The University of Manchester Alumni Association
AGM - 2009
Minutes of the Meeting held on 11 March 2009
Present:
Mrs Janet Argust, Mr Gordon Ariho, Mr John Armstrong, Mrs Mercedes Astle, Mr
Anthony Blandford, Miss Patricia Bradley, Miss Margaret Bristow, Dr Stephen
Carter, Miss Audrey Carter, Mr Peter Cockcroft, Dr Margaret Collier, Mr Derek
Deadman, Dr John Esson, Mr Hugh Fitzpatrick, Mr Allen France, Professor Simon
Gaskell, Mr James Gilbertson, Mr Matthew Green, Mr Patrick Hackett, Mr James
Hancock, Mr Richard Hassan, Mr John Haworth, Mr Geoffrey Hirst, Mr Nigel Holt,
Miss Jean Jones, Dr Joseph Leeson, Mr Matthew McClelland, Dr Richard
McDermott, Mr Roy Minshall, Dr David Moorcroft, Mr Simon Morrison, Mrs Donna
Prince-Hu, Dr Robert Quayle, Mr Alan Randall-Jones, Mr Peter Readle, Professor
Bernard Richards, Miss Rachel Rosenhead, Mr Ronald Seddon, Mrs Sylvia
Seddon, Mr Neil Shuttleworth, Mr Harris Stennett, Mr Paul Sutherland, Dr Brian
Taylor, Dr Ada Wightmore, Dr Joan Wilkinson, Dr Roy Wood, Dr Shengke Zhi
Apologies:
Mr Keith Ainsworth, Mrs Joan Allen, Mr Richard Bailey, Dr John Barker, Mr Derek
Bedford, Mr Kenneth Beckwith, Mrs Barbara Bergin, Mr Steve Best, Mr Albert
Brittain, Mr Harvey Brookes, Dr Alan Brown, Mrs Doreen Brown, Mrs Dorothy
Brown, Dr David Callaghan, Mr William Carr, Mrs Latifa Chaer, Dr Alan Cockbain,
Mr Kevin Day, Miss Elizabeth Dennison, Dr A Derrington, Miss Aline Egan, Dr R
Ellerby, Mr David Griffiths, Mr William Hale, Sister Edna Hamer CP, Mr James
Hamilton, Mr Geoffrey Holden, Ms Betty Hollingshead, Mr Victor Holt, Mr Leonard
Howarth, Miss Ann Hughes, Mr Ralph Jones, Professor R Keller, Miss Joanne Kent,
Mr Arthur Kettlty, Mr Philip Kliskey, Mrs Kathleen Lister, Mr Frank Martin, Miss Beryl
Maycock, Mr Tony Morris, Mrs Patricia Penney, Mr Rob Pinfold, Mrs Jane Rabbatts,
Miss L Rhodes, Miss Sheila Reynolds, Mr Alex Robinson, Mr Harold Rothera, Dr
Jean Rowley, Mrs Eunice Sarsfield, Mr Philip Scott, Mr David Simpson, Dr Albert
Sippert, Mrs Barbara Smethurst, Mrs Barbara Smith, Mr Roger Solomon, Mr Walter
Sondhelm, Mrs Mary Spry, Mrs Ruth Stevens, Mr Trevor Stretton, Mrs Suzanne
Swinglehurst, Mrs Linda Sykes, Mr Christopher Tarry, Mr John Thorley, Mrs
Penelope Timpert, Miss Arminal Trueman, Rev Dr H J M Turner, Mrs Jennifer
Upson, Mrs Helen Vukotic, Mr Simon Walsh, Ms Janine Watson, Mr John Welch,
Ms Laura Wolfe, Mrs Leila Woolf, Dr Sylvia Wood, Dr Abebaw Yohannes, Ms
Sharon Youngson
In attendance: Annette Babchuk (Secretary), Christopher J Cox, Donna Prince-Hu, Jean Jones
09/01 Welcome
RECEIVED:
i)
A welcome from the Chair to The University of Manchester Alumni Association
AGM 2009.
ii)
The Chair welcomed and introduced:
a. the Deputy Chair of the Alumni Association, Professor Simon Gaskell, VicePresident (Research) who would be giving a presentation on the Research
Assessment Exercise 2008 and the Teaching and Learning Review.
b. current student and Global Outreach Scholar, Gordon Ariho, who would talk
about his experience in Manchester.
c. the Deputy Secretary, Martin Conway, who would join the discussions
regarding the electoral procedures.
09/02 Minutes of the AGM held on 6 March 2008
RECEIVED:
The minutes of the Annual General Meeting held on 6 March 2008 (Paper No AGM 01/09)
NOTED:
i)
Former institutions – UMIST and VUM – had been successfully added to YMO
within the list of courses on the directory facility.
ii)
The Alumni Association database did not record historical names for Halls of
Residence and this information was reliant on being submitted by alumni
themselves. There was no technical solution for this as the historical records
for the Halls of Residence would not have been kept on a database at that time.
09/03 Chairman’s Report
RECEIVED:
A report from the Chairman on the developments to date (Paper No AGM 02/09)
NOTED:
1.
Membership
The alumni database now consists of nearly 225,000 members on the mailing list.
Of these alumni there are business details for nearly 70,000 members and email
addresses for over 75,000 members.
33% of the members are based in the North West and 24% are based Overseas
(top 12 countries being:- USA, Malaysia, Greece, People’s Republic of China, Hong
Kong, Singapore, France, Cyprus, India, Canada, Germany, Australia).
The Division of Development and Alumni Relations continues to develop the
University of Manchester Alumni Association database by adding newly graduated
members from the Student Records system. Alumni continue to inform the Division
of their address changes and their details are constantly updated.
2.
Membership Services
Alumni Communications

