UNIVERSITY OF ESSEX
COUNCIL
28 JUNE 2004
(2.15 pm – 4.30 pm )
MINUTES
UNRESERVED BUSINESS
Chair
Mr Melville-Ross
Present
Mr Blundell, Mr Burrow, Professor Busfield, Mrs Cardew, Professor
Crewe, Professor Dowden, Dr Elston, Professor Foweraker, Mr Harker, Mr
Hayman, Ms Hodges, Mr Jordan, Mr Lewis, Mr Mack, Professor Massara,
Professor Millard, Sir Robin Mountfield, Professor Muthoo, Mr Rainbird,
Professor Richmond, Mr Shamsaddini, Professor Sherer, Dr Steel, Ms
Stevens, Dr Venn
Apologies
Mrs Haynes, Mr Hughes, Mr Jones, Mrs MacMillan, Professor Nedwell,
Lord Newton, Mr Pertwee, Professor Wright
Secretary
Academic Registrar
In attendance
Registrar and Secretary, Director of Estate Management, Director of
Finance, Director of Information Systems, Planning Officer, Mrs Illsley, Ms
Sutton, Mr Woodall
Agenda item
1
CORRESPONDENCE AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
Noted
2
There were no items 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.
109/04
The Minutes of the meeting held on 26 April 2004 were signed as a correct
record.
110/04
MINUTES
Approved
4
MATTERS ARISING FROM MINUTES
None.
5
108/04
STARRING OF AGENDA ITEMS
Noted
3
Apologies for absence.
111/04
VICE-CHANCELLOR’S REPORT
Applications and admissions
Noted
The most recent figures suggested that recruitment would be at or slightly
112/04
above last year’s level across all categories. Firm acceptances for
undergraduate places had increased by 8% for UK and EU students and
5% for overseas students. Postgraduate offers to UK applicants had
decreased by 6% but offers to EU applicants had increased by 24%, giving
a 5% increase overall. Offers to overseas applicants were up 3%.
The figures suggested that for the second year in succession recruitment of
students from overseas had plateaued after the large increases in 2001 and
2002, and this had implications for the University’s financial position.
113/04
The HE Bill was expected to reach the statute books by mid July. With
the exception of a recently announced concession for gap-year students in
2005-6, the Government’s proposals for variable fees had survived intact.
The main changes brought about by the House of Lords and the university
sector related to the Office for Fair Access (OFFA), whose approval was
required before higher fees could be charged. Its remit had been narrowed
and powers weakened, in the universities’ favour, and a range of academic
freedoms for institutions had been incorporated into the statute.
114/04
There was concern that not all of the income from the higher fees charged
would be truly additional, but that some would be gradually clawed back
by the Government committed to its pledge to move towards its target of
50% participation, given a period of strong demographic growth in the
numbers of qualified school leavers. The University’s Chancellor, Lord
Phillips, had successfully moved an amendment in the House of Lords to
incorporate the principle of ‘additionality’ into the legislation, but the
Government had struck it down in the Commons.
115/04
HE Bill
Noted
Announcements
Noted
(a)
HEIF 2
The University’s bid under the second round of the Higher Education
Innovation Fund (HEIF 2) programme had been fully funded. HEIF
funded staff to increase the University’s capacity to provide training and
research services for the business, public and voluntary sectors. It
sustained much of the Research and Business Development Office
(RBDO), and some of the activities in Learning Partnerships. The funding
would also provide for more staff at the University of Essex Southend to
undertake parallel activities in south Essex.
(b)
i10
A collaborative bid under HEIF by all ten HEIs in the Eastern Region –
collectively known as i10 - including Essex and led by Cambridge, had
also been successful and would supplement the work of the RBDO,
especially in relation to small businesses in the region.
(c)
116/04
117/04
Institute of Social and Economic Research
The Institute of Social and Economic Research (ISER) has been
spectacularly successful in its application to the Economic and Social
Research Council (ESRC) for a five-year extension of funding for the
118/04
ESRC Research Centre on Micro-Social Change (MiSoc) and the ESRC
United Kingdom Longitudinal Studies Centre (ULSC). In addition, Jay
Gershuny, Director of ISER, had secured the largest personal research
grant (£750k) ever awarded by the ESRC to establish a Research Centre
on Time-Use. Altogether the ESRC would be investing £16m in ISER
over the next five years.
