The Council has considered the remarks made at the Discussion of this Report on 23 January 2007 (Reporter, p. 369) and has referred them to the General Board whose comments are incorporated in this response.
The Board welcome, in principle, Mr J. G. Head's suggestion that student membership be extended to the Councils of the Schools. The Board will consult the Councils and give further consideration to the method of appointment of student members, with a view to asking the Council to submit a Grace proposing the necessary amendments to the constitutions of the Councils of the Schools.
With regard to the observations by Professor G. R. Evans and Dr S. J. Cowley that the proposals will lead to greater centralization of decision making and power in the University, the Board draw attention to the following extract from paragraph 6 of the Report:
The Council and the Board are aware that the Councils of the Schools have developed their own working arrangements, appropriate to their respective disciplines and local custom and practice; they have no wish to disturb those arrangements, nor to require all the Councils of the Schools to conform to the same operational arrangements. They consider that it is preferable for each School to operate within the overall statutory framework, and to develop their working arrangements in a way which best meets their own needs and the collective aims of their constituent institutions.
Dr Cowley queried the need, under the proposals, for the Head of a School to be responsible jointly to the Council of the School and the Vice-Chancellor. The Board consider that accountability to the Vice-Chancellor is an important safeguard in relation to the Vice-Chancellor's role as the Designated Officer under the Financial Memorandum between the University and the HEFCE; it is also necessary to define a 'responsible person' in the event of unsatisfactory performance leading to proceedings under Statute U. After further consideration, however, the Board have suggested the amendment of the proposed new Statute C, II to confirm that, as for any University officer in an institution under the Board's supervision, the Head of a School would be responsible to the General Board for the satisfactory performance of their duties. The section of the proposed Statute would accordingly read as follows:
5. The Head shall be Chairman of the Council of the School and shall be the principal academic officer of the School and shall be responsible to the Council of the School, the General Board, and the Vice-Chancellor for the overall running of the school, including the use of the funds specified under 3(b) and the implementation of the approved plans referred to in 3(a).
The Board and the Council have given further consideration to the proposed system of remuneration for the Heads of Schools, in the light of the remarks by Dr Cowley and Dr M. R. Clark. They have concluded that it is possible to implement a system based on analysis of the role, through HERA, instead of, as proposed in the Report, a pensionable additional payment for administration. Accordingly they have agreed to replace paragraph 10 of the Report by the following:
10. At present the Chairmen of the Councils of the Schools receive a Schedule I Head of Department additional pensionable payment, on top of their regular stipend, including professorial supplementary payment where applicable. The Council and the Board propose that, in future, the remuneration of School Heads should reflect three elements: (i) the percentage of full-time commitment to the role of Head of School; (ii) the temporary reduction in the normal level of the Head's departmental duties as a result of discharging duties as Head of School; and (iii) retention in full of any contribution payment, clinical responsibility payment, or market supplement in recognition of the fact that Heads will still be expected to remain active in teaching and research, as well as maintaining their general contribution, during their tenure as Head. The time commitment as Head of School would be determined by the Council of the School in each case, at a level not exceeding 80% of full-time. The choice of percentage time commitment will vary according to the needs of the School and of the person appointed Head. The full-time stipend to be associated with the Headship of a School has been measured by an analysis of the role using HERA as £89,595 at 1 February 2007 (Point 83 of the single salary spine). Thus, reflecting the three elements described, the proposed stipend for a Head of School will be (i) Grade 12, Point 83 reduced pro rata to reflect the time commitment as Head, plus (ii) the basic salary for the University office held by the Head, reduced pro rata to reflect the time commitment to that office, plus (iii) any contribution payment, payment for clinical responsibility, or market supplement in full. Although the additional cost would have to be borne by the School, it is inevitable if the office of Head of School is to be attractive to senior academics with the requisite experience and leadership skills. On completion of an officer's four-year period as Head of School, he or she would be eligible for additional leave granted by analogy with the arrangements for Heads of Department to enable them to re-engage fully in their personal research.
| 18 April 2007 | ALISON RICHARD, Vice-Chancellor | JACOB HEAD | MELVEENA MCKENDRICK |
| WILLIAM BROWN | D. W. B. MACDONALD | KAMIAR MOHADDES | |
| PHILIP FORD |
The Chairmen of the Councils of the Schools have not signed this amendment in order to avoid any appearance of a conflict of interest.
The Council is reviewing any implication of this proposal for the remuneration model for Pro-Vice-Chancellors. It has agreed to submit a Grace (Grace 1, p. 637) for the approval of the recommendations in the Report as amended by this Notice.
| 30 April 2007 | ALISON RICHARD, Vice-Chancellor | M. CLARK | G.A. REID |
| ROSS ANDERSON | M. K. B. KEMPLE | VERONICA SUTHERLAND | |
| NICK BAMPOS | DEBBIE LOWTHER | JOAN M. WHITEHEAD | |
| Z. BARANSKI | D. W. B. MACDONALD | S. J. YOUNG | |
| WILLIAM BROWN |