The 2008 annual alumni magazine ‘Your Manchester’ was mailed out to alumni on
16 July 2008. The 2009 edition is in preparation and will be mailed out the end of
May/beginning of June.

The Online Community Website, ‘Your Manchester Online’ is going from strength to
strength and there are now 30,055 registrants. Typically the site has 1000 visits per
day but interest levels peak to more than 20,000 visits over a 3 day period when
registered alumni receive the bi-monthly e-newsletter. Unfortunately, there was a
disruption to the service during the winter months due to some technical issues.

A request for funding to finance student labour in order to assist with improving
Your Manchester Online and making it more appealing (especially to the younger
generation) has been accepted by The University of Manchester Alumni
Association Advisory Board. This will be an ideal opportunity to offer one of our
own students paid work experience and will bring benefit to the Alumni Association
by giving a student’s perspective in this important area of communications. It will
also increase awareness of alumni activity among the student body.

A project to assemble historic images of the University and its graduates with the
purposes of displaying these on plasma screens at alumni reunions and events was
completed on 24 November 2008 by our graduate intern, Tom Hipwood. The
images were well received during the alumni reunions in December 2008 in
Mainland China and Hong Kong.

The Alumni Association was promoted during the July 2008 and December 2008
graduation ceremonies by current students at an exhibition stand, where they
distributed memorabilia and literature and responded to the graduands’ enquiries.
They spoke to over 60% of graduands – capturing their contact details and
encouraging them to register on YMO.

Alumni membership cards continue to be distributed to new graduates, alumni
whose addresses have been previously ‘lost’, and all members requesting
replacement cards. The letter accompanying the card continues to promote the
alumni services, including Your Manchester Online.
Alumni Events
The following is a list of previous events that have taken place since those reported
at the 2008 AGM, along with a note of forthcoming events.

