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Equity, diversity and inclusion

The Faculty of Business and Law aims to foster a culture of inclusion, ensure continuous improvement and collegiality, and champion equity initiatives across all aspects of the workplace.

UOW recognises that it can only achieve its strategic objectives by attracting and retaining a diverse blend of talent. Our staff and students reflect the diversity of our communities. We recognise and celebrate each aspect of diversity individually and recognise their intersectionality. We aim to have an organisational culture where people can be their authentic selves and have policies and practices that ensure fair and equitable campuses. We welcome anyone regardless of age, race, colour, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, gender expression, marital or relationship status, or economic background. UOW has policies and practices to ensure that we provide a fair workplace and campuses free from unlawful discrimination and harassment. Through our inclusive values, we aim to empower all staff to achieve their full potential and remove actual or perceived barriers to participation.

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EDI feedback: share your ideas, issues, and successes

  1. Promote a culture that holds the values of equity, diversity and inclusion as central to who we are and what we do;
  2. Ensure all staff understand what the principles of equity, diversity and inclusion mean, and how this translates to their actions and behaviours at work;
  3. Ensure a truly inclusive workplace, where all staff and students feel: 
    • A sense of belonging
    • Respected
    • Empowered; and
    • That they have a fair chance of progressing their careers.
  4. Ensure staff and students feel that diversity of opinions and views is valued, and they can bring their whole selves to work;
  5. Ensure the principles of equity, diversity and inclusion are considered in all decisions made, and that this is transparent and communicated to all staff; and
  6. Ensure that principles of equity, diversity and inclusion and are embedded in our teaching and research practices.

The Business and Law Faculty Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee Members include:

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Resources

Here are some policies, research and tools that guide our Faculty to be a place for every student and staff member to learn and work.

February

  • 11 February 2021 – International Day of Women and Girls in Science (Gender Equality)
  • 16 February 2021 – Anniversary of the National Apology (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians)

March

  • 1 March 2021 – Zero Discrimination Day (Cultural Diversity)
  • 1 March 2021 – International Wheelchair Day (People with Disability)
  • 8 March 2021 – International Women’s Day (Gender Equality)
  • 18 March 2021 – National Close the Gap Day (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians)
  • 15 March – 21 March 2021 – Harmony Week (Cultural Diversity)

April

  • 12 April 2021 – Chalk Rainbow (Gender, Sex and Sexuality Diversity)

May

  • 12 April – 12 May 2021 – Ramadan (Cultural Diversity)
  • Dates TBC – Al-Fitr and Al-Adra (Cultural Diversity)
  • 15 May 2021 – International Day of Families (Gender Equality and Cultural Diversity)
  • 17 May 2021 – International Day against Homophobia, Biphobia, Intersexism and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT) (Gender, Sex and Sexuality Diversity)
  • 21 May 2021 – World Day for Cultural Diversity (Cultural Diversity)
  • 26 May 2021 – National Sorry Day (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians)
  • 27 May 2021 – Anniversary of the 1967 Referendum (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians)
  • 27 May – 3 June 2021 – National Reconciliation Week (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians)

June

  • 1 June – 30 June 2021 – Pride Month (Gender, Sex and Sexuality Diversity)
  • 1 June 2021– Global Day of Parents (Gender Equality)
  • 2 June 2021 – Flexible Work Day (Gender Equality)
  • 3 June 2021 – Mabo Day (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians)
  • 15 June – 20 June 2021 – Refugee Week (Cultural Diversity)
  • 20 June 2021 – World Refugee Day (Cultural Diversity)

July

  • 1 July 2021 – Coming of the Light (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians)
  • 4 July – 11 July 2021 – National NAIDOC Week (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians)
  • 22 July 2021 – Ally Network Virtual Training Workshop (Gender, Sex and Sexuality Diversity)

August

  • 1 August – 7 August 2021 – World Breastfeeding Week (Gender Equality)
  • 27 August 2021 – Wear it Purple Day (Gender, Sex and Sexuality Diversity)
  • 28 August 2021 – Equal Pay Day (Gender Equality)

