Living Black at University Commission Report 2022/23 Living Black at University Commission Report 2022/23 4.3 RECOMMENDATION 9 Accommodation providers should routinely collect, analyse and publish relevant data on the racial diversity of their residents and employees, as well as outcomes of reporting and investigation of complaints. Identi昀椀ed issues Good practice tips • Systems for collecting ethnicity data in a student Sammy Li, Assistant Director of Student A昀昀airs at the accommodation context are often poor, and there University of Birmingham and Executive Member of is limited interoperability with other organisational AMOSSHE: data – meaning that time-consuming manual • Include clear information about data collection as processes need to be used part of the student induction to explain how it can • University DEI data strategies are at di昀昀erent levels be used to support the student experience of maturity, and there is no current consensus on • Reassure students that the data will be held safely what a mature strategy looks like and used appropriately • There is a reluctance among students about • Illustrate how the data can be used to create useful sharing data on their protected characteristics with insights – for example, showing a breakdown of accommodation teams demographics within the student body • Ethnicity data is not routinely collected in relation to accommodation complaints Andy Owusu, O昀케ce for Students Mental Health Project O昀케cer at London South Bank University: Commission actions • Establish one person involved in data collection as • Create and share a DEI data maturity framework the ‘familiar face’ of a project, and introduce them • Meet with Global Student Living to explore to students in advance with a headshot and short possibility of including diversity and inclusion message to create familiarity data, questions and awards in the Global Student • Have a physical presence on campus – for example, Living Index enlisting students to explain the purpose of your Self-assessment questions • Create a toolkit pack that enables universities to work, organising drop-ins led by the ‘familiar face’ replicate the Living Black at University research • Include a front page on the survey explaining the Are students at your institution/organisation Do you have access to ethnicity data for students with their own students purpose, what data you are collecting, why you happy to share their diversity data? leaving their accommodation early, including are collecting it, how it will be used – for example, Can you easily access diversity data on students reasons for leaving? what changes you’re hoping to make within your within the accommodation service, from Is there a process within your organisation to organisation application through to leaving? signpost complainants to student support services? Do you have access to ethnicity data for students Does your university work with neighbouring raising complaints or involved in conduct universities to resolve complaints involving processes within accommodation? students from di昀昀erent institutions? 36 37