UNIVERSITY OF ESSEX
COUNCIL
2 FEBRUARY 2004
(2.15 pm – 4.35 pm )
MINUTES
UNRESERVED BUSINESS
Chair
Mr Melville-Ross
Present
Mr Blundell, Mr Burrow, Professor Busfield, Mrs Cardew, Ms Colston, Professor Crewe,
Professor Dowden, Dr Elston, Professor Foweraker, Mr Harker, Mr Hayman, Mrs Haynes,
Mr Hughes, Mr Jordan, Mr Lewis, Mr Mack, Mrs MacMillan, Professor Massara, Professor
Millard, Sir Robin Mountfield, Lord Newton, Mr Pertwee, Mr Rainbird, Professor
Richmond, Mr Shamsaddini, Professor Sherer, Dr Steel, Dr Venn, Professor Wright
Apologies
Ms Hodges, Mr Jones, Professor Muthoo, Professor Nedwell, Ms Stevens
Secretary
Academic Registrar
In attendance
Registrar and Secretary, Director of Estate Management, Director of Finance, Director of
Information Systems, Director of Personnel Services, Planning Officer, Mrs Illsley
Agenda
item
1
CORRESPONDENCE AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
Noted
2


Item 4: Matters Arising was starred for discussion.
Item 11: Report and Recommendations from Senate, was unstarred as the relevant item, tuition fees, would be covered in the
Vice-Chancellor’s report.
2/04
No additional items were starred for discussion in addition to those
indicated on the agenda. The unstarred items of the agenda were then
deemed to have been received or noted and approved by Council as
appropriate.
3/04
The Minutes of the meeting held on 13 October 2003 (Unreserved
Business) were signed as a correct record.
4/04
MINUTES
Approved
4
1/04
STARRING OF AGENDA ITEMS
Noted
3
The Chair congratulated Auriol Stevens on the award of an Honorary
Degree by Southampton Institute.
MATTERS ARISING FROM MINUTES
Review of the Role of Heads of Department (MM.234-6/03)
Noted
The Vice-Chancellor reported that Senate had been consulted about the
1
5/04
recommendations to Council, and had expressed some concerns about
aspects of their implementation. As a result Senate had established a
Working Party which would report to Senate in March, and the outcomes
would be reported to Council in April.
5
VICE-CHANCELLOR’S REPORT
(a)
Noted
The Higher Education Bill
The second reading of the HE Bill was passed the previous week by a very
narrow margin. It was likely to pass onto the statute book, possibly after
further amendment. The most likely changes were a further restraint on the
£3000 cap on tuition fees, so that it could not be raised except by primary
legislation in the future; some mitigation of variability (e.g. a minimum as
well as a maximum fee); and changes to the powers and remit of the Office
for Fair Access (OFFA). Such revisions would not materially alter the
potential benefits of the Bill to the University.
6/04
The main changes were:
 Permission to charge fees for UK/EU full-time undergraduates of
up to £3,000, subject to the OFFA approval and the payment of
bursaries to poor students;
 The replacement of up-front tuition fees by repayment after
graduation, subject to the graduate’s income starting at £15k
(rather than £10k as now) at zero real interest rates and with debt
forgiveness after 25 years;
 The reintroduction of maintenance grants, worth £2,700 p.a. for
the poorest 30% of students, tapering down to nothing for those
from households earning more than £32k;
 Some marginal improvements in the size of available loans for
maintenance
7/04
The University would need to set its fees by the autumn, with final
confirmation by the January 2005 Council. A decision would need to be
made whether to charge the maximum fee for all undergraduate degree
schemes and if not, where to charge less. Decisions would also be
required on offering bursaries over and above those required by OFFA and
would need to include their level and eligibility criteria as well as plan
their promotion and administration. Consideration will be needed as to
how the additional fee income can best be invested in improving students’
educational experience at the University.
8/04
Although some critics had claimed that Government concessions had so
diluted the original proposals that variable fees would make minimal
difference to university funding, the Vice-Chancellor did not take that
view. The key concessions were about student support, not university
funding, and so long as the additional fee income was truly additional, a
£3000 fee represented a 30% real increase in funding per full-time UK/EU
undergraduate. Preliminary estimates suggested that if the University
charged £3k for all of its degree schemes but put back 25% of the
additional fee income into bursaries it could ensure that students currently
eligible for the full or partial fee waiver (i.e. from households with an
income below £32k) would incur no greater debt than now and the
University would still have 8% increase in real income, an additional £6m
a year.
