SENATE
SEN05-M5
Minutes of the Ordinary Meeting of Senate on Wednesday 23 November 2005.
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Memis Acar Serpil Acar David Allen David Berry (ab) Matt Best Stuart Biddle (ab) Jon Binner Russell Bowman Paul Chung Sandra Dann Ian Davidson Lesley Davis Becky Dicks Helen Drake |
David Wallace Clive Edwards John Feather Maurice Fitzgerald David Gillingwater Peter Golding Keith Gregory Neil Halliwell Tony Hodgson Sarah Holloway Terry Kavanagh Steven Kenny Feo Kusmartsev Mark Lansdale (ab) Jeremy Leaman (ab) Chris Linton Geoff Mason (ab) Marsha Meskimmon |
Mario Minichiello (ab) Mary Morley Ken Parsons Fytton Rowland Peter Smith (ab) Tony Thorpe Rob Thring (ab) Tony Westaway Tom Weyman-Jones Nigel Wood Bryan Woodward Martha Wőrsching (ab) |
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In attendance: |
Jennie Elliott Jennifer Nutkins John Town |
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Apologies for
Absence were received from Dave Berry, Stuart Biddle, Mark Lansdale, Geoff
Mason, Mario Minichiello, Peter Smith, Richard Wakeman and Martha Worsching.
05/95 Business of the Agenda
Item
32 had been unstarred.
05/96 Minutes
It was RESOLVED to confirm and sign the Minutes of the Ordinary meeting held on 29 June 2005 (SEN05-M3).
05/97 Matters Arising from the Minutes
.1 Minute 05/52 – Strategic Review:
Review of Committees
It was noted that Council had approved the delegation of authority to Human Resources Committee to award Personal Titles at its meeting on 19 July 2005.
05/98 Powers and Functions of Senate
SEN05-P78
The powers and functions of Senate as presented in the
Charter paragraph 13 and Statute XIV section 6 were noted.
It was commented that some of the functions listed appeared out-of-date
and made no distinction between management and governance. It was acknowledged, however, that Senate should
rightfully oversee all academic-related matters in the University and the
functions were likely to be there for good reason to ensure that Senate had
appropriate authority when necessary.
Following discussions presented in Minute 05/99 below it was AGREED that
the powers and functions of Senate be reviewed as part of the review of the
effectiveness of Senate.
05/99 Review of the Effectiveness of Senate
It was noted that the Committee of University Chairmen’s Governance Code of Practice recommended that University Councils ensure that a review be undertaken of the effectiveness of the Senate and its committees at least every five years. In the light of this recommendation Senate approved further work on the methodology for the review, which was likely to include formation of a small working group, with a view to consideration of proposals at the next meeting. The review would incorporate an examination of the powers and functions of Senate (see Minute 05/98).
ACTION: Academic Registrar
05/100 University Strategic Review
SEN05-P79
.1 Senate received a progress report from the Deputy Vice-Chancellor. There were wide-ranging issues to be considered, each with ramifications. The intention was for less dependence on HEFCE funding and for the University taking control of its own future. Thinking on these issues, which would involve Working Groups and a series of events for Senate and Council including away-days, would feed into the next Strategic Plan due to be submitted to HEFCE by July 2007.
.2 In discussion of the paper the following were amongst the comments aired:
(i) The intention when considering the balance of support provision centrally and in departments would be to avoid multiplication of effort. Care would be needed to avoid further duplication of effort with the creation of Schools.
(ii) Central timetabling was being explored with the intention of improved utilisation of space.
(iii) A range of evidence would need to be explored before decisions were made on the issues identified, particularly in relation to staffing.
(iv) The title ‘
(v) It was likely that some of the issues might not have one workable solution and flexibility would be needed for sensible differences in practice to be allowable in relation to different academic disciplines.
(vi) The balance of staff should be explored to ensure value for money in the provision of support services to allow academic staff to concentrate on teaching and research.
(vii) The University’s relationship with the town was a critical one.
(viii) There was a need for a campaign to reduce utilities costs which had now reached £4.2M annually. The Vice-Chancellor had initiated discussions with LSU on a way forward. Estates Management Committee was already considering ‘whole-life’ costs of estate developments.
.3 The Vice-Chancellor congratulated the Deputy-Vice-Chancellor and his Working Group colleagues on the report, in particular Marsha Meskimmon and Peter Golding as members of the Estates Strategy Review Group.
