Summary notes of the Executive Committee held on 30 June 2004
- Centres of Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETLs)
Executive was reminded that the
University had been involved in three bids for CETLs, leading two
of the bids and being a partner in a third bid led by Bath Spa University
College. The University had been notified that all three bids had
been unsuccessful. Informal feedback suggested that the majority of
CETLs had been awarded to post-92 universities.
Agreed: The Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Learning and
Teaching) should explore the possibility of launching a bid in liaison
with Mr Tim Bilham, if it could be ascertained that e-learning in
a health-related area did not already form the basis of a successful
bid.
- HE Bill
The Vice-Chancellor reported that the Lords' amendment
seeking to restrict tuition fees to a maximum three-year period had
been reversed in the Commons and it was now unlikely that such a proscriptive
measure would be introduced. It was noted that the Chancellor had
been very supportive of the University's position.
- Director of Human Resources
It was noted that the Registrar would be responsible
for ensuring appropriate interim arrangements were in place until
a new Director of Human Resources could be appointed.
- Review of Administrative Business Processes
It was reported that the Deputy Vice-Chancellor and
the Director of Finance had been considering proposals to seek external
advice on how to achieve greater efficiency in the central administrative
services. Eventually, the process of review should become an integral
component of the strategic planning processes of the University.
- Estimates for 2004/05
The Director of Finance reminded the Committee that
the estimates had been discussed at some length at the previous meeting
and all of the approved actions had been incorporated in the revised
estimates circulated. The estimates for 2004/05 now showed a break-even
position, as required by Council. The Vice-Chancellor reported that
the Finance and General Purpose Committee had recommended that all
University studentships should be reinstated in response to a request
from Senate.
- Supporting Learning and Teaching at the University
of Bath
The Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Learning and Teaching) reported
that his proposals had arisen from a recognition that the University's
business practices and organisational structure did not always make
the most effective use of its existing resources. This had been flagged
in the FASG report. Paper 173 outlined a model for improving the effectiveness
and efficiency of the University's central support for teaching by bringing
together the staff who already played a role in this area under the
same organisational structure. However, the proposed model had not been
well received in all quarters and the Pro-Vice-Chancellor proposed that
the University should take an interim step by establishing a 'virtual
group' which would hold regular co-ordination meetings under his chairmanship.
This would enable him to ensure that their activities were focussed
on achieving the University's strategic objectives.
Agreed:
(i) The Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Learning and Teaching) should
establish his 'virtual group' with immediate effect;
(ii) The Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Learning and Teaching)
and the Registrar should consider the financial implications and make
recommendations on budgetary control;
(iii) The effectiveness of the 'virtual group'
approach should be reviewed after one year.
- Teaching Quality Enhancement Fund for Professional
Standards
The Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Learning and Teaching) reported
that the Teaching Quality Enhancement Fund was a formula-based allocation
for which the University would have to bid. He reported that he had
worked with Staff Development and Quality Support to develop the draft
bid that had been circulated to Executive.
Agreed: The draft bid was
accepted as written.
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- Risk Assessment and Management
The Director of Finance reminded Executive Committee
that it had already seen a partially completed draft of the University's
Risk Register. The latest draft was now complete with provisional rankings
of net risk. The five highest ranking risks were:
- RP2 - maintenance of performance relative to key competitors
- HR1 - failure to secure 'buy in' for strategic/financial plans
- EI3 - age of the physical infrastructure, particularly around Parade
- F1 - lack of strategic investment funds
- F2 - failure to diversify income streams
The Director of Finance invited Executive to comment
on the assigned risk rankings and to offer suggestions with regard to
how progress should be monitored during the forthcoming year.
The Risk Register was approved subject to the amendments
listed below.
Agreed:
(i) RP2 should be re-worded to reflect that the risk
was a failure to manage any movement in the University's position relative
to its competitors rather than the occurrence itself;
(ii) An additional improvement action should be added
to HR1 to identify departments as having a significant role in improving
morale and delivering against goals;
(iii) 'Property Services' should be corrected to read
'Estates' throughout the document;
(iv) The summary of key departmental risks should not
be forwarded to Council and further thought should be given to how departmental
risk assessments could be made more consistent with a view to presenting
them to Council in the future;
(v) Progress against improvement actions should be monitored
by the Committee;
(vi) That, in future, the Risk Register, or Institutional
Risk Management Action Plan, should have more explicit links to the
Corporate Planning Statement.
