BUTEX ORDINARY GENERAL MEETING
Tuesday 23rd June 2009
Room 1.009 Roscoe Building
The University of Manchester
MINUTES
Present: Erica Arthur, Elizabeth Harris, Paul Beavitt, Tony Emmerson, Valerie Horwood, Isobel Child
Ruth Sheret
Jean-Bernard Adrey, Lynne Alvarez, Bonnie Amato, Julie Andrews, Gail Armistead, Erica Arthur, Jane Atkinson, Laura Atkinson, Mariann Baker, Paul Beavitt, Gloria Bengochea, Anja Bleidorn, Linda Buchan, Rachel Buckley, Sue Bunney, Helen Burdette, Emma Butcher, Joan-Anton Carbonell, Roxanne Cavanagh, Christine Chadwick, Mike Chapman, Judith Cooke, Tory Corin, James Curran, Duncan de Silva, Christina Fairhead, Harry Gibney, Sarah Gladwinfield, Katharina Goetze, Jenny Gonzalez Hogg, Jo Hagerty, Elizabeth Harris, Elizabeth Hizer, Rhona Hodgart, Valerie Horwood, Melanie Humphreys, Siân Impey, Rachel Jessop, Jayne Anne Kilvington, Angela Koh, Marlies Kunnen, Hazel Lander, Michelle Lawrence, Sarah Leach, Julie Leverett, Christina Lowe, Amanda Mason, Rebecca Mathers, Rose Matthews, Shelley Matthews, Jackie Maudsley, Helen McHugh, Shane Moore, Cath Morris, Sandra Morris, Jill Nanson, Nicky Newcombe, Molly Prather, Sylvia Ratcliffe, Laura Ryhänen, Rachel Shilling, Emily Sinclair, Kim Smith, Dorte Stevenson, Annette Strauss, Jo Turner, Jane Wallis, Sally Ward, Tom Webb, Lauren Welch, Susan Wharton, Caroline Whitehand, Andrew Williams, Maggie Williams, Michael Woolf, Anne Worth
1. / Matters Arising From The Last MeetingThere were no matters arising from the last meeting.
2. / Finance
TE made the following financial summary:
· The Belfast Conference payment is still outstanding. Queen’s University Finance Office has confirmed that the payment will be made in two working days.
· Our income streams are increasing due to increasing membership, the development of the BUTEX Symposium, and the success of the Winter workshops. In addition, budget cuts have been made to the NAFSA stand and the AGM. However, overall our costs are rising and as we had problems with cash flow last year we may need to build up a small contingency sum in our bank account before increasing expenditure. This would be particularly advisable in the current financial climate as it is possible that institution cuts may affect our membership levels and the profit levels of upcoming events such as the conference.
3. / NAFSA
NAFSA 2009 Review
The membership was asked to feedback to the committee their opinions regarding BUTEX representation at NAFSA 2009. Generally it was felt that the stand continued to be very useful to members in facilitating business meetings and that the BUTEX meal had been an enjoyable event.
One member suggested that the stand had received a low number of visitors this year, but it was felt that this was probably due to the conference being generally quieter than in previous years.
Evening Reception
Further to previous discussion & membership vote, BUTEX did not host an evening reception at NAFSA 2009, but was asked by the membership to investigate options for re-commencing NAFSA receptions at Kansas 2010.
The membership was asked to feedback to the committee their own personal views on the lack of reception this year, and also to feedback any comments expressed by overseas partners whilst at NAFSA.
No comments were reported from overseas partners. However it was felt that this may have been partly due to the fact that so many receptions had been cancelled. Two members felt very strongly that receptions should be continued and a number of members reported that they felt that an evening reception was important and that they would prefer to re-commence receptions subject to feasibility and agreement of financial arrangements.
The Executive Committee reported that they would be happy to organise a reception if the membership wished to host one. However they also confirmed that BUTEX cannot afford to subsidize a reception and that the event would need to be funded entirely by those members wishing to attend. The committee made the following proposal which was distributed to the entire membership by e-mail following the meeting:
Reception Proposal
The reception would take place at the Clubhouse on Baltimore (Tudor Room) on Tuesday 1st June 2010 from 9-11pm and would consist of an open bar of champagne, wine and desserts. (Exact catering arrangements would be determined once a commitment has been made.) http://www.theclubhouseonbaltimore.com/rooms.asp
Following the finance model of the Australian, Canadian and Scottish receptions, universities wishing to be represented would need to pay a lump sum for a set number of tickets.
An event for 400 people costs approximately $12,000 (currently £7,350).
If you would like to be represented, your institution will need to contribute $400 (approx £250). The amount will be payable in pounds, but due to fluctuations in the exchange rate we will not be able to confirm the final price in sterling until nearer the time.
Participating institutions will receive 12 tickets, but will be asked to nominate 20 guests (nearer the time) to avoid duplication. This will ensure that your partner institutions are well-represented at the event as feedback has suggested that this is not the case at recent British Council receptions.