6 March 2008
‘Your Manchester Insights’ Lecture
Professor Andrew Loudon, Faculty of Life Sciences
‘Your Biological Clockwork Revealed’
286 attended

1 April 2008
Alumni Reception in Seoul, Korea
Hosted by the President and Vice Chancellor
100 attended

21 May 2008
Alumni Business Networking Reception in London.
Held at the Commonwealth Club, London
33 attended
‘Your Manchester Insights’ Lecture in London
Professor Phil Diamond, Jodrell Bank
‘Radio Astronomy at The University of Manchester’s
Jodrell Bank – Past, Present and Future’
45 attended

22 May 2008
Donor Reception, London
Hosted by Wendy Mayall (BSc Hons Management
Sciences 1979) at Unilever, London
48 attended

12 June 2008
Cockcroft Rutherford Lecture and Dinner.
Professor Robert Putnam, Visiting Professor and
Director of the Graduate Programme in Social
Change at The University of Manchester.
‘E Pluribus Unum: Diversity and Community in the
21st Century’
195 attended lecture
Dinner hosted by the President and Vice Chancellor

26 June 2008
Alumni Reception in Athens, Greece
To celebrate the 60th Anniversary of the computer

25 September 2008
‘Your Manchester Insights’ Lecture
Professor Colin Sibley, Faculty of Medical and Human
Sciences
‘Finding Solutions to Problem Pregnancies’
62 attended

14 October 2008
Alumni Business Networking Reception in London
Held at the Savile Club, London
44 attended
‘Your Manchester Insights’ Lecture in London
Professor Steve Furber, Faculty of Engineering and
Physical Sciences
‘The Relentless March of the Microchip’
44 attended

13 November 2008
Alumni Reception in Boston, USA
Held at the British Consulate, Boston
Hosted by the President and Vice Chancellor
45 attended

7 December 2008
Alumni Reception in Shanghai, China
Hosted by Professor Alistair Ulph, Faculty of
Humanities
109 attended

10 December 2008
Alumni Reception in Beijing, China
Hosted by Professor Alistair Ulph, Faculty of
Humanities
106 attended
Outstanding Alumnus Award Presentation
Presentation and lunch in honour of John Cheffins
FREng CBE (BSc Hons Mechanical Engineering
1971, former Chief Operating Officer, Rolls Royce plc)

11 December 2008
Alumni Dinner in London
Held at the RAF Club, London
Hosted by the President and Vice Chancellor
70 attended

12 December 2008
Alumni Reception in Hong Kong
Hosted by Professor Alistair Ulph, Faculty of
Humanities
144 attended

17 December 2008
Outstanding Alumnus Award Presentation
Award presented at the degree ceremony and
celebratory lunch in honour of Lazaros Savvides (PhD
Electrical Engineering 1972, Permanent Secretary,
Ministry of Interior, Republic of Cyprus)

12 February 2009
‘Your Manchester Insights’ Lecture
Dr Phil Manning, Manchester Museum
‘Star-dust and Dinosaurs’
104 attended

28 April 2009
Annual Cockcroft Rutherford Lecture
Professor Mohan Munasinghe, Director General of
the Sustainable Consumption Institute, The University
of Manchester
‘Solving the Climate Change and Sustainable
Development Problems Together’

14 May 2009
Alumni Business Networking Reception in London
To be held at the Royal Overseas League, London
‘Your Manchester Insights’ Lecture in London
Dr Stephen Taylor, Faculty of Life Sciences
‘Cell Division: from basic cell biology to anti cancer
drugs and back again’
International Alumni Activity
Since the AGM in 2008 the following international alumni events have taken place
(in addition to those included above), and future events planned are also listed
below:

15 March 2008
Alumni gathering in Douala, Cameroon

25 March 2008
Alumni gathering in New York, USA

24 April 2008
Alumni gathering in Los Angeles, USA

12 May 2008
Alumni gathering in Ottawa, Canada

17 May 2008
Alumni gathering in Singapore

20 May 2008
Alumni gathering in Washington DC, USA

7 June 2008
Alumni gathering in Wurzburg, Germany

27 July 2008
Alumni gathering in Saratoga, California, USA

30 August 2008
Alumni gathering in Calgary, Canada

12 September 2008
Alumni gathering in Nicosia, Cyprus

17 October 2008
Alumni gathering in Hong Kong

20 October 2008
Alumni gathering in Chicago, USA

6 November 2008
Alumni gathering in Toronto, Canada

8 November 2008
Alumni gathering in Pennsylvania, USA

17 January 2009
Alumni gathering in Mumbai, India

30 January 2009
Alumni gathering in Kenya

21 February 2009
Alumni gathering in Pennsylvania, USA
Alumni gathering in The Netherlands

7 March 2009
Alumni gathering in Spain
Alumni Benefits
In addition to those alumni benefits listed at the 2008 AGM, new benefits/discounts
are continually being negotiated, to add to those already established. Recent
additions include reduced rates on Will Writing Services with Irwin Mitchell Solicitors
and enhanced membership benefits offered by the Commonwealth Club, London.
New negotiations with companies and organisations offering quality products but
not yet represented are continually ongoing.
Special Interest Alumni Groups
The Division of Development and Alumni Relations remains keen to work with, and
help develop, Special Interest and Regional Alumni Groups, examples include:





Business Networking in the North West and London
Law (MULGA)
Overseas groups
North West Group
Alumni Sports Network
Medical Network
2015 Club
In addition to the 10 existing members of the 2015 Club (Austria, China, France,
Greece, Japan, Singapore, Northern California, Southern California, New York,
New England, Four Corner States) we are expecting further members to join once
the new chapters are fully launched. In particular, the group in Australia has
recently been developing its network and is expected to become a 2015 Club
Member. Informal alumni groups also exist in the following countries: Baltic States,
Bangladesh, Iran, Israel, India, Indonesia, Italy, Mauritius, Nigeria, Pakistan,
Philippines, Spain, Texas, The Netherlands, and Turkey. New groups are now
being established in Canada, and the Mid-Western States of the USA.
3.
Development and Your Manchester Fund
You will receive a verbal update from the Director of Development on progress
made in alumni and wider fundraising programmes across the University. I will
therefore restrict my comments in this report, but would like to mention my pleasure
as Chair of the Steering Group in reflecting on the number of outstanding students
we have been able to support over the last year. These include:


8 Global Outreach Scholars from developing countries
10 Research Impact Scholars undertaking PhDs across the University
79 Opportunity Manchester Scholars (undergraduates from the local community)
I would also like to add my personal thanks to all of you who have joined me in
supporting the re-branded Your Manchester Fund.
4.
Outstanding Alumni Awards
Outstanding Alumni Awards are given to former students who have achieved
distinction within their profession; have provided exemplary service to the University
or have made an outstanding contribution of a personal humanitarian nature.
Outstanding Alumni Awards 2008 were presented to:
Mr Jeremy Coller (BSc Management Sciences 1979) – Founder and Chief
Executive of Coller Capital

Mr Richard Harvey (BSc Mathematics 1971) – Former Group Chief Executive,
Aviva plc

Professor Alan Russell (BSc Hons Biochemistry 1984) – Director of the
McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine

Professor Helen Whitwell (MBChB 1977) – Head of the Department of Forensic
Pathology, University of Sheffield; Consultant Pathologist to the Home Office
Awards are in process of being offered for 2009 and further details will be provided
in the magazine and on the website.
5. General

Discussions held (and ongoing) with colleagues across campus who run
School-based or special interest based alumni programmes in order that a coordinated approach to alumni is maintained and ‘best practice’ applied at all
times.

