Community Conversation

RMIT has recently made landmark movements in fulfilling the University Act's object of enabling social justice. We need to build on these gains in the RMIT NEXT strategy, as well as shaping and suggesting new goals. Our Reconciliation Action Plan under Professor Mark McMillan gifted RMIT a really unique and dynamic approach to deep recognition of First Knowledges in the University. The ongoing action and development of a dynamic RAP must appear explicitly and centrally in the Next strategy. I am concerned not to see it so far signed clearly in the themes on this site. Continuing professional development for non-Indigenous staff, so that First Nations perspectives can be appropriately and actively engaged with in research, teaching and engagement, remains unfinished business. This is work for all RMIT staff to participate in and therefore probably should appear in all of the themes here – as a matter for resourcing and leadership and accountability. See less

Hi! There needs to be a better way to change your name in RMIT's information systems.

Ideally students would be able to enter their preferred (real) name at enrolment and have this show up on all RMIT systems – eg. class rolls, emails contacts and names shown on teams/other online learning platforms.

Students should then be able to change this name like one can change their address in the RMIT systems – quickly, accessibly, and without need for it to be ‘approved.’ We understand that RMIT needs to record student’s legal names but that information does not need to be and should not be public displayed or accessible without consent.

This is specifically in regards to trans students who's legal names do no match their "preferred" ie REAL name. Deadnaming (the use of a person’s old name they do not identify with anymore) can cause serious anguish and mental health issues. This would also has a curb cutting effect of benefiting everyone who does not use their 'legal' name in the community – this includes those that go by nicknames or ‘anglicised’ names or have issues with their family name. See less

I would like to see us more fully embrace diversity of all forms, and this could start with an assumption that every person has a unique perspective and a unique contribution to make, rather than diversity solely being considered on an exception basis. This could mean that principles such as Achievement Relative to Opportunity apply automatically to everyone, rather than individuals having to seek permission for it to be considered in their specific case. We need to better understand the power dynamics within our organisation and learn from the experiences of one another so that we can create more opportunities for equal participation. We should all be able to bring our full selves to work and know that we will be valued for who we are. See less

RMIT is privileged to be a major employer and one of the largest contributing public institutions in the City of Whittlesea where is has its Bundoora Campus in the northern growth area. I encourage NEXT to consider a comprehensive community engagement and place-based strategy which shows civic leadership and our commitment to supporting a high needs community for public good.

The City of Whittlesea is one of the fastest growing municipalities in Australia with 8000 new residents per year (about 156 a week) and on average there are 63 babies born every week.
As an interface council of which some areas were until recently rural there are significant planning and infrastructure needs. 2016 census data shows Whittlesea as one of the most multicultural municipalities in Victoria with almost half of all local residents speaking a language other than English at home and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population being the second largest in Metropolitan Melbourne.

Whittlesea’s high needs and potential presents an opportunity for RMIT to show civic leaderships to:
• Support the learning and education needs of the City of Whittlesea’s population.
• Support the City of Whittlesea with culture and arts development – provide a cultural hub in a new growth area.
• Serve as a centre of knowledge creation and translation for societal improvement and good.
• Respond to their planning and infrastructure needs through research.
• Support their smart cities technology research needs.
• Innovate and support in collaboration with existing SMEs and manufacturing. See less

We need to increase the show and tell visibility of what inclusive looks like and how it is working at RMIT, through short story videos. It is essential that inclusion needs to be an essential element of our ways of knowing, ways of working and ways of being. This is the way we will surely be sustainable in the support for success. We need to have more focused authentic actions, as opposed to being seen to be doing something. See less

Leading by example in our accessible online discussions. Accessability by default in our communications. This is a way to demonstrate awareness and inclusiveness at RMIT and encourage and support a diverse workplace. The CSIRO "Future of Meetings" event here provides a good starting point: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CImEplhEeU See less

I would like to see a holistic approach to diversity, inclusion and access. One that focuses on ensuring we create the conditions that give people from all kinds of backgrounds equal opportunities to engage with study, research and work at RMIT – and succeed. If we aim to deliver equality of opportunity, rather than striving for equality of outcomes, this is likely to be far more effective in achieving our goals.

As part of the holistic approach, I would also like ALL to feel welcome at RMIT, whatever their age, gender, background. I have witnessed a few too many pejorative references to "white men" or "old white men" – which do not fit with our values yet are sadly not called out. I have two young nephews, and I want them to grow up in a world where it is clear that people should never be judged on their gender or skin colour or any other immutable characteristic. As an educational institution, we're ideally positioned to play a leading role in continuing the work of building a society where all young people – from any background – can grow up and have the support they need to succeed. See less

Create safe spaces for minority groups and fund/resource them to assist them to seed them and assist them to thrive. Later these groups can connect with other minority groups, then when they feel empowered to do so, will begin to have more confidence, speaking up communicating and connecting with main stream population in the RMIT community. By minority groups I mean based on gender, cultural background, sexual orientation, religious belief systems or other common marginalising factors. Clearly there should be guidelines about how they operate to protect the safety of individuals in the groups but planted in the right environment they can foster great things. The Ngarara Willim is a good example of where this can lead. See less

The nature of our existing cisnormative systems and processes are inherently not trans inclusive. I would like to see RMIT challenge systemic cissexism from within and from the top-down. Until we can see ourselves in a place where trans and gender diverse individuals are included by default and not by exception. Until our support programs exist not because of someone's trans identity, but with someone's trans identity in mind. See less

It would be good if RMIT was more involved with external community initiatives, like an LGBTIQ+ conference, on campus event for the community, learning opportunities for rural LGBTIQ+ youth to experience a day at uni by attending class in 2021. RMIT could also consider positioning itself with outside community and rural events by offering volunteers to help out. See less

I am proud and thankful for the ongoing efforts and progress here at RMIT, that are led by our VC Martin Bean, to ensure identified gender equity issues, including but not limited to pay disparity are being investigated, actions implemented and monitored for sustained impact. https://www.rmit.edu.au/staff/our-rmit/news/2020/aug/equal-pay-day.

