UNIVERSITY OF EXETER

Transcription

1 UNIVERSITY OF EXETER SEN/01/1 SENATE A meeting of the Senate was held on 22 November 2000 at 2pm in the Council and Senate Chamber, Northcote House. PRESENT: Vice-Chancellor, Sir Geoffrey Holland (Chair) Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Dr P A Collier Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Professor Stephen E G Lea Professor N Armstrong Dr W L Barnes Dr J Barry Professor J M Black Dr D A Bradley Professor D C Braund Professor D W Bruce Dr L Burbridge Professor R L Burden Professor R Burt Professor M C Cook Dr D J Cowling Dr M Duffy Professor K M Economides Professor K E Evans Professor W J Forsythe Professor A Gregory Professor R Hitchcock Dr L M Hurcombe Professor R J P Kain Dr J Kearns Professor W Krzanowski Dr R Lawson-Peebles Dr G A Lester Mr G K H Ley Mr J L Marr Mr P Marshall Mrs A C Mayes Dr B D Mestel Dr A Narayanan Professor M Overton Mr A T Paterson Mr B R Pearson Ms F Peroni Miss A Price Miss H Rowe Professor J R Sambles Mr K Smith Dr L A Soule Dr P M Smith Mr W A Tupman Dr J A Vincent Professor P Webley Mr J Wilson Professor R W Witkin Registrar and Secretary, Mr I H C Powell Academic Secretary, Dr P K Harvey Director of Finance, Mr K R Blanshard Assistant Registrar, Miss S E Odell APOLOGIES: Professor K Atkinson, Professor M R Macnair, Ms B Paul, Dr N Postlethwaite, Miss K Punt, Dr W J Rea, Professor H R Taylor, Professor J E Tooke, Professor Stephen R M Wilks (Deputy Vice- Chancellor), Professor C P Winlove, Professor E C Wragg. IN ATTENDANCE: Dr T M Quine (present for discussion recorded in minute 00.85) Unreserved Minutes The unreserved minutes of the meeting held on 3 July 2000 were CONFIRMED (SEN/00/92), subject to the addition of the name Mr J Marr to the list of those present Suspension of Student The Vice-Chancellor REPORTED the suspension of James Roger DORRINGTON-WARD (School of Geography and Archaeology), from 23 October 2000 until further notice.

2 2 of Report by the Vice-Chancellor The Vice-Chancellor REPORTED on the following matters: (a) University Funding The announcement made by the Secretary of State on 16 November 2000 about university funding referred in the main to initiatives already announced, with conditions attached to them concerning widening access, foundation degrees, use of new technologies (particularly the e-university) and links with business. Some additional money had been earmarked for pay for certain groups of staff, but details were awaited. Places for an additional 45,000 students would be funded, mostly at sub-degree level. (b) QAA National Qualifications Framework (c) Changes had been made by the QAA to its proposed national qualifications framework, involving a reduction in the number of levels, in order to bring about a closer correlation between the British system and terminology applying across the EU. Student Numbers Provisional student numbers for 2000/01 indicated the following increases compared with 1999/2000: 2.6% in total FTE, 2% in home/eu, incorporating 7.1% in postgraduate full-time research and 2.1% in postgraduate full-time taught, and 33% in international/island. For new home/eu undergraduate entrants in October 2000, the total was 2,306, less than 1% below the original APC quota; 11 Schools had recruited at or above the original quota, but there had been shortfalls in Arab and Islamic Studies, CSM, Chemistry and Mathematics. (d) Peninsula Medical School (e) (f) The Peninsula Medical School had been established on 1 August 2000, in partnership with the University of Plymouth and healthcare organisations in Devon and Cornwall, and, after an open competition, Professor John Tooke of the University of Exeter had been appointed as Dean. The School would be based on three centres, Plymouth, Exeter and Truro, and 127 students per year would be admitted from 2002, building to a total of 600. Following an announcement of a further increase in medical student intake nationally, the School was likely to be bidding to increase this intake to 160 in 2002 and then to 200 per year in 2004 and subsequently. Much work was under way, by means of working groups, covering capital development, employment arrangements, financial systems, academic administration and quality assurance. Combined Universities in Cornwall Business and academic plans for the CUC project had been drawn up and working capital obtained. It was expected that a bid would be made for EU Objective 1 funds in early A phased development was envisaged, with the securing of the future of the Camborne School of Mines forming part of the first phase. The Chair of Council had recently established an advisory group of three members not previously involved in the project Mr Russell Seal (Chair), the Treasurer and Professor Stephen Lea so that Council could look to them for an informed perspective on decisions needing to be made about the project in the future. QAA Audits The School of Education was to be congratulated for the excellent outcome of 24 points for the QAA assessment of its CPD provision in October Classics and Ancient History was due to be visited the following week and in the next calendar year there would be five visits: Business and Management/Economics (January), Politics (March), Theology (May), Exercise and Sports Science (October) and Archaeology (November). (g) RAE The University was entering a crucial phase in the preparations for the RAE submission the following Spring, with Professor Wilks in the lead, as Chair of Research Committee. (h) Personnel Policies and Procedures The Director of Personnel was conducting consultation about proposed changes in personnel policies and procedures, covering the areas of recognition and rewards, job evaluation and appraisal.

