Definitions
Discrimination, direct occurs if a person treats, or proposes to treat, a person with an attribute unfavourably because of that attribute.
Discrimination, indirect occurs if a person imposes, or proposes to impose, a requirement, condition or practice-that has, or is likely to have, the effect of disadvantaging persons with an attribute; and that is not reasonable.
Diversity: most commonly refers to differences between individuals or groups of people in age, cultural background, disability, ethnicity, family responsibilities, gender, language, marital status, religious belief and sexual orientation; diversity may also include other ways in which people are different, such as education, life experience, work experience and socio-economic background. Acknowledging diversity enables differences to be recognised and valued in the educational setting and in the workplace.
Equal opportunity: ensuring that everyone has equal access to, and can take part in, aspects of public life, such as education and employment.
Equity: the fair treatment of people on the basis of merit, the recognition of disadvantage and the absence of discrimination.
Equity groups: identifiable groups of people within the community that, due to one or several personal characteristics, have been affected by systemic disadvantage with regard to access to education or employment opportunities and have experienced less favourable outcomes in education or employment.
Harassment: refers to any form of behaviour in relation to a protected attribute which is not wanted, not asked for and not returned and is likely to humiliate, offend, intimidate or distress the person(s) concerned.
Human rights: are the basic entitlements that belong to all human beings. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights forms the basis of these entitlements. The Victorian Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities 2006 is a formal recognition of Human Rights and aims to protect people from injustice and to allow everyone to participate in and contribute to society.
Procedural fairness (also natural justice): persons against whom proceedings are brought are entitled to fair hearings. They must be made aware of the allegations against them and must be provided with the evidence on which the allegations are based and must be given the opportunity to be heard.
Sexual harassment: a person sexually harasses another person if he or she:
(a) makes an unwelcome sexual advance, or an unwelcome request for sexual favours, to the other person; or
(b) engages in any other unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature (as defined in Clause 85 of the Equal Opportunity Act 1995 (Vic)) in relation to the other person, in circumstances in which a reasonable person, having regard to all the circumstances, would have anticipated that the other person would be offended, humiliated or intimidated.
Social inclusion: a program of measures to ensure that everyone has the same opportunities to learn, to work, to be involved with their community and to have a voice on decisions that affect them.
Social justice: refers to the attainment of a more equitable society, to which the University contributes through the transforming power of education.
Vicarious liability: the organisation recognises that it is vicariously liable for the actions of its employees (in the course of their employment) unless the organisation can demonstrate that it has taken reasonable precautions to prevent unlawful discrimination and harassment.
Victimisation: it is an offence under anti-discrimination law to threaten a staff member, or subject them to any form of detriment as a form of retribution in response to an actual or possible discrimination or harassment issue.
Workplace: any place where a person attends for the purpose of carrying out any functions in relation to his or her employment. In the University context, this includes all work or study-related activities at all Campuses as well as off-campus, if activities are directly related to a staff member's employment.