05/101 Introduction of Master of Research (MRes) Award
SEN05-P80
On the recommendation of Learning and Teaching Committee, Senate considered the adoption of the MRes award from 2006/07. The Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Teaching) informed Senate that there were some existing Master’s programmes with a research training element already offered by the University. The proposed MRes award could prove useful for prospective students to distinguish this type of award from the more traditional Master’s programme and could better place departments alongside their competitors offering such an award. It was noted that some RAE panels had already agreed that MRes students would not be counted in research student numbers for RAE 2008, neither would MRes students be a factor in QR funding. Nevertheless, RAE panels would see the award of an MRes as evidence of an effective research environment. It was commented that departments introducing MRes programmes should be required to meet the guidelines of the appropriate Research Council on the recognition of Masters programmes offering research training. It was, however, felt that the wording in paragraph 6 of the paper already emphasised sufficiently the importance of the relevant Research Council guidelines. It was RESOLVED to make a recommendation to Council for the addition of the award to Ordinance IV.
05/102 Changes to Ordinances
Senate considered amendments with immediate effect to the following Ordinances and RESOLVED to recommend these to Council:
SEN05-P81
.1 Ordinance III: Substantive Awards and Honorary Degrees
SEN05-P82
.2 Ordinance XVII: Conduct and
Discipline of Students
05/103 Future Demands on any Additional Income
SEN05-P83, SEN05-P84
.1 Senate noted advice from the Academic Registry to Admissions Tutors on the use of additional undergraduate student fee income and a paper from the Operations Sub-Committee (Budgetary Review Group) on the influences on spending which were under consideration. The former document was a useful briefing sheet which Heads of Department should ensure was seen by all colleagues who had contact with potential students. The latter document was intended to inform Senate of the major uncertainties facing the University in budget forecasting which the Budgetary Review Group had in mind.
.2 Two Heads of Department commented that in terms of managing departmental revenue it would be more valuable for additional fee income from tuition fees to be income-streamed to departments, even if it was subsequently clawed back. It was hoped that some of the additional income would be available for learning resources in departments.
.3 It was commented that the burden of international
student recruitment was currently falling primarily on two departments, the
ACTION: DVC
.4 It was commented that additional income should include better pay for staff in line with the AUT campaign and that this was likely to be welcomed by students. In relation to the issues of financial importance facing the University (SEN05-P84), and the statement that pay costs were rising significantly above the rate of inflation, it was queried whether or not externally-funded research posts had been included. The Vice-Chancellor presented charts illustrating how the main sources of increasing income to the University from 1999/2000 to 2008/09 related to the increasing expenditure on staff. Projected staff costs were growing at a faster rate than these increases in income. The additional income from 2006/07 tuition fees, once bursaries were deducted, would be about £4M which would fall short of the additional staff costs. This illustrated why the Strategic Review Working Group had been charged with addressing rising salary costs. Senate welcomed the data presented and the open and frank discussion of the issues. In response to a request, the Vice-Chancellor agreed to seek staff cost data presented by staff type.
ACTION: Vice-Chancellor
05/104 Matters for Report by the Director of Business Partnerships, Innovation and Knowledge Transfer
SEN05-P85
A report was noted. Regarding para 1.4 of the report, it was pointed out that the person seconded by emda would be involved in developing proposals in respect of Holywell Park and land closely adjacent to it, not the wider Science Park proposal.
05/105 Matters for Report by the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research)
SEN05-P86
.1 New Research Grants and Contracts
A record income of almost £40M had been achieved in 2004/05. As this involved several large grants and staff would now need time to undertake the research, this record sum was unlikely to be achieved again in the short-term future.
SEN05-P87
.2 Research Grants and Contracts Applications
Applications continued to increase and had totalled £83.6M in 2004/05. Levels of activity were pleasing, the aim being to achieve two applications per academic FTE per annum.
.3 RAE 2008
Once the RAE panels’ criteria and working methods had been published in December, the prose on environment and esteem could begin to be developed. Most RAE panels were adopting an additional text field to allow comment on research output. Use of this field should be made to emphasise the impact of research outside the academic sphere, which was developing as an important factor with HEFCE being under strong government pressure in this area. The University’s Personal Research Plan scheme was being revised to allow staff to comment on the wider impact of their research, in preparation for completion of the new RAE text field.
.4 HEFCE Performance Indicators for Research
The University was ranked first among the pre-1992 universities for research grant and contract income per unit of HEFCE QR income, but had done less well generally across the range of PIs than in recent years. Each PI was a complex measure, being a weighted sum of component PIs over cost centres, the component PIs reflecting performance relative to the sector.
