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Second Report of the Council on the Unified Administrative Service

The COUNCIL beg leave to report to the University as follows:

1. The Council's Report on the Unified Administrative Service was published on 21 March 2001 (Reporter, 2000-01, p. 560). A Notice was published on 20 June 2001 in response to the remarks made in the Discussion of this Report. This included amended regulations for the Unified Administrative Service. Two Graces to approve these amended regulations and to rescind the regulations for the Estate Management and Building Service were published on the same date (see Reporter, 2000-01, pp. 827 and 889). Requests for voting on these Graces and proposals for amendments relating to the first Grace were subsequently received (see the Vice-Chancellor's Notice of 29 June 2001 (Reporter, 2000-01, p. 906) which is reproduced in Annex 1 to this Report for convenience).

2. Under Statute A, VIII, 9, the Council are required to consider the amendments proposed and to submit a Report seeking approval of any decision to withhold authorization of the submission of these amendments to the Regent House. Following discussions with the proposers of the amendments to Grace 1 of 20 June 2001 the Council have agreed on a further amendment to replace the four original amendments. This includes a further revision of the regulations for the Unified Administrative Service; these revised regulations are set out in Annex 2 to this Report. The Council propose that this Report be discussed at an early opportunity in the Michaelmas Term (see the Vice-Chancellor's Notice, p. 2) after which they will request the Regent House to approve their decision not to authorize the submission of the original amendments, as required by the Statute. Subject to this approval being granted the Council will arrange for a ballot on Grace 1 of 20 June 2001 under Regulations 8 and 13 of the regulations for Graces and Congregations of the Regent House (Statutes and Ordinances, p. 113). The ballot will include three options (i) to approve the Grace unamended, (ii) to reject the Grace, (iii) to approve the Grace as amended in this Report. The Council will recommend that the Regent House vote in favour of option (iii). A ballot on Grace 2 of 20 June 2001 would take place at the same time.

3. The role of the Unified Administrative Service is to support the delivery of high-quality teaching and research; the proposals in the Council's Reports are intended to enhance the capacity of the Service both to manage itself and to deliver effective support of academic management. The service is currently organized in the following Divisions:

Estate Management and Building Service

Finance Division

General Board Division

Health and Safety Division

Management Information Services Division

Personnel Division

Registry Division

Research Services Division

The proposed new regulations cover the officers in these Divisions together with those in the new Divisions now introduced. The Council's original Report set out the proposed reallocation of duties of the General Board and Registry Divisions between two new Divisions: the Academic Division (including a new Planning and Resource Allocation Office) and the Secretariat (including Legal Services). The changes are summarized in Annex 3.

4. In response to concerns expressed by the proposers of the amendments the Council have agreed that proposed Regulations 1, 2, and 4 for the University Offices should be amended to make it clear that the staff of the University Offices and the Registrary are under the direction of the Council. The Divisions (except for the Estate Management and Building Service) are not at present identified in the regulations, however the Council have agreed that the proposed new Divisions should be identified in the regulation as suggested by the first amendment proposed.

5. The amendments also now include provision for stipends to be approved by Grace as new Regulation 8.

. In their original Report the Council recognized that appointments at a more junior level were more appropriately made by senior administrators and that the delay involved in formally making appointments through the present Standing Appointments Committee had resulted in the loss of preferred candidates. The Council proposed that appointments up to and including Assistant Registrary and equivalent should be made by the Registrary on their behalf, following procedural guidelines that they would lay down. The fourth amendment proposed that officers in all grades should be appointed by the Standing Appointments Committee. The Council have agreed after further discussion with the proposers that it would be appropriate for all appointments above Administrative Officer, Grades I to III, Computer Officer, Grades II to IV, and Advisory Officer to be made by the Standing Appointments Committee; Regulation 6 has been amended to reflect this. The Council also note the concerns expressed about the procedures to be followed for the appointment of the more junior officers. Details of the procedures that have been approved by the Council are therefore attached as Annex 4. They include the requirement that the interview panel should include at least one academic officer with experience and interest in the particular area of work concerned.

7. There has also been some expression of concern that the new regulations did not include the detailed, albeit incomplete, reference to the Registrary's specific duties, apart from those as Head of the Unified Administrative Service, which are set out in the current regulations. The Council consider that as the main duties are at present clearly defined in Statute D, VIII there is no need to provide detailed reference in the new regulations, but have agreed to amend Regulation 2 so that it refers explicitly to that Statute.

