Council

COUN98-M6

Dr. S.C. Miller (Chair); Mr. H. Barber (ab); Mr. J.B.C. Blood; Mr. R.H. Boissier; Dr. T.G.M. Brooks; Professor L.M. Cantor; Ms. R. Church; Professor S.J. Cox; Professor J.V. Dawkins; Ms. V. Dhupa; Dr. D.W. Edwards; Dr. A.N. Fairbairn; Professor J.P. Feather (ab); Mr. G.P. Fothergill (ab); Dr. M. Gilbert; Mr. S.J. Gorton; Dr. J.K. Green; Professsor N.A. Halliwell; Mr. P.W. Harrisson (ab); Miss J.E.L. Harvatt; Dr. R.A. Haskins; Dr. T. Higgins; Professor J.R. Hough; Professor D.J. Hourston; Mr. E.O. Maxwell (ab); Dr. G. Mason; Professor R. McCaffer; Mr. A. Milne; Mr. M. Moghal; Mr. W. Moore; Professor I.C. Morison; Mr. W.M. Moss; Mr. D'A.T.N. Payne; Dr. A.C. Pugh; Professor I. Reid; Professor P.H. Roberts (ab); Sir Denis Rooke; Dr. A.W. Rudge (ab); Mr. M. Shuker (ab); Ven. I. Stanes; Mrs. C. Stephens (ab); Mrs. J.A.M. Strong; Professor D.J. Wallace; Ms. E. Wallace.

In attendance: Dr. D.E. Fletcher; Professor M. Evans; Mr. H.M. Pearson; Professor H. Thomason; Mr. D.L.Wolfe.

Apologies for absence were received from: Professor Feather; Mr Harrisson; Mr. Maxwell; Professor Roberts; Dr. Rudge; Mr. Shuker; Mrs Stephens; Mr. Fothergill.

98/75 Business of the Meeting

Four agenda items were unstarred for discussion.

98/76 Minutes

It was RESOLVED to confirm the Minutes of the 252nd Meeting of the Council held on 15 July 1998 [COUN98-M4].

98/77 Matters Arising

.1 Corporate Governance (Min. 98/37)

The Chair reported that recommendations concerning the size of Council and arrangements for the review of institutional performance would come forward to a subsequent meeting.
ACTION: Acting Registrar

98/78 Chairman's Business

The Chair congratulated the Vice-Chancellor on his election as a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering.

98/79 Vice-Chancellor's Business

The Vice-Chancellor REPORTED that:

1. The Institute of Development Engineering (incorporating the Water, Engineering and Development Centre - WEDC) had been awarded the Queen's Anniversary Prize in recognition of its work in bringing clean water supply and sustainable technology to developing countries. This made Loughborough one of only a few universities to have received this Prize for a second time, the previous occasion having been in recognition of the University's collaboration with the aerospace and automotive engineering industries.
2. The Department of Human Sciences had achieved a score of 24, i.e. the maximum in each of the six aspects of provision, in its recent QAA External Subject Review. The Department were to be congratulated on this outcome.
3. The University had been ranked 21^st in a recently published league table of universities in the Sunday Times. Whilst the quality of intake, the quality of teaching, and the University's employment record were consistently high, the University was not yet in the top twenty for research. He was therefore pleased to report that new research grants had already totalled £8.5m in the first four months of the current financial year.
4. Significant progress had been made in the implementation of the Support Services Review. The Student Recruitment and Admissions, and Programme Development and Quality teams had already been formed and were developing well. An advertisement was to be placed for the Manager of the Research Office. The formation of the Resources and Planning Team was in progress.
   
   Future budgets would be structured around these teams and their objectives. Service Improvement Groups had been established to facilitate the determination of budget allocations in the light of Service Level Agreements.
   
