Skip to main contentCambridge University Reporter

No 6590

Wednesday 7 October 2020

Vol cli No 2

pp. 11–41

Notices

Calendar

13 October, Tuesday. Discussion via videoconference at 2 p.m. (see below).

20 October, Tuesday. End of first quarter of Michaelmas Term.

24 October, Saturday. Congregation of the Regent House at 11 a.m. (degrees in absence only).

Discussions (Tuesdays at 2 p.m.)

Congregations (Saturdays unless otherwise stated)

13 October

24 October, at 11 a.m. (degrees in absence only)

27 October

28 November, at 11 a.m. (degrees in absence only)

10 November

24 November

  8 December

Discussion on Tuesday, 13 October 2020

The Vice-Chancellor invites those qualified under the regulations for Discussions (Statutes and Ordinances, p. 105) to a Discussion via videoconference (see p. 16) on Tuesday, 13 October 2020 at 2 p.m., for the discussion of:

1.First-stage Report of the Council, dated 28 July 2020, on a University of Cambridge Solar Farm at Lord’s Bridge (Reporter, 6587, 2019–20, p. 551).

Those wishing to join the Discussion by videoconference should email UniversityDraftsman@admin.cam.ac.uk from their University email account and provide their CRSid (if a member of the collegiate University) by 12 noon on the date of the Discussion to receive joining instructions. Alternatively, contributors may email the Proctors as outlined below (p. 16) to request that their remarks be read out on their behalf.

Annual address by the Vice‑Chancellor, 1 October 2020

The Vice-Chancellor live-streamed his annual address to the University from inside the Senate-House on 1 October 2020. In line with previous years, the text of the address has been reproduced on p. 34. Further information and a link to the video recording on the University’s YouTube channel is available from https://www.staff.admin.cam.ac.uk/general-news/livestream-of-the-vice-chancellors-annual-address

University Preachers in Michaelmas Term 2020

The Vice-Chancellor wishes to inform members of the University that in view of the current restrictions and after consulting the Preacher concerned and the Select Preachers Syndicate, the Sermon to have been delivered on Sunday, 18 October, by Professor Anthony Reddie, has been postponed until further notice. The arrangements for the Commemoration of Benefactors and the Lady Margaret’s Sermon on Sunday, 1 November are under review.

The Leslie Stephen Lecture

The Vice-Chancellor wishes to inform members of the University that in view of the current restrictions and after consulting the Lecturer and the Electors to the Lectureship, the next Leslie Stephen Lecture, to have been delivered by Professor Kwame Anthony Appiah, on Thursday, 12 November 2020, is postponed until further notice. The Council will be invited to submit a Grace to the Regent House permitting this to be delivered after the period of time required by the relevant regulations.

Report on the advantages and disadvantages of a policy of divestment: Publication of the report and statement in response

1 October 2020

The Council has published the report, Divestment: Advantages and Disadvantages for the University of Cambridge, commissioned by the Council in response to Grace 1 of 25 April 2019. The report is available at https://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/reporter/2020-21/weekly/6590/DivestmentReport2020.pdf. The Council has also published the following statement providing its response to the report.

Statement by the Council on the publication of the report Divestment: Advantages and Disadvantages for the University of Cambridge

Climate change is the most pressing problem facing humanity. The University of Cambridge has a responsibility to use its position as one of the world’s foremost academic institutions to take a leading role in decarbonising the global economy.

The University Council warmly welcomes the report Divestment: Advantages and Disadvantages for the University of Cambridge by Dr Ellen Quigley, Emily Bugden and Anthony Odgers, the Chief Financial Officer, delivered to Council on 21 September 2020, and thanks them for exploring the advantages and disadvantages of fossil fuel divestment across its moral, social, political, reputational and financial dimensions.

The Council enthusiastically endorses the bold proposals it has received from the University’s Investment Office and other parts of the University on how to play a leading global role across all of its endeavours to bring about the transition to a net zero economy.

The Council greatly appreciates the intense engagement of students and staff who have expressed a wide diversity of views, organised campaigns, and posed questions about the University’s policies on investment, research, operational sustainability and engagement with industry and policy makers.

The Council has agreed an overall strategic aim to reduce carbon emissions from all University activities to net zero by 2038 and has explicitly included its own investments in this target, making the University one of the first of its global peer group to do so. Its endowment fund (the Cambridge University Endowment Fund, or CUEF) will divest from all investments with conventional energy‑focused public equity managers by December 2020; and the University aims to have no meaningful direct or indirect exposure to fossil fuels in the Fund’s portfolio by 2030.

The University is further committed to using its resources to support the global response to climate change and the wider United Nations sustainable development goals.

The Council recognises that simultaneously intense efforts are being made by Colleges, a number of which have investments in the CUEF, to pursue their own carbon reduction strategies.

The ambition of the Investment Office to achieve net zero emissions from the portfolio of the CUEF by 2038, combined with the University’s Carbon Reduction Strategy and its enhanced guidelines on funding and engagement, mark a turning point for the University.

This will entail a four‑part strategy – the implementation of which will begin immediately – to help facilitate the transition to a global carbon neutral future.

1. Net Zero investments by 2038

The new Chief Investment Officer (CIO), appointed to lead the Investment Office in January 2020, has explicitly committed to ensuring the CUEF is positioned to prosper in a future net zero economy. The investment team will reduce fossil fuel exposure as swiftly as possible, in a manner consistent with the Fund’s successful investment model. They will also identify opportunities in renewable energy and other investments consistent with a sustainable future energy mix.