September

  • 1 September 2021 – Indigenous Literacy Day (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians)
  • 6 September – 12 September 2021 – Social Sciences Week (example UNSW) (Equity, Diversity and Inclusion)
  • 8 September 2021 – Linking Women Dinner (Gender Equality)
  • 9 September 2021 – R U OK? Day (Mental Health/Suicide Prevention)
  • 13 September 2021 – Anniversary of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians)

October

  • 10 October 2021 – World Mental Health Day
  • 26 October 2021 – Intersex Awareness Day (Mental Health/Suicide Prevention)

November

  • 1 November 2021 – Australian Workplace Equality Index Survey (open until first week March 2022)
  • 13 November – 19 November 2021 – Transgender Awareness Week (Gender, Sex and Sexuality Diversity)
  • 16 November 2021 – International Day for Tolerance (Cultural Diversity)
  • 25 November 2021 – International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women (Gender Equality)

December

  • 1 December 2021 – World AIDS Day
  • 3 December 2021 – International Day of People with Disabilities (People with Disability)

Gender-inclusive language practices 

Language and practice to avoid

Good inclusive language practice

She/he is taking maternity leave

They are taking parental leave

She/he must provide copies

Every candidate must provide copies

Mother’s facilities

Parenting facilities

Your husband/wife

Your partner

A father ‘babysitting’ their child

A parent ‘caring’ for their child

Policeman/fireman

Police officer/firefighter

Ladies and Gentlemen

Esteemed guests

Boys and girls

Students, class, kids, everyone, folks

Mum and Dad

Parents and carers

Husband and wife, girlfriend and boyfriend

Partner

Brother and sister

Siblings

She or he

They

Chairman, mankind, Policeman

Chair/Chairperson, humankind, Police Officer

Feminine hygiene products

Period products, menstruation products

Source: Words Matter: ECU's Inclusive Language Guide

Research from the Faculty on gender equality

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander inclusive language practices 

Language and practice to avoid

Good inclusive language practice

Blacks, Natives, Aborigines

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples

Half-caste, part-Aboriginal

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander

aboriginal, indigenous

Aboriginal, Indigenous peoples

Aboriginal tribes or clans

Aboriginal communities or language groups

 Source: Words Matter: ECU's Inclusive Language Guide

Research from the Faculty on Indigenous strategy

Acknowledge of Country

We acknowledge that country for Aboriginal peoples is an interconnected set of ancient and sophisticated relationships. The University of Wollongong spreads across many interrelated Aboriginal countries that are bound by this sacred landscape, and intimate relationship with that landscape since creation.

From Sydney to the Southern Highlands, to the South Coast.

From the fresh water to bitter water to salt. From city to urban to rural.

The University of Wollongong acknowledges the custodianship of the Aboriginal peoples of this place and space that has kept alive the relationships between all living things.

The University acknowledges the devastating impact of colonialization on our campuses’ footprint and commit ourselves to truth-telling, healing and education.

Disability inclusion language practices 

Language and practice to avoid

Good inclusive language practice

Abnormal, afflicted with or suffers from, birth defect, deformed, invalid

Person with disability or disabled person (dependant on individual or group)

Wheelchair bound, confined to a wheelchair

Person who uses a wheelchair, wheelchair user

Vision impaired, visually impaired, the blind.

Person who is blind or has low vision, blind person (dependant on individual or group)

Asperger’s (no longer a diagnosis so only if someone identifies), on the spectrum (used to avoid the word autism), high/low functioning, ASD (diagnosis terminology)

Person with autism, autistic, neurodivergent (dependant on individual or group),

Deaf and dumb (inability to hear and speak does not imply intellectual disability)

Person who is deaf/hard of hearing, deaf person (dependant on individual or group)

