Summary notes of the Executive Committee held on 5 May 2004
- Sino UK Management Programme Visit to China
The Vice-Chancellor gave a brief report on the tour
of Chinese HEIs (Tsinghua, Peking, Shandong and Fudan) she had undertaken
with the Registrar and the Dean of the School of Management. A full
briefing note on the tour would be circulated shortly. This would
stress the need to develop a consistent approach to international
alliances, based on clearly identified strategic priorities.
- Visit to the University by Thai University Presidents
37 members of the Council of University Presidents
of Thailand would be visiting the University on 19 May, under the
auspices of a joint HEFCE-British Council Scheme. The main focus of
the programme would be QA matters, but there would also be sessions
on UG admissions and research at the University.
- AUT Action
The national AUT ballot had voted in favour of accepting
the new pay framework by a margin of 84.5 percent to 15.5 percent.
In light of this result, the Universities and Colleges Employers Association
had advised members to implement the pay rise outlined in the framework
for academic and related staff, backdated to August 2003.
Agreed:
(a) That the Director of Human Resources would arrange for immediate
implementation of the pay rise.
(b) That the Registrar should make a final check on the impact of
the action on examination and assessment arrangements.
(c) That, subject to no problems being identified as a result of this
check, an announcement drawing the matter to a close would be posted
on the news homepage.
- Bids for Centres for Excellence in Teaching and Learning
The Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Learning and Teaching) reported
that three bids had been submitted: a single institution bid lead
by the Department of Mathematical Sciences; a joint bid in health
and e-learning with the Royal Veterinary College, University College
London and the Open University; and a joint bid with Bath Spa University
College.
It was expected that the outcome of the first
round would be known in June; the next round would then follow in
October.
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- Revision of University Space Categories
Agreed: That the University
should adopt four space categories for use in the resource allocation
model, in conformity with the TRAC methodology. Advice from JM Consulting
was that it would be acceptable to submit a nil return in the additional
category of 'Low cost space unsuitable for human occupation'.
- Draft Human Resources Strategy
The Director of Human Resources presented the draft Human
Resources Strategy. This had been prepared following the request from
the HEFCE for HEIs to submit an updated strategy for the period 2004-06
as part of Round 2 of the Rewarding and Developing Staff initiative.
The draft aimed to develop the existing HR strategy by reference to
emerging University strategic objectives and key HR principles, and
also link to strategies in areas of core business. Extensive internal
consultation had taken place in the course of preparation of the draft.
All three Recognised Trade Unions had given their support, although
the AUT had expressed the view that greater emphasis should to be given
to teaching.
The following substantive points were made in the ensuing
discussion:
- The Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Learning and Teaching)
reported that the Learning and Teaching Committee also believed that
more weight should be given to teaching. This was partly a matter of
the ordering of sections within the Strategy, given that teaching had
been listed after research and knowledge transfer.
- The Strategy document should cross-reference to
and explain the range of career paths and promotion criteria outlined
in the Action Plan.
- Further work was required to specify the key success
measure in support of knowledge transfer activity.
Agreed: That, subject to refinement
of the draft in line with the above comments, the draft Human Resources
Strategy could be approved for submission to the HEFCE.
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- Research Councils UK: Academic Fellowships
The Committee noted the obvious contradiction between
the expectation of the RCUK scheme that HEIs would cover the shortfall
in costs arising from the partial funding available under the scheme,
and the expectation under the TRAC regime that HEIs would move towards
recovery of the full economic costs of research (and other) activity.
However, it was clear that the University could not afford to let pass
an opportunity to secure additional funding for research-oriented posts
offered under the scheme. The issue was therefore one of agreeing an
institutional framework for the allocation of funds derived from the
scheme and for converting Academic Fellowships into permanent posts
after elapse of the five-year funding period. Such a framework could
be applied more generally, given that similar issues arose in respect
of other fellowship schemes.
