Summary notes of the Executive Committee held on 14 March 2006
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University Secretary
The process of recruitment to the new post of University Secretary would start very shortly. It was anticipated that interviews would take place in June, and the post would be filled by September 2006. Mrs Sue Cook, the University Legal Adviser, would be Acting University Secretary from 1 April 2006.
- HEIF3: Draft Institutional Plan
The Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research) and Director of Research and Innovation Services introduced the draft of the Institutional Plan. This would need to be submitted to the HEFCE in order to secure release of funding available under the formulaic allocation of HEIF3. It had been prepared in conjunction with a review of University strategy and the budgets of relevant departments, and had the primary objective of growing income streams, especially unencumbered income. Activity would be focussed in three programme areas (commercial collaboration, new business creation and enterprise education and professional development), delivered within the continuing framework provided by the SETsquared partnership and in a new collaboration with the SWRDA Sector Skills Councils. The outcomes set for each area of activity were intended to stretching but achievable, with quantitative measures given where possible.
- Review of the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering
The Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Design presented a report on the restructuring programme for the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering.
The Committee took the view that the progress achieved thus far had been transformational, and that the Dean, Deputy Dean and staff of the Department were to be congratulated for their work.
- Towards and International Strategy for the University of Bath: Discussion paper 1
The Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Strategic Developments) introduced a preliminary discussion paper on the development of an international strategy for the University. This sought to outline the changing context in terms of the increasingly competitive market conditions for the recruitment of international students, the policy drivers from central government, encouraging HEIs in the UK to develop long-term international partnerships, in research as well as education, and to review the University's current position, making some suggestions for way forward. A key issue was the need for any strategy to recognise that internationalisation had different dimensions. This matter had been discussed in various fora within the University in recent times. The University had been successful in increasing the numbers of international students and staff and at developing collaborative links, even though it did not currently have a defined international strategy. The intention now was to put all of this activity within a more coherent and explicit framework. A steering group would be established for this purpose. It would help to define priorities, consider how existing resources could be best deployed (with particular reference to the role of the International Office), prepare a business case for any additional resources that might be required, and ensure that the University was a visible participant in government-sponsored initiatives.
The Committee welcomed the paper as starting point for the development of an international strategy.
- Certificate formats and transcripts
The Registrar reported that t he Monday Morning Management Group has recently reviewed the format of degree certificates in light of the increased use of transcripts. Although a decision had been made in 2004 to simplify and update the format of certificates, a question had now arisen about how placement units can be best listed, and whether this should be done on certificates or on transcripts. One view was that certificates continue to be important for graduates when applying for jobs or securing other opportunities and therefore should list information about placements. Another view was that transcripts increasingly served the function of providing detailed information about a graduate's programme of study and that there was little evidence that certificates were commonly made available to potential employers. Certificates served the different purpose of providing basic facts about the subject and level of study. The MMMG was minded to let the decision to simply certificate formats stand, subject to the proper description of placements and other relevant information on transcripts.
An example of the current approved transcript was presented to the Committee, together with a mock-up of the sort of transcript that could be generated by SAMIS. The Committee was content with the proposed simplification of certificate formats, so long as there was an opportunity to discuss the prominence of placement units on transcripts.
- Replacement of Registrar and Secretary to Council on Executive Committees
The Vice-Chancellor outlined arrangements for replacement of the Registrar on committees and other bodies that fell within the remit of the Committee. It was proposed the University Secretary should substitute in all cases except for the Student Experience and Strategy Committee, for which the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Learning and Teaching) would substitute. It was also proposed that the Registrar should not be replaced on the Research Committee or the Sports Management Board.
- Environmental management - Developing a strategic framework
The Dean of Engineering and Design reported that the Sustainability and Low Carbon Advisory Group had considered a proposal from the Safety, Health and Environment Adviser to develop a more strategic framework for environmental management.
The Committee accepted that there was a need for environmental matters to be managed in a more coherent fashion, but questioned whether the overall approach put forward was appropriate. A distinction had to be made between education and compliance, and careful consideration then given as to which part of the University was best placed to undertake each activity. Pending further consideration of managerial responsibilities, the energy awareness initiative resulting from the B&NES Local Strategic Partnership (see minute 8(b) below) was thought to a good way of reinvigorating the educational approach.
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Estates matters
(a) Capital projects - Quarterly update March 2006
The Director of Estates summarised major capital projects that were either current or had been completed.
(b)
Training and energy awareness
The Director of Estates reported that the B&NES Local Strategic Partnership, of which the University was a member, had been awarded £750K of funding over three years from Government's Invest to Save Budget. The intention was to use this funding in support of a project that aimed to reduce energy consumption in all partners by 10 percent. This would be done by means of a programme of training, raising the awareness of energy consumption, combined with the installation of metering and monitoring equipment. The University would be required to provide matching resource in-kind, such as staff time.
Given the substantial increases in energy costs faced by the University, and the degree of support for such an initiative likely to be forthcoming from many staff, the Committee offered its endorsement of the overall objectives of the project. The target of a 10 percent reduction would be challenging, however.
- University Risk Register
The Executive Assistant to the Vice-Chancellor gave a progress report on actions taken to address Risk RP1 (Failure to manage the University's national and international profile) and RP4 (Failure to manage health and safety). With regard to the former, good progress had been made to increase University representation on national and international policy bodies: the Vice-Chancellor served on a number of such groups; senior academic staff had been appointed to seven RAE Panels; and the Director of Sports Development and Recreation had been appointed chairman of Sport England South-West. With regard to the latter, the Safety, Health and Environment Unit had completed its programme of departmental audits, and were now working on the introduction of an audit software package, developed for the sector by a consortium of HEIs.
- Recurrent grant: Comparison 2005/06 and 2006/07
The Executive Assistant to the Vice-Chancellor reported that there would be an increase of 4.0 percent in the University's recurrent grant for 2006/07, once adjusted for growth. This equated to an increase of 0.95 percent in real terms.
The Vice-Chancellor closed the meeting of the Committee by noting that it would be the last for the Registrar, in view of his retirement at the end of the month. The Committee expressed appreciation of the Registrar's longstanding contribution to its work and wished him well for the future.
The following items were received without comment:
Safety, Health and Environment Unit - 2005 Health and Safety Summary
Notes of the Faculty of Science Executive: 24 January 2006
Notes of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences Heads of Department Committee: 13 February 2006
Notes of the School for Health Executive: 31 January 2006
Notes of the Strategic Planning Group: 6 February 2006
Notes of the Division for Lifelong Learning Executive: 25 January and 7 February 2006
Notes of the Oakfield Executive Committee Group: 2 February 2006
Notes of the Space Management Committee: 2 February 2006
Notes of the Student Experience and Strategy Committee: 20 February 2006
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