The Council strongly supports the following milestones:

By December 2020, the Fund will divest from all investments with conventional energy focused public equity managers;

By 2025, the Investment Office aims to have allocated significant capital to renewable energy assets which have a return profile appropriate for the Fund;

By 2030, the Investment Office aims to have no meaningful direct or indirect exposure to fossil fuels in the Fund’s portfolio;

The longer-term ambition of the Investment Office is to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions from the Fund’s investment portfolio by 2038, in line with the University’s programme to reduce its own emissions to net zero.

As at 31 December 2019, CUEF had fossil fuel exposure amounting to 2.8% of the total portfolio. The expected impact of these targets is that by the end of 2020, this exposure will have been materially reduced, and that by 2030, the exposure will have been reduced to approximately 0.5% or lower.

Engaging

The Investment Office has recruited a Sustainable Investment Officer to oversee the Fund’s transition and seek out fossil fuel-free investment opportunities while meeting its fiduciary duty to maximise returns for its investors.

Enhanced information will be sought from the CUEF’s fund managers on the carbon impact and wider environmental, social and governance impacts of their portfolios, in order to make accurate assessments of risk.

As part of its commitment to the University’s wider mission to society and education, the Investment Office aims to partner with the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL) to provide current fund managers, who combined have more than US $250 billion under management, with access to high quality resources and research on sustainable finance.

Reporting and Transparency

The new CIO is committed to a high degree of transparency around the composition and performance of the CUEF. The Sustainable Investment Officer will provide a full report annually to the Investment Board, including analysis of the carbon emissions intensity of the Fund. Highlights will be made public in the Fund’s annual report.

The Investment Office will hold an Annual Town Hall meeting open to all members of the University to discuss its progress.

The Council recognises that the global legislative and regulatory framework necessary to measure the process of decarbonisation effectively still needs to be developed. It hopes that the University of Cambridge can lead by example and encourage regulatory authorities around the world to focus on this urgent work.

Cambridge Enterprise and Cambridge Innovation Capital

Investment in emerging clean technology is one of the most significant areas of the economy requiring support. The Council is pleased to report that the University’s technology transfer office, Cambridge Enterprise, and part‑owned venture capital fund partner Cambridge Innovation Capital (CIC) will expand the application of ESG principles as they invest in early stage companies.

2. Funding Guidelines

The University has demonstrated its own commitment through the establishment of the Cambridge Zero initiative and its adoption of science-based targets for carbon reduction within its own operations. But it is important that the University also reflects this commitment in its approach to donations and other external funding.

The Council has agreed that it will not accept funding from sources where to do so would be incompatible with its best interests, having regard to its commitment to address climate change through a transition to a zero-carbon world.

The power of the University to accept benefactions is delegated to the Vice‑Chancellor, who takes advice on the ethical and reputational risks of certain sources of funding from the Committee on Benefactions and External and Legal Affairs (CBELA). CBELA will from now on take into consideration the extent to which the source of funds is aligned with the University’s own objectives concerning climate change [see p. 15].

3. Decarbonising the Estate and other activities at Cambridge

In July 2019 Cambridge became the first university to adopt a 1.5 degrees science‑based target for emissions reduction, committing to reducing its energy‑related carbon emissions to zero by 2048 and, if possible, to achieve a stretch target of 2038. Achieving this goal will require substantial capital investment.

Pilot projects are being set up looking into replacing gas with the large-scale use of alternative heat technologies. The University is sourcing 20 per cent of its electricity from a wind farm after joining a Power Purchase Agreement with other higher education institutions and will submit a planning application for a solar farm in Cambridge towards the end of Michaelmas Term, subject to Grace approval.

Science based targets are being adopted across the wider University and buildings and sites are being earmarked for early adoption of low/zero carbon reduction strategies. PriceWaterhouseCoopers will provide independent assurance of environmental sustainability data used.

A screening assessment to prioritise progress in the fifteen categories of non‑energy‑related emissions will be completed before the end of the academic year 2020–21.

Work is under way to consider using the estate more efficiently in the short term and re‑sizing it in the long term, balancing environmental and financial parameters with academic need. Cambridge’s estate is large and often poorly utilised. Some buildings are old and unsuitable for their purpose. Re‑shaping can reduce running costs as well as energy consumption and emissions. A masterplan for the estate in the coming thirty years will embed sustainability outcomes and targets.

4. Global Engagement – Cambridge Zero

The Council believes that the changes outlined above amplify the University’s wider commitment to working for a carbon neutral future embodied in the Cambridge Zero initiative. Cambridge Zero aims to support the transition to a resilient and sustainable carbon zero world by harnessing the full breadth of the University’s capabilities, developing solutions that work for our lives, our society and our economy. The initiative is unprecedented in its scale and ambition, commensurate with the enormity and urgency of the global challenge it seeks to address.

Cambridge Zero will substantially enhance the University’s efforts to lead on the decarbonisation of the global economy in four areas:

Research: Cambridge Zero is focused on developing next-generation power and heating systems, informing policies to support behavioural change, understanding the climate impacts on health, creating a more circular economy, re‑thinking measures of prosperity, re‑imagining transport, cities and infrastructure as well as exploring carbon capture and storage alongside natural climate solutions and climate repair.

Education: Learning and training from primary school to tertiary and professional education to shape a workforce and broader society for the challenges and opportunities associated with a zero‑carbon transition and to inspire leadership.

Engagement: Cambridge Zero aims to generate the ideas and solutions that will help achieve a zero‑carbon society by working collaboratively with stakeholders outside of the University – in government, industry, the third sector, locally, nationally and internationally – enabling University insight to meet real-world needs.

Decarbonisation: Cambridge Zero is working across the Collegiate University to help Estates and the University’s Environmental Sustainability Strategy Committee to develop, co‑ordinate and facilitate a rapid transition to a zero‑carbon future.

