What is Student Equity?
Some years ago the Federal Government decided to take action to try to overcome the disadvantages experienced by groups who were - and in most cases still are- very under represented among university students. The six most disadvantaged groups identified by the education portfolio are: students from rural and isolated area, students from low socioeconomic background, students with disabilities, Indigenous students, students from a non english speaking background, and women studying in non traditional areas ie. where fewer than 40% of students are women, which for CSU is Information Technology.
Each year the government gives an equity grant to CSU who then employ staff to provide programs to improve the access, participation, success and retention of students in these equity groups. Each year CSU has to report to the government on the numbers of enrolled students from the different equity categories.
Consequently there are many mainstream and longstanding policies and programs that are vital in promoting access and success to disadvantaged groups. Some of these policies are: the raft of admission schemes such as the regional bonus, principal's report entry program, and the special admissions scheme; various first year experience initiatives and preferential allocation of on-campus residential places.
There are also specific initiatives to which Equity staff provide support either in terms of funding, staff time or both. These programs include equity scholarships and grants, outreach programs, publications, research and other activities that increase awareness of and participation and success for students in the targeted equity groups.
The CSU Equity Goal reflects the desire to embrace diversity within our student community. The goal is "to enhance the capacity of CSU to contribute to Australia's social, cultural, political and economic vitality and strength through action which embraces the full diversity of the community and results in a student profile that fairly reflects that diversity".