the
COURT
MINUTES of the second meeting of the 2000/2001 academic year held on
Thursday, 15 February, 2001, in the Council Room, Queen Anne Court, Maritime
Greenwich University Campus, commencing at 7.30 pm.
Present:
Mr C R H Bull (in the Chair)
Prof D Chambers
Ms F Crook
Mrs G D duCharme
Dr L Garner
Mr J C Gould
Mrs M McKinlay
Mrs A-M Nelson
Mr P E Oldham
Mr D Pointer
Mr I R Price
Mr E P Stigant
Dr C St John-Brooks
Mr Y S Tan
Prof R H Trainor
In attendance:
Mr J M Charles
Mr R Denton
Prof J Humphreys
Prof D Wills
Apologies for absence were received from Mr T C Baker and Dr D Quarmby.
WELCOME TO NEW MEMBERS
00/01.2.1
The Chairman welcomed Caroline St John-Brooks to her first meeting.
DECLARATION OF CONFLICT OF INTERESTS
00/01.2.2
No declarations of interests were declared.
MEMBERSHIP
00/01.2.3
The Court noted with regret the resignations of Trevor Hall and Valerie
Vaughan-Dick as Governors. Their contributions to Court meetings would be
missed but unfortunately the Court meetings clashed with other commitments.
Any suggestions for appointments as Governor should be forwarded to the
University Secretary for consideration by the Nominations Committee.
Court: 15 February 2001
page 1
MINUTES OF MEETING HELD ON 16 OCTOBER 2000
00/01.2.4
The minutes of the meeting held on 16 October 2000 were taken as read and
signed as a true record.
HEALTH & SAFETY COMMITTEE CONSTITUTION
00/01.2.5
It was noted that, after a long consultative process, agreement had been
reached with the Unions.
00/01.2.6
The Court approved:
i
ii
a three tier Health and Safety Committee structure consisting of:
a
School and Departmental Health and Safety Committees (as
required by the University Health and Safety Policy)
b
Campus level Health and Safety Committees (constitutions and
terms of reference to be approved by the University Health and
Safety Committee
c
University Health and Safety Committee.
the constitution and terms of reference of the University Health and
Safety Committee (attached as Appendix 1).
EFFECTIVE FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT
00/01.2.8
It was noted that:
i
no comments on the draft report had yet been submitted to the
Secretary.
ii
Valerie Vaughan-Dick, the Court representative on the working group,
had resigned from the Court. Although the working group had
completed its main task it was required by the Court to re-consider
response 2.4 on awareness of control failures in the light of the
investigation into the problems at NRI and to consider any comments
submitted by Governors. The Chairman was given delegated authority
to appoint a Governor to the working group.
COMMITTEE MINUTES
00/01.2.9
The minutes of the following meetings were received:
Court: 15 February 2001
page 2
i
ii
iii
iv
v
vi
Remuneration Committee held on 16 October 2000
Finance & Estates Committee held on 27 November 2000
Audit Committee held on 4 December 2000
Ad Hoc NRI Supervisory Committee held on 11 December 2000
Ad Hoc NRI Supervisory Committee held on 30 January 2001
Audit Committee held on 5 February 2001.
AD HOC NRI SUPERVISORY COMMITTEE
00/01.2.10
Mary McKinlay, Chairman of the Ad Hoc NRI Supervisory Committee,
formed at the October Court meeting following consideration of the problem
of over-stating work-in-progress in the NRI accounts, reported on the first two
meetings of the Committee.
00/01.2.11
It was noted that Ernst & Young with Morgan Harris Burrows had been
appointed as consultants to undertake an independent review of NRI. They
were not limiting their review to the financial problems but were looking at all
aspects of NRI activities including its relationship with NR International.
Their report, which would be looking forward as well as reviewing the past,
would be submitted to the University on 28 February. It would be
immediately circulated to members of the Ad Hoc Committee who would
discuss it at a meeting on 5 March. Audit aspects of the report would be
considered by Audit Committee at its meeting on 12 March 2001.