9/04
2
(b)
Institutional Audit
Noted
(c)
The University had received the draft report of the QAA Institutional
Audit, which was conducted in November 2003. The formal outcome was
an unqualified statement of broad confidence. The Report singled out for
special commendation the Teaching and Learning Innovation Fund for
supporting innovation in learning and teaching; the support offered to
international students; and the application of the University’s
administrative services review process to focus on aspects of the student
experience. It identified a number of areas for improvement or close
monitoring, including preparation of new degree schemes, the regular
review of degree schemes, staff development and support for GTAs. The
Report’s main concern was that the capacity of the University to ensure
that permitted variations of practice across departments (for example, in
student feedback or rules of assessment) was not be at the expense of
academic standards or consistent treatment of students.
10/04
Applications and admissions
Undergraduates
Noted
Applications from the UK and the EU were about 6% ahead of last year
for undergraduate places, which was slightly better than the national trend
overall. Applications were significantly lower in all the sciences except
psychology and biochemistry, also in line with national trends. The
compensation was found in significant increases in Economics,
Government, Law, AFM, Language and Linguistics, and Literature, Film
and Theatre Studies. There was also a gratifying jump in applications for
Mathematics, although from a very low base. The number of firm
acceptances was very similar to last year which suggested that the overall
UK/EU undergraduate recruitment targets should, like this year, be met.
11/04
Applications from overseas were 1% down on last year, although the
comparison was slightly misleading because applications from the EU
accession states counted as overseas last year but as EU this year.
Nonetheless, after rapid growth in recent years, applications from overseas
had reached a plateau. The two main reasons were the weakening of the
dollar to which many Far Eastern currencies were linked, and increased
competition from other universities. It was too early to judge from the
acceptance figures but it might prove difficult to meet overseas UG targets
for 2004/05.
12/04
The recruitment cycle for postgraduate students was at an earlier stage.
Offers were up by 18% on last year, largely accounted for by offers to
overseas applicants, but that reflected a higher ratio of offers to
applications than last year. The tendency for applications from overseas to
be made earlier in the year, the growing competition from other UK
universities and the impact of the weak dollar also needed to take into
account. There was a reasonable chance of meeting but not exceeding
overseas PG targets, especially if capacity in the most popular departments
was expanded, but the University would struggle to meet UK/EU targets.
13/04
Postgraduates
Noted
Lambert Report
Noted
The Lambert Review on Business-University Collaboration reported in
December 2003. Its recommendations were wide-ranging and, if accepted
3
14/04
by the Government, potentially significant for the University. Its
proposals included:






A greater role for the regional development agencies (RDAs) in
facilitating knowledge transfer in the regions;
A new funding stream for business-relevant research, along with
increased and improved ‘third stream’ funding for knowledge
transfer;
The development of model contracts and a protocol for IP to speed
up IP negotiations;
The encouragement of new forms of formal and informal networks
between business people and academics;
The provision by universities of more information about student
employability and business taking a greater role in influencing
university courses and curricula
The development by universities of a new code of governance and
the demonstration of good management and strong performance in
return for a lighter regulatory touch from Government agencies.
A seminar on the Lambert Review, paying particular attention to its
recommendations on university governance, would follow the meeting.
6
7
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR 2002/03
Received
The printed Statements for 2002/03, which were discussed by Finance and
Strategy Committee at the meeting on 1 December 2003, had been
circulated to members of Council for approval in December 2003.
16/04
Noted
Council had already approved the recommendations of Finance and
Strategy Committee:
(i)
that Council approve the Financial Statements for 2002/03;
(ii)
that the Financial Statements for 2002/03 be signed by the ViceChancellor, the Treasurer and the Director of Finance under
delegated authority from the University Council.
The Financial Statements were submitted to the HEFCE by 31 December
2003 as required.
17/04
UNIVERSITY OUT-TURN 2002/03 (C/04/02)
Noted
8
15/04
The outturn surplus, at £3.3m, was £1.1m higher than the last Forecast. In
part it reflected cautious forecasts of indirect costs recovered on research
projects. These accounted for £900k of the improvement, but of this
nearly £300k was a one-off gain. Even so the rate of indirect cost recovery
has increased from 16.5% to 18%, discounting the one-off effects. Income
from overseas students increased by nearly 40%, to stand at nearly £14m
and that was one of the main drivers behind the relatively high surplus for
the year.
18/04
BUDGET UPDATE 2003/04 and LATER FINANCIAL FORECASTS TO 2006/07
(C/04/03)
Noted
A surplus of only £1.5m was now forecast for 2003/04, which was £550k
less than the Budget. It was disappointing result following a shortfall in
overseas recruitment of about 100 students. Measures were being enacted
in the hope of returning the surplus to £2m, although that would present a
considerable challenge. However, the forecast did not include additional
student numbers for which a bid of 300 extra students had been made to
4
19/04
HEFCE, and which would make a significant contribution to the surplus if
successful.
