Action to tackle racism

We will continue to listen to our Black students and staff, amplify their voices and experiences, educate ourselves more about what we must do to create change and use our platform to be actively anti-racist.   

This is an update on some of the actions we are already taking, the work we have committed to do and information about how you can get involved.  

We are working to improve mechanisms to report race-related incidents, provide appropriate responses, and making sure that students and staff know what reporting processes are. 

The University will join the Race Equality Charter at the start of 2020-21 and take recommended action to achieve accreditation.   

We are taking steps to support career progression of BAME staff and increase recruitment of BAME individuals, and have set a target that by 2026 of 10% of new and promoted senior level appointments are filled by BAME staff.  

There are projects across the university on decolonising the curriculum, and we are setting up a university working group to deliver this for the whole of York St John. 

We are reviewing our approach to anonymous marking of students' work.  

We will strengthen partnerships with schools and BAME organisations and work with them to ensure that BAME students feel supported to consider York St John as a destination for study. 

Our Library has reading lists of books & resources for staff and students to educate themselves and each other about white privilege, systemic racism, institutional oppression, colonialism and much more. We are working to add more.     

We will open up our social media platforms to more regular takeovers from Black students, staff and alumni. 

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) at York St John and how you can get involved   

Our Equality and Diversity Adviser supports the University to promote fairness and equality in our community.   

To be involved in our race equality work, please email equalities@yorksj.ac.uk or get in touch with our Students’ Union su@yorksj.ac.uk 

To everyone at York St John University: racism is not tolerated and must be tackled now. If it happens to you or you witness it, please tell someone using Report and Support.