(d)
British Election Study
The ESRC had awarded £913k, the largest investment they made in any
politics research programme, to funding the next British Election Study,
which would remain at Essex under the direction of David Sanders and
Paul Whiteley
6
119/04
FORECAST OUTTURN 2003/04, BUDGET 2004/05 AND FINANCIAL
FORECASTS TO 2007/08 (C/04/43)
Received
The report to Finance & Strategy Committee which covered the expected
financial outturn for 2003/04, the budget for 2004/05, financial forecasts
for subsequent years and the funding of the capital building programme.
120/04
Noted
The 2003/04 Forecast Outturn surplus for the year at £1.972m
121/04
In the light of unacceptably low levels of surpluses indicated in a budget
constructed on the normal basis, an alternative, more radical, budget had
been prepared. The first budget, which adopted traditional short-term
incremental measures for managing a tight financial situation, including
cuts to the library, to departmental and administrative non-staff budgets
and the deferral of some long term maintenance (LTM), would produce a
surplus of just over £800k.
122/04
A £800k surplus and the lower surpluses forecast for subsequent years
were wholly inadequate for the existing capital building programme.
Predicted surpluses fell far short of the net capital expenditure that would
have to be found from the University’s own funds (reserves or cash
surpluses) to finance the existing programme, which now incorporated a
delay to the start of the new Lecture Hall.
123/04
There were a number of new income streams which had been omitted from
the forecasts of future income, but they had been excluded because it was
premature to anticipate the scale and timing of the contribution they might
make, and additional income would be needed to fund additional capital
investment which was not already included in the approved capital
building programme.
124/04
The source of the inadequate surplus had been identified as the 3% gap
between salary costs growing at 5.5% whereas HEFCE funding, tuition fee
and rental income, which together made up 85% of total income, was
growing at 2.5%. It was therefore essential for the long-term financial
strategy to combine income generation with cost-cutting.
125/04
Consideration had been given to cutting the capital building programme.
Apart from the delay to the start of the project to build the new lecture hall
there was very little scope, since other large projects, e.g. the Social
Science Research building and the Southend building were largely
126/04
externally funded and the funds had to be spent by April 2006.
The University’s staff costs as a proportion of total income were high,
relative to comparable universities. The reasons included the relatively
small size of the institution, the age profile and the high ratio of senior to
junior academic staff. If staff costs were reduced to the 1994 Group
average, savings of about £2.5m would be achieved. It was recognised
that such a reduction would need to avoid harming teaching capacity or
jeopardising research income and reputation, which would otherwise affect
the outcome of the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise. It would be
achieved by management of staff cost reductions on a department-bydepartment, section-by-section basis, and would also require a system of
close monitoring to ensure that savings were enduring and not quickly
eroded by new staff appointments.
127/04
The alternative, second budget proposed a net permanent reduction of £2m
over three years, by means of freezing vacancies, replacement of senior
staff by junior staff, and voluntary severance and early retirement. A
restructuring fund would be needed for early retirements and severances,
which was estimated on cautious modelling to be £2.2m, of which £1.6m
represented additional expenditure over the original budget.
128/04
Finance and Strategy Committee had rejected the suggestion that such
measures be deferred until higher tuition fees were introduced in 2006/7
and the additional income could be used to restore surpluses. The
additional tuition fee income would be required for new investment in the
teaching and learning environment for students, which would be essential
to enable the University to compete effectively for undergraduates paying
tuition fees of £3k.
129/04
Council was being asked to approve a budget which produced a surplus in
2004/5 which was lower than in previous financial years but which tackled
structural weaknesses in the University’s finances that needed to be
addressed and which would then leave the University in a stronger
financial position to benefit from the expected new regime of higher
tuition fees.
130/04
Academic staff members of Council were concerned about the potential
affect of a staff restructuring exercise on staff morale, since they felt it
might be interpreted as a lack of career development opportunities for
staff, which might in turn lead to an inadvertent loss of staff with a
detrimental effect on the 2008 RAE. However, although staffing would
be reduced in some departments, in others there would still need to be new
appointments where there was significant growth in student numbers. It
was agreed that the way in which the proposals were presented to staff
would be extremely important and that heads of department should be
given advice and support to enable them to communicate effectively with
their staff. While some members believed that the proposed pace of
restructuring was too fast, the prevailing view was that proceeding quickly
was better for morale overall.
131/04
The budget proposals were dependent on meeting targets for overseas
student numbers and if there was a significant shortfall in October then it
would be necessary for Council to review the position and consider the
possibility of more stringent measures.