If we wish to arrive in 2025, at our preferred all inclusive and accessible state, we must continue to make use of evidenced based action plan(s) to address the various disparities that still exist now, including gender inequities.

Despite terrific progress over the last five years, much remains to be done to address the widespread gender inequities that exist and also to ensure, that where parity is achieved at RMIT, that it has a decent chance of being a sustainable parity once focus and priority is removed from it. Therefore, I am grateful that this topic is part of the RMIT Next strategic plan (2021-2025) discussion series and am keen to see how it is incorporated in our next strategic plan. See less

From a teaching and learning perspective we can build a more inclusive and accessibly community by improving the flexibility.

Some examples of how we are perhaps not as flexible as we could be currently

1. In a course there is a 1 hr exam it will happen during the scheduled online tutorial session (which happens to be 6:30 pm) – as part of a fully online delivery.

Likely this situation isn't going to work for someone:
with caring responsibilities (elder care, single parent with children, or – often this would be around dinner time either eating or preparation
someone in a different timezone – they may still be at work (ie WA), or asleep (USA)
someone who preforms better on tasks when they are 'fresh' ie in the morning
someone with poorer internet connection – this is a peak time for internet traffic in Australia
someone who needs support (as ITS and other services are not available)

2. In a team who tend to rely on person to person communication to find information (rather than having a 'central source of truth') if a member wants to work flexibly they impact the team productivity because 1) they aren't available when everyone else expects them to be to answer the other team members questions in a timely manner, 2) if they are working different hours then other team members are not available to provide answers when they need them. This impacts the ability of team members to be productive if they choose to work flexibly. See less

We can offer targeted scholarships for non-dominate students and build an active network to proactively support these students without adding additional burden to them.

We can proactively think about the implications of our language choices and who are are allowing to be excluded from conversations.

We can consider the value and contribution of a person as a whole person and their whole identity – most people staff and students have knowledge and skills from outside their professional lives which can add value and richness to our University community – celebrating this rather than requiring it to be hidden ot de-valued would be a good first step.

Having a strategy which embraces and encourages different perspectives to be considered and voiced will make our community stronger. This doesn't mean we should be placing all the advocacy requirements onto people who will benefit – that unpaid an unacknowledged labour is exhausting, so people in power (and that is all of us) need to offer their platform and voice to support different view point, not speaking FOR a portion of the community – but amplifying their voices. See less

I have to applaud RMIT, and specifically my managers, for the flexibility and policies that are in place to support working parents/parental leave.

To supplement this, I think the opportunity for a mentor/support person on coming back to work (in the same/other areas) should be looked into as, from experience, it is a daunting task to come back to work as a mother/household keeper/employee and reintegrate and find your feet. I truly hadn't found my feet for a few months and would've appreciated a sounding board.

I do think COVID has presented the perfect opportunity to realise that flex working isn't all bad and RMIT should seek to assist a more permanently flexible arrangement around working from home. Life is fundamentally less stressful with trying to do the morning childcare run, keep on top of the house and self-care when you cut down on the need to be in physical arms length of your team. (Not to ignore the value of being in the room together!) This would send a message that caregivers and homemakers (largely women) are more supported to be able to manage a balance, thus leading to better mental health outcomes. See less

Edited:I have only been working at RMIT University since 2018, but firstly I have to applaud RMIT University's initiatieves and leadership in the diversity and inclusion space. I have grown personally and professionally as a result of education and professional development programs. Being Asian, I have first-hand experiences of being racially targeted and discriminated against, so I greatly value acts that enhance diversity, inclusion and access. However, I am sad to report I have witnessed acts of divisiveness and even acts of anti-male (particularly 'white') sentiments being loudly vocalized in my local area. undoubtedly the actors may have lingering wounds or pains from their personal lives. However, it does make me feel extremely vulnerable that my difference as an Asian male might one day become the target. Fortunately, a lifetime of such experiences have prepared me to deal with such issues.

However, there needs to be some channel of report where these issues are documented and the witnesses and individuals can be protected and debriefed. I think human beings have capacity to change, and the management of such incidences should be to seek reconciliation and mutual understanding. RMIT is serious about diversity, inclusion and access. I think we need to build a safe and inclusive work culture too. That means everyone has to work towards developing their capacity to tolerate and understand one another. It is easy to label someone and put them on the opposite side of you, but it takes courage and empathy to sit down and face the prejudice both within yourself and the views and beliefs held by others.

Change is possible but we need a method and a way for differences to be respected and understood so that we may move forward together for a more inclusive workplace and community. We are all human beings. We all bleed, feel pain and get hurt deep inside even if we express or react differently. See less

Edited:By working from an evidence base (eg: data about and voice from our existing diversity&equity cohorts and communities) and channelling our limited resources (eg: scholarships, physical spaces, technological enhancements, researcher time, data analyst time, support services, government funding, service improvements, industry engagement, practical placements, project support (eg: Athena Swan) etc) to those diversity&equity groups and communities that we have already identified and are supporting. We need to do this to ensure our support services and investment is equitable (and defensible), consolidated, sustainable and has the desired impact. Ideally we would reach a stage with our services and programs/products where we create equivalent opportunities for academic success regardless of students’ backgrounds and professional success regardless of staff members' backgrounds. See less

Creating events that make visible the work and achievements of RMIT community members from minority groups; providing workshops and training to create more welcoming workplaces and that help us to understand what are our social privileges and how can we use them to help reduce inequality with less privileged community memebers See less