We intend to brand this clearly as a BUTEX reception, rather than a British one. This will hopefully avoid any sense of there being two competing British receptions if the British Council decides to host an event again after this year's cancellation. The purpose will be to provide a networking opportunity for participating universities and their partners and to raise the profile of BUTEX and its member institutions in North America. To this end we are proposing to raffle two of the 16 BUTEX student scholarships at the reception, and possibly also a complimentary BUTEX conference registration for July 2010.
In order to hold the booking we have to pay a 15% deposit asap. This means we need a definite commitment from 30 institutions now, if this is to go ahead. Please could you confirm by Thursday 9th July if you intend to contribute $400 to be represented at this event. We would then expect institutions to pay around November.
4. / The BUTEX Conference
The 9th International Conference 2010
The dates for the BUTEX 2010 Conference have been confirmed as Monday 5th – 7th July. The event will take place in the University of the Arts’ new Conference venue; a lovely former Banqueting Hall restored to its Edwardian glory and with great views across the Thames. It is located on Milbank, next to Tate Britain. Delegate accommodation will hopefully be arranged in October, when booking opens, for Imperial College halls, located on Exhibition Road, South Kensington.
The format of the Conference will follow that of previous years, with pre-conference workshops taking place on Monday and the Conference formally opening on Monday evening. All sessions and plenary speeches will take place on Tuesday and Wednesday.
BUTEX will be trying to seek sponsors for the Conference so please let the committee know if you know any organisation who may wish to sponsor.
John Tusa, Chairman of the University of the Arts London and former Managing Director of the Barbican Arts Centre and the BBC World Service, and David Wheeler, journalist for the Chronicle of Higher Education, have both expressed an interest in being plenary speakers but cannot confirm at this stage. Boris Johnson has been approached but has unfortunately declined the invitation. Again, if members have any ideas or contacts for plenary speakers please let the committee know.
BUTEX is now accepting Session Proposals for the Conference and members were urged to make a proposal. Session proposal forms can be downloaded from the BUTEX website.
The Arcadia Bid, BUTEX Conference 2011
It was agreed at the BUTEX AGM that the June dates offered by Arcadia in their original bid are not attractive to our core delegates. Arcadia were asked to provide further information about alternative dates in August and March / April. Arcadia have confirmed that they are unable to host an event in August. They are able to host an event in March / April, but at a substantial increase to the overall conference costs. As on-campus accommodation is not available at this time, the conference would have to be relocated to the ACE conference centre 10 minutes away. Unfortunately this will raise the delegate rate to beyond the level which would be likely to attract UK delegates and therefore the committee has made the decision not proceed further with this bid.
5. / The BUTEX Scholarship
All members should have received promotional scholarship postcards to display to students. Should any members wish to use these postcards in student or partner packs, bulk orders are available. Please just contact .
The deadline for all students wishing to apply for the scholarship is 1st August 2009
6. / Events
The BUTEX Symposium 2009
The 1st BUTEX Symposium attracted a large number of delegates and the committee hoped that members had enjoyed the event. Feedback will be sought from delegates and reported at the AGM.
The Winter Workshop & AGM
It was confirmed that the Winter Workshop & AGM will take place on Friday 11th December. Please contact the committee if you have a workshop proposal.
BUTEX Study Abroad Fair Co-ordination
As in previous years, BUTEX will advertise member Study Abroad Fairs on our internet site in order to enable partner institutions to plan UK site visits which incorporate attendance at these fairs. Following recent improvements to the BUTEX website we have an opportunity to have a higher profile for the schedule this year. Using the Australian model, we will advertise regional date slots and encourage members to arrange fairs during their regional slot. Eight institutions have already planned their fairs and we will try to align these pre-planned dates with the new schedule.
7. / Publicity & Communications
Nothing to report
8. / BUTEX Working Groups Update
BUTEX is pleased to report that one of the key objectives of the BUTEX Working Group –measuring mobility at a central level - has gained support at a national level. An ‘Inter-organisational International Student Mobility Working Group’ has formed, including representatives from BUTEX, HEURO, HEFCE, HESA, the British Council, DBIS, UUK, the Europe Unit and other sector organisations, to look at how we can productively work together on outward mobility issues. From this a HESA subgroup (including BUTEX representation) has emerged to work specifically on improving the statistical information collected by institutions re outward mobility though the HESA return. The process for making changes to the HESA return is lengthy, but this is a positive step in the right direction, which will hopefully further the aim of benchmarking at a national level in due course.
The original working group will reform in the autumn semester 2009 to further discussions about how we can raise the profile of outward mobility at a national level. New members are welcome to join the working group; should any members be interested they should contact Caroline Whitehand at .
9. / Membership Update
BUTEX is delighted to welcome the following new members:
St Mary's University College Twickenham London
Edgehill University
University of East London
University of Plymouth
Liverpool Hope University
IFSA Butler Scotland
The University of Dundee has withdrawn its membership.