Minutes of the 256th Meeting of the University Council held on 12 February 1999.
Dr. S.C. Miller (Chair); Mr. H. Barber; 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 (ab); Dr. D.W. Edwards; Dr. A.N. Fairbairn; Professor J.P. Feather; Mr. G.P. Fothergill; Dr. M. Gilbert; Mr. S.J. Gorton; Dr. J.K. Green; Professor N.A. Halliwell; Mr. P.W. Harrisson; Miss J.E.L. Harvatt; Dr. R.A. Haskins (ab); Dr. T. Higgins; Professor J.R. Hough; Professor D.J. Hourston; Dr. G. Mason; Mr. E.O. Maxwell; Professor R. McCaffer; Mr. A. Milne; Mr. M. Moghal (ab); Mr. W. Moore; Professor I.C. Morison; Mr. W.M. Moss; Mr. D'A.T.N. Payne; Dr. A.C. Pugh (ab); 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; Mrs. J.A.M. Strong (ab); Professor D.J. Wallace; Ms. E. Wallace; Ms. N. Walthrust.
In attendance: Mr. J. Boland (for Minute 99/2); Dr. J.E.M. Elliott; Professor M. Evans; Mr. R.A.Hill (for Minute 99/2); Mr. H.M. Pearson; Mrs. E.A. Spencer; Mr. T. Walton (for Minute 99/2)
Apologies for absence were received from: Dr. Haskins; Mr. Moghal; Professor Roberts; Dr. Rudge; Mrs Strong.
The Vice-Chancellor reported that:
.1 Further to Minute 98/82 of the 254th meeting on 16 December 1998, the contract for a Replacement Finance System had been signed and the project was now underway.
.2 The University was showing an encouraging increase of 3-4% in UK/EU undergraduate applications through UCAS compared with a national decline of 1-2%. Applications from international students were down both at Loughborough and nationally. The University's new Student Recruitment and Admissions Team would be actively seeking to improve the University's position. A member informed Council of scholarships recently announced by the European Commission for students from China, and that in the coming year only China would be receiving an increase in budget from the British Council. The Vice-Chancellor reported that the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (External Relations) had been appointed to the DTI's Education and Training Export Group and Chair of its Sub-Committee with responsibility for China.
.3 Income from research grants and contracts increased to more than £17M in 1997/98. Newly announced research grants and contracts for the first six months of 1998/99 totalled £11.5M, reflecting an encouraging trend.
.4 Interviews for the Registrar's post would be conducted in the following week; 40 applications had been received. On behalf of Council, appreciation was extended to Mr Pearson for undertaking the role of Acting Registrar in addition to his normal duties.
.5 The Association of University Teachers was bidding for a 35-36% increase in pay over a three-year period for academic and related staff, which incorporated a 10% increase claimed for 1999/2000. This would be a difficult round of pay negotiations, unlikely to be resolved before the publication of the Bett enquiry on pay and structure in universities.
.6 On the previous day the Vice-Chancellor and other Officers had attended Buckingham Palace to receive the University's second Queen's Anniversary Prize for Higher and Further Education, awarded to the Institute of Development Engineering/Water, Engineering and Development Centre (IDE/WEDC) for excellence in international development engineering and for its unique service in providing appropriate sustainable technology to the world's poorest countries. Council expressed its pleasure at this award.
.1 Further to Minute 98/81 of its 254th meeting on 16 December 1998, Council received a report on the tendering process and the appointment of project and construction managers for the Engineering Project. The item was attended by Mr R A Hill, the Director of Estates Service, Mr T Walton, Estates Building Surveyor and Internal Project Manager, and Mr J Boland, Project Manager (Bovis Project Management). Plans of the proposed buildings were made available for members to view.
.2 Dr J K Green, Chair of the Council Monitoring Group for the project, referred to Appendix A of paper COUN99-P1. On the basis of tenders received for 60% of the project budget there was a projected underspend against the cost plan. Each sub-contract awarded would become fixed price as placed and would include a contingent cost clause. The position would be monitored by the Council Monitoring Group as the project proceeded. It had been considered unrealistic for Estates staff to manage this large project in addition to their other commitments and Bovis Project Management was therefore being financed through the Contingency Reserve in the Estates Budget at a cost of £120K + VAT, spread over two years, to undertake this role. The level of risk assessment and management undertaken had exceeded that for other major projects and the Monitoring Group was satisfied that what was proposed was appropriate and the cost programme was robust. The expected date of completion for the two new buildings, which would be built simultaneously, was April 2000, with the move of Departments being completed by October 2000.
.3 Members referred to the disruption that would arise during the construction of the buildings and the transfer of Departments. Of particular concern was the disruption that would be faced by research students and the health hazards of noise and dust. Council was assured that the Project Steering Group was aware of these issues. Discussions were underway with the Residential Organisation with regard to minimising the effects on the student village, and it was the intention that research students would not be moved until their research was complete. Much of the noisiest work would be undertaken during the Summer vacation.
.4 Council was reminded that this would be the biggest single project to be funded from the University's own resources. The project could be sustained, though other projects might need to be delayed as a result and there would be an impact on the University's balance sheet. It was important that lay Council members offer their support to other projects on campus where this was appropriate.
