SENATE
SEN06-M1
Minutes of the Ordinary Meeting of
Senate on Wednesday 25 January 2006.
Shirley
Pearce
Memis Acar Clive
Edwards Mario
Minichiello (ab)
Serpil Acar John
Feather Mary
Morley
David Allen Maurice
Fitzgerald Ken
Parsons
Chris
Backhouse David
Gillingwater (ab) Ian
Reid
Morag
David Berry
(ab) Keith
Gregory Steve
Rothberg
Matt Best
(ab) Neil
Halliwell Fytton
Rowland (ab)
Stuart
Biddle Roger
Haslam Peter
Smith
Jon Binner Tony
Hodgson Gab
Stone
Russell
Bowman (ab) Sarah
Holloway Tony
Thorpe
Ed Brown
(ab) Terry
Kavanagh Rob
Thring
Paul Chung Steven
Kenny Richard
Wakeman
Sandra Dann
(ab) Feo
Kusmartsev (ab) Peter
Warwick
Ian
Davidson Mark
Lesley
Davis (ab) Jeremy
Leaman Tom
Weyman-Jones
Becky Dicks Chris
Linton Nigel
Wood
Helen Drake Geoff
Mason Bryan
Woodward
Marshal
Meskimmon (ab) Marha Wőrshing
In
attendance: Chris
Dunbobbin
Fidelma
Hannah (for minute 06/3)
Jennifer
Nutkins
John
Town
Apologies
for absence were received from: Clive Edwards, Feo Kusmartsev, Marsha
Meskimmon, Mario Minichiello, and Fytton Rowland.
06/1 Opening Remarks
The Vice-Chancellor expressed her
appreciation for the warm welcome she had received since arriving at
Loughborough.
06/2 Minutes
It was RESOLVED to confirm and sign the Minutes of the
Ordinary Meeting held on 23 November 2005 (SEN05-M5), subject to one amendment:
the acknowledgement of Rob Thring’s apologies for absence.
06/3 Matters
Arising from the Minutes
.1 Minute 05/103.3 Future Demands on
any Additional Income
The Deputy Vice-Chancellor reported that the proportion of
international student fees credited to departments was less than 100%, because
the University as a whole worked to a figure of 95% of the full fee at real
time funding, to account for no-shows, drop-outs, and other contingencies. A
figure of 90% was assumed for business planning purposes.
.2 Minute 05/103.4 Future demands on
any Additional Income
It was noted that the former Vice-Chancellor had agreed to
seek staff cost data presented by staff type, and work on this was in progress.
The Vice-Chancellor would ensure a report was made to the next meeting.
ACTION:
Vice-Chancellor
06/4 Matters for Report by the Vice-Chancellor
The Vice-Chancellor presented a report to Senate on her
visits across the University. It was emphasised that the views presented were
those that had been expressed to the Vice-Chancellor, and did not necessarily
represent the Vice-Chancellor’s own. The exercise formed part of the
process of beginning to develop the University’s next strategic plan.
(Secretary’s
note – A copy of the presentation slides are available to members on
request from Veronica King).
A number of issues were raised by members in response to the
presentation:
·
It
was suggested that the geographical sprawl of the campus contributed to
problems of integration, particularly in relation to postgraduate students, who
sometimes existed in relatively small, isolated groups. It was hoped that the
proposed
·
Several
members referred to the importance, especially in terms of attracting students,
of the overall appearance of the campus and of individual buildings. In
particular, the University’s lack of a welcoming central building was
noted. Senate was advised that the Hazlerigg and
·
It
was commented that the effects on the sector of the anticipated removal of the
existing cap on home tuition fees were likely to be very significant, and that
it would be important for the University to be clear about how it would
respond.
·
It
was noted that other institutions had established satellite operations in
·
Difficulties
were reported in aligning the core values of some service departments with
those of academic departments.
·
The
importance of a good relationship between the University and the town was
highlighted. The Vice-Chancellor stressed that the ultimate aim was to advance
Loughborough as a whole, and to this end, it was important that the University
and town understood each other as well as possible, and worked together to
minimise any sense of antagonism.
