Reporter 6/11/02: Joint Report of the Council and the General Board on a Human Resources Strategy for the University: Notice

Joint Report of the Council and the General Board on a Human Resources Strategy for the University: Notice

4 November 2002

The Council have considered the remarks made by Dr Evans at the Discussion of this Report on 28 May (Reporter, 2001-02, p. 879). They have consulted the General Board and have agreed to comment as follows:

1. In respect of the additional moneys secured from the HEFCE following submission of an 'emerging' HR Strategy in June 2001, Dr Evans invited the Council and the General Board to identify what these have been spent on and to offer reassurance that they are being spent as targeted. The Council and the Board are glad to have the opportunity to offer such reassurance and to draw attention to elements in the Strategy that have been implemented already, such as the introduction of University Senior Lectureships, the expansion in the provision of staff development, and appointments to take forward role analysis and equal opportunity. However, the scope of the Strategy is wide ranging, some actions proposed will require an extended time scale for their implementation and (as the funding council recognizes) some elements in it many change over time. In due course, through the on-going monitoring of the Strategy conducted by the Personnel Committee, the Council and the Board will be in a position to report in detail on how the additional funding has been used across the range of activities envisaged by the 'full' Strategy.

2. In making her remarks about the additional moneys Dr Evans also asserted that the Strategy was 'rushed' to the funding council in June 2001. The Council and the Board made clear in paragraphs 4 and 9 of their Report the difficulty of undertaking proper consultation and obtaining approval for the Strategy within the time scales for submission imposed by the funding council. Before the 'full' Strategy was drawn up, wide consultation was undertaken. A Notice inviting comments from all members of staff was published in the Reporter on 31 October 2001 (2001-02, p. 139).

3. The Council and the Board are pleased that in her speech Dr Evans recognized that the Human Resources Strategy brings co-ordination to personnel arrangements in the University. Dr Evans asked that the minutes of working groups and committees (paragraphs 6 and 10) should also be published on the Web. The Council and the Board note that the Minutes of the Personnel Committee are already published in this form and that they contain reports on work undertaken in that Committee's subordinate working groups.

4. Dr Evans referred to the lack of progress on the upgrading and additional salary provision for staff other than academic officers. The Council and the Board do not accept her description of the established arrangements, but note, as did Dr Evans herself, that the Strategy contains a commitment to rationalize the existing arrangements (paragraph 20). The recent appointment of a Pay and Remuneration Manager, to which Dr Evans also made reference in her speech, is an important step in taking forward action in this area. As to the issue of the questionnaire that the holder of the post recently circulated to a small number of staff, this was part of the process of assessing the suitability of the Higher Education Role Analysis scheme that is being undertaken in collaboration with other large research universities (paragraph 21), and will be completed in the Lent Term.

5. Dr Evans suggests that detailed drafting has 'gone on out of sight' on revised procedures for senior academic promotions (paragraph 23). She makes no mention of the consultation exercise undertaken by the General Board in the Michaelmas Term 2001 and which was announced in the Reporter (2001-02, p. 106). In the light of that exercise proposals have been developed that have been considered by the Council and the Board and have been presented to the Regent House by way of a Report.

6. Dr Evans claimed that the Human Resources Strategy neglects retention. The Council and the Board fully recognize the importance of retention as well as recruitment. They would like to draw attention in particular to paragraphs 19 and 20 of the Strategy. There it is acknowledged that a range of factors can affect retention and suggestions for action are proposed, for example in respect of career and development opportunities, better staff management, and greater attention to work-life balance.

7. With regard to Dr Evans's comments about the introduction of a common grading methodology and additional payments, the Council and the Board note that she acknowledged that the Strategy (paragraph 16) is clear about the need for transparency and fairness.

8. With reference to paragraph 17 of the Strategy, Dr Evans asserted that this is the first that has been heard of proposals to make appointments to Senior Lectureships and Readerships. However, these proposals (as well as that relating to the abolition of Assistant Lectureships) were included in the Board's consultation exercise which was mentioned earlier.

9. In her comments on paragraphs 32-36 of the Strategy referring to equal opportunity, Dr Evans failed to acknowledge that the Strategy recognizes that there is much to be done in this area and that it contains proposals for action on gender, race, and disability.

10. Dr Evans queried whether appraisal will turn into assessment (paragraph 38). As the Strategy notes, proposals for a revised scheme have been the subject of a consultation exercise. The comments received will be taken into account in refining the draft scheme before a further round of consultation is undertaken. Dr Evans also asked whether performance review (paragraph 41) will 'mean our work will be assessed by persons less competent than we are and without of course any training' and whether ''remedial action' (paragraph 43) will be taken if they disapprove of the way we do things'. The Strategy makes reference to existing review mechanisms such as the Research Assessment Exercise and the University's own system of departmental reviews. It also proposes the introduction of structured probationary schemes which will be the subject of Reports in due course. With regard to poor performance, the Strategy suggests the importance of identifying problems and taking remedial action at an early stage and recognizes that this will require the development of management skills.

11. The Council and the General Board recommend that the Human Resources Strategy be approved by the Regent House. The Council have submitted a Grace (Grace 4, p. 272) to the Regent House for this purpose.

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