Minutes of the 246th Meeting of the University Council held on 24 October
1997.
Dr S C Miller
Mr. H. Barber Professor D.J. Hourston
Mr. G. Barfield Professor M. Hutchinson (ab)
Mr. J.B.C. Blood (ab) Mr. M. Joyce
Mr. R.H. Boissier (ab) Mr. E.O. Maxwell
Dr. W.R. Bowman Professor R. McCaffer
Mr. T.G.M. Brooks (ab) Mr. A. Milne
Professor L.M. Cantor Mr. M. Moghal
Professor S.J. Cox (ab) Professor I.C. Morison
Professor J.V. Dawkins Mr. W.M. Moss
Dr. A.M. Duncan Mr. D'A.T.N. Payne
Dr. D.W. Edwards Dr. A.C. Pugh
Dr. A.N. Fairbairn Professor P.H. Roberts (ab)
Professor J.P. Feather Sir Denis Rooke
Mr. G.P. Fothergill (ab) Professor M. Shaw (ab)
Dr. M. Gilbert Mr. M. Shuker
Mr. S.J. Gorton Ven. I. Stanes
Dr. J.K. Green Mrs. C. Stephens (ab)
Professor N.A. Halliwell Mrs. J.A.M. Strong
Mr. P.W. Harrisson (ab) Mr. E. Waite (ab)
Miss J.E.L. Harvatt (ab) Professor D.J. Wallace
Dr. R.A. Haskins Professor C. Williams (ab)
Dr. T. Higgins Ms. J. Willmott
Professor J.R. Hough
By invitation: Professor H. Thomason (ab)
In attendance: Dr. J.E.M. Elliott
Dr. D.E. Fletcher
Ms. E.A. Howarth
Mr. H.E. Jones (for Minute 97/76)
Apologies for absence were received from Mr Blood, Mr. Boissier, Mr.
Brooks,
Professor Cox, Mr. Fothergill, Mr. Harrisson, Miss Harvatt,
Professor Hutchinson, Professor Roberts, Professor Shaw, Mrs. Stephens,
Professor Thomason, Mr. Waite and Professor Williams.
The Chair welcomed new members.
The Vice-Chancellor reported that:
- .1
- In recent Teaching Quality Assessments undertaken by the new national
Quality Assurance Agency, the Department of Electronic and Electrical
Engineering and the Drama section of the Department of English and Drama had
achieved total scores of 22/24 and 23/24 respectively
under the Assessment's six headings. The Departments and Support Sections were
to be congratulated.
- .2
- The Business School/Economics building was progressing. Whilst it was
behind schedule in terms of completion, the project remained within budget.
- .3
- The Engineering Building project continued to be under discussion and it
was hoped that proposals would come forward to Council at its next meeting.
- .4
- Under the Senior Pro-Vice-Chancellor's chairmanship, a group was reviewing
the Support Services and a preliminary report was expected by Christmas.
- .5
- New arrangements had been made for meetings of Senior Officers such that
the Vice-Chancellor's Advisory Group (comprising the Vice-Chancellor, Senior
Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research), Pro-Vice-Chancellor
(Teaching), Registrar and Bursar) and Executive Management Group (comprising
the Vice-Chancellor's Advisory Group plus the Deans and Pro-Vice-Chancellor
(External Relations)) would meet on alternate weeks. These new arrangements
recognised the Deans' increasingly significant managerial role and were
intended to ensure good communication amongst senior managers.
- .6
- Detailed planning for the merger with Loughborough College of Art and
Design was progressing well and had now been largely absorbed within the
University's existing committee structure.
- .7
- There had as yet been no official announcement on the British Academy of
Sport. It appeared to be the case that the consortium bid in which the
University was involved had been recommended by the UK Sports Council and a
final Government decision was now awaited.
- .8
- At an event earlier in the week attended by the Lord Lieutenant and the
Mayor, the Vice-Chancellor had signed an agreement on Energy Efficiency in the
University. The target was a 6% efficiency gain per annum.
- .9
- Student teams were making excellent progress in national leagues, with
women's teams in Division I for league hockey and the premier division for
tennis, and the men's team playing national hockey for the first time. In
competition against Birmingham University, a major sporting competitor, that
week, Loughborough Students had achieved 24 wins, 3 draws and 5 losses.
- .10
- The student registration process had this year taken place in the
Students' Union building in collaboration with LSU. The process had been much
improved as a result.