Guidelines governing the acceptability of donations and other external funding to the University: climate change

1 October 2020

The Council has approved guidelines for governing the acceptability of donations and other external funding to the University in relation to climate change, as set out below. The Council’s Committee on Benefactions and External and Legal Affairs (CBELA) developed the guidelines in consultation with members of the Council and experts from the charity sector and industry, as well as academic representatives from a number of University institutions. The guidelines apply to donations and other external funding. They will be used to guide the work of CBELA when advising the Vice‑Chancellor on the acceptance of benefactions and when deciding on whether other sources of external funding are acceptable on ethical or reputational grounds.

The Council has asked the Research Policy Committee to determine whether additional guidelines on the purpose for which funding is offered should be developed.

Guidelines governing the acceptability of donations and other external funding to the University: Climate change

Context

1. The University recognises that climate change is an existential threat. In line with its mission, to contribute to society through the pursuit of education, learning and research at the highest international level of excellence, the University seeks to play a critical role in addressing this challenge.

2. The University has demonstrated its own commitment through the establishment of the Cambridge Zero Initiative and its adoption of science-based targets for carbon reduction within its own operations. But, if the University’s long‑term interests are to be best served and its standing at the forefront of climate change mitigation and adaptation is to be maintained, the University must also reflect its commitment in its approach to donations and other external funding.

3. Accordingly, the Council of the University has agreed that it will not accept funding from sources where to do so would be incompatible with its best interests, having regard to its commitment to address climate change through a transition to a zero‑carbon world. To do otherwise would risk the reputation of the University and might damage the University’s ability to fulfil its mission.

CBELA’s guidelines

4. The power of the University to accept benefactions is delegated to the Vice‑Chancellor, who acts on the advice of the Committee on Benefactions and External and Legal Affairs (CBELA) in respect of certain prospective donations. CBELA also decides on behalf of the Council whether certain other sources of external funding are acceptable on ethical or reputational grounds. To guide it in its advisory and decision-making functions, CBELA considers the extent to which the source of funds is aligned with the University’s own objectives concerning climate change.1

5. In this assessment, CBELA is only considering the source of funds. It is not looking at the purpose for which the funding is offered.

6. Evidence relating to the compatibility of the source of funds considered by CBELA includes, but is not limited to, the following:

(a)For public companies, CBELA looks at evidence relating to the company’s commitment to address climate change, including:

(i)the company’s most recent climate related disclosures, including financial disclosures;

(ii)the company’s current position on independent, environmental impact lists such as CDP, or Carbon Tracker;

(iii)the company’s current adoption of science based targets or equivalent;

(iv)the company’s lobbying activities, including through trade associations.

(b)For privately owned companies, trusts and foundations, CBELA asks for evidence relating to the organisation’s commitment to address climate change, and its current and likely future performance with regard to climate change targets.

(c)CBELA recognises that state-related bodies operate in a different context from that of corporate entities. Nonetheless, CBELA takes into account, as far as is possible, evidence relevant to their efforts to mitigate climate change.

(d)For individuals, CBELA looks as a minimum at whether there is evidence which indicates that the individual denies climate change, e.g. support for climate change denial lobby groups, or public statements denying climate change.

7. As indicated above, the range of evidence which CBELA reviews varies from case to case and not all the different types of evidence listed above are relevant in every case; in addition, there may be other factors which CBELA chooses to take into account. Many decisions are finely balanced, the evidence being indicative rather than determinative. But, in all cases, CBELA reaches a decision which it considers to be in the best interests of the University as a whole.

Reporting and application

8. These guidelines focus on the current position and future commitments of prospective funders and CBELA will adjust its position in light of developments in the funder’s stance on climate change.

9. Under its Terms of Reference, CBELA informs the Council periodically, and at least once a year, of the decisions it has taken. It will review these guidelines at least once every three years, and more often if CBELA considers it necessary, particularly to ensure that the list of suggested evidence remains relevant. The current guidelines will be published on the University’s website.

10. These guidelines are effective from the date of publication in the Reporter. They are not retroactive.

11. These guidelines should, where applicable, be read in conjunction with the University’s overarching Ethical guidelines on the acceptance of benefactions, reproduced in the University’s Statutes and Ordinances (at p. 1050).

Footnote

Arrangements for Discussions

1 October 2020

The Council has reviewed the arrangements for Discussions, following the issue of further guidance from the government last week (Reporter, 6589, 2020–21, p. 8). As the guidance stresses the avoidance of non‑essential contact, the Council has agreed that Discussions will take place by videoconference until further notice, starting with the Discussion on 13 October 2020 (p. 12). Those wishing to attend are asked to email universitydraftsman@admin.cam.ac.uk by 12 noon on the date of the Discussion from their University email account and to provide their CRSid (if a member of the collegiate University). They will receive an acknowledgement with instructions on how to join the meeting. Alternatively, as usual, contributors may email remarks to contact@proctors.cam.ac.uk, copying reporter.editor@admin.cam.ac.uk, by no later than 10 a.m. on the day of the Discussion, for reading out by the Proctors,1 or ask someone else who is attending to read the remarks on their behalf.

The Council will review these arrangements in the light of evolving public health advice. They are in addition to the rules that already apply to Discussions (Statutes and Ordinances, 2019, pp. 105 and 110).

Footnote

  • 1Any comments sent by email should please begin with the name and title of the contributor as they wish it to be read out and include at the start a note of any College or Departmental affiliations they have.

Elections to the Council and the Board of Scrutiny*

7 October 2020

This Notice sets out information on elections to fill vacancies on the Council and on the Board of Scrutiny, together with the nomination procedure and election timetable that will apply to both elections.

Election to the Council

The Vice-Chancellor gives notice that an election is to be held to appoint eight members of the University Council for four years from 1 January 2021. Members are to be elected in the following classes under Statute A IV 2:

(a)two from among the Heads of Colleges;

(b)two from among the Professors and Readers;

(c)four from among the other members of the Regent House.