RACHEL McMILLAN – LAND AND BUILDINGS
00/01.2.12
The Court noted that:
i
a pro rata price had been quoted to Goldsmiths College for the area of
the Rachel McMillan land and buildings over which Goldsmiths had
pre-emption rights
ii
the University’s property advisers had been instructed to undertaken an
updating of their valuation report of November 1999 and to place it on
the market.
STUDENT RECRUITMENT 2000/2001
00/01.2.13
The Court received an analysis of early funding returns (December 2000)
together with technical notes and noted that the number of students registered
and recorded in the early funding return to HEFCE indicated that the
University was likely to achieve its contract with the Funding Council.
Court: 15 February 2001
page 3
UPDATE ON 2000/2001 BUDGET
00/01.2.14
The Court approved revisions in the 2000/2001 Budget.
CAMPUS OPTIONS APPRAISAL EXERCISE
00/01.2.15
The Court noted that the Finance & Estates Committee’s recommendations,
following its consideration of the Options Appraisal report, dealt with space
matters and so had been incorporated in the Vice-Chancellor’s paper – A
Framework for the Strategy and Structure of the University 2000-2003/5
which examined all aspects of the University and its future.
DREADNOUGHT CATERING
00/01.2.16
The Court noted that, after several extensions of the deadline (originally
September 2000) for the opening of the coffee bar in the Dreadnought Library
by Chartbest Ltd, they failed to meet the final extended deadline to obtain
Planning Permission and commence the necessary building works and so the
agreement had been terminated. Discussions were taking place to determine
the optimum alternative use of the space.
AVERY HILL STUDENT VILLAGE
00/01.2.17
The Court received a briefing paper from the Director of Finance giving the
background on the dispute with Customs & Excise and a copy of a letter dated
1 December 2000 with the reply from PWC on the University’s behalf dated 2
February 2001 giving the latest position on the dispute with Inland Revenue.
REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 JULY 2000
00/01.2.18
The Court noted that Financial Statements for the year ended 31 July 2000
were not yet available because the Auditor had not completed his work. The
uncertainty related only to NRI work-in-progress and not to any other part of
the accounts.
00/01.2.19
The Court endorsed the view of the Audit Committee and resolved that the
Report and Financial Statements for the year ended 31 July 2000 be submitted
to the Court meeting scheduled for 2 April 2001 and that prior to that they be
scrutinised at the March meetings of the Audit Committee and the Finance &
Estates Committee.
Court: 15 February 2001
page 4
ACADEMIC COUNCIL
00/01.2.20
The Court received a paper from the Academic Registrar highlighting major
items from the meeting of Academic Council on 6 December 2000 together
with copies of the minutes of the meeting.
VIRTUAL GRADUATE SCHOOL
00/01.2.21
The Court noted the paragraphs in the Academic Registrar’s report on the
Virtual Graduate School and supplementary information was provided by John
Humphreys, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Academic).
E-UNIVERSITY
00/01.2.22
The Court noted the Academic Council minute entitled E-University which
stated that Council would be receiving a further report. It was agreed that
following consideration of this matter by Academic Council a report should be
received by the Court.
A FRAMEWORK FOR THE STRATEGY AND STRUCTURE OF THE UNIVERSITY
00/01.2.23
The Court considered a paper by the Vice-Chancellor on the University’s
Strategy and Structure during the period 2000-2003/5. After considerable
discussion which included the levels of consultation which had already taken
place and detailed plans for wide consultation on specific proposals which
would take place if the Court approved the strategy paper, the Court endorsed
the Vice-Chancellor’s paper as a framework for the strategy and structure of
the University and as a mandate to bring back detailed proposals including
financial implications for the implementation of the strategies in the paper.
