Notices

Calendar

28 November, Saturday. Congregation of the Regent House at 2 p.m (see p. 185).

29 November, Sunday. End of third quarter of Michaelmas Term.

4 December, Friday. Full Term ends.

8 December, Tuesday. Discussion at 2 p.m. in the Senate-House.

19 Decenber, Saturday. Michaelmas Term ends.

Discussions (at 2 p.m.)	Congregations
8 December	28 November, Saturday at 2 p.m.

Election of a member of the Finance Committee in class (b)

23 November 2015

The Head of the Registrary’s Office has received the following nomination for the Council’s Finance Committee, for election in class (b) by the Representatives of the Colleges:

Mr Rory Buchanan Landman, T, nominated by Ms D. Lowther, G, and Mr P. Warren, CL.

No other candidates having been nominated, Mr Landman is duly elected, to serve as a member of the Finance Committee for three years from 1 January 2016.

Notice in response to the Twentieth Report of the Board of Scrutiny, 2014–15

25 November 2015

This Notice is the Council’s reply to the Board of Scrutiny’s Twentieth Report (Reporter, 6394, 2014–15, p. 770) and the Discussion of it held on 13 October 2015 (Reporter, 6400, 2015–16, p. 58).

The Council remains grateful to the Board of Scrutiny for its thoughtful reflection on the matters to which it has drawn attention and wishes to respond as follows to the recommendations made in its Report.

1. The Board recommends that assumptions about graduate numbers continue to be kept under active review.

The Postgraduate Admissions Committee will continue to monitor graduate numbers and will work with the Schools and Colleges to meet the planned growth of 2% per annum in the number of graduate students admitted. That target will be reviewed by the end of 2016 in consultation with the Schools and Colleges. The Postgraduate Admissions Committee will also agree a graduate recruitment strategy to assist in meeting the planned growth in graduate numbers. School graduate student number plans will be challenged during the Planning Round to ensure that the basis of the projections and the consequent risks are fully understood.

2. The Board recommends that the assumptions surrounding the financial position of North West Cambridge remain under constant review.

Since the circulation of the Board’s Report to the Council in June 2015, the Council has published the first report of an Audit Group, established by the Audit Committee, inter alia, to conduct an investigation into the causes of projected cost over-runs in Phase 1 of the development, which were reported to the Finance Committee and the Council in July 2015 (Reporter, 6400, 2015–16, p. 53). Work to implement the recommendations of that report has already commenced, including a comprehensive re-baselining of costs, budgets, and revenues, which is expected to be completed early in 2016. The Audit Group is planning to provide a second report to the Council on lessons to be learned in respect of the governance and management of large-scale projects and other commercial activities by early Lent Term 2016.

3. The Board recommends that the University continue to engage proactively with the Universities Superannuation Scheme to ensure that the scheme remains sustainable without undue risk to the University.

The University is represented on the Employer Pension Forum of Universities UK (UUK) and its USS Sub-Group, both of which actively engages with USS to ensure that the scheme remains sustainable without undue risk to the University. The Forum is also actively engaged with USS on exploring the issues of exclusivity (as the Board’s Report notes, currently the rules governing USS prevent the University from paying pension contributions to any pension scheme other than those approved by USS). The Finance Committee takes an active interest in USS’s financial position, advised by its Pensions Working Group.1

4. The Board recommends that, while the University must remain mindful of its position as one of the principal underwriters of the Universities Superannuation Scheme, it should nevertheless continue to explore total remuneration packages as a means of attracting the most talented staff.

Prompted by the significant changes to USS pension benefits and in recognition of the fact that a total reward package offering greater flexibility and choice to staff in their benefits would be likely to be attractive and reduce risk for the University, the Pensions Working Group has developed the framework for a potential review of pensions and wider benefits. Proposals to develop such a total reward strategy will form part of the consultations on a wider People Strategy, subject to the approval of the central bodies.

5. The Board recommends that the Estates Strategy Committee publish a clear strategic plan for the University estate at the earliest opportunity.

The Estates Strategy Committee is planning to publish a new strategy for the University estate for consideration by the senior bodies later in the current academical year; this will provide the framework within which plans for individual sites across the University will be developed but will also consider the inter-connectedness of those sites, transport, design, and other over-arching principles for development. Information about site masterplans is available at http://www.em.admin.cam.ac.uk/developing-estate/site-masterplans. As plans for other sites become more fully formed, these will be published online.

6. The Board recommends that an online Senate-House noticeboard be established and regularly maintained.

An online noticeboard has been established in response to this recommendation, to provide access to copies of drawings and plans that are also available to view in the Schools Arcade, for the information of members of the University.2

7. The Board recommends that the University develop a clearer strategy that will both maintain world-class research and attract the maximum research income to support it.

The University’s research strategy encompasses individual strategies for each of the six Schools and an overarching strategy for the University. Each School presents its research strategy as part of its annual Planning Round submission and the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research) works with the Heads of the Schools to develop and implement the strategy to work across the Schools, both in the UK and internationally. The University’s twelve strategic research initiatives (SRIs) that were established to create a shared cross-School vision in key thematic areas have proved successful in promoting inter- and multidisciplinary research collaborations and in providing a springboard to attract research funding, for example, the University’s successful application to join the Consortium of Founding Partners of the Alan Turing Institute.