The Council is the principal executive and policy-making body of the University. It has general responsibility for the administration of the University, for defining its mission, for the planning of its work, and for the management of its resources. The Council deals with relations between the University and the Colleges, and conducts negotiations with outside bodies on many matters (other than those relating directly to the educational and research programmes of the University, which are dealt with on its behalf by the General Board of the Faculties). It is responsible for the appointment or nomination of certain members of internal and external bodies, and for many student matters (excluding undergraduate admissions, which is a College concern). Further information about the Council is available to members of the University on the Council website (https://www.governance.cam.ac.uk/committees/council/). Questions about its work can be addressed to the Registrary by emailing registrary@admin.cam.ac.uk.

The University is committed to equality, which includes supporting and encouraging all under‑represented groups, promoting an inclusive culture, and valuing diversity. Nominations from groups that are under‑represented on the Council are welcomed.

Reasons for serving on the Council

The Council of the University of Cambridge is one of the few principal bodies in the higher education sector with a majority of members elected from internal constituencies; most equivalent bodies are made up predominantly of external members. The Council draws its strength from the expertise, engagement, and scrutiny of its members – those elected in the classes noted above as well as its external and student members. It is key to the continuing success of the University that elections to the Council attract strong candidates who are willing to share their knowledge and commit their time for the benefit of the University as a whole.

Duties and responsibilities of Council members

The University is both an exempt charity,1 and a corporation established by common law. Council members are therefore both charity trustees of the University and, effectively, its corporate directors. They have associated legal responsibilities and duties, including the promotion of the interests of the University and acting with integrity, care, and prudence. Under regulatory guidance, Council members must be ‘fit and proper persons’.2 It is important for candidates to recognise and accept the obligations that Council membership would confer upon them.

The Handbook for Members of the Council sets out the Council’s primary responsibilities and provides advice and guidance to members of Council on their legal and other responsibilities. Members of the Council are expected to attend all meetings of the Council. Members will not normally be able to take more than one term of leave during their period on the Council and may instead carry forward their leave entitlement. Potential nominees might wish to familiarise themselves with the key aspects of the University’s Statutes and Ordinances (http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/univ/so/), and the most recent Budget Reports, Annual Reports and Financial Statements.3

Further useful information is provided by the Office for Students (https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/regulation/), and the Charity Commission (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-essential-trustee-what-you-need-to-know-cc3). This information includes details of the extent of a charity trustee’s personal liability. Instances of personal liability are rare and unlikely to occur, providing trustees act honestly, prudently, in good faith, in the best interests of the University, and in compliance with legislation and the University’s governing documents.

Election to the Board of Scrutiny

The Vice-Chancellor gives notice of an election to a casual vacancy on the Board of Scrutiny in class (c)(ii) (a member of the Regent House) under Statute A VII, following the decision of Ms Murphy to step down. The person elected would serve with immediate effect until 30 September 2023, the remainder of Ms Murphy’s term.

The Board of Scrutiny consists of:

(a)the Proctors;

(b)the two Pro-Proctors nominated by the Colleges;

(c)eight members of the Regent House elected by the Regent House.

Under the provisions of Statute A VII 4, no person may be a member of the Board of Scrutiny who is a member of the Council, the General Board, or the Finance Committee of the Council, or who holds any of the University offices of Chancellor, Vice‑Chancellor, Pro‑Vice‑Chancellor, University Advocate, Deputy University Advocate, Registrary, Assistant Registrary, or Secretary of a School. The Statute further prohibits from membership holders of offices with primarily administrative duties designated by Ordinance: Directors and Deputy Directors in the Unified Administrative Service and Assistant Treasurers have been designated as such prohibited offices. A retiring member of the Board who has served for four or more consecutive years is not eligible to serve again as a member in class (c) until one year has elapsed after the end of her or his previous period of service.

If no nominations are received in accordance with the timetable below, the Council shall be asked whether it wishes to appoint a member to the vacant place or for another election to be held, in accordance with Regulation 3 of the regulations for the election of members of the Board (Statutes and Ordinances, 2019, p. 114).

The University is committed to a proactive approach to equality, which includes supporting and encouraging all under‑represented groups, promoting an inclusive culture, and valuing diversity. Nominations from groups that are under‑represented on the Board of Scrutiny are welcomed.

Further information about the Board of Scrutiny can be found in the Statutes and Ordinances as noted above, on the Board’s website (http://www.scrutiny.cam.ac.uk/about), and obtained from Mr Graham Allen (email: gpa13@cam.ac.uk), Chair of the Board.

Nomination procedure and election timetable

In order to be eligible, candidates for election are asked to send their nominations to the Vice-Chancellor, to be received not later than 12 noon on Monday, 9 November 2020. The Vice-Chancellor asks candidates to address their nominations to the Registrary by email including electronic signatures to Registrary@admin.cam.ac.uk. The nomination (which can be made on a form available on the governance site)4 should include (a) a statement signed by two members of the Regent House, nominating the candidate for election and specifying the class in which the candidate is nominated, and (b) a statement signed by the candidate confirming consent to be nominated. The candidate is also required to provide a personal statement by the same date (see below). No‑one may be nominated for election in more than one class. Two periods of four years should normally be regarded as the maximum length of continuous service for elected members of the Council.

In accordance with the regulations governing the election (Statutes and Ordinances, 2019, p. 111), those standing for election should send to the Registrary, by 12 noon on Monday, 9 November 2020, a statement in support of their nomination, which will be provided to voters. Each statement should be no more than 500 words in length and should cover the following points:

the candidate’s present position in the University;

previous posts held, whether in Cambridge or in other universities or outside the university system, with dates;

the candidate’s reasons for standing for election, and the experience and skills they would bring to the role;

a note of the candidate’s particular interests within the field of University business.