Agreed:
(i) That, as a matter of principle, funding derived from this scheme,
or from similar schemes, should be used as a lever to promote a degree
of selectivity in the University's discipline base and the concentration
of resources in areas of research strength.
(ii) That, in areas of identified research strength, the framework of
allocation should address the capacity of a department to support new
posts, based on an assessment of retirement and staff turnover profiles,
and the scope for providing additional support by migrating vacated
posts from areas of research that were not as strong.
(iii) That, in respect of the RCUK Academic Fellowships, the Pro-Vice-Chancellor
(Research) would be asked to liaise with Deans to identify priority
areas, to enable a consolidated submission by the deadline of 14 May.
- HEFCE Consultation: RAE 2008: Panel Configuration and Recruitment
Responses received to this consultation in the main
represented concerns by those academic departments who would be effected
by the changes proposed. Economics and International Development believed
that Development Studies should be classified as a separate Unit of
Assessment, reporting to the Social Policy Panel; the absence of Development
Studies from the proposed configuration of Units of Assessment was
thought to represent a retrograde step in the promotion of multi-disciplinary
research. Computer Science believed that it would be more appropriate
to configure the discipline as a Unit of Assessment reporting to a
new Informatics Panel, though recognised that this was unlikely to
happen. Pharmacy and Pharmacology was opposed to the configuration
of Pharmacy with the Allied Health Professions Unit of Assessment,
believing that it would be better placed alongside Medicine and Dentistry.
The Head of the School for Health did not, however, believe that such
a change would be made to the configuration, in view of the fact that
9 of the 16 national schools of pharmacy had submitted to the Allied
Health Professions Unit of Assessment in the last RAE.
A number of more generic points were also made, and
some additions proposed for the list of nominating bodies.
Agreed: That the draft University
response could be approved.
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- University Software Licence Management
The Director of Computing Services presented two options
that sought to address a series of recommendations made by the Internal
Auditor in respect of the management of University software licences
and the proper control of corporate risk arising from non-compliance.
The most important recommendations were that overall responsibility
for software security policy and practice should be vested in the
Director of Computing Services; and that a central database of software
licences should be established. Option 1 was based on an automated
network monitoring mechanism in which each computer throughout the
University reported the software products installed on it via an embedded
programme activated centrally; the information thereby gained would
automatically populate a database that could be used to reconcile
actual software use with the University's aggregated licences for
any product. Whilst a system of this kind could not guarantee 100
percent reporting fidelity, and would need to be supplemented with
manual checks, it had the advantage of clearly identifying responsibility
for compliance. Option 2 would involve individual departments assuming
responsibility for compliance in respect of their own software, in
recognition of the dispersed and devolved nature of software procurement,
together with the periodic submission of a compliance report to the
Director of Computing Services. This procedure would be less invasive
but would require significant input at local level if it were to be
effective.
Agreed:
(a) That option 1, the network based monitoring mechanism, represented
the best solution in terms of University risk management. Manual checking,
as envisaged in option 2, would be used as and when necessary. The
Director of Computing Services, in consultation with the Director
of IT, would develop a generic system over the next three months.
(b) That this decision should be reported to the Audit Committee.
- Update on Capital Projects - April 2004
The Director of Estates presented the latest quarterly
update on capital projects.
Project Capital Round 2 and SRIF
Round 1
The new Parade lift was now operational, and the extension
to 3 South was expected to be completed in time for hand over and
fitting out in September 2004.
3 West North
Planning permission had been granted for the proposed
new building, and tenders were being obtained from three building
contractors. Work was scheduled to start at the end of May; hand-over
of the first phase, the research laboratories, was scheduled for October
2004, with final completion due by April 2005. Refurbishment of the
teaching laboratories in 3 West would be run on a separate but concurrent
contract.
4 West
Tenders for demolition had now been submitted and
were in the process of being evaluated. A preferred contractor would
be recommended to MMMG and F&GP shortly.
