Corporate Governance at the University

The Group shall:

• Provide cohesive and unified leadership to the College, developing and ensuring the delivery of the University’s strategic plan and College ambition
• Provide clarity across the College community regarding strategic priorities and direction
• Consider and take decisions in respect of any aspect of the University’s strategy as it relates to the College. This includes academic matters, managing the College’s human, physical and financial resources to ensure the delivery of that strategy. It takes these actions under delegated authority on behalf of the executive governing body of the University, the Senior Management Group
• Recommendation to the Senior Management Group, University Court and Committees of Court on College strategic, resource and policy matters
• Inform Senate on strategic and policy issues and works with Senate Committees on the Senate’s development of academic policy, escalating as appropriate via the Senior Management Group
• Assess, and respond to, the impact of the external political, economic and higher education environments in Scotland, the UK and internationally, in order to shape policy and strategic direction, with a view to maximising the College’s performance and success
• Agree and chair College sub-committees, boards and working groups as required
• Identify, assess and mitigate strategic risk at a College level, ensuring minimal risk exposure to the University

The following details the delegated authority for the CoSS CMG and shows how it is placed in the overall University Scheme of Delegation with escalation to Court:

This is an executive chaired Group with the following membership:

• Head of College
• Deputy Head of College
• Director of College Professional Services
• College Head of HR
• College Head of Finance
• Dean of External Engagement
• Dean of Graduate Studies
• Dean of Learning & Teaching
• Dean of Research
• Head of School (Education)
• Head of School (Adam Smith Business School)
• Head of School (Social & Political Sciences)
• Head of School (Law)
• Head of School (Interdisciplinary Studies)

Each Group member has a responsibility to:

• Provide scrutiny and challenge to all strategic documents, policies and papers
• Apply current thinking and subject matter expertise in relevant fields to CMG topics
• Foster a culture that promotes cooperation, compromise, collegiality and collective ownership of decisions
• Openly and constructively challenge where proposals do not meet key criteria for regulatory, business continuity or sustainability requirements
• Take ownership for specific risks and actions in the CMG Risk Register. All risks must have a committee members as overall owner
• Activity and behaviour should embody the University’s values (click here for details)

Meetings will be held monthly. Weekly and extraordinary meetings may also be scheduled as required

INPUTS

• University Strategy 2020-2025
• All thematic and enabling strategies
• College specific strategies and roadmaps
• College Financial Reports and Statements
• Health and Safety Report from College Health and Safety Officer
• Summary of changes made to action log and previous minutes
• Papers to be presented

OUTPUTS

• Action Log
• Minutes (closed to CMG members only)
• CMG summary to Schools and RIs

Substitutions may be made with prior notice given to the clerk, subject to approval by the VP/HoC.  There must be a minimum of 50% of its members in attendance for decisions or approvals. In the event of a consensus not being reached, the decision will be made by the Vice Principal and Head of College.

The CoSS CMG will follow the UofG procedure for the management of any conflicts.  The procedure defines declaration of conflicts as a standard agenda item at the start of the meeting, the maintenance of a register of conflicts, and a process for managing all conflicts which are declared.