8. New offices may be established by Statute or Ordinance. The Council propose that the offices of Director and Deputy Director in the Unified Administrative Service be established in the first instance by Ordinance in order that they come under the general regulations for established offices as soon as possible (as has been requested by the Board of Scrutiny and others). Some concern was expressed that the new office of Director would not be included in the existing grade structure of Assistant Registraries, etc. The new office proposed is designed to provide professional leadership in each Division of the Unified Administrative Service and this defines its seniority. As Regulation 8 now specifies, the stipend for each Directorship will be determined by Grace; the proposal in each case will take into account salary levels in the professional area. Under Regulation 5 the duties of the Directors are to be determined by the Council. The Council are considering a revision of Statutes for the principal administrative officers, and such a revision may include a new Statute for the office of Director.

9. The terms of initial appointment and reappointment for all University officers are at present being considered by the Personnel Committee which will soon make proposals to the Council and the General Board. It is expected that, following extensive consultation, a Report proposing new arrangements will be submitted to the Regent House during the present academical year. Detailed regulations for these terms have not therefore been included in the new regulations, but by Regulation 5 they would be determined by the Council.

10. As a first stage in implementing the procedure set out in paragraph 2 the Council recommend to the Regent House:

That they approve the Council's decision not to authorize the submission of the amendments to Grace 1 of 20 June 2001.

24 September 2001 ALEC N. BROERS, Vice-Chancellor GORDON JOHNSON JAMES MATHESON
  PAV AKHTAR IAN LESLIE Z. NORGATE
  TONY BADGER A. M. LONSDALE JEREMY SANDERS
  JOHN BOYD D. W. B. MACDONALD M. SCHOFIELD
  PETER GODDARD M. D. MACLEOD LIBA TAUB

ANNEX 1

Report of the Council on the Unified Administrative Service: Notice of a ballot

29 June 2001

The Vice-Chancellor gives notice that he has received requests for voting on and proposals for amendments relating to Graces 1 and 2 of 20 June 2001 (Reporter, p. 889).

Grace 1. This Grace reads as follows:

That, with effect from 1 October 2001, the regulations for the University Administrative Service (Statutes and Ordinances, p. 650) be replaced by the regulations for the University Offices set out in Annex 2 to the Report of the Council, dated 19 March 2001, on the Unified Administrative Service (Reporter, p. 560) as amended by the Council's Notice of 11 June 2001 (Reporter, p. 827).

A ballot has been requested on this Grace, and the following amendments have been proposed:

Amendment 1.

That the proposed Regulation 1 be amended to read:

1. The staff of the University Offices shall form a Unified Administrative Service which shall be organized into the following Divisions:

Academic (including the Planning and Resource Allocation Office)

Estate Management and Building Service

Finance

Health and Safety

Management Information Services

Personnel

Research Services

Secretariat (including Legal Services)

Amendment 2.

That the second paragraph of the proposed Regulation 4 be amended to read:

The allocation of the offices between the Divisions of the Unified Administrative Service shall be determined by the Council.

Amendment 3.

That the proposed Regulation 5 be amended to read:

5. The duties of the various offices, their conditions of service and the duration of tenure attaching to each office and grade shall be determined by the Council. The scales of stipends attaching to the various offices shall be fixed by Grace.

Amendment 4.

That the proposed Regulation 6 be amended as follows:

For the first sentence, substitute the following:

'There shall be a Standing Appointments Committee for the staff of the University Offices, which shall be a Committee of the Council. Every appointment or reappointment shall be made with the concurrence of the votes (which shall be given in person at the meeting) of at least five members of the Committee.'

At the end of subsection (c), add the following words: '(except where it is the next Director of the Division who is to be appointed.)'

[It should be noted that if Amendment 1 is approved, footnote 1 of the proposed regulations should be deleted and footnote 2 should be renumbered as 1].

Grace 2. This Grace reads as follows:

That, with effect from 1 October 2001, the regulations for the Estate Management and Building Service (Statutes and Ordinances, p. 883) be rescinded.

A ballot has been requested on this Grace.

The following members of the Regent House have requested ballots on Graces 1 and 2:

STEPHEN J. COWLEY DAVID DUMVILLE H. E. MASON J. R. SPENCER
J. L. DAWSON J. A. HUDSON R. J. MEARS MARK SPIVACK
D. R. DE LACEY A. KARPAS R. RODD R. L. TAPP
J. P. DOUGHERTY      

The following members of the Regent House have proposed Amendments 1 to 4 of Grace 1:

STEPHEN J. COWLEY J. P. DOUGHERTY H. E. MASON J. R. SPENCER
J. L. DAWSON J. A. HUDSON R. J. MEARS MARK SPIVACK
D. R. DE LACEY A. KARPAS R. RODD R. L. TAPP

Under Statute A, VIII, 9 and Regulation 9 of the regulations for Graces for the Regent House (Statutes and Ordinances, p. 114), the Council have power to put forward further alternative proposals for consideration by the Regent House; at their meeting on 23 July the Council will consider whether they wish to do this. They hope to publish a further Notice on 25 July giving details of any such proposals.

