COUNCIL Noted the Verbal Reports by the Chair of Academic Council

The

ACADEMIC COUNCIL

SUMMARY MINUTES OF THE SIXTH MEETING OF 2001 OF ACADEMIC COUNCIL, held on Wednesday 28 November 2001 in the Boardroom, Southwood House, Avery Hill Campus at 2.15 pm

Present: / Rick Trainor (Chair) / Christine Rose (Secretary)
Rob Allen / Martin Everett
David Armour-Chelu / John Humphreys
Liz Bacon / Kay Humphris
Anthony Beezer / Margaret Lennox
Robert Black / Ken Marsh
Patrick Burkett / Liz Meerabeau
Wendy Cealey Harrison / Chantel Phippen
Tony Clayton / Z Sevic
Mark Cross / Mike Sharp
Peter Dalton / Janet Thatcher
Amanda Davidson / Mike Thomas
Corine Delage / Dominic Tullett
Jane Longmore / David Wills
In attendance: / Clive Burrows / Sarah Palmer
Christine Couper / Alan Reed
Dai Hall / Paul Stigant
Denis Heathcote / Rosalind Street-Porter
Jill Jameson / Steve Wallis
Ed Metcalfe / Paul Whitehorn
APOLOGIES
01.6.1 / Stuart Ashenden / Ros Corney
Liz Briggs / Francis Duke
David Chambers / Les Johnson
Linda Cording / Mary Stiasny
ITEMS FROM THE CHAIR
01.6.2 / HEFCE and RAE. The Chair reported that HEFCE would be deciding in December whether to postpone for this year the allocation of RAE funding based on the 2001 results as it had a shortfall of £150 million on the amount required for disbursal. It had also been reported that there are plans to establish an unspecified number of elite research universities. The possibility exists of only 5 and 5* departments gaining funding. It is important that when the RAE results are published in December they are analysed in their own right and all staff involved should be congratulated for their efforts particularly where there are improvements in research scores. It is apparent that even if there is an improvement in Greenwich's RAE there might not be funding to follow from this. The University is making an input to this issue in various ways, for example, through the Coalition of Modern Universities. COUNCIL noted the report and agreed that an updated report on the RAE should be made at a future meeting.
01.6.3 / QAA. The Chair noted that clarification of the future of the QAA was expected shortly. Under the existing system two subject reviews had been carried out: in October the review of Politics, Philosophy, Theology and Religious Studies had scored 21 and in November Sports Science had scored 20. The Chair thanked the institutional facilitators, as well as all staff in the Schools and administrative units, for their work in preparing these reviews. COUNCIL noted these results and agreed that the current University restructuring which would feature School Reviews would refine Greenwich's own internal quality provisions in line with expected new QAA requirements. COUNCIL noted that there will still be QAA subject reviews for Health, Nursing and Midwifery.
01.6.4 / Campus updates. Greenwich. The Chair reported that the visit of the Queen to Woolwich on the day of the proposed re-opening of the King William building had caused this event to be postponed to 26 February 2002. COUNCIL noted the change of dates. COUNCIL expressed concern at reports of failures of newly installed lifts in the campus buildings. The Pro-Vice Chancellor (Resources) confirmed that able-bodied staff and students had been asked to minimise their use of the lifts to ensure that disabled persons could gain access to upper floors. The problem was being investigated.
01.6.5 / Avery Hill. A space use audit of the Avery Hill Campus is being carried out by an external firm. It is hoped that this survey will facilitate the proposed change of use of the site. The Joint Acting Head of School confirmed that the School of Architecture and Construction was looking forward to the move to Avery Hill and hoped that this would stimulate the development of a futuristic campus which could showcase modern design and teaching methods. COUNCIL noted that all proposed moves of schools would be undertaken under tight budgetary constraints but that all proposed users of the site would have the opportunity to make inputs to the working group to be set up to oversee the development of the campus.
01.6.6 / Medway and Other Campuses. COUNCIL noted that a tight budget and timetable is governing the move of CLS to the Medway Campus in August 2002 and there would be repercussions for NRI (including Earth and Environmental Sciences) and Engineering. All those affected by the move are being consulted and an equitable compromise has been reached on the best use of space. It is planned that the University of Kent will be undertaking teaching on the campus and funding is being sought to enhance existing facilities. It was confirmed that the Woolwich Island Site will be closed on 31 July 2002. COUNCIL noted that it is the intention to retain Riverside House until 2005. The Chair reported that it is intended to re-name the site the "University of Greenwich at Medway" and the site will be re-launched under this title. Staff should bear in mind that, with the reduction of campuses from five to three, more funds will be available to develop the retained sites and it is hoped that Medway will also benefit from the anticipated collaboration with the University of Kent.
01.6.7 /

COUNCIL noted the verbal reports by the Chair of Academic Council.

