Living Black at University Commission Report 2022/23 2 Acknowledgements Thanks to everyone who contributed to this report and everyone on the Unite Students Commission on Living Black at University – 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 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. 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 ABOUT THE UNITE STUDENTS COMMISSION ON LIVING BLACK AT UNIVERSITY In February 2022, Unite Students published Living Black at University , the first research report into Black students’ experience in UK purpose-built student accommodation. Finding evidence of racism, cultural insensitivity and exclusion – all of which had a significant impact on Black students’ mental health – the report included 10 recommendations to be implemented by universities, sector bodies and accommodation providers. These spanned areas such as mental health, complaints processes, staff race training and data. To ensure the 10 recommendations were taken forward and embedded nationally, Unite Students convened a Commission whose members represented national organisations, professional sector bodies and universities working on relevant projects. Chaired by Professor Iyiola Solanke, Jacques Delors Professor of Law at the University of Oxford and founder of the Black Female Professors Forum, the Commission launched in April 2022. The Commission has met regularly since, with members discussing the recommendations in detail and collectively agreeing actions to take forward. A comprehensive list of Commission actions taken or in progress so far is available within this report. In its next phase, the College of University Business Officers (CUBO) and Unite Students will oversee the Commission. CONTENTS Research into the experiences of Black students in UK student accommodation Commissioned by Unite Students Foreword 4 About this report 6 Recommendations 7 Summary of actions 8 1.0 Arrival & integration 12 1.1 Introduction 13 1.2 Recommendation 2 14 1.3 Recommendation 4 16 1.4 Recommendation 6 17 1.5 Case study: Newcastle University 18 1.6 Case study: University of Southampton 20 2.0 Mental health 22 2.1 Introduction 23 2.2 Recommendation 7 24 2.3 Case study: LSBU 25 2.4 Case study: Student Minds 26 3.0 Staffing 28 3.1 Introduction 29 3.2 Recommendation 3 30 3.3 Recommendation 5 31 4.0 Complaints & data 32 4.1 Introduction 33 4.2 Recommendation 8 34 4.3 Recommendation 9 36 4.4 Case study: University of Nottingham 38 5.0 Creating meaningful change 40 5.1 White Allyship: will you stand up? 41 5.2 Creating a business case for change 43 5.3 Case study: University of Kent 46 5.4 What next for the sector? 48 Our Commissioners 51 Living Black at University Commission Report 2022/23 3