ANNEX 2

Proposed revised regulations for the University Offices

1. The staff of the University Offices shall form a Unified Administrative Service which shall be under the supervision of the Council and shall comprise the following Divisions:

Academic Division (including the Planning and Resource Allocation Office)

Estate Management and Building Service

Finance Division

Health and Safety Division

Management Information Services Division

Personnel Division

Research Services Division

Secretariat (including Legal Services).

2. Under the provisions of Statute D, VIII, the head of the Unified Administrative Service shall be the Registrary who, as such and under the direction of the Council, shall manage the University Offices and their staff, budgets, space, and other resources provided to the Offices by the Council. It shall be the duty of the Registrary to ensure that arrangements for the quality assurance of the services provided by the Offices are presented to the Council and are implemented as agreed by the Council. The Registrary shall make such reports on the work of the University Offices to the Council as that body may require.

3. Within each Division of the Unified Administrative Service there shall be the University office of Director (or such other title as may be determined from time to time by the Council) who shall be head of the Division and whose duties shall include the management of the Division, under the overall responsibility of the Registrary.1

4. Within the Unified Administrative Service there shall also be the following University offices, in such numbers as may be approved from time to time by the Council: Deputy Director, Assistant Director, Assistant Registrary, and Assistant Treasurer (including the grades of Principal Assistant and Senior Assistant), Administrative Officer (in three grades, I, II, and III), Computer Officer (in five grades, Senior Computer Officer and Officer I, II, III, and IV), and Advisory Officer (including the grade of Senior Advisory Officer).

The allocation of offices between the Divisions of the Unified Administrative Service shall be determined by the Council on the recommendation of the Registrary.

5. The duties of the various offices, their conditions of service, and the duration of tenure attaching to each office and grade shall be determined by the Council.

6. Appointments and reappointments to the offices of Director, Deputy Director, Assistant Director, Assistant Registrary, and Assistant Treasurer, Senior Computer Officer, Computer Officer, Grade I, and Senior Advisory Officer shall be made by a Standing Appointments Committee which shall be a Committee of the Council. Every appointment or reappointment shall be made with the concurrence of the votes (which shall be given in person at the meeting) of at least five members of the Committee.

The Standing Appointments Committee shall consist of:

(a) the Vice-Chancellor (or a duly appointed deputy) as Chairman;
(b) four persons appointed by the Council, one on the nomination of the General Board, one on the nomination of the Finance Committee, and two on the Council's own nomination;
(c) the Registrary (or a deputy appointed by the Registrary) and the Director of the Division in which the appointment is to be made (except where it is the Director of the Division who is to be appointed or reappointed).

Members in class (b) shall be appointed in the Michaelmas Term to serve for two years from 1 January following their appointment. The Registrary, or a University officer designated by the Registrary, shall act as Secretary to the Committee.

7. Appointments and reappointments to the offices of Administrative Officer, Grades I, II, and III, Computer Officer, Grades II, III, and IV, and Advisory Officer shall be made by the Registrary under procedures to be agreed from time to time by the Council. Written reports of such appointments and reappointments shall be submitted to the Standing Appointments Committee.

8. The scale of stipends of the various offices within the Unified Administrative Service shall be determined by Grace.

9. Save as provided in Statute D, II, 6 the staff of the Unified Administrative Service shall be resident in the University during term-time, and shall not be absent for more than twelve weeks in the academical year; the Registrary and each Director, or a deputy appointed in his or her place, shall be resident throughout the year except during the periods when the University Offices are closed; and neither the Registrary nor the Directors shall be absent for more than two nights in any week during Full Term without obtaining beforehand, if possible, the permission of the Council or asking their approval on returning.

10. The University Offices shall be open throughout the year at such hours as may be approved from time to time by the Council except for such periods of closure at Christmas, Easter, and other public holidays as may be authorized by the Council.

ANNEX 3

University Offices: Main responsibilities of the Academic Division, the Planning and Resource Allocation Office, and the Secretariat

The following schedule indicates the main responsibilities of the Divisions/Office shown. It also indicates in parentheses in which Division those responsibilities are presently located (GB: General Board Division; Re: Registry Division; N: new activity). These indicative responsibilities will be reviewed prior to implementation with the Directors of the two Divisions and, in particular, the Head of the Planning and Resource Allocation Office when identified.