05/106 Matters for Report by the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Teaching)
SEN05-P88
.1 Student Recruitment
Recruitment of UK/EU and international undergraduates had exceeded targets. Targets for taught postgraduate recruitment, both UK/EU and International, had not been achieved. The University’s budget had been adjusted conservatively with respect to its achieving the formal international PGT target, thereby managing the element of risk in the budget. The Director of the International Office informed Senate that the conversion rate for International students had been higher for those who had paid the voluntary deposit than for those who had not and the scheme would continue for the 2006 intake.
SEN05-P89
.2 Teaching Quality Information: National Student Survey
Loughborough had been ranked first for overall satisfaction amongst its full-time students, and was also ranked first for ‘learning resources’ and ‘organisation and management’. It had also performed well in individual subject areas, with Physical Science being the highest scoring subject of any institution in the country. These were outstanding results. Thanks were due to the Students’ Union for their help in encouraging finalists to respond to the survey, and to departments, which had performed well across the board. More detailed information on the survey data, disaggregated by programme, had recently been received and would be forwarded to departments shortly. The survey was to be repeated in 2006. Thereafter it was unlikely to be repeated annually in view of the expense.
.3 Additional Student Numbers
HEFCE had approved the award of 80 Additional Student Numbers over two years, which would be built into Business Plans and target figures for next year. Senate was assured that the effect of this on the student population would be negligible.
SEN05-P90
.4 HEFCE Performance Indicators for Learning and Teaching
The “Access” PIs were generally close to the benchmarks and retention rates had exceeded the benchmark for both young and mature students.
05/107 Matters for Report by the Vice-Chancellor
.1 Subject to funding from Operations Sub-Committee (Budgetary Review), an order would made for flu vaccinations for staff for winter 2006. If possible the arrangement would be continued on an annual basis.
.2 The University had moved from 13th
to 15th position in the Sunday Times league table. The basis of the
calculation had been changed. A new component score which related to Secondary
Heads’ assessment had proved disappointing for the University. The
Vice-Chancellor had since written to all Secondary Heads in
.3 The Vice-Chancellor congratulated Social Sciences on the award of the University’s fifth Queen’s Anniversary Prize, in recognition of its world-leading role in Social Policy.
.4 The University was in the top five institutions in the THES league table on ethnic minority staff.
05/108 Programme Proposals
SEN05-P91
On the recommendation of Learning and Teaching Committee, on the advice of Curriculum Sub-Committee, it was RESOLVED to recommend to Council as appropriate:
.1 New Programmes for Introduction in the 2005/06 session
MSc Criminal Justice Research
PG Diploma in Management (NG Bailey) (Chair’s action)
.2 New Programmes for Introduction in the
2006/07 session
MSc Sustainable Infrastructure Services Management
MSc Programmes in Occupational Health:
MSc/PGDip Occupational Health for Safety Professionals
MSc/PGDip Evidence-based Practice in Occupational Health
MSc/PGDip Psychology of Work and Health
.3 Revised Titles/Awards
MSc Construction Innovation Management to MSc Engineering Innovation and Management (from October 2005 entry) (Chair’s action)
BSc Sports Science and Mathematics to BSc Mathematics and Sports Science (from October 2007 entry)
BA/BSc Industrial Design and Technology to BA Industrial Design and Technology (from October 2006 entry)
.4 Discontinuation of the Following Programmes (last intake
shown in brackets)
BSc Sports Science and Social Science (October 2006)
BA English and Sports Science (October 2006)
MSc Packaging Technology (January 2005)
(Further details were available on request from the Secretary)
05/109 Learning and Teaching Committee
On the recommendation of Learning and Teaching Committee it was RESOLVED to approve:
SEN05-P92
.1 Co-Ordination
of Joint Degree Programmes
SEN05-P93
.2 Revised Code of Practice on External Examining
SEN05-P94
.3 Revised Terms of Reference
(i) Curriculum Sub-Committee
(ii) Learning and Teaching Committee
05/110 Resources and Planning Committee
On the recommendation of Resources and Planning Committee, it was RESOLVED to recommend to Council:
SEN05-P95
Revisions to Constitution and
Terms of Reference of Sub-Committees
Performance Monitoring Group
Estates Management Committee
05/111 Student Services Committee
On the recommendation of Student Services Committee, it was RESOLVED to recommend to Council:
SEN05-P96
.1 Revised Membership of Student Services Committee
SEN05-P97
.2 Revised Terms of Reference of Residential Provision and Management Sub-Committee
SEN05-P98
.3 Establishment and Membership of Student Support Sub-Committee
05/112 Prizes Committee
On the recommendation of Prizes Committee it was RESOLVED to approve:
SEN05-P99
.1 The establishment of new prizes, amendments to prizes and the discontinuation of prizes.
