No 6255
Wednesday 15 February 2012
Vol cxlii No 20
pp. 452–463
16 February, Thursday. Sir Robert Rede’s Lecture at 5.30 p.m. in the Senate-House, delivered by Lord Turner of Ecchinswell (see Reporter, 2011–12, p. 383).
18 February, Saturday. Congregation of the Regent House (see p. 459).
4 March, Sunday. Preacher before the University at 11.15 a.m., Rt Rev. Dr A. Jackelen, Bishop of Lund (Hulsean Preacher).
5 March, Monday. End of third quarter of Lent Term.
Discussions at 2 p.m. |
Congregations |
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6 March |
18 February, Saturday at 2 p.m. |
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20 March |
21 March, Wednesday at 11 a.m. (Installation of the Chancellor) |
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24 March, Saturday at 10 a.m. |
The Vice-Chancellor gives notice that the Discussion announced for Tuesday, 21 February 2012, will not take place as there are no Reports ready for discussion.
The Reports published in this issue (p. 456 and p. 457) will be discussed on Tuesday, 6 March 2012.
The Vice-Chancellor gives notice that Discussions will be held on the following days in the academical year 2012–13:
(on Tuesdays at 2 p.m.)
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Michaelmas Term 2012 |
Lent Term 2013 |
Easter Term 2013 |
Long Vacation 2013 |
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9 October |
22 January |
30 April |
9 July |
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23 October |
5 February |
14 May |
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6 November |
19 February |
28 May |
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20 November |
5 March |
11 June |
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4 December |
19 March |
The Vice-Chancellor gives notice that he has received from the Governing Body of Churchill College, in accordance with the provisions of Section 7(2) of the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge Act 1923, the text of a proposed Statute to amend the Statutes of the College. The current Statutes of the College and the amending Statute are available on the College’s website (see http://www.chu.cam.ac.uk/about/official/statutes_and_ordinances/); paper copies may be inspected at the University Offices until 10 a.m. on 28 February 2012.
The Council has considered the remarks at the Discussion on 24 January 2012 (Reporter, 2011–12, p. 428) about its own Annual Report for 2010–11, the General Board’s Annual Report to the Council, and the Reports and Financial Statements for the financial year ended 31 July 2011. It has consulted the General Board on the remarks made about their Annual Report.
Professor G. R. Evans commented on the progress of the revision of the Statutes and Ordinances – the paragraph she quotes states:
10. A second round of internal consultation papers about the proposed new Statutes was published in the Reporter of 25 July 2011. It is intended thereafter that proposals for approval in principle will be put forward within the University. When the process of approval is complete, the new Statutes will be submitted by the Council to the Regent House in the form of a Report to the University. It is expected that this final Report will be issued by Easter 2012 and that, if approved by Her Majesty in Council, will come into effect from a date or dates in 2013.
The Council intends a two-stage approach, with Reports on each of the draft Statutes first being approved in principle by the University followed by a Report consolidating all of the new Statutes in a form to present to the Privy Council when they have been approved by the University. The Council expects to receive the draft Reports for the first stage at its meeting in March 2012.
Professor Evans also commented on the proposed Sites and Buildings regulations, suggesting that these regulations should be Ordinances, which would be amended by Grace, rather than by Notice by the Council, General Board, and Finance Committee. The Council has responded to these remarks in its Notice in reply to the Discussion remarks on the Joint Report of the Council and the General Board on the provision of sites and buildings regulations (see the Notice below), noting that the proposed regulations deal with detailed technical approval matters and to duplicate these provisions in Ordinance would cause unhelpful confusion. There has been no change in those matters relating to sites and buildings which currently require a Grace: such matters will continue to do so.
The Council has made the interim report of the Working Group on Council business available on its website (http://raven.intranet.admin.cam.ac.uk/committee/council/Council Meeting/2011/2011-11-21 - 21 Nov 2011/Item A5(d) Working Group on Council Business.pdf) but notes that consideration of its proposals is ongoing.
With regard to the Council’s Standing Advisory Committee on Student Matters (SACSM), the Council is satisfied that other matters which hitherto featured on the SACSM’s agenda are more appropriately the business of other bodies (which include student representation). The new body (the Committee for the Supervision of the Student Unions) will concentrate on the Council’s formal responsibilities for scrutiny of the students’ unions under the Code of Practice in Respect of Student Unions issued under Section 22 of the Education Act 1994.
Professor Evans also commented on the response sent on behalf of the University to the OIA Pathway 3 Consultation. (The response in full can be found at http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/cam-only/offices/education/consultation/oia-pathway3.pdf.) She commented in particular on statements in that response relating to Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) in which, as Chief Executive of the Improving Dispute Resolution Advisory Service for Further and Higher Education, she has a particular interest. The response referred to the work undertaken by Faculty and Departmental Directors of Teaching and of Graduate Studies and, particularly, by College Tutors in mediation of difficulties at a local level. It referred also to the increasing extent to which officers in the Unified Administrative Service who are charged with central oversight of complaints and appeals are increasingly pro-active in exploring means whereby cases can be resolved without going to full hearings. The response also noted that it would be difficult to see a role for Alternative Dispute Resolution in cases where students make representations about their examination results. The Council will, nevertheless, arrange for the University’s position to be considered further once the outcome of the OIA consultation is known and in light of any EU directive on ADR.
The Council notes Mr Goode’s comments on the fall in external research grant funding and the University’s difficult economic situation over the next few years. It is pleased to note his comments about resumed discussions between the University and Colleges Union and the employers’ representatives about changes to the USS Pension Scheme.
Professor Evans referred to the establishment of a Board of Educational and Professional Education (BEPE). The General Board cannot see why their establishment of that body to promote and monitor non-award bearing provision in these areas should, as Professor Evans asserts, be a cause of alarm. BEPE will, amongst other activities, ensure compliance by University Companies which are engaged in educational provision with the Memoranda of Understanding through which they were established. Professor Evans also asked why the M.Phil. programme in Management Research had been rescinded. This was because no students had been admitted to that programme since 2007–08.
The Council is submitting a Grace for the approval of its Annual Report (which includes the General Board’s Report) (Grace 4, p. 458).
The Council has received the remarks by the Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Planning and Resources at the Discussion on 24 January 2012 (Reporter, 2011–12, p. 430) of this Report.
It notes that, in her remarks on the Council’s Annual Report, Professor G. R. Evans commented on the proposed Sites and Buildings regulations and suggested that these regulations seem to be ‘in intention’ Ordinances, which would be amended by Grace, rather than by Notice by the Council, the General Board, and Finance Committee. The proposed regulations deal with detailed technical approval matters. If these require updating in future, in the light of legislation and external regulation, this should be a matter of informing the University rather than requiring its approval. The proposed regulations also include, for the assistance of staff, a comprehensive statement of all the existing provisions of Statutes and Ordinances insofar as they relate to sites and buildings. To duplicate these provisions in Ordinance would cause unhelpful confusion. There has been no change in those matters relating to sites and buildings which currently require a Grace: such matters will continue to do so.
The Council is submitting a Grace (Grace 5, p. 459) for the approval of the Report.