Academic Division

Education Section (GB)

Office of the Board of Graduate Studies (GB)

General Board Secretariat (GB)

School/Faculty/Department administration under central support (GB)

Office of the Matriculation Board (Re)

Office of the Board of Examinations (Re)

International matters and secretariat of the International Committee (Re)

Central University administrative support for undergraduate admissions and access including secretariat of the Joint Committee on Admissions (Re)

Planning and Resource Allocation Office

Needs Section (GB)

Secretariat of the Allocations Committee (Re)

Student Records and Statistics Section (Re)

Secretariat of the Planning and Resources Committee (Re/GB)

Secretariat

Council and general Secretariat (Re)

Legal affairs (N)

Student complaints (N)

Press and publications (Re)

Reprographics (Re)

Facilities management for the Service (Re)

Constitutional matters, Draftsman, and Reporter (Re)

Relations between the University institutionally and the Colleges (Re)

Ceremonial (Re)

The Vice-Chancellor's Office (including support for the Pro-Vice-Chancellors) will be attached to the Secretariat but will continue to operate under the Vice-Chancellor's direct management as at present.

ANNEX 4

Procedure for appointment of administrative and other staff in the Unified Administrative Service

The Council's Report on the Unified Administrative Service allows for appointment of more junior staff to be made by the Registrary rather than the full Standing Appointment Committee. The following procedural guidelines have been approved by the Council for appointment to established posts in the grades of Administrative Officer and equivalent, and to equivalent unestablished posts. The guidelines are designed to ensure that recruitment procedures are open, clear and competitive, and follow best practice in ensuring equality of opportunity.

Permission to fill

Permission to fill a new or vacant post should be obtained from the Resource Management Committee through the Registrary before a post is advertised.

(Forms are available on the web at http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/offices/registry/permission.html/)

Advertising

All vacancies must be advertised, save in exceptional circumstances and with the express approval of the Personnel Committee. Posts should normally be advertised in the Reporter and an appropriate national publication. Normally there should be a minimum of three weeks between advertising and the closing date. All advertisements should include the University's equal opportunities statement.

Role Profile and Person Specification

The roles and duties for the post should be clearly identified and stated by completion of a role profile. The completed role profile should form the basis of the further particulars for the post. Once a role profile has been completed, a person specification should also be drawn up. The person specification should identify the key skills and abilities needed by the person to undertake the role, and will be the benchmark against which candidates can be judged at both the shortlisting and interview stage.

Shortlisting and Interviews

Shortlisting and interviewing should be undertaken by the Head of Division, another appropriate senior officer, and at least one academic officer with experience and interest in the particular area of work (such an officer would normally be a member of the Council, the General Board or the Finance Committee, or the Chairman of the Committee that oversees the work of the Division; or the Head of the Department or Chairman of the Faculty Board where the officer will be assigned to a Department or Faculty). At least two references should be sought for all shortlisted candidates before they are interviewed. To comply with the Data Protection Act all referees should be advised that unless they otherwise specify, references may be open to the candidate. The Registrary, at his discretion, may take part in any stage of the selection procedure.

Appointment

Formal appointment will be made by the Registrary on the recommendation of the interview panel. The following papers should accompany any recommendation for appointment: the role profile and person specification; details of the number of applicants (by M and F) and the number of candidates shortlisted for interview (by M and F); the names of those who are shortlisted and interviewed and a record of the interview proceedings; the CV and references for the candidate being put forward together with a note of how the person meets the person specification. The recommendation should also include a recommendation for period of appointment and place on the scale of stipends (which should have been approved by the Personnel Division if they are not straightforward) together with a start date. The Head of Division may also propose a Recruitment Incentive Payment (under the University's agreed procedure) at this stage. Copies of the papers should be forwarded to the Standing Appointments Committee.

Offer of appointment and contract

An informal offer to the candidate should be made by the Head of Division only after the Registrary has approved the appointment. The Registrary will initiate production of a formal contract of employment and letter of appointment by the Personnel Division.

Reappointments

Reappointments for staff in the grades specified above will also be made by the Registrary on the recommendation of the Head of Division. A recommendation for reappointment should be accompanied by an up-to-date role profile, CV, and at least two references. The period of reappointment should be specified as set out in Statutes and Ordinances.

Re-gradings

All cases for re-grading will be considered by the Standing Appointments Committee as part of the annual New Needs exercise.

General advice on best practice in recruitment and selection is available from the officer in the Personnel Division acting as Personnel Consultant for the Unified Administrative Service.

1 The Council have determined that the Director of the Academic Division shall have the title of Academic Secretary and the Director of the Secretariat shall have the title of Administrative Secretary.


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Cambridge University Reporter, 3 October 2001
Copyright © 2001 The Chancellor, Masters and Scholars of the University of Cambridge.