3 3 of 7 (i) (j) Bids for HEFCE Funds The University had submitted, or would be submitting, bids to HEFCE for additional student numbers, widening access, and upgrading seminar and lecture rooms (under the poor estates initiative). Buildings and Estate Issues Major capital projects currently in train included: the new Arab and Islamic Studies Institute building, new sports facilities and new student residential accommodation to replace Birks and Duryard Halls Council Senate RECEIVED the unreserved section of the minutes of the meeting held on 17 July 2000 (SEN/00/94) Planning and Resources Committee Senate RECEIVED the minutes of the meetings held on 10 October and 7 November 2000 (SEN/00/95 and SEN/00/96). MINUTE PENINSULA MEDICAL SCHOOL In response to questions, the Vice-Chancellor said that the best possible terms and conditions for staff in the new Medical School were being sought, together with the most appropriate procedures for professorial appointments. He hoped that agreement would be reached on these matters at the next meeting of the Joint Board of Management the following week. So far as partnership arrangements were concerned, it was a jointly-managed School, with its Board of Management reporting to the Senate and Council of both Universities and to the governing bodies of the other organisations concerned. A minute of Research Committee before this Senate referred to the School having crossrelationships with other Schools in the University: Professor Peter Winlove in Medical Physics was convening a group of interested academic staff Student Affairs Committee Senate APPROVED a recommendation arising from the minutes of the meeting held on 8 November 2000 (SEN/00/97), concerning the Guild of Students Constitution (minute 00.33). Senate RECOMMENDED TO COUNCIL approval of recommendations concerning the following: (a) Sports Strategy (minute 00.36); (b) Student Disciplinary Procedure: Composition of Disciplinary Boards (minute 00.39). MINUTE FAMILY CENTRE: ANNUAL REPORT AND ACCOUNTS 1999/2000 In response to a question, the Vice-Chancellor confirmed that, through the Institutional Plan process, a possible increase in the size of the Family Centre would be investigated. MINUTE STUDENT COMPLAINTS It was REPORTED that an amended version of paper SAC/00/37 would be brought to the next meeting of Senate as an attachment to the minutes of the next meeting of the Student Affairs Committee Academic Policy Committee Having received the minutes of the meetings held on 25 September, 10 October and 7 November 2000 (SEN/00/98, SEN/00/99 and SEN/00/100), Senate RECOMMENDED TO COUNCIL approval of recommendations concerning the following:

