University hate convictions

The request was successful.

Hello,

I hope whoever is reading this is keeping well.

This is a request for information under the FOI Act.

Please can you answer the following questions for the academic years of: 2018/9, 2019/20, 2020/21:

1) Over this time period, how many people (undergraduate students and postgraduate students) applied to enroll to an undergraduate course at your university who was found (either by self-declaration or when prompted to disclose any criminal convictions) to have had a conviction for any sort of religious or racial hate crime incident or abuse. Can you provide the information in terms of individuals applying to enrol at your university to start at the beginning of these academic years. i.e. this includes those applying in, say December 2017, for enrollment in 2018/9. I want to be clear that I am asking about students who declare (or who have been found to have) a criminal conviction, through their application to the University.

I am defining 'religious hate crime or abuse' as any crime relating to verbal and physical abuse, bullying, threatening behaviour, online abuse or damage to property on the grounds of race or religion.

When answering Q1, please can you state the types of convictions disclosed (and how many times this type of conviction was disclosed).

2) How many of the people identified in Q1 were subsequently allocated to live in (university maintained/owned) residential settings (either in apartments or shared accommodation blocks on campus, for example) with students who identified as being from a 'BAME' background or a 'religious' background?

When answering Q2, please can you specify the type of residential setting, and whether the student who was allocated a house with the student convicted of a hate/religious crime identified as 'black' or 'Asian' or another ethnic minority, and the type of religion (i.e. 'christian' or 'Muslim') they identified as.

Best,

Yohannes

FOI, Manchester Metropolitan University

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[Manchester Metropolitan University request email] 
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FOI, Manchester Metropolitan University

1 Attachment

Dear Yohannes

 

Sincere apologies for the delay in responding to your request.  The
relevant team has been impacted by a high volume of information requests
and staff absence. 

 

We can advise that the University does not retain records of all
declarations of convictions made by applicants/enrolled students.  The
University retains only those records which are considered to be relevant
and not spent, and this will depend upon the type of course in addition to
the type and circumstances of the offence.  This Information is retained
for enrolled students only (not for all applicants) in accordance with the
University’s retention schedule.

 

The University does not retain a central record of all types of declared
conviction by various categories/sub-categories.  However, in case it is
helpful, the risk panel who consider convictions have advised that they
have no recollection of any case of religious/racial hate crime being
considered during the period you have specified.

 

I hope this is of assistance.  If you are dissatisfied with this response
and wish to appeal our decision, please write to [1][Manchester Metropolitan University request email] giving
your reasons for appealing.  You must appeal within 40 working days of the
date of this email.  Under s5.3 of the Freedom of Information Act Code of
Practice, we are not obliged to accept appeals/internal reviews after this
date.  You also have a subsequent right of appeal to the Information
Commissioner’s Office (ICO), see their website at: [2]https://ico.org.uk
for more information.

 

Regards

 

Michelle Gretton | Senior Information Governance Officer

Legal Services | Manchester Metropolitan University

Email: [3][Manchester Metropolitan University request email]  

All Saints Building | Oxford Road | Manchester | M15 6BH | United Kingdom
| mmu.ac.uk

 

[4][IMG]

 

 

Further clarification received: 23/7/21:

 

*clarification
Hello,
In relation to my earlier request sent yesterday, the sentence: "I am
asking about students who declare (or who have been found to have) a
criminal conviction, through their application to the University." should
have read instead: " I am asking about students who declare (or who have
been found to have) a criminal conviction, through their
application/enrollment to the University. I would be grateful if you could
please confirm receipt of this clarification. My apologies for any
confusion caused.

 

From: Yohannes Lowe <[FOI #776421 email]>
Sent: 22 July 2021 09:27
To: FOI <[Manchester Metropolitan University request email]>
Subject: Freedom of Information request - University hate convictions

 

This email originated from outside of Manchester Met. Do not click links
or open attachments unless you recognise the sender and believe the
content to be safe. Please contact the IT Helpline if you have any
concerns, [5]https://www.mmu.ac.uk/isds/contact

Hello,

I hope whoever is reading this is keeping well.

This is a request for information under the FOI Act.

Please can you answer the following questions for the academic years of:
2018/9, 2019/20, 2020/21:

1) Over this time period, how many people (undergraduate students and
postgraduate students) applied to enroll to an undergraduate course at
your university who was found (either by self-declaration or when prompted
to disclose any criminal convictions) to have had a conviction for any
sort of religious or racial hate crime incident or abuse. Can you provide
the information in terms of individuals applying to enrol at your
university to start at the beginning of these academic years. i.e. this
includes those applying in, say December 2017, for enrollment in 2018/9. I
want to be clear that I am asking about students who declare (or who have
been found to have) a criminal conviction, through their application to
the University.

I am defining 'religious hate crime or abuse' as any crime relating to
verbal and physical abuse, bullying, threatening behaviour, online abuse
or damage to property on the grounds of race or religion.

When answering Q1, please can you state the types of convictions disclosed
(and how many times this type of conviction was disclosed).

2) How many of the people identified in Q1 were subsequently allocated to
live in (university maintained/owned) residential settings (either in
apartments or shared accommodation blocks on campus, for example) with
students who identified as being from a 'BAME' background or a 'religious'
background?

When answering Q2, please can you specify the type of residential setting,
and whether the student who was allocated a house with the student
convicted of a hate/religious crime identified as 'black' or 'Asian' or
another ethnic minority, and the type of religion (i.e. 'christian' or
'Muslim') they identified as.

Best,

Yohannes

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