SEN05-P100
.2 Revised Terms of Reference of Prizes Committee
05/113 BSc Sports Science and Mathematics: Change of Responsible Department
SEN05-P101
On the recommendation of the
Social Sciences and Humanities and Science Faculty Boards, it was RESOLVED to
recommend to Council the transfer of administrative responsibility for the
programme (to be renamed BSc Mathematics and Sports Science) from the
05/114 Membership of Senate 2005/06
SEN05-P102
Noted.
05/115 Condonement
SEN05-P103
Further to Minute 04/67 of the Ordinary meeting on 23 June 2004, Senate noted an update from Learning and Teaching Committee on the operation of condonement in 2004-05.
05/116 Sporting Success at
SEN05-P104
Senate noted the report from the Director of the Sports Development Centre received by Council on 19 July 2005.
05/117 Corporate Planning Statement
SEN05-P105
Senate noted the Corporate Planning Statement 2005, approved by Council at its meeting on 19 July 2005 and subsequently submitted to HEFCE.
05/118 Executive Management Group Responsibilities and Organisational Chart
SEN05-P106
Noted.
05/119 Librarian’s Annual Report 2004/05
SEN05-P107
Senate noted the Annual Report for 2004/05 from the Librarian.
05/120 University responses to Universities
Senate
noted responses to the following:
SEN05-P108
.1 The
SEN05-P109
.2 Proposals for National Credit Arrangements for Use of
Academic Credit
Both consultation documents were available at:
http://www.universitiesuk.ac.uk/consultations/universitiesuk/
05/121 Launch of Teaching Quality
Information (TQI) web-site
Senate noted:
.1 The launch on 22 September 2005 of the
TQI web-site, incorporating the results of the 2005 National Student Survey:
.2 That further analyses of Loughborough’s
NSS results had been circulated widely within the University, and aspects were
being pursued in discussions between the ADTs and Departmental Learning and
Teaching Co-ordinators. For highlights
of the University’s results, see
http://www.lboro.ac.uk/service/publicity/news-relases/2005/91_student_survey.html
http://www.lboro.ac.uk/prospectus/achievements/nss.html
.3 That more detailed results had now been disseminated to institutions by Ipsos
05/122 National Student Survey 2006
Senate noted that confirmation had been
received of the arrangements for the 2006 NSS.
It would have a similar format and timetable to the
2005 survey. The same questionnaire would
be used, though it was intended to test some additional questions for potential
use in subsequent surveys. There would
be an added facility to aggregate the results for the two years of the survey
to enable reporting on smaller areas of provision. Following the 2006 NSS, the frequency of the
survey would be reviewed. Information had been circulated to departmental TQI
contacts.
05/123 QAA Special Review of Research
Degree Programmes
Senate noted that the QAA was undertaking a
one-off desk-based review of research degree programmes. It would use a questionnaire designed to
provide information on the University’s quality assurance framework for RDPs
and particularly on how the framework aligned with the precepts of the revised Section 1 Postgraduate research programmes
of the QAA Code of Practice. The University’s response was being
co-ordinated by Brigette Vale in the Research Student Office.
For the operational description of the
special review, see http://www.qaa.ac.uk/reviews/postgraduate/default.asp
05/124 Bursary Scheme for 2006 Entrants
SEN05-P110
Senate noted a paper setting out amendments which had now been approved by Council.
05/125 Reports from Committees
Senate received reports from the following Committees:
.1 SEN05-P111 Research Committee of 27 October 2005
.2 SEN05-P112 Learning and Teaching Committee of 10 November 2005
.3 SEN05-P113 Resources and Planning Committee of 28 October 2005
.4 SEN05-P114 Student Services Committee of 2 November 2005
.5 SEN05-P115 Prizes Committee of 10 November 2005
05/126 Valedictory
Professor Reid, on
behalf of current and past Senate members, thanked the Vice-Chancellor for his
drive and energy over his twelve-year period of office, which had taken the
University to great heights. Professor Reid thanked the Vice-Chancellor for
taking the time to get to know staff personally, and wished him and Elizabeth
Wallace success in their future ventures.
The Vice-Chancellor
responded that it had been a huge privilege for him to have been part of
05/127 Dates of Future Meetings in 2005/06
Wednesday 25 January 2006 (am) (if necessary)
Wednesday 1 March 2006 (am)
Wednesday 28 June 2006 (am)
Author – Jennie Elliott
Date – November 2005
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