The Academic Women's Forum

We're not a formal committee but have the remit to discuss issues freely and pass on advice and suggestions to the University. We also invite guests, including senior University figures, to attend our meetings for a two-way exchange of information and views on specific topics.

From its very inception, academic women at the University have engaged in activities to improve the wellbeing of other women, including working to establish a Women’s Refuge in the city, childcare facilities on campus, encouraging the introduction of family friendly work practices, raising awareness of barriers to women’s promotion and the ongoing battle for equal pay.

In 2014 the Forum invited participants from every department. We came together because we shared concerns about gender issues and discrimination more broadly in the University, and we continue to pursue further diversity and inclusion.

Membership of the Forum is by invitation and informally includes one member from every academic department, together with invited members of departmental support staff and University Council. Members have expertise or a keen interest in women’s issues. Trust and confidentiality are essential factors to allow for frank discussions in a secure environment.

The Forum meets once a semester and makes no claim to exhaust debate and discussions of all women’s issues on campus. We welcome debate and exchanges with other groups, eg those representing early career staff, as well as suggestions of issues and concerns to add to the agenda.

Since 2014, the Forum has debated many issues of significant impact upon women including:

• gender pay-gap
• gender and academic promotions and careers
• sexual harassment and violence against women
• mentoring
• Athena SWAN application process
• leadership training.

The Forum has also engaged with the University on a number of other significant issues, for example by generating nominations for Honorary Degrees, contributing to the feedback on Equality Pay Reviews and submitting proposals for the York Festival of Ideas.

For more information, or to express an interest in participating in the WF, or to suggest issues to debate, you can email one of the Forum Co-Conveners (heather.marsden@york.ac.uk and rachel.alsop@york.ac.uk) or contact the Forum members in your department.