Nominations will be published on the Advance Notices section of the Reporter website as they are received; the complete list of nominations will be published in the Reporter on Wednesday, 11 November 2020.

If the election is contested, it will be conducted by ballot under the Single Transferable Vote regulations. Online voting will open at 10 a.m. on Friday, 20 November 2020 and close at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, 1 December 2020. Hardcopy voting papers and supporting materials will be distributed not later than Friday, 20 November 2020 to those who opt by 2 November 2020 to vote on paper (see below); the last date for the return of voting papers is 5 p.m. on Tuesday, 1 December 2020.

Footnotes

Joint Report of the Council and the General Board on the titles and structure of academic offices: Ballot timetable

Further to the Council’s Notice dated 6 July 2020 (Reporter, 6587, 2019–20, p. 532), the Council confirms that the ballot on the above Report shall take place in accordance with the timetable for the elections to the Council and the Board of Scrutiny (p. 16). Further details are provided below:

1 p.m. on Friday, 6 November 2020

Deadline for fly‑sheets and for amendments following receipt of a request for a ballot

10 a.m. on Friday, 20 November 2020

Voting opens

5 p.m. on Tuesday, 1 December 2020

Voting closes / last day for receipt of voting papers

Thursday, 3 December 2020

Results published in the Advance Notices section of the Reporter website

Regent House membership: 16 October 2020 deadline for corrections to the Roll

The draft Roll of the Regent House for the academic year 2020–21 (i.e. the list of names proposed to be placed on the Roll when it is promulgated in November) was published in the Reporter, in Special No. 1, on 1 October 2020 (see http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/reporter/2020-21/special/01/section2.shtml).

This year there are some changes to the membership of the Regent House. The age limit on membership of the Regent House for certain classes of membership, including College Fellows, has been removed so those eligible for membership who are over the age of 70 will remain on the Roll or be reinstated. Further, the new provision, under Special Ordinance A (i) (e), for retirees with an active engagement in University affairs is now applicable.

Members of the Regent House are asked to check the list and to make sure that their entries are correct. They should note that the Roll constitutes the list of eligible voters for any elections to the Council or ballots that may be called during the year until the next promulgation of the Roll the following November.1 Notice of any corrections or amendments should be sent by email to the Registrary via University.Draftsman@admin.cam.ac.uk as soon as possible; any corrections received by 12 noon on Friday, 16 October 2020 will be incorporated in the definitive Roll, which is to be promulgated on 6 November 2020.

Footnote

  • 1See above, pp. 16 and 18.

Ballots of the Regent House

Online voting is the default voting method in ballots of the Regent House. On the occasion of a ballot,1 those on the Roll of the Regent House (see above) will receive an email alert shortly after voting opens, containing links to the ballot information on the governance site and to the voting portal.

If members wish to receive, or to continue to receive, hardcopy voting papers and supporting materials, they should submit a request to opt out of online voting by 5 p.m. on Monday, 2 November 2020. Requests to receive hardcopy voting materials should be sent by email to ballots@admin.cam.ac.uk, and include confirmation of the voter’s CRSid and the College or Departmental postal address to which voting materials should be sent. Requests to opt out received by the 2 November deadline will be effective until the promulgation of the Roll in November 2021.

Further information on ballots of the Regent House is available on the University governance website at https://www.governance.cam.ac.uk/ballots/rh/, and the Regent House Petitions site is available for use by members of the Regent House to circulate ballot-related items for signature (see p. 23).

Footnote

  • 1See ballot timetable above, p. 18.

Remuneration Committee: Terms of reference

Further to its Notice published in May 2018 (Reporter, 6506, 2017–18, p. 572), the Council now publishes updated terms of reference for its Remuneration Committee, approved at its meeting on 14 October 2019. The revised terms of reference take account of the Committee of University Chairs (CUC) Remuneration Code for Higher Education, the Office for Students (OfS) Regulatory framework for Higher Education, and revisions to the Financial Reporting Council Corporate Governance Code. The Council apologises for the delay in publishing them, which was the result of administrative oversight.

Remuneration Committee Terms of Reference

1.Purpose

1.1. The Committee is a Committee of the Council. The purpose of the Committee is:

1.1.1.to consider, recommend to the Council and, where appropriate, approve remuneration matters for the Vice‑Chancellor and Senior Postholders of the University;1

1.1.2to discharge certain responsibilities for remuneration matters relating to other staff of the University, as determined by the Council from time to time;

1.1.3.to provide independent scrutiny of the University’s public disclosures relating to remuneration;

1.1.4.to provide independent, expert advice to the Vice‑Chancellor and the Council on matters related to its remit;

1.1.5.to approve remuneration matters concerning certain members of the West and North West Cambridge Estates team and other associated entities as determined by the Council from time to time.

1.2The Committee does not oversee remuneration matters relating to Cambridge Assessment or Cambridge University Press or the University’s wholly-owned subsidiaries.2

1.3.In all matters the Committee is required to take account of the context in which the University operates including its recruitment and retention needs, and to pay due regard to the responsibilities and best practice expectations of the University as a charity and as a regulated Higher Education institution, and to matters of equality, diversity and inclusion. The Committee shall take legal advice as appropriate.

1.4.The Human Resources Committee is responsible for broader matters of remuneration strategy and policy and for remuneration matters for all staff outside the remit of the Committee. The Committee may refer matters of policy and of operation to the Human Resources Committee for consideration and where appropriate for decision.

1.5.The Committee will provide written reports to Council of its meetings, and report annually both externally and internally to promote transparency and openness of its decision-making. The Committee will seek to base its recommendations on clear, independently sourced benchmark data.