   In response to a question the Vice-Chancellor stated that the post of Academic Secretary had not been abolished. The title had been changed to Manager of Academic Registry Services and the nature of the job had changed because of the formation of the teams; the appointee, Shelagh Wheelans, owned the resource which was paid for through the team budgets.
5. Under the recent comprehensive spending review Research Councils had received a small increase in funding in real terms. Funds received from the Funding Council to support teaching would be cut by less than 1% per annum in real terms, which was a substantial improvement on the previous situation. Additional student numbers would be funded at the same level, but were likely to be concentrated in Further Education or for sub-degree level work. It was important that the University developed a strategy to reflect the Government's emphasis on access and lifelong learning.
6. A member of Council had suggested that lay members adopt a Department or Departments. The proposal was greeted with enthusiasm.
   ACTING: Acting Registrar
7. There had been some forty applications for the post of Registrar.
   
   One member referred to adverse publicity which had been generated as a result of the need to use temporary residential accommodation at the beginning of the Academic Year. The Senior Pro-Vice-Chancellor reported that there had been a refurbishment programme on which the contractor had failed to meet the deadline. The revenue from penalty clauses had been used to provide temporary accommodation for students for three weeks. There would be further refurbishment programmes in the summers of 1999 and 2000 and it was essential that the projects were managed to ensure completion on time

98/80 Statement of Accounts [COUN98-P40]

1. Council considered the University Financial Statements and Financial Statistics for the year ended 31 July 1998, together with the comments of the Treasurer's Committee.
   
   In his opening remarks the Treasurer indicated that there had been no dramatic changes in income and expenditure compared with 1996/97. Total income had increased from £92.5m to £94.2m with the most significant increases being in Funding Council Grants and Research Grants and Contracts. Total expenditure had risen from £90.1m to £91.4m, with the most significant increase being in Wages and Salaries, which now accounted for 58.5% of overall expenditure. There had been a reduction of 74 in the overall number of employees which had to be seen in the context of £1.4m expenditure on early retirement costs. 18.5% of overall income had been earned directly by Departments, with the Department of Aeronautical and Automotive Engineering and Transport Studies again achieving the highest contribution to earnings from departmental activities. He concluded by reminding Council that the University had built up substantial reserves to fund its capital expenditure programme. In the current year £2.7m had been transferred to reserves, amounting to 2.89% of income, slightly below the 3% recommended by HEFCE. The reserves had been built up by previous transfers of £4.3m (1993-94), £6.2m (1994-95), £3.9m (1995-96) and £2.3m (1996-97). It was important to make provision to replenish the reserves.
   
   The Bursar reminded Council that it had adopted a financial strategy to underpin the continued delivery of the University's capital programme. The University's performance against this strategy was as follows:

	Target		Performance
	Current Ratio (Assets to Liabilities) of at least 1.5:1 and above the English average		Loughborough July 1998 English average July 1997	1.86:1 1.56:1
	Gearing Ratio (Long term borrowing to reserves) below the English average		Loughborough July 1998 English average July 1997	0.42:1 0.60:1
	Annual Surplus of at least £2M and preferably 3% of turnover		Annual Surplus 1997-8 Proportion of turnover	£2.7M 2.89%
	Minimum Cash-backed Reserves of £11.54M (index-linked)		Cash-backed Reserves July 1998	£25M
	Annualised Servicing Cost of the University's long-term borrowing not to exceed the HEFCE's consent threshold of 4%.		At July 1998, the ASC stood at 2.54%.


The External Auditors' reports on Corporate Governance and their opinion on the Accounts were both entirely satisfactory. It was AGREED that in future the Committee responsibilities of members of Council should be more clearly delineated in the Accounts, in accordance with normal PLC practice.
ACTION: Bursar

In reply to a question the Bursar indicated that any windfall received or surplus held by the University was unlikely to be clawed back by the Treasury because the funding models used by HEFCE had reduced their flexibility. He understood that the Treasury monitored the sector as a whole rather than individual institutions.