- .1
- Council received position papers from Senior Officers. Council was
reminded that the recommendations within the Report would require Government
acceptance and indeed a major recommendation on student support had already
been significantly adjusted by the Government. A White Paper on Lifelong
Learning was expected shortly that would address many of the issues within the
Report. Council's views were now being sought on the Report's main
recommendations.
-
- Government Fee Proposals: Annex B
- .2
- Council considered Annex B on the Government's fee proposals and was
informed that the figures quoted by the DfEE on the threshold on parental
income before the tuition fee became payable had been disputed by the Local
Government Association, which was claiming a threshold in gross parental income
of £18,000 rather than £23,000. Council was also informed that the £1000
tuition fee would in no way meet the deficit in Higher Education estimated by
the Dearing Committee. Little extra money could be expected for Higher
Education; the only expectation could be financial cuts limited to 1% per annum
per student.
- .3
- Some members expressed their concern that, with the introduction of the
£1,000 means-tested tuition fee for new full-time undergraduates in 1998, the
important principle of free education was being lost for little gain. The
bureaucratic machinery to handle the new fees would be costly and pressure
should be brought to bear on the Government to seek alternative ways to raise
the revenue. Despite the Dearing Committee's recommendation that the
proportion of tuition costs to be met by students should not be increased
without an independent review and an affirmative resolution of both Houses of
Parliament, it was felt that once the principle of free education had been
breached, the proportion of the tuition fee to be paid by students was likely
to be increased with little difficulty in order to meet Treasury needs.
- .4
- Some other members expressed the view that whilst the imposition of a
tuition fee charge to students was regrettable, there was no other alternative
if a quality Higher Education was to be provided to increasing student numbers,
as this burden could no longer fall to the taxpayer. In any case the principle
of free education did not currently extend to part-time students or
postgraduates and what was important to ensure in the future was equality of
opportunity.
- .5
- It was reported that anecdotal evidence suggested that access to Higher
Education would be damaged by the imposition of tuition fees, and the conflict
between Dearing's recommendations on tuition fees and the expansion of Higher
Education and the widening of access was highlighted. Evidence from other
countries which had imposed tuition fees suggested a dip in recruitment was
likely for a year or so following the introduction of fees, followed by a
subsequent upward trend in recruitment.
- .6
- It was suggested that the public perception was that Higher Education would
directly benefit from tuition fees, and that moves to counter this
misconception would help to make any future increase in the proportion of
tuition fees charged to students more difficult. Whilst voicing opposition to
tuition fees might now have little effect on their introduction, it could help
to ensure that this imposition was sensibly managed in the future.
- .7
- In conclusion Council expressed its regret at the necessity to introduce
tuition fees and noted that some members remained vehemently opposed to their
introduction. It strongly endorsed the Vice-Chancellor's view that it was
important for the University to work to attract students and to provide them
with the highest quality of experience and support during their study at the
University.
-
- Funding and Student Support: Annex C
- .8
- Council considered a paper from the Vice-Chancellor outlining an Action
Plan on Student Support. Council was informed that the position on tuition
fees for the sandwich year had now been clarified and a £500 tuition fee would
payable by students during their placement year.
- .9
- Council was alerted to the need for information on action being taken by
other institutions in terms of bursaries and sponsorship, to serve as a
benchmark. In terms of negotiating industrial placements for students, it was
noted that these might better be arranged at Faculty level.
- .10
- The need for careful monitoring from a quality perspective was highlighted
with the likely greater involvement of students in teaching activities.
Council was assured that the necessary monitoring systems were in place, and
postgraduate students were subject to a training requirement. Caution was also
expressed concerning the proposed increased opportunity for student employment
in other duties currently undertaken by University staff, and the need for
formal consultation with campus Trades Unions to avoid conflict. There was
also a potential risk to efficiency should work normally undertaken by staff be
undertaken on an ad hoc basis by students. Council was reminded, however, that
the University currently spent significant sums employing outside agencies and
temporary staff, and it was in such cases that the employment of students
offered real gains.
- .11
- In regard to sponsorship by industry and other agencies, members suggested
that the University should spread its net widely for sponsors, not relying on
just a few. A variety of funding sources should be explored, particularly for
postgraduate students in view of the likely downturn in applicants once
undergraduate entrants in 1998 had graduated already heavily in debt.
-
- Regionalisation: Annex D
- .12
- A member suggested that the University needed to take positive action to
increase its links with the Further Education sector. Council was informed
that there was increasing involvement with Loughborough College and other
colleges in Leicestershire with which Access routes had been developed. The
University currently had no franchising activities as a matter of policy, but
it would now be appropriate to re-examine that policy.