2.Membership

2.1.The membership of the Committee will comprise:

2.1.1.a Chair who will be an external member of the Council;

2.1.2.four other members at least two of whom will also be members of the Council. Of those four members, at least two will be external, independent members but with a demonstrable knowledge of the University.

2.2.The members shall be appointed by the Council.

2.3.Attending officers shall be:

2.3.1.the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Institutional and International Relations), and

2.3.2.the Registrary (Secretary).

2.4.The Committee may invite others to attend as it considers necessary. The Vice-Chancellor shall not ordinarily attend meetings of the Committee but may be invited to do so when appropriate. The Director of Human Resources will ordinarily attend to provide procedural advice and to support the Registrary in the administration of Committee business.

2.5.The Chair may appoint a deputy to chair specific meetings or for specific purposes.

2.6.Members shall serve on the Committee for a term of three years (a full term).

2.7.Members may be re‑appointed to serve for a second term. No member may serve more than two full terms.

2.8.Where members are also members of the Council, their terms of office shall be co‑terminous with their terms of office on the Council. Where this results in a term of less than three years, that term shall be considered a casual vacancy and shall not count towards the maximum service of two full terms.

2.9.To ensure the Committee has appropriate expertise, members will be asked formally to record their relevant experience as part of the appointment process and periodically thereafter for review purposes. Specific training and briefings will be provided to members as required.

2.10.No member may have any part in deciding their own remuneration (see also paragraph 6.4 concerning declarations of conflicts of interest).

2.11.The quorum shall be the Chair or deputy Chair as appointed under paragraph 2.5 plus two of those members at paragraph 2.1.2.

3.Duties relating to the Vice‑Chancellor and the Senior Postholders

The Vice-Chancellor

3.1.To recommend to the Council the stipend and conditions of service of the Vice‑Chancellor at appointment and thereafter every two years (or such other period as the Council may determine) for the period of their employment.

3.2.To recommend to the Council the objectives of the Vice‑Chancellor and the process of evaluating performance against those objectives.

3.3.To carry out the annual evaluation of the Vice-Chancellor’s performance against the agreed objectives for report to, and approval by, the Council.

3.4.To advise the Council on appropriate action in the case of the Vice-Chancellor not meeting the agreed objectives for the academic year.

Senior Postholders – the Pro‑Vice‑Chancellors, the Registrary, the Chief Financial Officer, the Executive Director of Development and Alumni Relations and the Director of Information Services

3.5.In respect of the stipend of the office:

3.5.1.in relation to the Pro‑Vice‑Chancellors:

3.5.1.1.to recommend to the Council the formula by which the stipend of the Pro‑Vice‑Chancellors shall be calculated.

3.5.2.in relation to the Registrary, the Chief Financial Officer, the Executive Director of Development and Alumni Relations and the Director of Information Services:

3.5.2.1.to recommend to the Council the range for the stipend of the office prior to appointment;

3.5.2.2.on the recommendation of the Vice‑Chancellor, to approve the individual stipends and conditions of service of the postholders on appointment.

3.6.In respect of market payments, to recommend to the Council any market payments for Pro‑Vice‑Chancellors on or during the term of appointment. For the Registrary, the Chief Financial Officer, the Executive Director of Development and Alumni Relations and the Director of Information Services to recommend market payments where such payments exceed 10% of the lowest salary point of the grade 12 band and any subsequent change to, and renewal of, such market payments.3

3.7.To inform the Council of:

3.7.1.the total remuneration of a Senior Postholder on appointment;

3.7.2.in an anonymised form, the range of any stipend increases, including any additional payments, made to any Senior Postholder during the course of a year.

3.8.To advise the Vice‑Chancellor on:

3.8.1.contribution exercises relevant to the Senior Postholders and on any other aspects of their remuneration as the Vice‑Chancellor so requests (see further paragraph 4.1.3 and 4.1.4 below).

3.8.2.the process for determining the objectives of the Senior Postholders and the process of evaluating performance against those objectives annually at the beginning of academic year and to receive a report from the Vice-Chancellor on the annual evaluation of the performance of Senior Postholders against their agreed objectives;

3.8.3.appropriate action in the case of a Senior Postholder not meeting the agreed objectives for the academic year.

Vice-Chancellor and Senior Postholders

3.9.In relation to the expenses of the Vice‑Chancellor and Senior Postholders, to monitor the use of the University’s expenses policy by the Vice‑Chancellor and Senior Postholders.

3.10. In relation to any private work and consultancy carried out by the Vice‑Chancellor and Senior Postholders, to monitor the application of policy determined by the Council (on the recommendation of the Human Resources Committee) in relation to the retention by the Vice‑Chancellor and Senior Postholders of any additional earnings generated in a personal capacity where permissible under their contractual terms.

3.11. In relation to severance payments, to review and approve severance terms for the Vice‑Chancellor and Senior Postholders. The Committee shall ensure that severance payments are reasonable and justified.

4.Other duties

4.1.In relation to the remuneration of grade 12 staff other than Senior Postholders:4

4.1.1.to receive plans from institutions relating to their remuneration strategies for Grade 12 posts where market payment of 10% or higher of the lowest salary point of the grade 12 band may be relevant. The Committee will seek to be appraised at an early stage of the proposed salary ranges for those posts, with a reasoned evidence-based case, so that it may, as necessary, approve the range within which negotiation with a successful candidate may be concluded;

4.1.2.to approve market payments on appointment where such payments exceed 10% of the lowest salary point of the grade 12 band and any subsequent change to, and renewal of, such market payments;

4.1.3.to receive a biennial report from the Vice‑Chancellor’s Advisory Committee for Contribution Reward payments for Non‑Academic Officers in Grade 12; and

4.1.4.to receive a biennial report from the Vice Chancellor’s Advisory Committee on Professorial Pay.