- HEFCE Submissions 2004
Corporate Planning Statement
The Executive Assistant explained that the Corporate
Planning Statement contained targets and progress reports on areas
of activity for which the University received unearmarked support
funding from the HEFCE.
Annual Monitoring Statement
The Executive Assistant explained that the Annual Monitoring
Statement format was determined by the HEFCE. The sub-sections covered
areas where the University had received earmarked funding from the
HEFCE.
Agreed: That the Corporate
Planning Statement and the Annual Monitoring Statement should be recommended
to Council following minor revisions.
- Knowledge Transfer Services Quarterly Report
The Director of KT Services outlined the major achievements
of the previous quarter, including:
- the establishment of a steering group to direct enterprise
education;
- strengthening of collaborative links with Bath Spa University College;
- support for an increasing number of IP disclosures;
- the conclusion of a commercialisation deal with Sterix;
- the occupancy of the incubator facilities in Bath and Swindon (Bath
has a waiting list but Swindon still has vacancies); and,
- support for the Defence Academy bid and the Science Park initiative.
He reported that the success of the HEIF2 bid would
now enable the department to implement the recommendations of the
KTS Steering Group. The central support for KT and research would
be re-organised over the next 6 months with a view to delivering HEIF2
outputs and strengthening the University's support for research.
The Committee welcomed the report and commended the
degree of progress made.
Agreed:
(i) The Director of KTS should examine the business
case for taking on more incubator facilities in Bath;
(ii) The Director of KTS should liaise with the
Librarian over the development of a departmental knowledge management
system.
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- Swindon Enterprise Gateway
The Director for Lifelong Learning outlined proposals
to establish a Swindon Enterprise Gateway utilising funding from HEIF
and ESF. The project would be developed jointly by the Division for
Lifelong Learning and Knowledge Transfer Services. The IT equipment
would be in place by the end of July and a recruitment exercise was
underway to staff the centre.
- Freedom of Information Act 2000: Request from the chair of the UNISON
branch for access to the minutes of the Transport Strategy Consultative
Working Group
The Registrar reported that there had been a request
from the chair of the UNISON branch to make available the minutes
of the Transport Strategy Group. These were not currently made available
as part of the University's FOI scheme. However, their content was
not deemed sensitive and a positive response to the request would
be in the spirit of the FOI Act.
Agreed: The request from
the chair of the local UNISON branch was granted.
- Annual Report: Equal Opportunities Advisory Committee
The Committee received the annual report from the Equal
Opportunities Advisory Committee. The Dean of Science reminded the
Committee that it had requested access to the equal opportunities
monitoring statistics some months previously.
Agreed:
(i) The Equal Opportunities statistics should be circulated
to members of the Committee.
(ii) The Equal Opportunities Advisory Committee
should be asked if the University could participate in the ASSET programme
to get some benchmarking data.
- Executive Committee: Draft schedule of annual business (2004/05) and
breakdown of tasks
The Committee received a draft schedule of business
for 2004/05.
Agreed: That the schedule
be accepted subject to the inclusion of a quarterly progress report
on the Oakfield Campus.
The following items were noted without comment:
Notes of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
Heads of Department Committee: 24 May 2004
Notes of the Faculty of Science Executive: 13 May 2004
Notes of the Research Committee: 7 June 2004
Notes of the Student Experience and Strategy Committee:
17 May 2004
Notes of the Health and Safety Committee: 27 April 2004
Notes of the Sports Management Board: 24 May 2004
Notes of the Arts Committee: 4 May 2004
Notes of the Equal Opportunities Advisory Committee: 29
April 2004
Notes of the University of Bath and the Local Association
of the University Teachers Consultative and Negotiating Committee: 16
March 2004
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