2. Council considered Financial Statements for the former Loughborough College of Art and Design for 1997/98. The Bursar assured Council that the College, now LUSAD, was financially secure. Council APPROVED the adoption of the Accounts.
3. Council recorded its appreciation to the Bursar and his staff for their sound management of the University's finances.

98/81 Engineering Project [COUN98-P41]

Council considered a paper outlining developments since its previous meeting. The Pro-Chancellor reported that a number of issues had been revisited arising from suggestions from the Wolfson Foundation; he felt the outcome was a better building at a lower overall cost to the University. Planning permission was currently being sought.

The Chair indicated that, whilst a decision in principle to proceed with the project had already been taken, a final decision would be taken at the meeting of Council to be held on 12 February 1999, where detailed tenders would be available.

It was RESOLVED:-

1. To approve an increase in the budget for the Engineering Project to £15.5m.
2. To provide a contingency budget of £250,000.
3. To release a further £750,000 for design work.
4. To appoint a Supervisory Group, viz.:
   Dr J K Green (Chair), Dr S C Miller, Dr T Higgins, Professor R McCaffer, Professor M Evans, Professor N A Halliwell.

98/82 Replacement Finance System [COUN98-P42]

98/83 Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Information Strategy and Services [COUN98-P43]

It was RESOLVED on the recommendation of Senate to approve the creation of the post of Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Information Strategy and Services, and an associated appointments procedure.

The Vice-Chancellor assured Council that steps would be taken to consider amendments to the University Charter and Statutes to reflect this and other recent developments.

98/84 Strategic Planning Exercise [COUN98-P44]

The Senior Pro-Vice-Chancellor reported on progress in the Strategic Planning Exercise. The Council conference in October had identified a number of issues which had been referred to Deans and Directorates. It was particularly important to raise the University's rating in the Research Assessment Exercise, and a report on how this was to be achieved would be presented to the next meeting.

The Vice-Chancellor reported that he had introduced a procedure to seek to retain high quality staff who had been offered posts elsewhere.

98/85 Student Intake 1998 [COUN98-P45]

A report was received and noted.

It was AGREED that the following further information be provided:-

• FE students in LUSAD
• Student numbers by gender
• Student numbers at Peterborough (including postgraduates)
  ACTION: Mr H E Jones

98/86 Appointment of next Senior Pro-Chancellor [COUN98-P46]

Council considered a report from a Working Group on the appointment of the next Senior Pro-Chancellor, and AGREED as follows:-

1. That the next Senior Pro-Chancellor/Chair of Council be appointed from outside the current membership of Council, and that the Working Group bring forward a recommendation in due course.
2. That the procedure contained in Ordinance X for the appointment of the Chair of Council should be replaced by the search committee procedure being adopted on this occasion and which was adopted on the previous occasion of the appointment of a Chair of Council in 1992/93, and that the Ordinances and Regulations Committee be asked to bring forward proposals for the amendment of Ordinance X.
   ACTION: Acting Registrar

98/87 Appointment of Pro-Chancellor

It was RESOLVED to recommend to the University Court that Dr J K Green be re-appointed as a Pro-Chancellor of the University under the provisions of Statute IV.2, from 10 February 1999 to the meeting of Court in 2002.
ACTION: Acting Registrar

Subject to Court's approval of the above recommendation to re-appoint Mr J K Green to the Deputy Chairmanship of Council for a period of three years from 10 February 1999.

98/88 Special Resolution: Amendments to Statutes [COUN98-P47]

It was RESOLVED to approve a special resolution to recommend amendments to Statutes XII, XIII, XIV and XV.
ACTION: Acting Registrar

98/89 Membership of Council and its Committees [COUN98-P48, 49, 50]

It was RESOLVED to:

1. To note the membership of Council for the Session 1998-99.
2. Further to Minute 98/45.3 of the 252^nd Meeting, to approve a list of appointments to vacancies on Council Committees and Joint Committees with Senate.
3. To approve nominations by the Students' Union to membership of Council and its Committees and Joint Committees with Senate.

