What are Unacceptable Behaviours?
Unacceptable behaviours include everything from sexual misconduct, harassment, and domestic abuse to hate crime, discrimination and bullying – and is something we’re committed to tackling at the University of Chester.
We believe that all students and staff deserve respect and we’re working to change attitudes through educating students and staff members, raising awareness of options for reporting unacceptable behaviours and getting support at the University.
The University of Chester and Chester Students’ Union are devoted to ensuring we provide a safe and inclusive environment for all. We believe that everyone must work together to eliminate unacceptable behaviours. We do not tolerate any forms of unacceptable behaviour and are dedicated to raising awareness and building on our work in relation to prevention.
Who are the Unacceptable Behaviours Group and what do they do?
The Unacceptable Behaviours Group or UBG (formerly Unacceptable Behaviours Taskforce or UBT) are a group of students, staff members, and members of Chester Students’ Union that are committed to tackling unacceptable behaviours in and around the University. Some of the main aims of the taskforce include:
- supporting survivors/victims
- educating the University community on what exactly Unacceptable Behaviours are
- encouraging change at all levels
- furthering safety at all our sites and in our community.
As a university, we want to show our commitment to keeping these issues visible in a way that will help us all. If you would like to join the UBG meetings, please contact Katie Moore at k.moore@chester.ac.uk.
The University have been working on the UBG for the last year and are continuing to introduce new things, revise new and old processes and essentially make life within the University better for all different types of people regardless of any characteristic.
How do we measure success?
UBG meet monthly to review, evaluate, and guide the work of the University within this area. The work of UBG is monitored using action plans which meet the objectives within this strategy, and link to wider recommendations from the Office for Students (OfS). These will continue to be reviewed and updated by the Student Engagement Project Officer.
We will use the quantitative and qualitative data from our yearly Campus Climate Survey, to inform our work and address our objectives specifically around sexual violence. Other data sources for measuring success are likely to include student surveys, staff pulse surveys, and qualitative data obtained from engagement with those with lived experiences.
We will also consider the impact of our training programmes and awareness raising work, and we will utilise data from our SVLO service, ‘Report a Concern’ tool and Proctor’s Office, to measure impact and to improve service delivery.
UBG will report its progress to the Student Voice and Experience Committee (SVEC), Mission Committee, University Council, and the Equality Forum.
Most recent progress
- Launched a new reporting tool ‘Report a Concern’
- Awarded £550,000 to address violence against women and girls (VAWG).
As part of this we
- Spent over £200,000 on upgrading our CCTV and lighting across our sites
- Worked with partners to create safe spaces across Cheshire
- Introduced ‘Zecure’ – a personal safety app for all students
- Launched our ‘safer taxi’ scheme which ensures you can get to your destination safely and quickly
- Completed accredited training of 20 Sexual Violence Liaison Officers (SVLOs).
- Trained first responders, who were upskilled to deal with disclosures of sexual misconduct
- Trained our staff to enable them to deliver ‘consent and healthy relationships’ training to students.
- Introduced an online student and staff module – Tackling Harassment: Promoting Cultural Change in Higher Education. This includes both bystander intervention and dealing with disclosures modules
RESPECT campaign
The University of Chester is committed to providing a supportive and inclusive environment for all members of our university community. We value equality and diversity and promote respect.
As part of our RESPECT campaign, we work in partnership with Chester Students’ Union, police, third sector and our local community to promote diversity, inclusivity, and unity.