Kapil Chousalkar to lead the Faculty of Sciences' gender, equity and diversity

The latest addition to the Faculty of Sciences leadership team for 2019 has been announced. Associate Professor Kapil Chousalkar will be the Director of Gender, Equity and Diversity.

A/Prof Chousalkar from the School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences takes over from Professor Eileen Scott, who has led the GED portfolio for the Faculty since 2013.

Executive Dean Keith Jones thanked Professor Scott for her hard work and achievements in this role.

A/Prof Chousalkar takes on the portfolio which was initially advertised as Deputy Dean People and Culture, but which has changed its title because Faculty positions are being harmonised across the University. This title reflects what will likely be adopted in that process.

A list of activities that Kapil will be involved with are detailed below.

• Provide academic leadership in People and Culture strategies for the Faculty, with a focus on academic staff, and including Gender, Equity and Diversity (GED) considerations and implementation of  the Tarrkarri Tirrka: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Strategy 2013-2023
• The provision of related advice to the Executive Dean, and communications to staff with regards to Faculty initiatives and activities
• High level contribution to the development of related policies and procedures at both Faculty and University levels
• Lead the development and implementation of the Faculty People and Culture Strategy, with a focus on academic staff, and support the Faculty and its Schools to meet targets as set out in this strategy
• Work with relevant staff to support academic leadership development in the Faculty
• Provide academic leadership to support strategies and frameworks for high performing academic staff and use of existing frameworks such as the Planning, Development and Review process
• Provide oversight and guidance for the Faculty and its School workload models
• Chair the Faculty GED Committee, including setting agenda items and oversight of actions arising
• Participate in relevant University Committees and other related forums as required
• Assemble Faculty working groups/project teams to implement and deliver people and culture strategic and policy initiatives
• Work with relevant leadership staff to finalise academic thresholds and support frameworks to assess and monitor these and their impact
• Work with relevant leadership staff to support professional development frameworks for early career academics and researchers
• Work with relevant leadership staff on strategies to retain high quality academic staff
• Actively work to increase Gender, Equity and Diversity targets, networking and awareness training for Sciences academic staff
• Actively work to increase Equal Opportunity (EO) training and awareness for Sciences academic staff

This news follows on from the announcement of the three new Associate Deans.