SENATE

02/104 Welcome

02/105 Business of the Agenda

02/106 Minutes

SEN02-M5

Minutes of the 352nd (Ordinary) Meeting of Senate held on Wednesday 23 October 2002.

Apologies for Absence were received from Ms Alexander, Professor Parsons, Dr Rowland, Professor Summers, Dr Wilcox, Professor Wallace and Professor Wilson.

The Deputy Vice-Chancellor took the Chair in the Vice-Chancellor’s absence and welcomed new members.

Item 11 was unstarred.

Professor P H Roberts

Dr M Acar

Ms Y Alexander (ab)
Mr D J Allen (ab)

Professor J L Alty

Professor C J Anumba
Professor C J Backhouse

Dr J V Beaverstock
Professor M Bell
Professor S J H Biddle

Professor W R Bowman

Professor I C Davidson
Mr S Gibson
Professor P Golding
Professor T J Gordon

Professor J B Griffiths
Dr H Gross
Professor N A Halliwell
Mr J F Harper
Miss G Jackson
Professor R Kalawsky
Professor T Kavanagh

Dr D Kerr
Dr R Kinna (ab)
Dr J Leaman (ab)
Mr P G Lewis

Mr W P Maunder
Professor T C Mills

Professor I C Morison
Mrs M D Morley
Mr G Murdock
Dr P N Murgatroyd
Dr A H Osbaldestin
Professor P C B Page (ab)
Professor K C Parsons (ab)
Professor J M Porter
Professor A C Pugh (ab)
Dr P Render
Dr C D Rhodes
Dr S J Rothberg
Dr J F Rowland (ab)
Professor P R Smith
Professor R Summers (ab)
Dr G M Swallowe (ab)
Dr E Theodoraki
Professor A Thorpe
Professor R J Wakeman
Professor D J Wallace (ab)
Dr G D Wilcox (ab)
Professor J M Wilson (ab)
Professor N Wood
Professor B Woodward

In attendance:

Dr J E M Elliott

Professor R McCaffer

Dr J C Nutkins
Mr H M Pearson

Mr J M Town

It was RESOLVED to confirm the Minutes of the 350^th meeting held on 26 June 2002 (SEN02-M3).

02/107 Matters Arising from the Minutes Not Appearing Elsewhere
on the Agenda

.1 Minute 02/44 – Draft Strategic Plan 2002-2007

Senate was informed that the Strategic Plan was available on the Academic Registry intranet site. A hard copy would be available within the next few weeks.

.2 Minute 02/46 – Special Educational Needs and Disability Act (SENDA) 2001

Senate was informed that Disability Co-coordinators had been appointed in all academic departments and relevant support services. Dr D A Wilson, Staff Development, and Mr D Jackson, Disability and Additional Needs Service, would be providing training and support. A Disability Development Group had been established to take forward actions in relating to SENDA, chaired by Mr J G Dickens, AD(T) of Engineering.

.3 Minute 02/48- Academic Misconduct

Senate was informed that the new procedures were now in place and guidance notes were in preparation in consultation with departmental administrators.

02/108 Matters for Report by the Vice-Chancellor

SEN02-P81 (including separate enclosure)

Senate noted the 2002 Sunday Times league table of UK universities and HE colleges and information showing the impact of drop-out rate on the University’s position. A report from the Vice-Chancellor’s Far East trip in August 2002 was also noted.

02/109 Matters for Report by the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research)

SEN02-P82

The Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research) reported on:

(i) New Research Grants and Contracts.

Figures presented were for the first two months of 2002/03 as at 30 September 2002. Heads of Departments were asked to note where their department’s performance did not match achievement in previous years.

(ii) Research Grants and Contracts Applications

Figures presented were for 2001/02. Information Science and IPTME were to be congratulated on achieving more than two applications per member of staff, a target that all departments should attempt to reach. There was a need to engender an applications culture.

(iii) Funding Councils’ Review of the RAE

The website for the joint Funding Councils’ review had recently been launched. AD(R)s would be discussing the review at Directorate meetings and requesting contributions to the University’s response by 8 November 2002. A formal review report would be published by the Funding Councils in May 2003, to be followed by further consultation. Assumptions were that the dual support system would continue, with QR funding allocated by the Research Councils, and that quality would continue to be considered in the global context. The PVC(R) would keep Senate informed as the nature of the next RAE became clearer, but was confident that the University’s action to date was in line with current thinking.