The General Board have approved a series of actions in the light of the outcome of REF2014, including Hindsight Reviews of Cambridge submissions that fell outside the top quartile of their Unit of Assessment, the development of a forward-looking strategic research review of research activities across the University that is due to be completed by September 2017, and the instigation of a broadly-based review of the management and governance of the University’s academic activities. The University has also reconstituted a REF Policy Committee and REF Project Board that are meeting regularly and will oversee the ongoing preparations for the next REF which is expected to take place in 2020 or 2021.

8. The Board recommends that the University provide greater clarification and support regarding financial, ethical, and regulatory responsibilities to those involved in research.

The University provides financial, ethical, and regulatory advice for those involved in research through a combination of central services, for example, the websites of the Research Operations Office and International Strategy Office, and the dedicated Research Integrity website, and through local services that are provided at School and Departmental level. Strategic leadership of these activities is provided by the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research) with operational responsibility falling primarily to the Head of the University Research Office, working closely with colleagues in the Academic Division, the Legal Services Office, and the Finance Division as required to provide appropriate support in discrete areas.

There are a number of dedicated communications channels for regulatory and compliance matters, including the weekly Research Operations Bulletin, to disseminate information to staff via Departments. An appropriate balance has to be struck between the provision of University-led support, guidance, and training, such as centrally supported training in research integrity, and support and training provided at Departmental level which can be tailored to meet the specific needs of the research community. The University continues, where appropriate, to develop appropriate training and guidance information when new issues emerge, for example in areas such as export control.

9. The Board recommends that the University continue to take a proactive approach to lobbying on Higher Education funding and European Union representation for decisions that will protect the ability of this University and others in the UK to continue to conduct world-class research.

The University takes the opportunity to respond to consultations on matters such as HEI funding and research policy when it is appropriate to do so and also works with bodies such as LERU and the Russell Group to lobby collectively where this is the most appropriate approach. The Vice-Chancellor along with other senior members of the University also seek to influence policy through their own personal contacts in government and other bodies, including the funding agencies, major charities, and learned societies. The University and the Schools also engage proactively with funding agencies such as the Research Councils on a regular basis on both policy and operational matters.

10. The Board recommends that the University engage actively with those Faculties and Departments where the proportion of University teaching officers taking College Fellowships is markedly lower than in comparable subjects in order to understand and address the reasons why this is the case.

The General Board will, through their Education Committee and in consultation with the relevant intercollegiate bodies, identify the relevant University institutions and engage with them in accordance with the Board of Scrutiny’s recommendation. The General Board will consider the Education Committee’s findings by the end of the current academical year.

11. The Board recommends that the University develop a competitive strategy for international recruitment, especially at undergraduate level.

A recruitment strategy is being developed through the Postgraduate Admissions Committee in collaboration with the Gates Cambridge Trust and the Cambridge Trust for postgraduate students, and through a working group of the Undergraduate Admissions Committee for undergraduate students; half of the latter’s membership is drawn from the Colleges.

12. The Board recommends that the University Information Services engage critically with consultants to ensure their advice is world-leading and not merely ‘industry-standard’, and ensure that consultancy is only used where it is appropriate and represents good value for money.

The UIS engages with consultancy organizations when there is a demonstrable need to acquire skills and advice that are not otherwise available to it. It agrees with the Board that such advice has to be of the highest quality and fit for the purposes to which it is applied. The Information Services Committee is responsible for ensuring that the UIS is appropriately resourced to carry out its agreed strategy and that it demonstrates value for money in the use of those resources to the wider University community.

13. The Board recommends that the University Information Services monitor the staffing levels necessary to maintain its current service levels, and ensure it retains sufficient staff with the necessary expertise to meet its current service commitments and the future IT needs of the University.

The UIS is restructuring to undertake a number of additional activities called for in the IT Review, while, in the medium term, remaining within 2014 costs levels. Further engagement with the University, support for information management, development of IT career development, and information services architecture are areas where capability is being added which, over time, will allow higher effectiveness. By improving the tools and processes used, and re-using common components within a defined architecture, the UIS will become more efficient. The UIS is exploring ways of ensuring that talent is developed in more junior posts to ensure that a pipeline of in-house skills is built.

14. The Board recommends that the University review its use of unestablished posts, and only appoint on an unestablished basis where there exists an objective justification for doing so.

A review of unestablished appointments has been undertaken. The HR Division will be carrying out work to clarify the criteria which should be used to determine when it is appropriate to make an appointment on an unestablished basis and will bring forward recommendations to the relevant appointing bodies in due course.

15. The Board recommends that the University Information Services consult widely with students and staff as to their IT needs, including staff who are not IT specialists, such as University teaching officers, and a diverse sample of the student body.

The UIS has already started to consult with non-IT specialists in the development of the Information Service Catalogue. The User Needs Committee is working closely with UIS to improve engagement with users: currently planned work includes development of user satisfaction metrics, regular and ad hoc surveys, and the establishment of representative groups (‘user panels’) and committees. The understanding gained through these channels will help guide and advise the UIS on future service needs. Project Boards are also expected to include non-IT specialists to help ensure project success. Through its two outward-facing divisions the UIS will engage with students, the teaching and learning community, researchers, and administrative staff in order to understand better the needs for new services and for service development.