UNIVERSITY OF NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE
COURT
9 MAY 2003
Present:
The Chancellor (in the Chair), The Vice-Chancellor, Professor J
B Goddard (Deputy Vice-Chancellor), Professor M J Atkins and
Professor T F Page (Pro-Vice-Chancellors, Miss L Allason-Jones,
Professor T Anderson, Mr W R Atkinson, Mr A G Balls,
Professor P H Baylis, Professor F Coffield, Dr J N Coleman, Dr
E G N Cross, Professor A Crowe, Councillor M Dent, Mr H
Faulkner-Brown, Mr J J Fenwick, Mrs M O Grant, Dr S M Haile,
Ms C M Harvey, Dr R Hawley, His Honour Judge David Hodson,
Mr J Jeffery, Miss F M Kirkby, Councillor G T Knox, Professor
Li Wei, Dr H Loebl, Mrs S Murray, Lord Bishop of Newcastle,
Professor P J W Olive, Dr K J Orford, Mr N Sherlock, Mr H M
Shukla, Mr A C Taylor, Councillor K Taylor, Professor J A
Walker, Sir John Willis, Mr D K Wilson.
In attendance:
The Registrar, Mr C J Cox (Director of Development), Mr P S
Mitchell (Academic Registrar) and Ms G M Bell (Assistant
Registrar).
Apologies for
absence:
Dr J C Appleby, Professor D R Charles, Mr D Davidson, Mr G
M Reeves, Lord Walton of Detchant, Councillor J Watson, Dr I
Winterton.
MINUTES
I. MINUTES
5.
The Minutes of the meeting held on 2 December 2002 were approved as a
correct record and signed.
II. CONGRATULATIONS
6.
Reported:
(a)
That Mr Nigel Sherlock and Mr Hari Shukla had both been awarded
OBEs in the New Year Honours List.
(b)
That Dr Herbert Loebl would be receiving an Honorary DSc from the
University at the Congregation on 9 May 2003.
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III. REPORT BY THE VICE-CHANCELLOR
7.
Received:
An oral presentation by the Vice-Chancellor on key issues pertaining to the
University, most notably the publication of the Government White Paper ‘The
Future of Higher Education’, the University’s response to which is attached
for information.
(Appendix I)
Noted:
1.
That financially the University had grown in a remarkable way with a
9.4% increase over the last four years and that a turnover of £219m was
forecast for 2002/03.
2.
That the University had a number of capital projects underway or
planned including the Devonshire Building which would house one of
the largest interdisciplinary research groups on the environment in the
UK.
3.
That the University had been very successful in its overseas recruitment
this year and had attracted a significant number of international students
over and above the forecast.
4.
That the judging team for the European Capital of Culture 2008 had
recently visited Newcastle/Gateshead and had specifically requested to
meet with University representatives to find out first hand about its
contribution to the bid.
5.
That, unusually for regional development agencies, One North East had
placed universities at the heart of its regional economic strategy and had
identified five areas of excellence with which this University is closely
involved. The five regional Centres of Excellence are in the following
fields: digital, life sciences, nanotechnology, new and renewable
energies, and process industries
6.
That there was a need for further discussion at a national level about the
role of higher education particularly in the light of issues raised by the
White Paper and developments such as those referred to in note 5 above.
IV. PLANNING FOR PHILANTHROPY
8.
Considered:
A presentation by the Director of Development, Mr C J Cox entitled ‘Planning
for Philanthropy: an update’ for which a copy of the slides are attached.
(Appendix II)
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Noted:
1.
that the fund raising work of the Development Council aimed at
complementing, and not replacing, core funding from the Government,
2.
that the Development Council was separate from the Development Trust
although their functions were complementary,
3.
that in respect of planned giving the Treasury was known to be currently
looking at the tax advantages to donors within their lifetime,
Resolved:
That a list of the project priorities agreed by the Development Council at its
meeting on 10 May be circulated to Court members.
(Appendix III)
V. REVIEW OF COURT
9.
Considered:
A discussion paper on the role and functioning of the Court.
[Circulated with the Agenda as Document A]
After noting:
1.
that Court welcomed the clarification the paper provided on the role of
Court in universities,
2.
the general support for a focussed review of Court and that it was timely
given the recent review of Council and Senate,
3.
the potential value of Court members to the University outside of the
formal meetings and the importance of active engagement with and
effective utilisation of lay Court members to the benefit of the University
and higher education in general,
4.
the usefulness of Court as a consultative body within the overall
management and governance of the University and the assistance it can
provide in the protection of its reputation and its development,
5.
that Court members would be invited to submit individual comments to
the review,
6.
that it would be useful for the review to examine the advantages and
disadvantages of increasing the membership of Court,
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Resolved:
(i)
That a limited review of Court be undertaken, focussing on a
consideration of its composition, in the context of its engagement with
the local, regional and national communities.
(ii)
That a small sub-committee, under the Chairmanship of Mr Reay
Atkinson and comprising representatives of the different interests on
Court, carry out this review with a view to making a report to Court at
its meeting in December 2003.
VI. MEETINGS 2003/04
10.
Reported:
That meetings of Court in the forthcoming academic session had been
preliminarily scheduled for:
11.30 a.m. on Monday, 15 December 2003
11.30 a.m. on Friday, 7 May 2004