GUIDE TO WORKING PARTIES FOR SECRETARIES
A working party is a committee that is established for a limited time to develop and/or review
areas of university policy, procedure and practice and put forward recommendations for
implementation.
This guide is intended to support secretaries with the task of organising, preparing and
servicing working party meetings from the proposal stage to the recommendation stage.
1.
SETTING UP A NEW WORKING PARTY
It is usual practice for a working party to be appointed by, and to report to, a formal and
permanent committee of the University (the parent committee). Alternatively, a working party
can be set up as a result of general consensus within a section where a policy/procedure is in
need of development or review.
Once it has been decided to set up a working party within the Academic Section, a Dean or
other senior academic would be selected to Chair the working party and an Academic Officer
or Administrator to act as Secretary. The Chair and Secretary would then liaise together to
write a proposal to instate a new working party that would be submitted to the parent
committee for approval.
(a)
Scoping Meeting
Before a proposal is put forward for approval the Chair and the Secretary should hold a
scoping meeting to discuss the membership of the group and the working party’s terms of
reference.
The membership of the group will be determined by the policy area that the working party is
looking at; nevertheless it is a good idea to have a broad representation from departments,
partners, deans and administrators from relevant areas. It is good practice to invite a student
representative to join the group too.
(b)
Proposal Paper
The proposal paper should include some background information relating to why the working
party is being set up, outlining some of the key areas the group will need to consider, a
membership list and the working party’s terms of reference. (An example proposal paper can
be found at the end of this guide – see section 7a).
It is a good idea, if possible, to outline in the terms of reference when the working party is
expected to conclude its business, for example by the end of the academic year. This is a
provisional timetable; it does not matter if the working party exceeds the initial date outlined
in the proposal.
It is likely that the specific membership of the group is not known at the time the proposal is
made, it is acceptable simple to list the job titles of the representatives and how many are
likely to be included in the group, for example 2 x Head of Department, 1 x Departmental
Administrator etc. Once the final membership has been agreed upon the Secretary should
send a revised proposal to the Chair of the parent committee or to the committee itself for
approval.
The paper should note at the end to which parent committee the working party will be
reporting to.
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(c)
Research
Before the first meeting of the working party it might be necessary to carry out some research
into current practice, either within the University itself or the sector. You could do this by
sending a questionnaire/survey to departments or e-mail institutions in the 1994 Group or
Million+ Group for further information.
2.
ORGANISING MEETINGS
Before the first meeting of the working party it is a good idea to estimate how many meetings
the working party is likely to need and when they should take place during the year. It might
be helpful to create a timeline that you can refer to, which will help you to plan and prepare
for future meetings.
It is important to be aware of the University’s Calendar and note when the committee you will
be reporting to meets during the year, bearing in mind the deadline for papers is usually two
weeks before the committee. This will ensure that you have enough time to write an
interim/final report and circulate it for consultation before reporting back to the School
Boards for example.
In liaison with the Chair, the Secretary should ask members their availability for a number of
dates and times and use this information to arrange the meeting for a time when the majority
of members can attend (it is unlikely that you will be able to find a date and time that will suit
everyone).
Once a suitable date has been agreed with the Chair, the Secretary should send an invitation to
all members, for example using the scheduling function on Outlook. This will allow you to
keep track of the members who have accepted your invitation.
Meeting rooms can be booked through the Central Timetabling Office by e-mailing
cto@essex.ac.uk. You will need to stipulate why you need the room, how many people will
be attending the meeting, whether audio visual facilities are required and most importantly the
date and length of time you need the room for.
Catering (tea, coffee, water and biscuits) can be ordered online if required
http://www2.essex.ac.uk/catering/.
3.
PREPARATION OF AGENDAS
Preparation of Agenda Items and Papers
It is the responsibility of the Secretary, in liaison with the Chair, to set the agenda and prepare
the paperwork for each meeting.
The terms and reference and membership of the group will normally always be on the agenda
for the first meeting.
It is a good idea to come up with a list of points for discussion, especially for the first
meeting, to encourage discussion.
The paperwork should be prepared in advance of each meeting and circulated via the
internal/external post at least a week before. If the working party only consists of a small
group it is acceptable to e-mail the paperwork to members.
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The agenda sheet lists the items to be considered and the associated agenda papers. (An
example agenda sheet can be found at the end of this guide – see section 7b).
4. SECRETARY’S ROLE IN MEETINGS
It is part of the Secretary’s role to service the working party meetings and keep note of
discussions and decisions that are made.
You should be familiar with the policy and procedures that are being discussed.
You should prompt and contribute to discussions where appropriate, and ensure that the
working party is fulfilling its terms of reference.
You should make sure that you keep track of any changes that are made to policies and take
responsibility for keeping all documents up-to-date. As a consequence you should ensure that
any implications for other parts of a policy are discussed and addressed.
Notes from the meeting, including points for action, should be circulated to members after the
meeting, within a week if possible. If any action is required quickly a separate set of action
notes can be circulated in advance of the meeting notes.
5.
RECOMMENDATION STAGE
(a)
Consultation Process and Reporting Mechanism
Once a working party has concluded its business a final report, along with revisions made to a
policy/procedure, should be written by the Secretary in liaison with the Chair and submitted
to the parent committee for consideration. It is important to give yourself enough time to
write the report and proof read it properly to ensure that it is ready for submission.
Before the parent committee considers the report, a draft should be circulated to the working
party, departments and partners for consultation. It is also important to give departments
enough time to review the report and send you their feedback, bearing in mind when the
working party will need to submit their report to the parent committee.
You should circulate the feedback you have received to the members of the working party for
discussion; this can be done by e-mail but it might be necessary to have another meeting. You
will need to factor this in before sending the report out for consultation so that you have
enough time to make any changes to the report before it is submitted to the parent committee
for approval.
Once a final draft of the working party’s report is complete it is a good idea to send a copy of
the report to the Graduate Directors meeting and the Undergraduate Directors meeting for
consideration, in advance of the School Boards for example.
If the Chair of the working party is not a member of the parent committee, the Secretary
should request that both the Chair and he/she are invited to attend the meeting.
The Secretary of the working party should contact the Secretary of the parent committee in
advance of the meeting to put the final report on the agenda and discuss whether or not it
needs to be starred for discussion.
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(b)
Writing the Final Report for Discussion
The final report for discussion should summarise the working party’s key discussions and
outline what its main recommendations are. You should include 3 main sections: an
introduction, a summary of key discussions and recommendations, and a conclusion. (A
report template can be found at the end of this guide – see section 7c).
Firstly, use the introduction of the report to give a brief summary of:

Why the working party was set up, and when;

What the working party was asked to consider (you could include the membership
and full terms of reference here, or attach them as an annex to the report.)

How many times the working party met;

Note whether the working party carried out any research before meeting, for example
compared policies and procedures/practice with other institutions or sent a
questionnaire to departments;

Note that a full summary of the working party’s discussions,
recommendations/proposals put forward are given below for the committee to
consider.

Outline what is being asked of the committee, for example:
The Undergraduate School Board is asked to discuss the recommendations put
forward by the Working Party on XXXXXX, with a view to introducing the
revised policy with immediate effect from XXXXXX.
Secondly, use the main body of the text to give a summary of key discussions and
recommendations.

Outline in this section what the working party discussed and what its main
conclusions were, including any proposals or recommendations put forward for
decision.

The report does not need to follow the chronological order of the meetings held. It is
more important to summarise key findings together.

If a number of different topics are discussed it is a good idea to break this section
down using individual headings for each point, listing any relevant recommendations
at the end of each point. For example, each heading could relate to the working
party’s terms of reference.

Key headings should be numbered to help guide the reader through the report;
however there is no need to number each paragraph like a periodic review.

Where feedback has been received, from departments for example, it is a good idea to
note how the working party has taken the comments into account.
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Thirdly, end your report with a conclusion.

Include in this section what conclusion(s) the working party has arrived at, for
example if a policy/procedure has been revised in light of the working party’s
discussions and is put forward for consideration or approval.

If a policy/procedure has been revised it should be attached to the report (as an annex)
with tracked changes, along with a copy showing the revised wording after the track
changes have been accepted.

At the end of the report put the Chair’s name, the Secretary’s name and the date.
6.
RECORDS MANAGEMENT POLICY FOR PAPERS RELATING TO
WORKING PARTIES AND REVIEW GROUPS
(a)
Policy Overview
The policy provides guidance on the management, retention and disposal of papers relating to
the activities of University working parties or review groups. It is a University-wide policy
and covers all such parties or groups that are established to undertake University-related
business.
It is University policy to retain permanently a record of decisions and discussions that shape
its history and development. A record of working party activities is retained through the
official papers of its parent committee. Any working party that is not appointed by, or does
not report to, a parent committee is unlikely to be undertaking significant activity, but still
falls within the scope of this policy where relevant.
(b)
Working Party Papers: Records Management Practice
The working party Secretary is responsible for the management, retention and disposal of its
papers both during and after the working party deliberations. It is the role of the Secretary to
ensure, where necessary, that the parent committee receives the necessary report and is able to
record for permanent retention the relevant work of the working party and its deliberations.
Once a working party completes its work and has reported to the parent committee in the
necessary way, the Secretary retains all the original papers for five academic years after the
academic year in which the report is published. As a guide, the following information is
retained as a minimum during this period:






Original terms of reference;
A list of the original membership and any stated reasons for members being appointed;
Meeting minutes;
Final report[1];
Supporting/background evidence and documentation, e.g. responses to surveys or
consultations;
Any other relevant information that documents the activities of the working party.
It is at the discretion of the Secretary if a greater amount or more detailed information is
retained within the papers.
At the end of the retention period, the papers are destroyed confidentially.
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(c)
Date for destruction
Once a working party completes its work, the working party Secretary establishes a date for
destruction of the papers. This date must be in line with the retention period set out above.
The Secretary acknowledges the possibility that the physical destruction of the papers may be
carried out by another individual (for example, a successor to their post) and ensures that
clear instruction is provided on the future retention and disposal of the papers.
(d)
Exceptions to the Policy
The policy recognises that, under certain exceptional circumstances, it may be appropriate for
papers relating to a working party to be retained in full for longer than the established
retention period, in some cases, permanently. The working party Secretary is responsible for
ensuring that the reason for the extended retention is known and stated clearly within the
papers.
(e)
The importance of policy compliance and the University legal obligations
Adherence to this policy is an important part of the University’s compliance with the
Freedom of Information Act 2000. The Act provides access to any individual (upon request)
to any information held by the University, subject to specific exemptions. Requests for
information relating to the activity of a working party are dealt with in line with this policy.
The University contravenes its legal obligations under the Act if requested information is not
disclosed despite it remaining in the University’s possession; or if the University is unable to
retrieve the information despite the existence of this policy.
Policy Agreed: Summer 2004
Policy Effective from: October 2004
[1]
Draft reports should be managed in accordance with the specific University policy. For
more information go to http://www2.essex.ac.uk/rm/records/drafts.shtm
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7.
EXAMPLES & TEMPLATES
(a)
Example of Proposal Paper
Proposal to instate a Working Group to develop an Undergraduate Modular Study Policy
Background
Last academic year a policy and supporting framework for taught postgraduate modular
programmes (study by credit accumulation) was developed and approved by the Graduate School
Board. As a result a number of departments1 now have modular taught postgraduate programmes
of study, and interest has subsequently been expressed in developing modular provision2 for
undergraduates, both to enable flexible learning and expand student recruitment potential.
With minor exceptions, the University has never delivered or administered part-time
undergraduate provision, so there is no existing model to use as a foundation for the development
of modular undergraduate programmes. There are a number of academic and operational issues
which need further consideration to enable the creation of a policy and supporting framework for
the development of undergraduate modular programmes of study. Specifically, consideration of
the following is required:





Entry qualifications and the admissions process;
Fees;
Rules for progression, reassessment and completion;
Application of the Rules of Assessment to modular study;
Management of student records;
Operation of Boards of Examiners.
In order to ensure due consideration of the range of manifest issues, it is proposed that a Working
Group be constituted, on behalf of the Undergraduate School Board, to examine the relevant items
for discussion before making recommendations to the Undergraduate School Board regarding a
policy and related procedures to support modular undergraduate provision.
Membership
Professor Stuart Manson, Dean of the Faculty of Law and Management (Chair)
Dr Peter Martin, Head of Department, Health and Human Sciences
Professor Andrew Radford, Head of Department, Language and Linguistics
Ms Libby Armstrong, Departmental Administrator, Art History and Theory
Miss Rachel Earle, Head of UG Admissions and Widening Participation, External Relations
Mr Ray Lashley, Administrative Officer, Systems Administration
Dr Mark Lyne, Director of Academic Standards, Writtle College
Mrs Kirstie Sceats, Academic Officer, Registry
Dr Ping Zheng, Lecturer, Entrepreneurship and Innovation
Alex Seabrook, Project Officer, Academic Partnerships
Terms of Reference
1) to develop a policy and framework to support Undergraduate modular programmes of
1
Including; Language and Linguistics, Art History, HHS, E15 Acting School, School of
Entrepreneurship and Business.
2
A modular pathway programme already exists in HHS.
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study;
a. in carrying out this function the Committee will:
- consider best practice within the sector;
- consider admissions and progress issues relating to modular study;
- suggest best practice in relation to the implementation of the proposed policy
and framework;
2) to refer matters for consideration to the Undergraduate School Board as appropriate;
3) determine how the rules of assessment would apply to modular students.
Reporting Lines
The Working Party will report to the Undergraduate School Board.
(b)
Example of Agenda Sheet
Working Party on Marking Policy
Meeting on Monday 19 May at 2.00pm
Room 5B.114
Agenda
1. Matters Arising (Paper 1)
Notes from the last meeting circulated electronically
2. Marks for Participation
Questionnaire responses previously circulated
3. Work-based/Placement Learning (Paper 2)
Questionnaire responses previously circulated
4. Use of One Hundred Percent Coursework
Paper previously circulated
5. Any Other Business
Talia Francis
Administrative Officer – Graduate Trainee
12 May 2008
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(c)
Final Report Template
Working Party on Marking Policy - Report for Discussion
1.
Introduction
Text here
2.
Summary of Key Discussions and Recommendations
2.1
Heading (rename heading to topic of discussion)
Text here
Recommendation: (number recommendations as appropriate)
2.2
Heading (rename heading to topic of discussion)
Text here
Recommendation: (number recommendation as appropriate)
2.3
Heading (rename heading to topic of discussion)
Text here
Recommendation: (number recommendation as appropriate)
3.
Conclusion
Text here
Recommendation: (number recommendation as appropriate)
Chair’s Name (On behalf of the Working Party)
Secretary’s Name
Date
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