The Alumni Association was represented by Dr Roy Wood and Mr Alan Randall
Jones during the Remembrance Sunday Service in the Main Quadrangle and
they presented the Association’s Poppy Wreath.
RESOLVED:
i)
The events calendar on YMO should be made accessible to non YMO
registrants.
ii)
Thanks were recorded for the comprehensive programme of events that had
been available for alumni to enjoy over the year.
09/04 A report on the outcome of the Chancellor’s election and to discuss the
future election process
RECEIVED:
A report on the outcome of the Chancellor’s election (Paper No AGM 021/09)
NOTED:
i)
The successful appointment of Mr Tom Bloxham as Chancellor for a period of 7
years.
ii)
Members felt that the process to elect a new Chancellor for the University had
been complicated throughout and there was scope to improve communications
to the alumni audience.
iii)
Members expressed concern over the low percentage of votes cast by the
electorate.
iv)
Members were concerned that under the current system a situation could arise
when only one candidate would be validly nominated as Chancellor and
therefore there would be no election process – which was considered
constitutionally incorrect.
REPORTED:
v)
For the elections of members to the Board of Governors and General Assembly,
while the various promotional procedures had been followed (ie magazine and
web), it had not been possible to send out an email alert to alumni at a critical
time. This was because of overwhelming pressures in DDAR during December
and January due to a high volume of events, staff absence and illness, which
were compounded by IT difficulties.
RESOLVED:
vi)
In future there would be longer lead times in the planning and nomination
stages to improve communications and encourage more people to participate in
the electoral processes.
vii)
The Deputy Secretary would give further consideration to dealing with a case of
a single nomination in future Chancellor’s elections.
09/05 A report on the alumni representatives to serve on the Board of Governors
RECEIVED:
A report on the alumni representatives to serve on the Board of Governors
PROPOSED:
i)
That Peter Readle be re-elected for a further 3 year period.
RESOLVED:
ii)
That the University Nominations Committee be requested to approve this
nomination.
09/06 A report on seven alumni representatives nominated to serve on the General
Assembly (from September 2009)
RECEIVED:
A report on seven alumni representatives nominated to serve on the General Assembly
(from September 2009) (Paper No AGM 03/09)
AGREED:
i)
The following alumni representatives be appointed/re-appointed to serve on the
General Assembly for a 3 year period:Mr Christopher J Boyes, Eur Ing Dr Royston Flude, Mr James Hancock, Mr
Richard Hassan, Mr Barry Lockwood, Mr Tony D Morris, Mr Peter H Readle.
RESOLVED:
ii)
That the Nominations Committee should reflect on attendance at meetings by
General Assembly members standing for re-elections.
09/07 Alumni Association finances
RECEIVED:
A report of the Alumni Association’s funds (Paper No. AGM 04/09)
09/08 Questions and feedback
NOTED:
i)
Alumni members commented on the different format for the Cockcroft
Rutherford 2009 lecture – which would not have a formal dinner following the
lecture. It was felt that there was a need to continue to accommodate the
Cockcroft family and make them feel special for example having a private
reception or dinner for them, before or after the lecture.
ii)
Alumni members requested that microphones be used by the speakers at future
meetings.
iii)
Alumni members expressed regret that extramural activities for the public, run
by the University, had been terminated.
iv)
Thanks were reiterated on behalf of the Alumni Association to the event
organisers.
09/09 A presentation by Professor Simon Gaskell, Vice-President (Research)
RECEIVED:
A presentation by Professor Simon Gaskell, Vice-President (Research) on the Research
Assessment Exercise 2008 and the Teaching and Learning Review.
09/10 An Update on the Your Manchester Fund and presentation by Gordon Ariho
RECEIVED:
An Update on the Your Manchester Fund and presentation by Gordon Ariho (Global
Outreach Scholar, The University of Manchester)
09/11 Chairman’s closing remarks
RECEIVED:
i)
The Chairman thanked all present for their continued support and welcomed
further ideas and feedback.
ii)
The meeting closed at 19.45 and there was then further opportunity for cheese
and wine refreshment and networking.
09/12 Date and time of the next meeting
APPROVED:
The 2010 AGM should take place on Wednesday, 24 March 2010 at 17.00 for 17.30, with a
similar format.