-
- Corporate Governance: Annex E
- .13
- The Registrar informed Council that in addition to the comments of the
Internal Auditors on the University's sound arrangements for ensuring effective
Corporate Governance, a recent draft report from the HEFCE Auditor had stated
that "We established a commendable scope of practice which conforms to, and in
some cases exceeds, extant guidance for the higher education sector". Council
could therefore be assured of the University's strong position on Corporate
Governance.
- .14
- In regard to Recommendation 57, Council was informed that its constitution
currently numbered 48, not atypical of the pre-1992 universities. A reduction
in number would create difficulties in the operation of the University's
committee structure in terms of lay Council membership, and be likely to have a
detrimental effect on strategic discussion currently assisted by Council's
broad representation. Council noted that the Dearing Report had provided no
justification for its recommendation that a Governing Body should have no more
than 25 members. It was commented that a body of 25 members was neither small
enough for interactive discussion nor large enough for stakeholder breadth.
Council AGREED that its membership should remain at its current size.
-
- .15
- In regard to Recommendation 55 restricting a member of a governing body to
two terms, it was considered that in the absence of evidence to support this
recommendation, Council should continue with its current restriction of three
terms with the flexibility to relax the rule when appropriate.
- .1
- Council received a report on home undergraduate recruitment in 1997.
Council was informed that recruitment was expected to be 2% over target and as
such the University would not be liable for a financial penalty for
over-recruitment. There had been over-recruitment nationally, probably in
response to the introduction of tuition fees in 1998. There had been no
diminution of entry standards to achieve the University's targets and the entry
qualification mix had been broadened, the intake of GNVQ holders being doubled.
Admissions Tutors were to be congratulated on successfully attracting
applicants and converting them to confirmed choices.
- .2
- Council received a tabled report on international recruitment for
undergraduates and taught postgraduates. Recruitment was reported to be
disappointing compared with the 1996 position. There had been a 150% increase
in the University's international undergraduate recruitment over the last ten
years, and ways to recover this year's position were being urgently explored.
It was likely that unfavourable currency rates in the Far East had deterred
some students, particularly from Malaysia. Recruitment was now extending more
to the Science and Social Sciences and Humanities Faculties rather than being
primarily concentrated within Engineering departments. The University was
working to build up new markets and in particular was targeting Taiwan, East
Africa and Norway.
- .3
- In response to particular queries it was AGREED that Council should receive
the following additional information with the Minutes:
- (a)
- a breakdown by programme of `A' level grades for 1996 and 1997 entrants
(Attached as Annex A to the Minutes)
- (b)
- a breakdown by Department of gender for 1996 and 1997 entrants
(Attached as Annex B to the Minutes)
-
- Council was informed that the 2 male:1 female gender ratio of entrants
represented no change on 1996. The University's course mix did not currently
reflect equal appeal across genders, but efforts were being made to bring
female students leading up to their GSCEs onto the campus to encourage interest
in science and engineering subjects. An improved gender balance could be
expected from the merger with LCAD.
-
- Council would also receive in due course the University's response to the
Dearing Report on qualifications for 16 to 18 years olds.
Further to Minute 97/36 of the 244th meeting on 16 July 1997, it was RESOLVED
to approve a recommendation of the Nominating Committee.
Further to Minute 97/31 of the 244th meeting on 16 July 1997, it was RESOLVED
to approve a Special Resolution for changes to Statute XIII and noted that
Council would be asked to confirm this Special Resolution at its next meeting.
- .1
- The membership of Council for the Session 1997-98 was noted.
- .2
- Further to Minute 97/46.3 of the 244th Meeting, it was RESOLVED to approve
a list of appointments to vacancies on Council Committees and Joint Committees
with Senate.
The duties and responsibilities of Members of Council were noted.
Council noted that the 1998 Annual Meeting of the University Court would be
held at
2.00 pm on Wednesday 4 February 1998. All members of Council were
members of the University Court.
- * Wednesday 17 December 1997 at 10.45 am
- * *Wednesday 11 February 1998 at 2.15 pm
- * Wednesday 25 March 1998 at 10.45 am
- * Wednesday 15 July 1998 at 10.45 am
(* only if required: at least two weeks notice to be given)
Author - Dr J E M Elliott
Date - October 1997
Copyright (c) Loughborough University. All rights reserved.