Skip to main contentCambridge University Reporter

No 6583

Thursday 16 April 2020

Vol cl No 25

pp. 434–447

Notices

Calendar

21 April, Tuesday. Full Term begins.

27 April, Monday. End of first quarter of Easter Term.

14 May, Thursday. Easter Term divides.

  1 June, Monday. End of third quarter of Easter Term.

12 June, Friday. Full Term ends.

18 June, Thursday. Easter Term ends.

Amending Statutes for Robinson College

9 April 2020

The Vice-Chancellor begs leave to refer to his Notice of 16 March 2020 (Reporter, 6582, 2019–20, p. 415), concerning the text of a Statute to amend the Statutes of Robinson College. He hereby gives notice that in the opinion of the Council the proposed Statute makes no alteration of any Statute which affects the University, and does not require the consent of the University; that the interests of the University are not prejudiced by it, and that the Council has resolved to take no action upon it, provided that the Council will wish to reconsider the proposed Statute if it has not been submitted to the Privy Council by 9 April 2021.

University governance: Coronavirus (COVID-19) update

9 April 2020

The Vice-Chancellor announced in emails to all staff and students on 18 March 2020 that the University had suspended normal operations with effect from 5 p.m. on Friday, 20 March 2020. This announcement followed advice from the government that indicated a stepping up of the measures to minimise the impact of the coronavirus outbreak.

In practice this has meant that all staff, apart from those needed to maintain on-site operations, are now working from home and most of the University’s buildings are closed. Staff are now focusing on business-critical activities to allow them to prioritise the most important pieces of work at a time when many are settling into new routines working remotely, sickness rates are likely to be higher than usual and a significant number of staff have to manage their work alongside caring responsibilities.

Delegation of authority

In anticipation of the above, at its meeting on 16 March 2020, the Council delegated its authority to the Vice-Chancellor should significant, rapid and unexpected changes relating to the coronavirus crisis require urgent decisions concerning the University’s business. The Council further delegated authority to the chairs of the Council’s committees to take such decisions as they consider necessary. The General Board gave these delegations to the Vice-Chancellor and the chairs of its committees on 11 March 2020.

In addition, as explained in the Notice on 18 March 2020 (Reporter, 6582, 2019–20, p. 415), because it is not currently possible to pursue the University’s usual governance processes, Discussions have now been suspended.

Both the Council and the General Board are receiving regular updates on decisions that are being made under delegated authority. This will enable them to monitor those decisions to ensure that they are appropriate in the current circumstances. Examples of recent decisions taken include moving teaching online and alternative forms of assessment replacing examinations, both having been put in place to minimise the impact on students of government measures relating to coronavirus.

Where decisions taken under delegated authority relate to University policy, details are provided on the University’s coronavirus website at https://www.cam.ac.uk/coronavirus. When normal business resumes, the Regent House will receive information about the decisions that have been taken during this period.

Committee business

The suspension of the University’s normal operations includes, for the time being, the suspension of the ordinary operation of committees, including the Council and the General Board. There are two exceptions to this: the Council is meeting via video-conferencing, primarily to discuss emerging questions in response to the crisis management and business-critical matters; and where there is sufficient capacity for committee support, committees are continuing to receive ‘stand-alone’ items, i.e. business that does not have to be referred to other committees to be approved.

As there is little ordinary committee business (and no consideration of draft Reports and Graces for publication) and there are no Discussions, the publication schedule of the Reporter is also now suspended for the time being.

Review of temporary arrangements

The Council is keeping these temporary arrangements under review, so that they are removed as soon as it is practicable to do so. It is hoped that the current suspension of ordinary committee business and the publication of the Reporter, and the consequential hiatus in the University’s normal governance processes, will be lifted early in the Easter Term. Once the suspension has been lifted, most committees, including the Council and the General Board, will begin to resume their normal business, although probably with lighter agenda than usual.

Stipends of the holders of clinical academic offices (Junior Doctors)

9 April 2020

Agreement has been reached on the salary arrangements for clinical academic staff with effect from 1 April 2020. Following a recent meeting of the Board of the Universities and Colleges Employers’ Association, the Clinical Academic Staff Salaries Committee has agreed to translate the changes to the NHS Nodal Pay System into the salaries of Clinical Lecturers, Clinical Research Associates and Clinical Research Fellows, subject to eligibility. The increase from 1 April 2020 is two per cent (2%) for Clinical Lecturers, Clinical Research Associates and Clinical Research Fellows, in addition to the introduction of a new fifth nodal point on the equivalent of the NHS ‘new’ 2016 Nodal Pay Structure from 1 October 2020.

In accordance with the principle that the remuneration of clinical academic staff in Cambridge should be broadly comparable with that of equivalent staff in other UK medical schools, the General Board has agreed to approve revised salary scales for certain clinical appointments in Cambridge.

The figures currently shown in Schedule II to the regulations for stipends (Statutes and Ordinances, p. 702) are replaced with effect from 1 April 2020, and are as follows:

For Clinical Lecturers, Clinical Research Associates and Clinical Research Fellows on the equivalent of the NHS Specialist Registrar scales (pre-2009)

2020 – £33,885 by eleven increments to £58,672

2021 – £34,563 by eleven increments to £59,846

2022 – £35,254 by eleven increments to £61,043

For Clinical Lecturers, Clinical Research Associates and Clinical Research Fellows on the equivalent of the NHS Specialty Registrar scales (post-2009)

2020 – £34,466 by eleven increments to £60,960

2021 – £35,155 by eleven increments to £62,179

2022 – £35,858 by eleven increments to £63,423

For Clinical Lecturers, Clinical Research Associates and Clinical Research Fellows on the equivalent of the NHS new 2016 Nodal Pay Structure

The addition of a fifth nodal point at ST6 level and above, the value of the fifth nodal point to increase in a staggered approach on an annual basis, effective on 1 October 2020, 1 October 2021 and 1 April 2022.

2020 – £28,243 by five nodal points to £52,036

2021 – £28,808 by five nodal points to £56,071

2022 – £29,384 by five nodal points to £58,218