4 4 of 7 (a) Academic Management Structures: School of Postgraduate Medicine and Health Sciences (minute 00.78) (see also below); (b) Teaching Committee (minute 00.86(b) and (d)); (c) School of Education Proposed Change of Name (minute 00.92). MINUTE BUSINESS PLAN REVIEWS 2000/01 AND MINUTE PROVISIONAL PLANNED ALLOCATIONS TO SCHOOLS AND OTHER ACADEMIC UNITS In response to a question, the Chair of APC explained that the papers associated with these items (APC/00/67 and 68) had not been circulated with the minutes for Senate as the information contained in them was of a provisional nature. Any significant policy decisions arising from the Business Plan Review Process during the academic year would naturally be brought before Senate for consideration in due course. MINUTE PROVISIONAL FINANCIAL ALLOCATIONS TO SCHOOLS FOR 2003/04 The Chair of APC raised a technical point on behalf of the Head of the School of Biological Sciences who had sent apologies for absence. Costs of staff promotions, though met centrally, were included in School budgets for the purposes of the ICE model, making a small difference to the ICE rating, used in the process of calculating the School s share of any necessary economies in the Academic Sector. This was recognised by APC but the effect of it was so small that no action was proposed to remedy it. MINUTE ACADEMIC MANAGEMENT STRUCTURES: SCHOOL OF POSTGRADUATE MEDICINE AND HEALTH SCIENCES With regard to recommendation (e) in this minute, the Chair of APC explained that it was not yet known which medical and medical-related activities and associated staff would not be transferred to PMS, if any. MINUTE EUROPEAN COMMITTEE In response to a question, the Chair of European Committee confirmed that there were plans to make good the loss of the University s membership of the Santander Group. He was intending to circulate to Heads of Schools in the coming weeks a draft document concerning the University s European Policy and comments on European university networks would be welcome in the context of that document Joint Committee for Consultation and Negotiation, Council and Exeter AUT Senate RECEIVED the minutes of the meeting held on 17 October 2000 (SEN/00/102) Joint Meeting of Council Working Party on Management and Governance and Senate Review Working Party Having received a report of the meeting held on 31 October 2000, Senate RECOMMENDED TO COUNCIL approval of recommendations concerning (a) Review of Committee System (item 1) with the exception of Academic Policy Committee (see below); (b) Eligibility for the Offices of Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Dean (item 3), it being noted that associated amendments to Charter and Statutes were also being recommended for approval (see below). ITEM 1 REVIEW OF COMMITTEE SYSTEM So far as Academic Policy Committee was concerned, the following motion was proposed by Professor Witkin and seconded by Mr Tupman: Senate reaffirms that it is the paramount decision-making body for academic policy. The Academic Policy Committee is a committee of Senate and only has those powers of decision-making that Senate delegates to it. Senate reaffirms its intention to retain all its powers of final decision with respect to academic policy and cannot therefore accept the changes proposed in 1 and 3 of the terms of reference.

5 5 of 7 Accordingly, Senate refers these proposals to the Joint Meeting to bring forward specific and delimited instances in which Senate can delegate policy execution to APC. In debate, points made in support of the motion included the following: (a) that the proposals for amendment to the terms of reference of APC had not been considered separately in advance by the Senate Review Working Party or APC itself; (b) Senate committees should be seen to be transparent and accountable to Senate; (c) the new streamlined Senate, with its membership committed to the University, should be enabled to develop its potential and to give full consideration to policy matters; (d) that the three roles of APC should be made clear: to propose academic policy to Senate, to execute academic policy decided by Senate and to manage on behalf of Senate the budget allocated by Council for the implementation of academic policy. In response to these points, the Chair of APC made the following points: (a) he and the Academic Secretary had, in common with Chairs and Secretaries of other Committees and Groups, responded during the summer 2000 to an invitation from the Chairs of the two Working Parties to submit any proposals for change in the terms of reference and membership, for consideration by the Joint Meeting on 31 October 2000; (b) he had wished the terms of reference to reflect reality; (c) not every matter that came before APC could be referred to Senate, even it it were to meet more often; (d) Council would not tolerate any inefficiency in the use of University funds for academic purposes which might result from delay in APC s business; (e) it was necessary for Senate to place a certain amount of trust in the Chair of APC, who was an elected Deputy Vice-Chancellor; (f) major policy matters such as proposed closure of Schools or sections thereof would naturally be brought before Senate for consideration. The motion was carried by 25 votes to 16. ITEM 2 HEADSHIP OF SCHOOLS Senate noted that the Joint Meeting had had some initial discussion on the way forward on Headship of Schools and that it would return to the matter at a meeting in the Lent Term The following motion was proposed by Professor Witkin and seconded by Dr Duffy: This Senate requests Senate members of the Joint Meeting to develop alternative models for consideration in addition to the model of appointment of Heads of Schools currently under discussion. The Senate also requests that the Joint Meeting discuss the motions that Senate passed at its July meeting. Senate finally requests the Vice-Chancellor to bring before it proposals on the incentivisation and resourcing of headships. The Vice-Chancellor informed Senate that any proposals from members for a possible model for the appointment of Heads of Schools should be put in writing and submitted to the Registrar in time for the next Joint Meeting, in late January He confirmed that the Joint Meeting on 31 October 2000 had had before it the minutes of Senate s debate on the matter on 3 July He said that issues relating to the incentivisation and resourcing of Headships were to be considered by the Senior Management Group. The motion was withdrawn. ITEM 3 ELIGIBILITY FOR OFFICES OF DEPUTY VICE-CHANCELLOR AND DEAN In response to reservations about the exclusion of non-professorial staff who had not held office as Heads of Schools, Professor Lea, who had initially proposed the changes, stressed the need in each case for previous significant experience within the University s management structure. Senate RECOMMENDED TO COUNCIL that the following words, which were in the current version, be added to the draft amendment to Statutes, Section 7 Office of Deputy Vice-Chancellor:

6 6 of 7,after consideration of recommendations from the Senate. Senate voted by 21 to 3 to approve the recommendation concerning the office of Deputy Vice- Chancellor and by 19 to 15 to approve that concerning the office of Dean Senate Review Working Party Having CONSIDERED the Third Report (SEN/00/104) of the Senate Review Working Party, Senate APPROVED the following recommendations: (a) that Senate meetings should be structured on the following basis: (i) matters of report from committees and others; (ii) brief reports from Deputy Vice-Chancellors and Deans on current and planned business in their areas, followed by debate as appropriate; and (iii) structured substantive debate on a predetermined topic, for which there has been good preparation (paragraph 2.2 refers); (b) that the Vice-Chancellor s report on matters of national and University interest should in future be done via the Web (confined to members of the University), in advance of a Senate meeting, the report also covering items hitherto listed in the Senate unreserved paper of Matters for Report (paragraph 2.2 refers); (c) that Senate should accept that delegation should involve trust in those to whom powers have been delegated (paragraph 3.1 refers); (d) that the current method of nominations to Senate committees (through APC, except in the case of the election of members to P&RC and APC, which is carried out by means of ballot of Senate) be retained (paragraph 3.3 refers); (e) that the rule that the Senate representatives on P&RC, APC and the Joint Committee on Honorary Degrees (Ordinance 2) should be members of Senate be retained (paragraph 3.3 refers); (f) that, in the cases of the University of Exeter Press Board of Management, the Joint Management Committees for the Family Centre and the Student Counselling Service, and the Information Services Committee, the Senate representatives should be members appointed by Senate and need not be members of Senate (paragraph 3.3 refers); (g) that APC s minutes, when going forward to Senate, should attach abstracts (or edited highlights ) of APC s sub-committees and relevant attachments, rather than the full minutes of those subcommittees, concentrating on policy, not minutiae (paragraph 4.2 refers); (h) that the unreserved minutes of Senate, Council, P&RC, APC and SAC be placed on the Web (Exeter only), after approval, for the record (paragraph 5.1 refers); (this recommendation for onward transmission to Council in respect of the minutes of Council, P&RC and SAC) (i) that Heads of Schools should continue to cascade down information obtained by them at SMG and other meetings and from communications to them via other methods (paragraph 5.2 refers). It was DECIDED (a) to request the Working Party to consider the method of nomination of members of Senate to serve on Council (Senate reserved minute refers); (b) to defer consideration of the draft Standing Orders for Senate to the next meeting when members would have had the opportunity to submit written comments to the Working Party. In connection with the draft Standing Orders, it was noted that in the penultimate line of Standing Order 23 not should read now Strategy Review Having considered the consultation paper for the Strategy Review issued by the Vice-Chancellor on 18 October 2000, the following contributions to the general University debate were made: (a) that it would be undesirable to create units in the University which were research-only or teaching-only;

7 7 of 7 (b) that it was questionable whether all members of staff could or should be expected to take ownership of the University s values; (c) that regard should be had to the balance between the internal market and the notion of a collegiate University Disciplinary Boards Senate RECEIVED reports of a Disciplinary Board (Major Offence) held on 27 September 2000 (SEN/00/105) and of a Disciplinary Appeal Board (Minor Offence) held on 4 October 2000 (SEN/00/106) University of Exeter Press Annual Report 1999/2000 Senate RECEIVED the Annual Report 1999/2000 (SEN/00/107) Matters for Report Senate RECEIVED a paper of unreserved matters for report (SEN/00/108). SEO/NR 29 November 2000 C:\PROGRAM FILES\ADOBE\ACROBAT 4.0\ACROBAT\PLUG_INS\OPENALL\TRANSFORM\TEMP\SEN-MINS2211.DOC