Origin
The Widening Participation Subcommittee reports to the Education and Student Experience Committee and, on its behalf, strategically oversees access, success and progression activity (collectively known as widening participation).
Purpose
- To oversee the development, implementation and review of the University’s Widening Participation Strategic Plan.
- The Chair is responsible for ensuring that any equality impacts against each project/policy/process/procedure have been considered as part of the decision-making process.
Responsibilities and activity
- To assure the Education and Student Experience Committee that progress is being made against Access and Participation Plan (APP) commitments.
- To oversee all aspects of widening participation and APP cycles, including commissioning authorship and receiving and endorsing/approving Plans and monitoring returns. The Subcommittee will recommend Plans to the Education and Student Experience Committee and thence to Council.
- To ensure that business overseen by the Subcommittee supports the strategic priorities of the Education and Student Experience Committee, ensuring activity makes a major contribution to inclusiveness and belonging of students from underrepresented groups.
- To receive progress reports on strategic major projects associated with widening participation work.
- To receive evaluative reports on the University’s access, success and progression activities outlined in the APP, and progress against associated targets.
- To receive recommendations based on management information data reports, and evaluation reports, pertaining to target groups and activities.
- To receive assurance that expenditure of activities outlined in the APP is meeting expectations set by the Office for Students and are having a positive impact on student outcomes.
- To communicate the outputs and outcomes from the Subcommittee to respective Faculties and Professional Services Department and as appropriate, more widely.
- To make recommendations, as appropriate, pertaining to widening participation to the Education and Student Experience Committee.
- To receive and endorse policies related to widening participation, and to recommend such policies to relevant committees.
- To receive regular evaluation and review of the activity within the Access and Participation Plan to ensure activities are impactful and enhance student success and progression.
- To make recommendations to other committees/subcommittees on any matters relating to widening participation that may be of interest to the group.
Reporting arrangements
The Widening Participation Subcommittee reports to the Education & Student Experience Committee.
Constitution
- Chair: Executive Director, Student Life
- Director of Widening Participation and Social Mobility
- Associate Director of Widening Participation and Social Mobility
- Director of Student Support
- Director of Careers, Employability and Student Enterprise
- Head of Data Analytics and Insight
- Associate Director Admissions and VISAS
- SUSU President
- SUSU Vice President Education
- Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Representative
- Finance Representative
- Centre for Higher Education Practice (CHEP) Representative
- Academic representative from each Faculty
- Head of Enhancement
- Secretary
In attendance:
- Head of Lifecycle
- Head of Student Success
- Head of Access
Faculties and Professional Service Departments are expected to send deputies in case of nominated member being unable to attend.
Quorum and frequency
Quorum
The Widening Participation Subcommittee will be quorate with one third of the membership plus one in attendance.
Frequency of meetings
The Widening Participation Subcommittee will meet at least three times per year.
Resources
Secretariat support is provided.
Terms of Reference review
Date of last review:....... November 2025
Date of next review:...... November 2026
Governance reporting line
The Widening Participation Subcommittee reports to the Education and Student Experience Subcommittee .
Document owner
Education and Student Experience Subcommittee .