132/04
Resolved
7
that the Budget for 2004/05 and Later Year Forecasts to 2007/08, showing
a Budgeted Surplus for the Year of £745k in 2004/05, of £585k in 2005/06
and £2m and above in later years, be approved.
CAPITAL BUILDING PROGRAMME (C/04/44)
Received
(a)
An update on progress and a report on changes to the Capital Building
Programme to reflect new initiatives and altered priorities, as had been
presented to Finance and Strategy Committee at the meeting on 7 June
2004.
(b)
134/04
Biological Sciences
The scheme for refurbishment of Biological Sciences Research
laboratories 2004 was estimated to cost £582k, and £500k would be
funded by SRIF2 with the balance being funded by the Department.
However, the tenders had come in significantly lower and in that case the
balance of the SRIF2 funding would be utilised for additional works,
subject to HEFCE approval.
135/04
Insearch
Resolved
8
133/04
The newly refurbished space in the Constable Building would be shared by
Insearch (2/3rds) and the Children’s Legal Centre (1/3rd), and the costs
apportioned accordingly. The negotiations with Insearch were close to
completion and would include up-front payment in lieu of rent to cover the
landlord element of the shared tenant/landlord responsibilities for the
space.
136/04
that the following be approved:
137/04
(i)
An increase of £280k in the allocation for the Lecture Hall to
reflect inflation in building costs during the one year period of
deferral of the project.
(ii)
An additional sum of £180k for the Research Park student
residences scheme, for detailed design and value engineering
works.
(iii)
An additional sum £134k for increased costs of the Networks
Centre.
(iv)
Refurbishment of Constable Building for Insearch and the
Children’s Legal Centre at a cost of up to £600k.
(v)
Expenditure of up to £500k for the refurbishment of the
Biological Sciences Research laboratories 2004.
TUITION FEES AND BURSARIES (C/04/45)
Noted
The paper setting out the background to higher tuition fees and the
introduction of bursaries had been discussed at Finance and Strategy
Committee on 10 May and at Senate of 9 June. Both bodies had endorsed
the recommendations to introduce £3000 fee for all schemes, and the
138/04
objective of providing a simply bursary scheme. They had also endorsed
the view that Essex should focus on supporting the ‘nearly poor’. There
was general acceptance of the view that bursaries should not be used as
inducements to applicants to take up places on unpopular schemes.
There were mixed views on the merits of scholarships which focused on
academic achievement or academic potential, i.e. students with good entry
qualifications or demonstrable potential. However, such schemes could be
separated from the bursary provision and would not be subject to OFFA
scrutiny as they would not be income-contingent.
9
139/04
REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS FROM SENATE (C/04/46)
1.
Appointment of Heads of Department
Resolved
that the following be appointed as Heads of Department for the periods
indicated:
ESE
Mathematical Sciences
Psychology
2.
1/8/04 – 31/7/07
1/1/05 – 31/7/07
1/8/04 – 31/7/07
Appointment of Appeals Officer
Resolved
that Professor Roger Hawkins be appointed as Appeals Officer for the
period 1/7/04 0 60/6/07.
3.
Reports of Committees
(a)
Senate Staffing Committee
Resolved
(b)
Dr Anthony Vickers
Professor Peter Higgins
Professor Riccardo Russo
140/04
that decisions as to the confirmation of appointments, promotions from
Lecturer to Senior Lecturer/Reader, from Senior Lecturer to Reader,
promotion from Senior to Principal Teaching Fellow and promotion from
Research Officer II to III be approved as set out in the schedule of
recommendations attached to the file copy of the Minutes of Senate
Staffing Committee.
141/04
142/04
Standing Committee on Professorships
Resolved
that the following be promoted to Professor with effect from 1 October
2004:
Mr Owen Holland Department of Computer Science
Dr Christine Raines Department of Biological Sciences
Dr Louisa Sadler Department of Language and Linguistics
Dr Graham Underwood Department of Biological Sciences
Dr Stuart Walker Department of Electronic Systems Engineering
Ms Lorna Woods Department of Law
143/04
Resolved
that Dr Brian Grout should be awarded the title of Writtle College
Professor.
144/04
4.
Centres Recommended for Closure
(a)
Science Centre
Resolved
(b)
(a)
(b)
(c)
10
(d)
148/04
Report of the meeting of Health & Safety Committee held on 5 May 2004.