·
The
Students’ Union welcomed further partnership with the University to widen
participation in sport and improve the postgraduate student experience.
·
It
was commented that the University needed to consider innovations in teaching, particularly
relating to large groups of students.
·
It
was noted that the Sunday Times survey had shown that Loughborough was still
not sufficiently well-known among certain groups within the
·
The
importance of effective management of individual appointments ahead of the
imminent Research Assessment Exercise was emphasised.
·
In
the context of ongoing pay negotiations, reference was made to the importance
of valuing the people who work in the University.
06/5 Review
of the Effectiveness of Senate
SEN06-P1
Senate approved proposals on the approach to be employed for
the review of its effectiveness. It was envisaged that the review would include
an examination of the roles of key Senate sub-committees, and in particular
their reports to Senate.
06/6 Matters
for Report by the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research)
SEN06-P2
.1 New Research Grants and Contracts
The Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research) reported that income from
new research grants and contracts was approximately £14M after 5 months of
2005-06, at an average of £2.8M per month. This was lower than the figure for
the same stage in 2004-05 (when income had been exceptionally high), but
slightly up on the figure for 2003-04. The largest single grant, worth more
than £8M, had been awarded to Aeronautical and Automotive Engineering by the
EPSRC.
SEN06-P3
.2 Research Grants and Contracts
Applications
January 2006 had been a good month, with 44 applications
worth a total of £9M. The Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research) noted that it was more
difficult to secure larger awards in non-laboratory based disciplines, and the
data presented therefore focussed on the number of applications as well as the
amount of money brought in.
06/7 Matters
for Report by the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Teaching)
.1 Student Recruitment
The Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Teaching) noted that the University
had received fewer applications from all student categories compared to the
previous year. Applications from UK/EU undergraduate students were down by 14% overall,
but in the previous year, they had been up by a similar proportion, and ahead
of the sector average. It would therefore be necessary to wait until figures
for the sector were released in February 2006, before fully assessing the
University’s performance. Nonetheless, it remained very important to ensure
that good applications were converted into acceptances, and the UCAS open days
were crucial in this effort.
Postgraduate taught applications were also down on the
previous year, but the number of offers being made was at around the same
level. Again, it was crucial that good applications were converted into
acceptances, and departments were encouraged to follow the good practice guidelines
that had been circulated, and to be mindful of the financial incentives that
were available to applicants.
It was commented that there was likely to be a very
competitive market-place for new students in the clearing period at the end of
August/beginning of September. It was noted, however, that the
University’s current policy was that it should not need to compete on
financial grounds in the clearing market. This policy would be kept under
review as the admissions cycle progressed.
.2 National Student Survey 2006
The second National Student Survey (NSS) was due to be launched
on Monday 30 January 2006, and it was the University’s aim to achieve a
100% return from finalists, and to remain ranked at number 1. In order to raise
the profile of the survey, the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Teaching) encouraged Heads
of Department to email their finalists about it, and to allow members of the Loughborough
Students’ Union Executive to speak in support of it at large finalist lectures
at the beginning of Semester 2. Senate was strongly supportive of these
strategies.
The Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Teaching) ended by thanking the LSU
Executive for its support of the University’s efforts in relation to the first
NSS, and offered reassurance that criticisms brought to light would be addressed
by the University.
06/8 Amendment to Ordinance XVII: Conduct and
Discipline of Students
SEN06-P4
On the
recommendation of the Student Discipline Committee, it was RESOLVED to
recommend to Council an amendment to paragraph 2(c) of Ordinance XVII with
immediate effect.
06/9 Learning
and Teaching Strategy
SEN06-P5
On the recommendation of Learning and Teaching Committee Senate
endorsed a revised working version of the University's Learning and Teaching Strategy.
06/10 Dates of Future Meetings in 2005/06
9.15am, Wednesday 1 March 2006
9.15am, Wednesday 28 June 2006
Author: C
Dunbobbin
Date:
January 2006
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