Paraplegic

Person with paraplegia

Mentally handicapped, slow

Person with an intellectual disability

Handicapped parking

Accessible parking

Disabled toilet

Accessible toilet

Special requirements

Individual requirements

Mentally ill, crazy, mental, psycho

Person with mental illness

Learning impaired

Person with a learning disability

Suffers from a chronic health condition

Lives with or has a chronic health condition

Able-bodied, abled, normal

Person without disability, non-disabled person

Source: Words Matter: ECU's Inclusive Language Guide 

Research from the Faculty on Disability inclusion 

Gender, sex and sexuality inclusive language practices 

Language and practice to avoid

Good inclusive language practice

Gay and lesbian, the gay community

The LGBTIQA+ community

Lez, lesbo, lezzie

Lesbian

Homosexual, homo

Gay, gay man, gay person

Lifestyle choice, sexual preference

Sexuality

Born male, born female

Assigned male or female at birth

He or she

They (if you don’t know their gender or they use they/them pronouns)

Transsexual, transgendered, crossdresser

Transgender, trans, gender diverse, non-binary

Transvestite

Crossdresser

Hermaphrodite

Intersex person, someone with an intersex variation

Ladies and gents, boys and girls

Everyone, guests, folks

Preferred name, preferred pronouns

Name and pronouns

Identifies as transgender, gay, bisexual

Is transgender, gay, bisexual

Husband/wife

Partner, spouse

Gay agenda, homosexual agenda

Use an accurate description of topic e.g. Discrimination laws

Special rights

Equal rights

Source: Words Matter: ECU's Inclusive Language Guide

Research from the Faculty on gender, sex and sexuality diversity

Seminars and training sessions

  • Shamika Almeida
  • Millicent Chang
  • Rodney Clarke
  • Corinne Cortese
  • Josh Dubrau
  • Anna Farmery
  • Mario Fernando
  • Michael Grainger
  • Patricia Hamlet
  • Valerie Harwood
  • Troy Heffernan
  • Freda Hui-Truscott
  • Aelee Jun
  • Le-tisha Kable
  • Ted Lasek
  • Adriana Lear
  • Sue Matthews
  • Grace McCarthy
  • Michael Mehmet
  • Trish Mundy
  • Karina Murray
  • Rabindra Nepal
  • Pauline Oei
  • Alfredo Paloyo
  • Colin Picker
  • Melanie Randle
  • Nicole Reilly
  • James Reveley
  • Nina Reynolds
  • Nan Seuffert
  • Erin Snape
  • Beo Thai
  • Erin Twyford
  • Jenny Wang
  • Markus Wagner
  • Ivy Zhou

See about the Ally Network

Cultural and religious inclusive language practices 

Language and practice to avoid

Good inclusive language practice

Black/Brown/Yellow/ Red/Purple people OR Coloured person

Person of colour (POC)

An African (broad generalisation)

Person of Kenyan descent (specific)

Foreigners

International people, international students

Mixed race

Biracial, multiracial

Third world country

Developing country

God-botherer

A person of faith

Believes in the sky-fairy/imaginary being

A believer (in God or other deity)

Bible-basher

Christian

Towelhead, raghead

A person wearing a hijab or turban

Religious food or God food

Kosher/Halal (relevant terminology) dietary requirement

Conflating a negative action with a faith e.g. Islamic terrorism

Keeping a faith separate from an action

Christian name

First name, given name, affirmed name

Source: Words Matter: ECU's Inclusive Language Guide

Research from the Faculty on cultural and ethnic diversity 

Research from the Faculty on Early Career Researchers

Seminars and training sessions

Links to services

 

UOW's processes and supporting documentation for managing conduct and performance specific to academic staff and professional services employees are set out in the following documents:

Academic staff

Professional staff

Age inclusive language practices

Language and practice to avoid

Good inclusive language practice

Seniors, elderly, old lady/old man, the aged,

Older people, older Australians, retired people, retirees

Emerging adult, kids, youths, juniors,

Younger people, young people, youth

People over x, People younger than x

Younger people, people aged e.g. 18 to 25

Source: Words Matter: ECU's Inclusive Language Guide

Seminars and training sessions

 

Faculty Strategy Action Plan

Download: Business and Law EDI Strategy Action Plan 2021-2023 (PDF)
Diverse women with laptop