Striving for equity and diversity

Earlier commemorative histories of The University of Western Australia focused on the development of physical buildings and the growth of staff and student numbers.l There were glowing reports of audits and assessments with nary a mention of equity or diversity. Today, universities face a variety of challenges in the equitable treatment of staff and students. No longer white, middle-class and mainly male, Australian universities have evolved into institutions of learning that are microcosms of modern Australian society. Empirical evidence suggests that the University has met many of the challenges of catering for the different needs of its staff and student populations head-on, winning awards and accolades in many areas. This has come about mainly through its leadership in recent years but statistics also reveal that until comparatively recent decades, there were dismal shortcomings and deficiencies in some areas. This chapter examines how the University has fared in instigating changes in its response to staff and student diversity: Indigeneity, women, disability, childcare, sexuality, religions and economically disadvantaged people.