9
RESEARCH PARK (C/04/4, C/04/5, C/04/6)
20/0423/04
COMMERCIAL IN CONFIDENCE
10
CAPITAL BUILDING PROGRAMME (C/04/7, C/04/8)
Received
Update on the University’s Capital Building Programme since the report to
Council in July 2003, taking into account the major programme of works
carried out over the 2003 summer period and the University’s decision on
the allocation of the recent Funding Council initiatives for learning and
teaching, special needs and science and engineering teaching laboratories.
24/04
Noted
The University was undertaking its largest building programme since the
1960s but was struggling to contain costs, since, with the exception of
developments at Southend, external funding was inadequate. It was vital
that the budget surplus be increased in order to meet the costs of the capital
building programme.
25/04
At Southend the capital was entirely provided by external funders. £18m
had been raised so far towards the required £26m for the Phase 2 campus.
It was likely that about £3¾ m would be available from Go East, and there
was a bid for additional funding from HEFCE’s Strategic Development
Fund, which together with income from the retail outlets on the Odeon site
meant that the target to be raised was within reach.
26/04
(a)
Southend Student Accommodation
Noted
(b)
The University had entered into negotiations with Swan Housing
Association and the Prudential to provide up to 270 residential places in
‘the Pru Building’ at Southend. There was discussion about the balance
between financial risk and strategic gain in proceeding with such an
arrangement, noting the need to avoid undue risk which might arise if
there were voids in residential lettings. Negotiations were currently being
conducted by the University’s Solicitors.
Land Acquisition Opportunity at King Edwards Quay
Resolved
(c)
that authority was delegated to the Chair of Council and the Treasurer to
authorise the purchase of land at King Edwards Quay if the University’s
offer was accepted.
28/04
Social Science Centre
Resolved
(d)
27/04
that, subject to confirmations from HEFCE that the initiative met their
criteria under the SRIF2, which would provide funding of £5.9m, the
scheme to build a Social Science Centre be transferred to the Approved
Capital Building Programme.
29/04
Relocation of Information Systems Section /Finance Section
Resolved
that the scheme to relocate Information Systems Section (ISS) and Finance
Section be transferred to the Approved Capital Building Programme.
5
30/04
(e)
New Lecture Hall
Resolved
11
that an increase in the estimate for the New Lecture Hall to £4.974m,
reflecting the changed nature of the project, be approved.
REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS FROM SENATE (UNRESERVED
BUSINESS) (C/04/9)
(a)
Senate Staffing Committee
Resolved
(b)
that decisions as to the promotions from Lecturer to Senior Lecturer, from
Lecturer to Reader, from Senior Lecturer to Reader and from Senior
Teaching Fellow to Principal Teaching Fellow, as set out in the schedule
of recommendations attached to the file copy of the Minutes of Senate
Staffing Committee, be approved.
(i)
that Prof Maurice Sunkin be appointed as Dean of the School
of Law for the period from 1 August 2004—31 July 2007
33/04
(ii)
that the following be appointed as Heads of Department for
the periods indicated
34/04
Art History & Theory
Biological Sciences
Government
Language and
Linguistics
Philosophy
Sociology
12(c)
1/8/04 – 31/7/07
1/8/04 – 31/7/07
1/8/04 – 31/7/05
1/8/04 – 31/7/07
Professor M Sacks
Dr R Stones
1/1/04 – 31/12/06
1/8/04 – 31/7/07
Reports of Finance and Strategy Committee held on 3 November 2003 and
1 December 2003.
35/04
AUDIT AND RISK MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE (C/04/12, C/04/13)
Approved
Report of the meeting of Audit and Risk Management Committee held on
8 December 2003.
36/04
Resolved
that in future the Management Risk Group should report to the Audit and
Risk Management Committee.
37/04
Received
Report of the Audit and Risk Management Committee for 2002/03.
38/04
DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE (C/04/14)
Approved
12(d)
Professor T Puttfarken
Professor J Pretty
Professor D Sanders
Professor M Atkinson
FINANCE AND STRATEGY COMMITTEE (C/04/10 and C/04/11)
Approved
12(b)
32/04
Appointment of Office Holders
Resolved
12(a)
31/04
Report of the meeting of Development Committee held on 15 December
2003.
39/04
INFORMATION SYSTEMS STRATEGY COMMITTEE (C/04/15)
Approved
Report of the meeting of Information Systems Strategy Committee held on
12 November 2003.
6
40/04
Resolved
12(e)
12(f)
The Information Systems Strategy January 2004 be approved.