.5 It was RESOLVED:-
.6 The Vice-Chancellor then reported on the follow-on effect of the Engineering project on the central site. A detailed plan was under consideration, under the Chairmanship of the Dean of Science, involving the bringing together of the Department of Information Science, possible developments between Information Science and Computer Science and possible developments in Biological/Biomedical Sciences. A bid for funds had been submitted to the Research Councils' Joint Infrastructure Fund and further bids were likely, which, if successful, could defray some costs of the Engineering Project.
.1 Council received a report on the Strategic Planning process. The Senior Pro-Vice-Chancellor reported that input from Directorates was now being received and at its next meeting Council would receive completed summaries under the five identified headings for each section of the Plan.
.2 The Council Strategic Planning Conference had identified the need to boost the University's research effort and the Chairman's Advisory Group had subsequently proposed a Fastrack Targeted Research Initiative (FTRI) to give specific boosts to targeted departments that would generate maximum impact for the University in the Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) 2001. The Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research) reported that eight Chair proposals had so far been identified under FTRI and the Research Committee was recommending that Development Funds be allocated to provide research studentships over the next two years.
.3 The Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Teaching) reported that a medium-term strategy for Teaching and Learning was under development that would provide for the maintenance and enhancement of quality. The relationship between the University's commitment to full-time undergraduates and the provision of more flexible programmes and the need to build on relationships with industry in regard to postgraduate provision would be considered.
.4 A member questioned whether it was now too late for FTRI to be effective in improving the University's position in RAE 2001, and whether the proposal not to advertise FTRI posts contravened the University's equal opportunities policy. The Vice-Chancellor informed Council that he was mindful that new Chair appointments were not appropriate for all Departments and in some cases the appointment of 'budding' highflyers for the longer term future might be more appropriate. Evidence suggested that movement of staff in preparation for RAE 2001 was still occurring. Regarding the equal opportunities policy, it was now likely that the posts would be advertised and it was important to remember that the FTRI was not simply a case of filling a vacant post, but ensuring that suitable individuals were secured.
.5 Council was reminded that funding was highly geared to RAE ratings. An increase in rating from 4 to 5 would be financially critical, and an increase from 5 to 5*, though having no financial implication, would be important in terms of peer group standing and the securing of future funds. The future funding of FTRI posts would be either from the additional income resulting from an increased RAE rating, or from retirements. A critical question for the Strategic Plan would be the balance of funding to Departments (currently £42M) and for development purposes (currently £1.5M).
.6 A member drew attention to the need to include within the Strategic Plan reference to 'value added' and to the issues of Access and Lifelong Learning. The Vice-Chancellor reported that graduate employment statistics would place the University well in terms of 'value added'. The Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Teaching) reported the intention to commit within the Plan to aspects of Access and Lifelong Learning that were appropriate to the University.
.7 A member raised his expectation of mention in the Report of the approach to be taken with non-viable areas of activity, which might include the merger of departments with those in other local institutions. Council was assured that the spirit of joint ventures with other institutions was very much alive, and potential ventures were under discussion. In response to a query Council was informed that shared values would be included as a major issue under the Human Resources heading.
.1 It was RESOLVED to ratify the action of the Chair in appointing the following three members of Council to the Joint Committee of Senate and Council concerned with the appointment of the next Senior Pro-Vice-Chancellor from 1 August 1999:
Dr. S.C. Miller
Dr. T. Higgins
Professor D.J. Wallace
.2 It was RESOLVED, on the recommendation of the Joint Committee of Senate and Council established for the purpose, to reappoint Professor R McCaffer as Senior Pro-Vice-Chancellor for a further year to 31 July 2000.
It was RESOLVED to ratify the action of the Chair in appointing the following to the Joint Committee of Council and Senate concerned with the appointment of the new Registrar:
Dr. S.C. Miller
Dr. J.K. Green
Mr. D'A.T.N. Payne
Mr. H.M. Pearson
It was RESOLVED to ratify the action of the Chair in appointing to membership of the Nominating Committee which would make recommendations to Council concerning co-opted membership.
Pursuant Statute XVIII, on the recommendation of the Vice-Chancellor on behalf of Senate and with the advice of the Honorary Degrees Committee, it was RESOLVED to approve the issuing of six further invitations to persons to receive honorary degrees at Degree Congregations to be held in 1999.
Council noted the responsibilities of the Executive Management Group and an Organisation Chart reflecting the implementation of the Support Services Budgetary Review.
.1 Council noted the Capital Plan. It was requested and AGREED that in future Council should receive a brief note of any new items added to the Capital Plan. The Bursar reported that it was the intention to bring to Council's attention at this very early stage the three new items. The Performance Training Centre was a high priority under the sports strategy intended to attract sports bodies onto campus. There was as yet no costing for the Burleigh Court Extensions, which would not commence for another year, and the East Site Rationalisation was at a preliminary stage and would be influenced by the outcome of the bid for the new swimming pool. It was noted that proposals by Ford to construct a Retail College on campus had not been included within the Capital Plan as the capital costs would be met by the company.
.2 The Vice-Chancellor reminded Council that the Capital Plan presented a scenario which was dependent upon external funding and projects failing to secure this funding would not proceed.
.3 Council was alerted to the need to seek the support of local planning committees as soon as possible for proposed developments. Planning permission might not be as readily granted as it had been in the past.
The Dean of Engineering thanked Council for its faith in the Engineering Faculty in approving the Engineering Project. This would ensure that the good reputation of Engineering at Loughborough could be maintained and the Faculty would work hard to ensure this.
Author - Dr J E M Elliott
Date - February 1999
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