98/90 Audit Committee [COUN98-P51]

It was RESOLVED to approve the following recommendation referred by the Audit Committee at its 29^th meeting on 22 October 1998:

98/91 Treasurer's Committee [COUN98-P52]

It was RESOLVED to approve the following recommendations referred by the Treasurer's Committee at its meeting on 26 November 1998:

Council noted that it had been University practice not to require receipts for items of expenditure under £5, and that this was contradicted in the proposed new arrangements to cover reasonable personal expenditure. Accordingly this issue was referred back to Treasurer's Committee for clarification.
ACTION: Bursar

98/92 Information Services Committee [COUN98-P53]

It was RESOLVED to approve the following recommendation referred by the Information Services Committee at its 21^st meeting on 20 November 1998:

One member suggested that some of the definitions and procedures in the proposed policy were insufficiently precise, particularly in regard to defining what was "offensive". Council was informed that the wording had been approved by the appropriate University Committees and by the University lawyers, and was based on UKERNA guidance.

98/93 Resources and Planning Committee [COUN98-P54]

It was RESOLVED to approve the following recommendations referred by the Resources and Planning Committee at its 103^rd meeting on 6 November 1998:

1. (a) Identity Cards
   
   One member expressed surprise that this proposal was being considered by Council at this stage, as he thought it had been referred back by Senate for further consideration. The Vice-Chancellor said that this was not the case. Senate had voted by 20 votes to 14 that the proposal should go forward, and that there should be consultation on implementation: the Senior Pro-Vice-Chancellor had already instigated the consultation process.
   
   (b) Tuition Fee Remission Policy for FE Students
2. To ratify Chair's action in approving, on behalf Council:
   
   Tuition Fees for 1998/99
3. To approve the following recommendation referred by the Vice-Chancellor on behalf of Resources and Planning Committee:
   
   Tuition Fees for International Students on Placement 1999/2000

98/94 Senate [COUN98-P55]

It was RESOLVED to approve the following recommendations referred by Senate at its 322^nd meeting on 25 November 1998:

1. School of Mathematics and Physics.
2. Renaming of the Department of Computer Studies to Department of Computer Science, and of the Department of Information and Library Studies to Department of Information Science, from 1 January 1999.
3. BSc Architectural Engineering and Design Management, new programme from 1999/2000.
4. Professional Diploma in Management - Higher Education Administration, new programme from 1999/2000.
5. BEng/MEng Communications Engineering, new programme from 2000/01.
6. BEng/MEng Transportation Electronics Engineering, new programme from 2000/01.
7. BEng/MEng Electronics and Software Engineering, new programme from 2000/01.
8. BEng/MEng Computer Network and Internet Engineering, new programme from 2000/01.
9. BA Library and Information Management, change in title from Information and Library Studies, for the 1999/2000 intake.
10. BSc Information Management and Business Studies, change in title from Information and Management, for the 1999/2000 intake.
11. BA Publishing with English, change in title from Information and Publishing Studies, for the 1999/2000 intake.
12. BSc Information Management and Computing, change in title from Information and Computing, for the 1999/2000 intake.
13. BSc Mathematics and Management, change of award from DIS to DPS, with immediate effect.
14. BA/BSc Industrial Design and Technology with Education (3 years), revised programme to replace BA/BSc Industrial Design and Technology with Education (4 years with Certificate of Education), for students entering in September 1997 and thereafter.
15. BA/BSc Information Studies, BA/BSc Information Studies and English, BA/BSc Information and Library Studies and English: Discontinuation with no further student intake.
16. Amendments to Ordinance XXX.
17. Amendments to Ordinance I.
18. Amendments to Ordinance VIII.
19. Amendments to Ordinances XIV, XV, XXVIII and XXX.