41/04
HONORARY DEGREES COMMITTEE (C/04/16)
Approved
Report of the meeting of Honorary Degrees Committee held on 11
November 2003.
42/04
Noted
The names of those to be awarded honorary degrees in July 2004 and April
2005.
43/04
NOMINATIONS COMMITTEE (C/04/17)
Approved
(a)
Report of the meeting of Nominations Committee held on 1 December
2003.
Appointment of Office Holders
Resolved
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
(iv)
(b)
44/04
that Tim Melville-Ross be nominated to Court for
appointment as Chair of Council from 1 August 2004 – 31
July 2007.
that Derek Lewis be nominated to Court for appointment as
Treasurer from 1 August 2004 – 31 July 2007.
that Alan Jordan be nominated to Court for appointed as ProChancellor from 1 August 2004 – 31 July 2005
that Christopher Pertwee be nominated to Court for appointed
as Pro-Chancellor from 1 August 2004 – 31 July 2006.
45/04
Membership of Court
Resolved
that the following members of Court who were due to retire in July 2004
should be re-appointed for the period 1 August 2004 – 31 July 2007:
46/04
His Honour Judge C J A Barnett
Councillor Elizabeth Blundell
Mr J M B Green
Mr R D Hart
Mr Gordon Hewlett
Mr Herbert Kempe
Mrs Kate Merriweather
Mr Tony Peel
Dr Harvey Perkins
Mr P C Sargeant
Alderman Mr Paul Spendlove
Mr Stanley Thomson
Rt Reverend John Waine
Mr C T White-Thomson
Resolved
that the following be appointed to membership of Court for the period 1
August 2004 – 31 July 2007:
47/04
Ms Dee Evans
Mr Peter Giblin
Mrs Jill Kerr-Smiley
12(g)
EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES STEERING GROUP (C/04/18)
Approved
Report of the meeting of Equal Opportunities Steering Group held on 18
November 2003.
7
48/04
Resolved
12(h)
12(j)
13(b)
Report of the meeting of Health and Safety Committee held on 17
November 2003.
Approved
Report of the meeting of Careers and Employability Committee held on 4
November 2003.
51/04
Resolved
that the Employability Strategy and Action Plan be approved.
52/04
ARTS COMMITTEE (C/04/21)
Report of the meeting of Arts Committee held on 17 November 2003.
The Deputy Vice-Chancellor/PVC (Research and Business Development)
introduced the paper which had been circulated for the October meeting of
Council setting out key performance indicators relating to the University’s
research grant applications and awards. KPIs included comparative data
benchmarked against data from other 1994 Group universities.
54/04
The total income received on research grants and contracts for 2002/03
was £13.3 million, an increase of 28% on the previous year.
55/04
Work was in progress on a further bid to the Higher Education Innovation
Fund (HEIF) for additional funding to support successful aspects of the
existing ‘Third Stream’ programme and to develop a range of new
opportunities.
56/04
STUDENT NUMBERS
FTE population against targets (C/04/22)
Noted
(b)
57/04
Degrees awarded by School of Study (C/04/23)
Noted
58/04
AMENDMENTS TO UNIVERSITY ORDINANCES (C/04/1)
Resolved
15
53/04
RESEARCH INCOME AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES –
2002/03 (C/03/48)
(a)
14
50/04
CAREERS AND EMPLOYABILITY COMMITTEE
(C/04/20)
Approved
13(a)
49/04
HEALTH AND SAFETY COMMITTEE (C/04/19)
Approved
12(i)
that the Report on Women’s Progression in Academic Life and the Action
Plan to implement the recommendations be approved.
that Ordinance 12,13 and 14 be amended to enable the Vice-Chancellor to
delegate his powers relating to the appointment of Professors, Readers and
Senior Lecturers and Lecturers to a Pro-Vice-Chancellor.
59/04
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 2000 (C/04/24)
Noted
The University’s compliance with the requirements of the Freedom of
Information Act 2000.
8
60/04
16
17
THE PENSIONS WORKING PARTY (C/04/25)
Received
The Report of the Pensions Working Party.
61/04
Resolved
The University’s own pension scheme, University of Essex Pension
Scheme (UEPS) be closed to new members and that all new staff be
offered the opportunity to join the Universities Superannuation Scheme
(USS).
62/04
DATE OF NEXT MEETING
Noted
26 April 2004 at 2.15 pm.
63/04
RESERVED BUSINESS
There was no reserved business
Moira Collett
Academic Registrar
27 July 2016
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