Living Black at University Commission Report 2022/23 Living Black at University Commission Report 2022/23 CONTENTS ABOUT THE UNITE STUDENTS COMMISSION Foreword 4 3.0 Staf昀椀ng 28 ON LIVING BLACK AT UNIVERSITY About this report 6 3.1 Introduction 29 In February 2022, Unite Students published To ensure the 10 recommendations were taken forward Living Black at University, the 昀椀rst research report and embedded nationally, Unite Students convened Recommendations 7 3.2 Recommendation 3 30 into Black students’ experience in UK purpose-built a Commission whose members represented national student accommodation. organisations, professional sector bodies and universities Summary of actions 8 3.3 Recommendation 5 31 working on relevant projects. Chaired by Professor Iyiola Finding evidence of racism, cultural insensitivity and Solanke, Jacques Delors Professor of Law at the University exclusion – all of which had a signi昀椀cant impact on of Oxford and founder of the Black Female Professors Black students’ mental health – the report included Forum, the Commission launched in April 2022. 10 recommendations to be implemented by universities, 1.0 Arrival & integration 12 4.0 Complaints & data 32 sector bodies and accommodation providers. These The Commission has met regularly since, with members spanned areas such as mental health, complaints processes, discussing the recommendations in detail and collectively 1.1 Introduction 13 4.1 Introduction 33 staff race training and data. agreeing actions to take forward. A comprehensive list of Commission actions taken or in progress so far is available 1.2 Recommendation 2 14 4.2 Recommendation 8 34 within this report. 1.3 Recommendation 4 16 4.3 Recommendation 9 36 In its next phase, the College of University Business Of昀椀cers (CUBO) and Unite Students will oversee the Commission. 1.4 Recommendation 6 17 4.4 Case study: University of Nottingham 38 Research into the experiences of Black students in UK student accommodation Commissioned by Unite Students 1.5 Case study: Newcastle University 18 1.6 Case study: University of Southampton 20 5.0 Creating meaningful change 40 DOWNLOAD LIVING VISIT THE BLACK AT UNIVERSITY COMMISSION WEBSITE 5.1 White Allyship: will you stand up? 41 2.0 Mental health 22 5.2 Creating a business case for change 43 2.1 Introduction 23 5.3 Case study: University of Kent 46 Acknowledgements Thanks to everyone who contributed to this report and everyone on the Unite Students Commission on Living Black at University – 2.2 Recommendation 7 24 5.4 What next for the sector? 48 a full list of Commissioners, correct as of September 2023, is available at the end of the report. We would particularly like to thank Professor Iyiola Solanke for her capable chairing of the Commission from 2022-23, Sam Kingsley for 2.3 Case study: LSBU 25 developing and leading on the implementation of the recommendations, and Jen Steadman for her role as Commissioning Editor on this report. We would also like to thank CUBO for agreeing to support with leading the Commission in its next phase. 2.4 Case study: Student Minds 26 Our Commissioners 51 Thanks additionally go to Dr Nick Cartwright for creating the EDI Data Maturity Framework, Newcastle University for supporting the pilot phase of creating a Black services directory, and Unite Students’ 10,000 Black Interns in 2022 and 2023 for their sterling work on pulling together a Black services directory covering 23 university towns and cities. We are indebted to the original research undertaken by 'Teleola Cartwright, Osaro Otobo and Lenny Emanuel – the Black-led research team at Halpin Partnership – for the original Living Black at University report, and the Black students who took part in the research, whose courage in sharing their experiences has been invaluable for supporting the sector to address race inequality in UK student accommodation. Finally, we would like to thank everyone who has downloaded this report with the intention to improve Black students’ accommodation experience, whether by taking action in their own institution or sharing with others in the sector who have the power to take these decisions. Richard Smith Chief Executive at Unite Students 2 3