4.2.In relation to remuneration matters concerning certain members of the West and North West Cambridge Estates team, to approve the bonus structures and individual payments to the team, on the recommendation of the West and North West Cambridge Estates Board.

4.3.In relation to payments to non‑executive members of Committees, to review on an annual basis policy set by the Council relating to payments made to non-executive members of Committees.

4.4.In relation to reporting:

4.4.1.to receive and comment on draft reports for publication including the annual Staff Statistical Report, Equal Pay Report, Gender Pay Gap Report and to consider other reports, papers and minutes as appropriate to the work of the Committee;

4.4.2.to review and recommend to the Council the annual remuneration statement to be published on the University website which will include disclosure and explanation of remuneration matters, as required by the relevant codes in effect at that time;

4.4.3.to ensure compliance with reporting requirements set by the Office for Students relating to salaries at or above specified thresholds;

4.4.4.to review and recommend to the Council the statement to be published on the University’s website on the University’s choice of comparator institutions/organisations as regards recruitment and retention matters.

5.Advisory role

5.1.The Committee may provide advice to the Vice‑Chancellor on the remuneration packages of staff other than those covered by the above provisions as the Vice‑Chancellor so requests or as the Committee considers appropriate, and drawing on appropriate external expertise as appropriate.

5.2.The Committee may review and make recommendations based on the annual University gender pay and equal pay reporting and other aspects of remuneration decisions affecting gender and other protected characteristics within the University.

5.3.The Committee may consider and, as it considers appropriate, refer to the Human Resources Committee the development of best practice in the use of contribution increment schemes (or equivalent).

5.4.The Committee may contribute to the development of the University’s internal talent and succession strategies for Senior Postholders.

6.Operation

6.1.The Committee shall meet in person (or by videoconference), a minimum of twice each term.

6.2.The Committee may conduct business by correspondence where appropriate. Any decision taken by correspondence shall be formally noted by the Committee at its next meeting.

6.3.In cases of exceptional urgency, the Chair may act on behalf of the Committee. Any decisions taken by the Chair in this way shall be reported to the Committee as soon as possible thereafter.

6.4.It is recognised that there may be general remuneration matters in which members will have an interest e.g. pension arrangements. Members will be required to declare any specific conflicts of interest and these will be recorded. No senior post holder shall be present at any discussion about their own remuneration.

6.5.Decisions can be taken by a majority of voting members of the Committee.

6.6.Formal minutes will be kept of the Committee’s business.

7.Reporting

7.1.A written report of the Committee’s business will be made to Council under Reserved Business as soon as reasonably possible after each meeting of the Committee. An oral report may be made to the Council in addition, if appropriate.

7.2.. In the interests of transparency, and in accordance with the requirements of external regulatory bodies, a summary report of Committee business will be published on the University’s Governance website after the Committee has reported to the Council.

7.3.In the published reporting of the Committee’s business as refered to in paragraph 7.2 no individual’s salary figures shall be stated other than, when reporting to the Council the salary figures of the Vice‑Chancellor and the Vice‑Chancellor‑Elect.

7.4.A member of the Council can request to see the Committee papers on application to the Secretary for the purposes of discharging his or her duties as a member of the Council.

7.5.. An annual written report of the Committee’s business, as part of the University’s annual reporting cycle, will be submitted to Council under Reserved Business as soon as reasonably possible at the end of each academic year.

8.Administration

8.1.The Committee papers will be circulated under confidential cover five working days in advance of each meeting. At the discretion of the Chair, late submissions can be accepted.

8.2.Apologies for absence should be made to the Secretary.

8.3.Draft minutes will be circulated to all Committee members within one week of the meeting.

9.Review

9.1.These terms of reference shall be reviewed annually.

9.2.The effectiveness of the Committee’s operation against the terms of reference shall be reviewed annually to ensure that it is fulfilling its purpose and to adapt to any changes in approach and structures.

10.Authority

10.1.The Council is the competent authority in relation to University officers appointed to Council institutions.5 The Council also makes such decisions concerning staff of the University as may be referred to it under the Statutes and Ordinances of the University6 and by Grace of the Regent House.

10.2.The Remuneration Committee is a committee of the Council which acts on the Council’s behalf in accordance with its terms of reference, as approved from time to time by the Council.

10.3.The Committee has authority under the Second Joint Report of the Council to approve market pay for professorial or equivalent staff, i.e. those in Grade 12.7

Footnotes

  • 1The following terms are defined for the purposes of these terms of reference as follows: Senior Postholders are the postholders who report directly to the Vice‑Chancellor: the Pro‑Vice‑Chancellors, the Registrary, the Chief Financial Officer, the Executive Director of Development and Alumni Relations and the Director of Information Services. Remuneration includes basic stipend or salary and additional payments related to the role of the individual, such as bonus, market payments, allowances, pension contribution, housing, shared equity scheme, relocation terms, salary sacrifice arrangements and CAMbens benefits.

  • 2Including Cambridge Investment Management Limited (CIML) and Cambridge Enterprise.

  • 3The Vice‑Chancellor, as Head of Institution, has authority to approve market payment to senior post holders where such payments are up to and including 10% of the lowest salary point of the grade or band.

  • 4The Committee will retain responsibility for payments to all grade 12 staff until the approval of the new Pay Committee, at which point the Remuneration Committee’s responsibility will be limited to the Senior Postholders, as defined under these terms of reference. The terms of reference will then be updated as appropriate.

  • 5Statute C I 1(b).

  • 6Including the nomination of the Vice-Chancellor under Statute C III 1, the appointment of the Pro‑Vice‑Chancellors under Statute C III 15, and the appointment of the Registrary under Statute C VI 2.

