Meet Carol Thomas, the new Living Black at University Commission chair

In 2022, Unite Students set up a sector-wide commission to activate the recommendations of our Living Black at University report, which explored students’ experience in UK student accommodation.

With the Commission now in its second phase and run in partnership with CUBO (College of University and Business Officers), we caught up with the new Commission chair, Carol Thomas, who is also Accommodation Manager at University of the Arts London and CUBO’s EDI Lead.

Q: Where does your passion for EDI come from, and how does that intersect with your work in student accommodation?

A: I grew up in Bristol, where there’s a Black community but it’s quite small. I was one of only a couple of Black children at school and I remember so clearly feeling isolated. It’s not a nice feeling and I wanted to use my own experiences to support other people who feel that.

Housing is my specialism; I’ve worked in local authority housing offices, Housing Associations, a women’s refuge, a homelessness centre and hostels before student accommodation. When I worked for Thames Valley University [now the University of West London], Black students often found it difficult to secure housing. I set up a scheme which gave them the opportunity to find safe and secure accommodation. My presence as a Black person working in Higher Education accommodation services is important, as my outlook filters through the work I do.

How did you feel when you were offered the opportunity to chair the Living Black at University Commission?

I felt emotional that I had this opportunity to make a difference in the sector. This work is important to students, colleagues and universities. Different people from different walks of life have so much to give, we may need to have challenging conversations, but if we can enhance a student’s experience or the experience of colleagues in purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA), that’s great.

When I saw the original Living Black at University report, I thought it was a special piece of work. It recognised that something needed to be done, but that also that guidance was needed on how to do it. It told decision makers what to look at, what to do and how to make a business case for more resource.

I can see the impact that the report has had on some of the universities who have taken action to address the findings. For example, the Universities of Kent and Southampton both presented at CUBO’s Residence Life Conference about what they’ve implemented as a result of the report.

What do you want to achieve as Commission chair?

I see myself as a facilitator pulling different strands together. But I want Black students to feel that they belong on campus, right across the UK. When a Black student who’s used to living in a diverse city goes to university in a less diverse city, it can be isolating and cause issues for them.

I also want to think about how we can support Black students who are LGBTQ+ and/or have disabilities. A lot of students come out at university, so we want to make sure we’re supporting students in that situation and that they feel they can bring their whole selves to university.

What are you most excited about working on with the Commission?

I’m so excited about the Living Black at University Conference: Engaging with Equity in October. It’s important that the strategic thinkers and decision makers attend as well as employees in operations. I’d like people to think about what they can take responsibility for changing in their organisations. Sometimes people think they have to do everything, but it’s easier to take small steps forward.

We’re also looking to run follow-up sessions to keep up the momentum. We’re also looking at putting on roundtable sessions and providing training opportunities to upskill university and PBSA teams. We want to take the sector with us on this journey.

How can partnerships between private PBSA providers and universities make Higher Education more equitable?

We’re all doing similar things in terms of trying to enhance students’ experience. Universities can’t provide accommodation for all students, so private student accommodation providers help us do that. The Commission helps us to work closer together, share information and keep each other in check.

There’s some information sharing already between universities and private operators, for example on mental health. Home is where students spend a lot of time outside of their studies, whether they’re in university halls or PBSA, so we all need to work together to support students. There are common resources we can all share with students like [the charity] Student Minds’ suite of advice, ‘Life as a Black Student’.

There’s more learning we can do together. This collaboration between CUBO and Unite Students is the perfect example of that.

What basic expectations should universities have of private providers when it comes to EDI?

Private PBSA providers need to add value to students’ experience wherever they are and whatever a student’s background is. They need to make students feel welcome and like they belong. It’s providing things like welfare checks, mental health support, being able to provide a great home to students who are Black, gay, have a disability or have any other marginalised identity.

I want everyone to feel comfortable in their skin and comfortable in their homes. That’s what private student accommodation should do.

Get your free tickets for Living Black at University: Engaging with Equity at CUBO’s website, or download the Commission’s first phase report from Unite Students’ website.