MINUTES

01.6.8 / The Summary Minutes of Academic COUNCIL held on Wednesday 3 October 2001 were agreed as accurate and approved by COUNCIL.
01.6.9 /

MATTERS ARISING

Examination Planning (01.5.15) The Academic Registrar reported that the examination timetables had been finalised and published on all campuses. Examinations were scheduled to run in the one specified week. COUNCIL noted the report. The School of Chemical and Life Sciences has requested that an exception be made in the Semester Schedule due to the late information going to employers concerning day release for part time students. COUNCIL supported this exception and examinations for this School will be timetabled over two weeks.
01.6.10 / New Regulatory Framework for Research Degrees (01.5.43) The Academic Registrar reported that although one or two issues were not yet finalised the Framework document had gone forward for publication in order to minimise delays in making the Regulations available. A number of staff had commented on the final version and several points will be raised for debate at a future meeting of the Research and Graduate School Board. COUNCIL noted the report.

MEMBERSHIP: DRAFT TERMS OF REFERENCE

01.6.11 /

School Boards. COUNCIL noted the revised terms of reference of the School Boards and agreed the Chair's suggestion that a degree of flexibility must govern the date of their first meetings. It was now expected that all school boards would have met by the date of COUNCIL's meeting on 23 January 2002. COUNCIL agreed that it was fully understood that all school action was subject to COUNCIL approval and University Regulations but that this should be written into the terms of reference. It is anticipated that by the next meeting of COUNCIL a full list of outside members nominated to School Boards and the clerks to the Boards will be available for ratification by COUNCIL.

01.6.12 / Academic Collaboration Committee. COUNCIL endorsed the structure and membership of the Academic Collaboration Committee and noted the terms of reference, which proposed ACC as a sub-committee of DECS. The DECS Board was itself a committee of COUNCIL.
01.6.13 / Honorary Degrees Committee. COUNCIL endorsed the reappointment of the Head of the School of Health to the Honorary Degrees Committee for a further period of three years.

RESTRUCTURING

01.6.14 / Academic restructuring. The Chair reported that all School Implementation Plans had been approved. These articulated school strategy as well as detailing departments and management arrangements. COUNCIL noted the new subject departmental structures for all schools. These had been finalised in all schools apart from Health where discussions were ongoing. Whilst noting the academic and strategic significance of departments in the restructured University the Chair emphasised the overriding organisational principle that schools are the primary academic units. Heads of Department appointments and those for Directors across all schools would be made as soon as is feasible.
01.6.15 / Administrative restructuring. The Chair reported that the University Secretary has been leading discussions, building on the earlier work of the restructuring working groups. Initial plans had been discussed by the Vice Chancellor's Group and administrative heads had been consulted individually and as a group. Consultation had also taken place with the Heads of School. A paper will be considered by the Executive with a final report to COUNCIL later in the academic session. COUNCIL noted the report.

