Summary notes of the Executive Committee held on 30 January 2008
- Appointment of Deputy Vice-Chancellor
The Vice-Chancellor outlined a revised structure of the senior management team.
• The DVC post would be recast to focus on academic planning and policy, in addition to deputising for the VC as and when necessary.
• Deans and the Head of School would report to the DVC, with the associated expectation that HoDs would work through their Dean rather than approach the DVC directly.
• The PVC (SD) post would be held vacant and its current portfolio distributed to other members of the senior management team.
• The PVC(R) post would become full-time, with a more strategic focus and increased support. Academic support, particularly in the area of international research, would be provided by two assistant posts, whilst administrative support through the proposed Research Development and Support Office.
• The PVC (L&T) post would remain as currently configured other than the addition of responsibility for international students.
• Upon completion of his current term of office, the Dean of the School of Engineering and Design would assume the role of University Adviser on estates and space planning matters, together with energy consumption, waste and general sustainability issues.
• The University Secretary would assume line management responsibility for Equality and Diversity matters, and chair the E&D Committee, as part of his general responsibility for legal compliance.
• The Director of Finance would assume line management responsibility for the proposed Bath Ventures, as part of her general responsibility for the integration and promotion of commercial activities.
• The Director of Computing Services and Director of Sports Development and Recreation would report to the DVC.
• The Director of Lifelong Learning would report to the PVC (L&T).
• A Policy and Planning Unit would be created in the VC's Office, with a remit to feed into the full range of academic and non-academic policy.
• A Corporate Communications Unit would be created out of the Department of Marketing and Communication, with close operational links to the Policy and Planning Unit.
- Note on the outcome of the Strategic Review of the Department of Research and Innovation Services
The Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research) reported on the main conclusions of a strategic review of the activities of RIS commissioned by the VCG last October. This strategic review had been prompted in the main by the agenda emerging from the Sainsbury Report and the increasing competitive environment for research funding. Wide-ranging consultations had taken place within the University as part of the strategic review. The overall conclusion was that the University needed to realign its resources to boost support for research, especially collaborative research, and to improve the efficiency of technology transfer
- Freedom of Expression
The University Secretary introduced a revised Code of Practice for governing freedom of expression on the campus. The main changes were to: reflect the requirement for public bodies to promote racial harmony contained in the Race Relations Amendment Act 2000; allow the University to stipulate conditions for any meeting that would be addressed by a speaker from a political party; and to remove the requirement for the University to decide on a request to hold a meeting within two days of its submission.
- Nomination of candidates for the Queen's New Year and Birthday Honours
The University Secretary reminded the Committee that the University was invited, through UUK and the HEFCE, to submit nominations for the Queen's New Year and Birthday Honours. In future it was hoped that the University would put forward at least one nomination for each round. The next deadline was March/April.
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Media Strategy: Update 2007
The Director of Marketing and Communications introduced the 2007 update on delivery of the Media Strategy. When compared to 2006, overall coverage had increased by some 40 percent in print and broadcast media at regional, national and international levels. Maintaining this coverage would be a priority for 2008, focussed especially on national media and HE press.
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Capital Projects - Quarterly update: January 2008
The Director of Estates presented the latest update on projects currently on site, in design or tender stages, projects under consideration and completed projects. In the first category, the R5 Student Residences had suffered a considerable set back in November 2007, as the result of a fatality on the site, but, following a review of the programme with HBG Construction, it was believed that the building could still be finished in time for the start of the 2008/09 academic year.
- Thin Client Technology update
The Director of Computing Services reported that, following the interest in the 'thin client' laptop terminals installed in the 4 East and 5 West e-lounges, additional terminals had been installed in the Library and Learning and Centre and UBSA. A further five were being trialled in various locations. It was now proposed that a further 120 terminals be placed in locations around the campus, in building entrances, corridors and stairwells, social spaces, the SU and some catering outlets.
- Report to Council on Risk Management: January 2008
The Executive Assistant reported on actions taken to address the following two risks:
RP2: Failure to manage implications of changes in planning context and in performance relative to key competitors (assessed as a net risk of 54, above the risk tolerance threshold of 50).
RE3: Under-performance in recruitment of PGR students (assessed as a net risk of 48, just below above the risk tolerance threshold of 50).
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