98/95 Student Grievance Committee

It was RESOLVED:-

In fulfilment of the requirements of Ordinance XXXVIII, established at the 229^th meeting of Council on 29 March 1995, to appoint the following members to the Student Grievance Committee for 1998-99:

98/96 Honorary Degrees [COUN98-P56]

Pursuant Statute XVIII, on the recommendation of Senate and with the advice of the Honorary Degrees Committee, it was RESOLVED to approve the issuing of invitations to persons to receive honorary degrees at Degree Congregations to be held in 1999.

98/97 Common Seal [COUN98-P57]

It was RESOLVED to ratify the action of the Registrar in affixing the University Seal to the documents listed.

98/98 Duties and Responsibilities of Members of Council [COUN98-P58]

The duties and responsibilities of Members of Council were noted.

98/99 Council Membership -Amendments to Statute XIII: The Council

Further to Minute 97/84 of Council's 247^th meeting on 17 December 1997, and Minute 97/78 of Council's 246^th meeting on 24 October 1997, Council noted that the Privy Council had approved amendments to Statute XIII paragraph l in regard to membership of Council.

98/100 The Visitor

Further to Minute 98/41 of Council's 252^nd meeting on 15 July 1998, Council noted that Her Majesty in Council had re-appointed the Right Honourable Sir Frank Cooper, PC, GCB, CMG, as Visitor of the University from 1 August 1998 to 31 October 2001.

98/101 Timothy John Godfrey Memorial Fund [COUN98-P59]

Council received the report of the Timothy John Godfrey Memorial Fund Advisory Committee for 1996-.

98/102 Reports of Committees [COUN98-P60]

Council received reports of the following committees:

1. Audit Committee of 22 October 1998
   (including Annual Report of the Audit Committee, 1997/98)
   
   A member drew attention to the additional responsibility and workload being placed on support staff who now used Purchasing Cards. It was hoped this would be taken into account in their future remuneration. The Bursar indicated that the use of purchasing cards was designed to reduce workload costs, but emphasised that Heads of Department needed to establish appropriate control procedures. The scheme would be kept under review.
   ACTION: Bursar
2. Health, Safety and Environmental Committee of 11 November 1998
3. Residential and Catering Services Committee of 24 November 1998
4. Council's attention was drawn to the fact that there was 97.5% occupation of Halls accommodation in October 1998 compared with a 99% target. This was at a time when the University had received adverse publicity because of its apparent inability to accommodate all its students. The Senior Pro-Vice-Chancellor responded by stating that the Information Technology systems associated with the allocation of accommodation were currently inadequate, but were being redesigned prior to the start of the next academic year.
5. Treasurer's Committee of 26 November 1998
6. Information Services Committee of 20 November 1998
7. Research Committee of 12 June and 29 October 1998
8. Resources and Planning Committee of 6 November 1998
   (including Estimates 1998/99 and Capital Programme)
   
   One member expressed the view that the University was spending too much on its capital building programme at the expense of employing sufficient members of staff. The Chair indicated that every capital project was individually approved by Council. He acknowledged the importance of maintaining adequate staffing levels, and said that this would be an important part of the discussion developing the University's Strategic Plan.
   
   In reply to a question the Bursar stated that the Treasurer's Committee kept the University's exposure to variations in interest rates under regular review.
9. Student Services Committee of 4 November 1998
10. Senate of 25 November 1998

98/103 University Court

Council noted that the 1999 Annual Meeting of the University Court would be held at 2.00 pm on Wednesday 10 February 1999.

98/104 Degree Congregations in Summer 1999

To note the dates of Degree Congregations to be held in Summer 1999 as follows:

• Thursday 8 July 1999
• Friday 9 July 1999
• Monday 12 July 1999
• Tuesday 13 July 1999

98/105 Dates of Future Meetings

• Friday 12 February 1999 at 10.45 am
• Wednesday 24 March 1999 at 10.45 am
• Wednesday 14 July 1999 at 10.45 am

98/106 Valediction

After formal business was concluded a warm tribute was made to Dr David Fletcher, Registrar, on his departure from Loughborough to take up an appointment at the University of Sheffield.