ACTIONS ARISING FROM THE ALUMNI CONSULTATIVE GROUP (ACG)
MEETING ON 23 February 2013
Present:
Mr Ian Forster (Chair), Dr John Hogan, Miss Laura Perry, Mrs Pamela Stephens, Mr Mark
Scrimshaw, Dr David Moffatt, Miss Sue Bevan, Dr Savvas Papagiannidis, Mr Antony
Jones, Ms Jeannette Strachan.
In Attendance:
Mrs Jane Clubley, Miss Charlotte Ball, Miss Tania Angelopoulos.
Apologies:
Miss Helen Buckley, Professor Chris Brink, Dr Praminthra Chitsabesan, Mr Alastair Mitchell,
Professor Patrick Lavery, Professor Ella Ritchie.
ITEM
Minutes from the previous meeting
Matters arising from the minutes
Members Update
ACTIONS/DECISIONS
The Minutes of the meeting held on 24 November 2012 were
approved.
Noted:
 Laura Perry confirmed that the History Room project and
Digitising the Courier are still underway.. The 12K funding for
the project provided by Ella Ritchie ends in March, when the
project will be on hold until further funds are sourced. A call to
alumni for memorabilia is on hold until a detailed cataloguing
system is in place.
 John Hogan reported that obituaries are now noted in
NUConnections (the staff electronic newsletter) and are also
available on DARO’s webpages. John does not think that our
graduates and friends of the University would appreciate
receiving ‘push notifications’ concerning this sensitive topic.
Actions:
 With regards to the History Room project, Laura Perry
welcomes any suggestions/advice.
 Laura Perry will circulate a status report covering the two
projects at the next ACG meeting.
 John Hogan reported that further work should be carried out on
the technicalities of the graduate email for life and willreport
back to the next meeting.
 Jane Clubley and Tania Angelopoulos will consider whether it
is appropriate/possible to circulate notifications of deaths and
obituaries to constituents via electronic newsletter AlumNews.
Noted:
 Pamela Stephens has attended the Student Initiative Fund
meetings with Charlotte Ball and noted that she finds them
very interesting.
 Sue Bevan worked on preparing a more coherent Terms of
Reference for the ACG.
 Congratulations to Savvas Papagiannidis who is now the
Goldman Professor of Innovation and Enterprise at Newcastle
University’s Business School. Savvas has also recently been
appointed the Vice-Chairman of the Business School’s North
East Alumni Branch and is currently working on setting up a
Business School Branch in Athens to compliment the
University’s established Greek alumni branch.
 David Moffatt attended the International Development
Conference earlier in February to represent DARO and has
formed an International Development Alumni group. David has
written a first draft of the group’s aims and objectives.
 Antony Jones is working with the University’s Business School

University Business
An update from John Hogan,
Registrar
Noted:
 Currently UG admissions are most uncertain in England.
Newcastle University has seen a 14% increase in applications
since last year. The national pattern and across our peer
group has only seen a 2% increase.
 John Hogan emphasised the importance of the alumni
championing the University to help support recruitment


ACG Terms of
Reference/Constitution and Voting
System.
supporting their work placement talks for current students.
Antony noted that the Business School’s 2nd Thursday events
in London are a good example of a London Business School
Alumni Branch.
Ian Forster announced that the North of England Graduates’
Society have found a successor who will take over Ian’s post
when he steps down. The NofE events programme for next
year has been set.
John Hogan gave an update on the current status of
attendance monitoring for non-EU students following the new
UK Border Agency regulations. Noted the potential impact on
the number of non-EU students coming to study at Newcastle
University. Currently the University is applying the same
procedures to home and international students.
The University must record attendance for non-EU students.
Jeannette Strachan is working with Laura Perry and the
Students’ Union to capture attendance from a range of
different indicators; small group teaching, larger seminars,
submission of assignments etc.
Research Excellence
Framework – preparations are underway for the November
deadline whilst the impact assessment is underway also.
Noted:
 ‘The Constitution and Terms of Reference of the Alumni
Consultative Group (ACG)’ was agreed as an acceptable title
for the updated document.
 That in 2014 both the new Chair of Convocation and the ACG
will need to be elected.
 Paragraph 6 suggested that the posts of Chair of Convocation
and Chair of the ACG should be merged into one appointment
from the 2014 Convocation and outlined the rules and
procedures which would be required if such a move took place.
There was a prolonged and spirited discussion outlining the
pros and cons of amalgamation or of retention of the status
quo.
A major hurdle which would have to be overcome would be
that such a move may involve changes to the the University’s
statutes
Actions:
 John Hogan explained that the group should try to agree as a
matter of priority the following:
 The ACG election process
 Clarity of the relationship between the Chair of
the ACG and the Chair of Convocation.
Agreed.
o That the election process would be the same as last
time together with an increased membership period of 5
years instead of three
o That the relationship between the Chair of the ACG and
the Chair of Convocation would not be altered
AOB
Date and venue of forthcoming
meeting

John Hogan and the ACG would like to offer thanks to
Jeannette Strachan for her work and congratulate Jeannette
on her new position as Registrar and Secretary at the
University of Hull.
 Ian Forster would like to thank Sue Bevan for her excellent
contribution to the ToR and Constitution documents.
 Ian Forster would like to thank the SubGroup for their support
and commitment.
To be agreed
Tania Angelopoulos
Alumni Relations Manager
Development and Alumni Relations Office (DARO)
25th February 2013.