping lecture notes. The majority of students already have access to all of them due to requesting them in full from older or graduate students (or even students within their year group). This is made easier given specific social platforms making it much easier to connect students across year groups and connect with alumni. The only thing gate-keeping lecture notes does is disadvantage students who experience social anxiety and/or socio-communication differences (often more likely the case for international and neurodivergent students) and students who are less inclined to reach out to peers for support.

Not to mention, we should allow students to learn at their own pace by freely providing lecture notes in full, especially if they're highly monotropic or distractible, which makes it likely that they need to focus on a single course unit per day to lower their risk of burnout.

Some staff are operating with potentially life-threatening conditions but the current policy for sickness doesn't adjust for this as a whole.

Too often, line management and their understanding shapes the experience of those with a life-long or critical illness in this institution.

We should recognise life-long and critical illnesses as the disabilities we are and allow further adjustments.

We often rely on international students to account for diversity, but this isn't the definition we should be striving towards.

The full representation of minority groups in our department, particularly for race and disability but in almost every aspect, is lacking.

E.g. if you’re planning an event, who can help, what framework has already been used.

• some people concerned about feeling isolated when engaging in free speech, and what is allowed or not allowed, people would like to have guidelines e.g a Free Palestine poster was taken down by a different member of staff (not the owner) because they felt it was in a space with too much footfall, though it was by their desk.

• some members are worried about repercussions and grudges if they sign open petitions such as those currently circulating at UoM e.g staff in solidarity with Palestine

• is this impacting a sense or lack of belonging

Mission statement /EDIA page

• members want to see a better presence of EDIA online and in person

• equality calendar

• mission and inclusion statement, especially needed in MIB

• could this look like a monthly drop in / physical space

• better signposting of report and support

Lecturers are experiencing attendance drop offs e.g attendance is down to 10% in maths

• finding out what this is coming down to, is it a preference for blended learning

• is there a teaching attitude that needs to be tackled around how presence in a lecture does not equal engagement

• is it due to a lack of standardised teaching, printed notes, resource implications?

Doctoral Academy / MIB

• seems to have a notoriously bad culture, a bridge between the 5 different teams could be helpful, social events, coffee mornings etc

• currently no requirements for EDIA training, but far too many for occupational health in comparison, which sometimes go hand in hand with EDIA issues

  
  

Meeting Culture Change

• meeting members shouldn't be asked whether they want a break, it should be enforced and there is a reason it is recommended y

• some meetings continue after 5pm which is not inclusive of those with caring responsibilities

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

One member of staff spoke on their experience with DASS for support with Long Covid and the resulting Chronic Fatigue. This member of staff explained that DASS take a long time to provide answers, and support - in the form of plans, financial aid, timetabling etc - which often never manifested. This member then discussed how in order to actually manage their workload, they had to independently reshuffle their timetable to accommodate students, however, without system level changes, it was raised that this could impact students access, such as VISA issues, access to funding and support. This staff member described the stress having to manage this additional workload, and how increased difficulties with their conditions while at work, instead of improving their quality of life in work.

Another staff member talked about how their Autism was handled by DASS and administrative staff, in regard to needing a separate office for privacy and ease of ability to work, and when told due to the work space of MECD this was not possible, and in essence to get over it.

A member of staff talked about the frustration and time-consuming nature of DASS support plans being sent to academic staff, explaining how they are expected to read through a huge number of support plans in order to find reasonable adjustments for each individual students. This staff member suggested introducing some form of triage, or a spreadsheet document that clearly outlines in one place each student and their support needs to save time and ease access for staff.

Some staff did, however, discuss how they've had positive interactions with line managers, further showing the differences in approach and how this can either support, or isolate staff.

Members of the group also discussed how many staff, specifically line managers have no support or ability to help even if they wanted to.

Structural changes to managerial approach is needed.

Some members of staff have explained needing support in articulating their needs to other members of staff, support networks or administration that can support their needs.

Staff talked about how forms were often not fully accessible for all members of staff, relating to access of input of data, time-sensitive forms not automatically informing staff of due dates, and many forms are extensive to the point of making staff's jobs less easy.

Could alumni come and talk? Demonstrate a future to students who might not see this for themselves amongst current staff.

Clarity on how staff should deal with this, and ultimately, what students should expect if they are to celebrate religious holidays that are not accounted for more broadly within the University timetabling.

Staff all shared the opinion that the centralisation of the school of natural sciences has ultimately made their jobs within their individual departments more difficult. Specifically, staff felt that departments now have no agency in their own systems, processes, support and administration, and now have to answer to a "faceless entity" in the form of the school.

Staff discussed how when asked regarding the use and accessibility of MECD the feedback from staff and students surveys suggested that its poor in terms of accessibility. Staff discussed how the inaccessibility of MECD not only impacts disabled staff and students, but the frustration experienced by able-bodied staff resulted in both able-bodied and disabled staff often not being present on site. This extended to concerns over a major lack of a staff and academic network and community further extending to the lack of personability amongst staff. This lack of community is also extended to the fact that there are no academic, or staff commonspaces meaning that staff have no way of interacting or engaging with their staff teams and wider networks.

Staff explained frustration in the set up of MECD, finding workspace not accessible at all, with open-plan bright working spaces are often overstimulating for neurodivergent staff members.

Staff also described how many of the rooms are not comfortable, or safe for those with hearing impairments. Booking systems have no indication that they're fully accessible for hearing-impaired staff and students.

Signage was described as poor, often having important signs hidden behind doors, navigation signage etc.

Frustration that such a large, complicated to navigate building has no maps accessible, and no reception.

Overall staff feel that MECD is an accessibility nightmare, for all staff and because of this there is a severe lack of desire to be on site, reducing community access and overall people are becoming disenfranchised with the space and department.

• Open space for 1:1 discussion/conversation

  • Drop in sessions (in person, or online)

• EDIA Letterbox tour (suggestion boxes in SoNS buildings)

• Coffee Mornings

• Adaptation Case studies

  • Success studies of DASS and EDIA team support and adaptions

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