00/01.2.24
Les Garner requested that the dissension from the otherwise unanimous
endorsement of the strategy by the Court of the two Governors appointed after
election by and from staff be recorded.
APPOINTMENT OF UNIVERSITY SECRETARY
00/01.2.25
The Court noted that the current University Secretary, John Charles, retires on
31 August 2001. The Articles of Association specify that the University
Secretary is a Senior Post appointed by the Court. Having received a paper
from the Vice-Chancellor the Court resolved that a University Secretary
should be appointed as soon as possible and appointed a Selection Committee
consisting of:


Court: 15 February 2001
Pro Chancellor (chair)
Deputy Chair of Court
page 5




The Vice-Chancellor
The Pro Vice-Chancellor (Resources and Administration)
A member of the senior management team (Dr Mary Stiasny, Head
of the School of Education, or, if she is unavailable, another
member nominated by the Pro Chancellor)
An external adviser (to be nominated by the Pro Chancellor).
The decision of the Selection Committee would be presented to the Court for
ratification.
DAVID FUSSEY CHORAL EXHIBITIONS
00/01.2.26
The Court:
i
expressed its thanks to Beryl Fussey for the gift which would fund nine
Choral Exhibitions each year
ii
approved the setting up of a scheme whereby annually three first-year
students are awarded Choral Exhibitions, each Exhibition to be held for
up to a maximum period of three years, noting that should the
University choir cease to function then the whole of the capital used to
set up the bursaries would be given to the Ellenor Foundation.
THE RESPONSIBLE TRAVEL FOUNDATION
00/01.2.27
The Court:
i
noted that The Responsible Travel Foundation would be an
independent body and the University’s only involvement would be the
nomination of a trustee to the board
ii
nominated Professor David Wills to be a trustee of The Responsible
Travel Foundation.
NORTH KENT ARCHITECTURE CENTRE
00/01.2.28
The Court approved the nomination of Corine C F Delage as a Director of the
North Kent Architecture Centre.
PROFESSORIAL AND READER APPOINTMENTS
00/01.2.29
The Court noted the following awards of the title Professor, Reader, Visiting
Professor and Visiting Fellow made by the Professorial and Reader
Appointments Committee on 30 June 2000:
Court: 15 February 2001
page 6
Professors
Dr J Drucker
Professor J Hadgraft
Professor of Human Resource
Management
Professor of the Visual Arts &
Communication
Professor of Pharmaceutical Chemistry
Professor L Johnson
Dr K Parrott
Professor R Trainor
Professor of Business Systems
Professor of Computational Science
Professor of Social History
Medway
Sciences/NRI
Business
CMS
VC’s Office
Reader in Educational Research
Reader in Development Anthropology
Reader in English Local History
Education
NRI
Humanities
Dr S Golding
Business
Humanities
Readers
Dr N Hall
Dr J Morton
Dr M Zell
Visiting Professors
Professor A Couper
Professor M Gill
Visiting Professor in Maritime Policy
Visiting Professor in International
Agriculture
Dr R Knight
Visiting Professor in Naval History
Dr A Maries
Visiting Professor in Environmental
Technology
Dr J Miller
Visiting Professor in Solid State
Materials
Dr G Neal
Visiting Professor in Food Toxicology
Professor J Parsonage Visiting Professor in Chemistry
Dr F Pullen
Visiting Professor in Pharmaceutical
Analysis
GMI
NRI
Dr N Saunders
Visiting Professor in Clinical Molecular
Microbiology
Visiting Professor in Biological
Interactions
CLS
Visiting Fellow in Geological
Engineering Materials
Visiting Fellow in Geomaterials
Earth & Env
Sciences
Earth & Env
Sciences
Dr M Simmonds
GMI
Earth & Env
Sciences
CLS
NRI
CLS
CLS
NRI
Visiting Fellows
Dr A Poole
Dr M Tyler
ANNUAL REPORT ON STUDENT DISCIPLINARY CASES
00/01.2.30
The Court received the 1999/2000 Annual Report on Student Disciplinary
Cases.
