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University of Bath

Senior Academic Appointments Committee

We are a Joint Committee of Council and Senate.

We make recommendations to Council for the roles of Deputy Vice-Chancellor & Provost, Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Dean.

You can find out about the full responsibilities of the committee in the terms of reference.

Find out about our meeting dates.

The terms of office expire on 31 July in the year stated.

Committee members

Routine attendees

    • Richard Brooks, Director of Human Resources
    • A member of the Governance Office, Secretary

    Procedure for Appointment of a Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Pro-Vice-Chancellor or Dean/Head of School

    Initial Process

    1. Consultation

    The Vice-Chancellor will invite the views of the University Executive Board, Deans/Heads of School, Heads of Academic and Professional Services Departments and other interested parties on the vacancy, particularly the proposed remit of the post.

    2. Type of recruitment

    Normally these posts will be subject to external recruitment. However, the Vice-Chancellor, in consultation with the Director of Human Resources, may determine in specific circumstances that it should be an internal recruitment process.

    3. Job description and advert

    A job description, person specification, advertisement and candidate brief will be drafted by the Vice-Chancellor and the Director of Human Resources. They will ensure that the recruitment process is tailored to a diverse audience.

    External Recruitment

    4. Selection Committee remit

    The Vice-Chancellor will establish a Selection Committee with the following remit:

    • To oversee the recruitment process;
    • To consider and approve the job description, person specification, advertisement and candidate brief;
    • To select the long list and short list of candidates;
    • To define and conduct the selection process
    • To make recommendations for appointment to Senate/Council as appropriate.

    5. Selection Committee composition

    • Vice-Chancellor (Chair);
    • One lay member of Council;
    • Normally an elected Senate member (for DVC and PVC roles) and also for Deans/Head of School if appropriate;
    • The Deputy Vice-Chancellor or a Pro-Vice-Chancellor;
    • One Dean/Head of School (as appropriate);
    • An appropriate member of academic staff or professional services staff;
    • An SU Officer;
    • Other External/Specialist Advisers/members (as appropriate).

    6. Selection process may include the following:

    • Candidate discovery calls with senior members of staff to allow the candidates to learn more about the challenges and opportunities of the role;
    • visits to campus to understand more about the facilities and environment;
    • written exercises;
    • psychometric or similar testing regimes;
    • in-person/online interactive events with representative staff and students;
    • formal panel interviews.

    7. Approval Process

    The recommendation of the selection committee for appointment will be made to the Senior Academic Appointments Committee and Council, after consultation with Senate in the case of a Deputy Vice-Chancellor or Pro-Vice-Chancellor.

    8. Offer

    The preferred candidate will be offered the post subject to confirmation by Council. The offer of the post will be confirmed to the candidate following approval of the remuneration by Remuneration Committee and approval of the appointment by Council.

    Internal Recruitment

    Where a post is subject to internal recruitment, a similar process to that above will be followed.

    Heads of Department

    The appointment of Heads of Department and other senior academic roles is delegated to the Vice-Chancellor, who will determine and operate a transparent procedure which follows the good principles of senior appointments as described above. Such appointments will be reported to Senate and Council along with other academic appointments.

    Notes

    • a) Internal candidates are eligible to apply for vacancies subject to external recruitment.
    • b) The Vice-Chancellor will determine whether to recommend that the existing postholder continue for a further term by reviewing their performance and following broad consultation with the University senior leadership. If the existing postholder is recommended to continue for a further term, this will be subject to consideration by Senior Academic Appointments Committee and appointment by Council, and confirmation of the remuneration by Remuneration Committee.

    Approved by Senate on 6 October 2021 and by Council on 14 October 2021