02/110 Matters for Report by the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Teaching)

SEN02-P83

The Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Teaching) reported on:

(i) Student Recruitment 2002/03

Recruitment overall had been good, with registrations for UK/EU undergraduates close to quota, for international undergraduates ahead of Business Plan figures, and for both UK/EU and international full-time postgraduate taught populations ahead of Business Plan forecasts. International PGT populations continued to be uneven, with particular bunching in Economics and the Business School, and international recruitment was heavily dominated by the growth in the Chinese market. A better balance across departments and countries was desirable. The data as presented would be checked with departments, but discrepancies were likely to result from students not yet having registered.

In response to queries, the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Teaching) responded that Senate would in future be provided with information to monitor Widening Participation initiatives, and that there was an awareness of the pressure on support services and particularly LSU in relation to increased numbers of international students. A new Deputy Director post for the International Office had been created to assist with increased globalisation of recruitment, but hard decisions on priorities would still need to be made. The learner support needs of a wider recruitment base would require monitoring, but there was as yet no evidence of an increasing drop-out problem.

(ii) Additional Student Numbers and Target Intakes

Bids from three departments would be submitted the next week, together with a bid for a support programme to assist first-year students at risk of non-progression, particularly in relation to numerical skills. The outcome of the bids would be known in February 2003. Targets would be set for all categories of full-time students in consultation with departments to ensure integration with departmental development plans.

(iii) A-level Re-grading

47 Loughborough applicants had results re-graded and 4 of these had consequently now met offers. One student admitted to the Foundation Programme had been permitted to transfer to her original choice of programme in Design and Technology.

(iv) MOD Technical Undergraduate Scheme

The University had been short-listed and would be visited on 6 November 2002.

02/111 Loughborough Research and Innovation Centre (Advantica Site)

.1 The Deputy-Vice-Chancellor informed Senate that Council at its meeting on 17 July 2002 had authorised a competitive bid for the Advantica site which was reasonably close to the asking price of £33M. An offer had been made and accepted, but this was subject to commercial confidentiality. Members were therefore asked not to discuss the matter outside the meeting. The Deputy-Vice-Chancellor, Bursar and Director of Innovation and Knowledge Transfer outlined the strategic and business cases accepted by Council for the purchase of the site. Six working groups had subsequently been established to take the venture forward.

.2 Senate was advised that this was a major and exciting opportunity for the long term development of the University. The building was of a high specification and the sum offered was far lower than it had cost to construct. Some contribution to the cost was` expected from external sources including HEFCE. Sources of recurrent income would be leaseback and service charges from Advantica and conference business. Whilst some financial risk was acknowledged, it was hoped that most departments would benefit, either directly or through space vacated elsewhere on campus. £5m had been set aside in principle for conversion of the space to adapt it for use by the University but this had not yet been allocated.

02/112 Student Residential Accommodation Regulations

SEN02-P84

It was RESOLVED to ratify the action of the Vice-Chancellor in approving amendments to the Student Residential Accommodation Regulations with effect from 30 September 2002 to bring the regulations in line with revisions to Ordinance XVII: Conduct and Discipline of Students approved by Senate on 26 June 2002 (Minute 02/47).

02/113 Prizes Committee

SEN02-P85

It was RESOLVED to ratify the action of the Director of Registry Services in recommending to Council the establishment of prizes.

02/114 Membership of Senate 2002/03

SEN02-P86

Noted.

02/115 Amendments to Charter and Statutes

SEN02-P87

The Registrar outlined the reasons for the proposals for changes to Charter and Statutes to be considered by Council on 25 October 2002. Senate was content with the changes and did not wish to make any recommendations to Council.

(Members of General Assembly and Senate were given notice of the proposed changes via an item on the Web Noticeboard on 27 September 2002).

02/116 Operational Plan 2002/03

SEN02-P88

Noted.

02/117 Executive Management Group Responsibilities and Organisational Chart

SEN02-P89

Noted.

02/118 Librarian’s Annual Report 2001/02

SEN02-P90

Senate received the Annual Report for 2001/02 from the Librarian.

02/119 Date of Next Meeting

Wednesday 27 November 2002 at 09.15 am.

Author – Jennie Elliott

Date – October 2002