Court: 15 February 2001
page 7
PROPOSALS FOR FULL AND PART TIME FEES 2001-2002 HOME STUDENTS
00/01.2.31
The Court approved fees for full-time and part-time home students for the
academic year 2001-2002 noting that the basic level of increase was 3%.
STAGE 3 GRIEVANCE
00/01.2.32
The Court received a report of the meeting of the Grievance Committee held
on Wednesday, 29November 2000 to hear Stage 3 grievances by Dr S M
Vaezi-Nejad, Medway School of Engineering, comprising two against
Professor A Reed, Head of the Medway School of Engineering and one against
Professor Mark Cross, Pro Vice-Chancellor, Research, Consultancy and
Outreach.
AWARD CEREMONIES
00/01.2.33
The Court noted the dates for Award Ceremonies in 2001.
PATENT APPLICATIONS FOR SILICATE/ALUMINATE MATERIALS
00/01.2.34
The Court:
i
approved the granting of general power of attorney to Nigel Shindler,
Gary Clifford March and David Stanley Weitzel of Messrs Batchellor,
Kirk & Co, London, to represent the University before all the
competent International Authorities in connection with any and all
international applications filed under the Patent Cooperation Treaty
with the United Kingdom Patent Office as receiving Office, and to
make or receive payments on behalf of the University
ii
appointed Henry P Goh,(PA/88/0011), Mary Carmel Syble Louis
(PA/92/0029) and David Alan Wyatt (PA/99/0073) of Messrs Henry
Goh & Co. Sdn. Bhd., of Suite 3.02, Level 3, AMODA Building, 22
Jalan Imbi, 55100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to act as the University’s
agent in connection with all matters relating to patent application no. PI
20005298 “Silicate/Aluminate materials”, to ratify all acts done by the
agent on the University’s behalf in connection with those matters, and
to request that all notices, requisitions and communications relating
thereto be sent to the agent at said address
iii
appointed Mr Evener J Villasanta, of Agcaoili & Associates, 7th Floor,
Citibank Center, Paseo de Roxas, Macati City, Metro Manila,
Philippines, its attorney or resident agent with full power of
substitution and revocation, to prosecute Philippine Patent application
Court: 15 February 2001
page 8
number 1-2000-0003105 and to transact all business in the Intellectual
Property Office (IPO) in connection therewith
iv
authorised the Administrative Secretary of the University, John Charles
Wallace, to sign on behalf of the Court such documents as may be
necessary to give effect to the granting of said powers of attorney and
authorisations.
USE OF UNIVERSITY SEAL
00/01.2.36
The Court approved the use of the Common Seal of the University on the
following:
i
Transfer re: Manresa House, Holybourne Avenue from University of
Greenwich to Parkstead House Limited Partnership
ii
re: Student Accommodation at Cutty Sark Development, Greenwich
between Hyde Housing Association and University of Greenwich
a
b
c
Agreement for Lease
Lease
Management Agreement
iii
Supplemental Licence for Alterations re: Dreadnought Seamen’s
Hospital, King William Walk, Greenwich, SE10 between the Secretary
of State for Defence (Greenwich Hospital) and University of
Greenwich
iv
Deed of Indemnity of Supplemental Deed of Planning Obligation re:
Devonport Nurses’ Home, King William Walk, Greenwich between
Mount Anvil Construction and the University of Greenwich
v
Supplemental Deed of Planning Obligation re: Devonport Nurses’
Home, King William Walk, Greenwich between the London Borough
of Greenwich, Hyde Housing Associated Limited and University of
Greenwich
vi
Standard Form of Agreement for the Appointment of an Architect re:
King William Court, Greenwich between S T Walker & Duckham
Limited and University of Greenwich.
The meeting finished at 10.42 pm.
JMC/21.2.01
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Court: 15 February 2001
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