  • 7Joint Report of the Council on amendments to the pay and grading scheme for non-clinical staff implemented following the Second Joint Report of 25 July 2005 (Reporter, 6302, 2012–13, p. 423, as approved by Grace 2 of 22 May 2013). The Remuneration Committee will retain responsibility for payments to all grade 12 staff until the approval of the new Pay Committee, at which point the Remuneration Committee’s responsibility will be limited to the Senior Postholders, as defined under these terms of reference. The terms of reference will then be updated as appropriate.

HR Consultations: Comments by 6 November 2020

There are the following HR consultations taking place during the Michaelmas Term 2020:

Mutual Respect Policy – Proposal to replace the current Dignity at Work Policy with a new Mutual Respect Policy, to include a code of behaviour.

Grievance Policy – Proposal to introduce a combined Grievance Policy to cover all non‑established employees.

Redeployment Policy – Proposal to introduce a more robust University‑wide redeployment process.

Responses to the consultations are welcomed. Please see https://www.hr.admin.cam.ac.uk/HR-policy-consultations-michaelmas-term-202021 for full details about each initiative and how to provide comments by 6 November 2020. The HR Committee will consider the responses at its meeting in November 2020.

Student Academic Subject Representative Elections: Nominations by 10 November

The Cambridge Students’ Union has confirmed, in accordance with Regulation 4 of the General Board Regulations for the election of student subject representatives (following the approval of Grace 5 of 24 July 2019 by ballot), that elections for student academic subject representatives will be held on 16–19 November 2020. Nominations may be made from Monday, 2 November and must be received by 12 noon on Tuesday, 10 November.

A full list of roles and more details about the process for election are available on the Cambridge students website at https://www.cambridgestudents.cam.ac.uk/student-elections

Honorary Degree Committee: Call for nominations

Suggestions are invited for the possible award of honorary degrees. Full details about eligibility and process are published online at http://www.cam.ac.uk/about-the-university/how-the-university-and-colleges-work/processes/honorary-degrees/the-nomination-and-approval-process, where a list of honorary degrees conferred since 1977 may also be found.

The University Council’s Honorary Degree Committee would welcome nominations of persons of national or international distinction to consider. The University is committed to increasing diversity amongst those it honours, and therefore suggestions from across a wide range of backgrounds and especially of distinguished BAME or women candidates would be particularly welcome.

Nomination forms, available online at https://www.cam.ac.uk/system/files/honorary_degrees_nomination_form_updated_2018.docx, should be submitted in confidence to HonoraryDegrees@admin.cam.ac.uk

Lecture-list, 2020–21

The lecture-list for 2020–21 is available at https://www.timetable.cam.ac.uk. Queries regarding lecture-lists and their availability should be directed to the Department concerned.

Regent House Petitions site

The Regent House Petitions site is designed to help members of the Regent House circulate and sign proposals relating to the University’s governance processes and is available to those on the current Roll1 at https://universityofcambridgecloud.sharepoint.com/sites/RegentHousePetitions [Regent House members only].

Detailed guidance and example petitions are available along with general links to information on the role and powers of the Regent House. Information about the Petitions site and the pdf guidance documents on raising and signing petitions have also been added to the University governance site, which is publicly accessible (see https://www.governance.cam.ac.uk/governance/key-bodies/RH-Senate/Pages/RH-Petitions.aspx).

The Petitions site is only available to current members of the Regent House,1 who should use their University UIS account (crsid@cam.ac.uk) to log in. The site is hosted in the University’s SharePoint Online environment; any members who have yet to use their University Microsoft account may need to sync their accounts to gain access to the Petitions site (see https://help.uis.cam.ac.uk/withdrawn/exol-migration/exol-help/migration-guides/migration-process/check-password-sync).

Footnote

  • 1The current list (Roll) of members of the Regent House was promulgated on 6 November 2019 and is available at https://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/reporter/regent_house_roll/. Access to the site will be amended to align with the new Roll when it is promulgated on 6 November 2020.

Notice by the Editor of the Reporter

The Cambridge University Reporter is published weekly, usually on Wednesdays, during the Term. Special issues, including the preliminary and promulgated Rolls of the Regent House, members of the Faculties, Fellows of the Colleges, and members of University bodies (committees, boards, syndicates, etc.) are also published during the academic year.

Editorial

Notices for publication in the Reporter and queries concerning content should be sent by email to reporter.editor@admin.cam.ac.uk. Items for publication should be sent as early as possible in the week before publication; short notices will be accepted up to 4 p.m. on Friday for publication the following Wednesday. Information on format and submissions is available at https://www.reporter.admin.cam.ac.uk/content-and-submissions. Inclusion is at the discretion of the Editor.

Mailing list

An email alert notifying subscribers of the weekly publication of the Reporter is available. The email contains web links to individual sections of the issue as well as a link to the pdf version. To subscribe, please visit the Reporter homepage (https://www.reporter.admin.cam.ac.uk) and complete the form in the right-hand column.

Restricted information

Certain material published in the Reporter is restricted to those with access to the University of Cambridge network (i.e. the Cam domain) and holders of active Raven accounts. Separate pdf versions are provided as appropriate.

University governance website

An online resource on the governance of the University is available at https://www.governance.cam.ac.uk (log in via Raven to access restricted content). With detailed information on the University’s governance structure, decision-making bodies, processes, and instruments of governance, the site is designed to help University members understand and engage with the governance processes of the University. The site also contains papers, core documents, and membership information for the University Council, the General Board, the Audit Committee, the Finance Committee, and various other University committees.

Comments and queries about the site should be sent to the Reporter office by email to governance@admin.cam.ac.uk. Queries on the work of individual committees or the availability of minutes or papers should be addressed to the relevant committee secretary.