Subject to the completion of the tendering process,
demolition was scheduled to commence immediately after the Graduation
Ball on 19 June, with completion scheduled for before the 2005 summer
examination period. It was noted that a start date after the Graduation
Ball resulted in a delay of three weeks. Start and end dates would
be finalised in consultation with the Academic Registrar after appointment
of the contractor.
The first phase of the work would be preparatory in
nature, involving the relocation of existing facilities and the construction
of a 'haul link' for construction traffic. Due care would be taken
to protect essential infrastructure, notably datalinks, and further
liaison would take place with occupants/users of buildings abutting
the works site, to ensure that continuing academic, administrative
and commercial needs were fully addressed.
A deadline of 28 May had been set for submission
of expressions of interests from architects in respect of the new
building to replace 4 West.
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- Capital Project Procurement
The Committee noted that a number of actions
had already been taken to improve capital procurement, and that a
number of further changes were planned.
Actions taken:
- Appointment of a Project Cost Manager.
- Introduction of standardised contracts based on
approved Government procurement methodology.
- Strengthening of the change control process
- Review and revision of general procedures and
record keeping on the advice of the Internal Auditor.
- Disbandment of internal capital design team
- Introduction of compulsory project contingency
budgets, set at a minimum of 5 percent of total budget.
Further actions proposed:
- Appointment of a new Head of Capital Procurement,
with a primary responsibility to control the construction and costing
process.
- Appointment of construction consultants on a four-year
framework agreement, subject to annual review, rather than on a piecemeal,
project-by-project basis.
- Adoption of design and build procurement methodology,
as increasingly used throughout the public and private sectors, in place
of the older design-lead methodology.
The Vice-Chancellor considered these changes to
be essential, if the University was to improve its capital procurement
process.
- Risk Assessment and Management
The Director of Finance outlined a procedure for enhancing
and embedding risk assessment and management across the University,
as had been agreed in principle at a previous meeting. All academic
and support departments would be required to compile a risk register
using a standardised score sheet; these registers would then be made
available for general discussion at a designated Heads of Department
meeting. The Executive Committee would then review all departmental
registers, compile a corporate risk register, and ensure that risk
management was thoroughly embedded within management structures at
all levels. Assessment of risk would be carefully shaped to focus
on the achievement of strategic objectives, rather than simple constraints
on activity. A consolidated risk management report would then be submitted
to Council at the end of each academic year. Maintenance of both corporate
and departmental risk registers would be ongoing as strategic initiatives
proceeded.
Subject to approval of this procedure, it was proposed that the score
sheet currently under preparation should be circulated to departments
within the next week or so, for completion and consideration at the
Heads of Department meeting of 21 June. Review of the registers would
then take place at the Executive Committee of 30 June, in time for
a report to be made to Council of 2 July.
Agreed: That the proposed
risk assessment and management procedure could be approved. Although
the timetable was thought to be tight, it was still feasible.
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The following items were noted without comment:
University response to HM Treasury consultation on Science
and Innovation
Notes of the Faculty of Engineering and Design Executive
Committee
(a) 25 March 2004
(b) 20 April 2004
Notes of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
Heads of Department Committee: 19 April 2004
Notes of the University of Bath in Swindon Board: 12 March
2004
Notes of the Student Experience and Strategy Committee:
16 February 2004
Notes of the Sports Management Board: 10 March 2004
Notes of the Institute for Integrated Industrial Innovation
(I4) Group
(a) 26 January 2004 (Group then known as SIMTI)
(b) 12 March 2004
(c) 24 March 2004
Notes of the Transparent Approach to Costing (TRAC) Steering
Group
(a) 24 February 2004
(b) 9 March 2004
Notes of the Transport Strategy Consultative Working Group:
28 January 2004
Notes of the Bath-Allicante Joint Liaison Group: 6 February
2004
MSD
05.05.04
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