149/04
Report of the meeting of Equal Opportunities Steering Group held on 19
May 2004.
150/04
Resolved
that the Code of Practice on Equal Opportunities in Employment be
approved.
151/04
(e)
(f)
(g)
Noted
10
Report of the meeting of Arts Committee held on 8 June 2004.
Approved
Noted
10
147/04
EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES STEERING GROUP (C/04/51)
DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE (C/04/52)
Approved
10
Report of the meetings of Finance & Strategy Committee held on 10 May
and 7 June 2004)
HEALTH & SAFETY COMMITTEE (C/04/50)
Approved
10
146/04
ARTS COMMITTEE (C/04/49)
Approved
10
that the Children’s Centre should close as it operates only as a vehicle for
research grants. Future grants should be routed through an appropriate
department.
FINANCE AND STRATEGY COMMITTEE (C/04/47 & C/04/48)
Approved
10
145/04
Children’s Centre
Resolved
10
that the Science Centre should close due to a lack of departmental
resources for its continuation.
(h)
Report of Development Committee meeting held on 24 May 2004.
152/04
AUDIT & RISK MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE
There was no business to report.
153/04
INFORMATION SYSTEMS STRATEGY COMMITTEE
There was no business to report.
154/04
HONORARY DEGREES COMMITTEE (C/04/53)
Noted
Report of the meeting of Honorary Degrees Committee held on 11
November 2003.
155/04
Noted
(i)
156/04
the following candidate would be awarded an honorary degree at
the degree congregation to be held in July 2004: Dame Helen
Mirren;
10
(i)
(iii)
the following candidate would be awarded the title of Alumnus of
the Year 2004 at the degree congregation to be held in July 2004:
Stephen Feber.
Report of the meeting of Careers & Employability Committee held on 21
April 2004.
In accordance with the Education Act 1994 (Section 22), the Students’
Union had reviewed its constitution and on the 25 May 2004 Students’
Union Council had approved a new constitution for the University of
Essex Students’ Union.
League Tables (C/04/56)
Noted
(b)
159/04
Admissions (C/04/57)
Noted
160/04
MEMBERSHIP OF COMMITTEES OF COUNCIL FOR 2004/05 (C/04/58)
Resolved
14
158/04
KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
(a)
13
157/04
STUDENTS’ UNION REVISED CONSTITUTION (C/04/55)
Noted
12
the following candidate would be awarded an honorary degree at
the degree congregation to be held at South East Essex College in
October 2004: Sir William Taylor;
CAREERS & EMPLOYABILITY COMMITTEE (C/04/54)
Approved
11
(ii)
that the membership and terms of reference of Council Committees for
2004/05 be as set out in paper C/04/58, to include the amendment to the
terms of reference of the Remuneration Committee indicated in paper
C/04/61.
161/04
REPORT OF CHAIR’S ACTION (C/04/59)
Noted
The Chair, acting on behalf of Finance & Strategy Committee and
Council, had approved the appointment of Arco Environment Ltd for the
sum of £54,309 plus VAT, to undertake decontamination works in the
Constable Building ready for subsequent refurbishment to accommodate
INSEARCH and the Children’s Legal Centre.
15
DELEGATION OF AUTHORITY
(a)
Formal Delegation of Powers (C/04/60)
Noted
The financial limits included in the terms of reference for Finance and
Strategy Committee and Budget Sub-Committee were currently under
review and it was anticipated that proposals for changes to the terms of
162/04
163/04
reference would be presented at the next meeting of Council.
Resolved
(b)
that the Chair be authorised to take action on behalf of Council during the
summer break.
165/04
Retiring Members
Noted
17
164/04
Delegation of Authority for Summer Period
Resolved
16
that approval be given to the schedule of powers formally delegated by
Council to other bodies as set out in paper C/04/60.
On behalf of Council, the Chair thanked Professor Jane Wright, whose
current appointment as Dean of the School of Law had come to an end
after three years, and Mrs Sandra Cardew, Professor John Dowden and
Professor Abhinay Muthoo, whose appointments as elected representatives
of Senate had also come to an end.
166/04
The Chair also thanked Darren Jones, President, and Chia Shamsaddini,
Vice-President (Finance and Services) of the Students’ Union for their
contribution to the work of Council.
167/04
Date of Next Meeting
Noted
18 October 2004 at 2.15pm
Moira Collett
Academic Registrar
July 2004
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168/04