RECRUITMENT/CLEARING

01.6.16 / Recruitment analysis. The Manager of IPSU reported that the University was very close to making its HEFCE contract. The paper before COUNCIL indicated the relative recruitment positions, as gauged by a number of parameters, on 13 November 2000 and 2001 and showed overall an improved performance by the University. The Chair confirmed that that there was cause for cautious optimism and the University's success in recruiting overseas students, which did not count in the HEFCE calculation, should not be overlooked as providing both income and an enrichment of the student cultural experience in the University. COUNCIL noted the report and thanked all those involved in recruiting.
01.6.17 / The implications of mainstream recruitment and clearing for the current session. The Director of Recruitment and Marketing reported that he would prepare a detailed paper for COUNCIL at its next meeting. IPSU's figures showed 1,000 more students registered in the University on 28 November 2001 than on the comparable date the previous year but not all these contributed to the HEFCE contract. There are 6% more full-time undergraduate students than in the previous year with significant growth in Business (+94) and Education (+85). There was a reduction in Humanities (-39) but this had been planned as an expected decline.
01.6.18 / There had been more applications in the main cycle with more acceptances by the University and more subsequent rejections of the University's offer by applicants. This pattern needed to be examined but it was likely that the traditional universities had held onto more students who had not received the required points since there were 20,000 fewer in clearing this year than last.
01.6.19 / Home taught postgraduate full-time students were up 34 overall (6%) with the main growth in Architecture and Construction (+27) and Education (+24) with CMS experiencing a drop of 22. There were significant discrepancies between schools regarding the progression of students from UG to PG status within the school. PG FT recruitment seems not to have the potential to compensate for any decline in UG numbers.
01.6.20 / There had been an increase of 490 PT Home students (10%) (University +102, Partner Colleges +264 and PCET network +124)
01.6.21 / Overseas new FT students were up by 122 (16%) and continuing students overseas students were up by 154 (33%).
01.6.22 / COUNCIL noted that next year recruitment would be even more difficult as the old universities would bid for more numbers and clearing may well continue to shrink. The University must make the best of main cycle applicants and avoid asking for too many points in the primary cycle if the numbers must then be reduced in clearing. Greenwich must attempt to contact students ahead of the clearing cycle and develop a strategy for coping with the enquiries for part-time Programmes which at the moment could not be met. There was potential growth in part-time students and it might be advisable to increase access to this type of student in order to meet the demand.
COUNCIL thanked the Head of Recruitment and Marketing, the Manager of IPSU, the Pro Vice Chancellor (Academic) and all others who had been involved in admissions and registration, and looked forward to the next meeting when a more definitive statement about meeting contract could be made.
01.6.23 / The Pro Vice Chancellor (Resources) said that the University had set aside a contingency fund of £500,000 to call on if the University did not make its contract. Current income however must be set in the context of the University's planned restructuring deficit of £10 million this year. There were plans to allocate £400,000 to those schools that were above their recruitment target. The Chair said that it was the University's intention to make a surplus in future years and that HEFCE had accepted Greenwich's financial forecasts for the next five years.
01.6.24 / COUNCIL noted possible impending changes in student funding which would, if anticipated by prospective students, have negative effects on recruitment and agreed that a close watch must be kept on this situation.

ACADEMIC PORTFOLIO

01.6.25 / COUNCIL endorsed the Authorisation of Programmes from the Schools of Social Sciences & Law, Architecture and Construction from the Combined Scheme and four Level O Programmes.

ACADEMIC FRAMEWORK

01.6.26 / Semester schedule 2002 - 2003. The Academic Registrar reported that a survey of twenty universities had revealed a structure of the academic year very similar to Greenwich's except that the exam period was typically two weeks for Semester One and two for Semester Two. COUNCIL noted that the semester schedule will be presented to the March 2002 meeting following further consultations across the University regarding the one week examination period in Semester One.
01.6.27 / Special Educational Needs and Disability Act (SENDA) 2001. The Head of Student Services reported that SENDA would pose problems for all universities when it became operative from September 2002 because it required institutions to anticipate and plan for disability not only in building and facility access but, additionally, in learning and teaching practice. Everything, from printed materials to the presentation of material by lecturers, would be required to minimise difficulties for those with visual or hearing impairment. There was an onus on students to state their disability on registration and COUNCIL noted that at present there was no established administrative procedure to notify schools of this. COUNCIL agreed that the report should be referred to the Equal Opportunities Committee for further discussion and that the implications for staff development and procedures governed by the Data Protection Act 1998 should be considered. The Chair thanked the Head of Student Services for her report.
WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON SPORTS POLICY
01.6.28 /

Student Union representatives clarified that they were asking not for a Wednesday afternoon sports policy but rather an afternoon free of lectures and seminars for undergraduates. The Wednesday afternoon period was the only time when students could engage in a range of activities including activities organised by the Students' Union. The Chair noted that many groups including part-time and professional students may have no other time when they could attend and time-tabling generally would be impossible, particularly at Greenwich, without the use of Wednesday afternoon. The Student Union emphasised that their major concern in regard to Wednesday afternoon extra-curricular activities was for undergraduate students. COUNCIL agreed that a working group under the Chairmanship of the Campus Manager (Greenwich and Woolwich) should be convened to ascertain what numbers of students were adversely affected and whether time-table priorities could be established which would minimise the impact of Wednesday afternoon academic activity.