Dear Colleagues, 

During the last year Court, following our internal review of Court governance, discussed how to improve communications with the University community.

In accordance with common practice, the Minutes of each Court meeting are not approved until the next meeting.  In these circumstances Court concluded that it might be helpful if:-

  • a brief summary of the main issues considered at each Court meeting could be issued as soon as practicable after the meeting; and
  • the draft minutes, albeit not formally approved, could be issued on the Court Office website once they were ready for circulation to Court.

This is the first of such summaries which will be issued by the Convener of Court to the University community after each meeting of the University Court.  They will not, and are not intended to be, a formal record of the Court meeting to which they relate.  Records of Court meetings shall continue to be the minutes of that meeting approved at the next meeting of Court.   Hopefully, however, these summaries will give a much earlier feel for what Court is deciding.  The University Court met for the first time this academic session on 12th October.  The minutes of the meeting will be issued in due course,

but in the meantime, here is a summary of the main points discussed at the meeting, under the relevant headings on the Court meeting agenda:

Matters Arising

Thanks were extended to the members of the Hetherington Inquiry panel for their work and report.  The recommendations on actions to be taken by the University are being taken forward.

Principal’s Report to Court

The Principal reported on the Scottish Government Budget and spending review and explained that the effects on the University would become somewhat clearer when an indicative letter of grant was received by the University from the Scottish Funding Council in December.

Court heard that at its October/November meeting the Senior Management Group will be considering a report on the first year following University restructuring, which will include input from staff surveys and reports from the College Secretaries reviewing and developing administrative support structures across Colleges and Schools.  Court and Senate will receive a further update later in the year.

Court heard that work was continuing on the follow up to the outcome of the consultations held in the spring and early summer of this year, and that a report on this work would be received by Court in December.

Court was pleased to see the excellent results achieved by the University in the National Student Survey and its climb from 77th to 59th position in the latest QS World University Rankings, confirming that

Glasgow is in the top one per cent of institutions in the world.  The University has also been ranked 20th in the UK and second overall in Scotland in this year’s Sunday Times Good University Guide.

Secretary of Court’s Report to Court

Court agreed that that the Voluntary Severance Scheme should be closed to new applicants with effect from 16 December.

In June, Court approved the recommendations of the School of Modern Languages & Cultures consultation panel, subject to the comments of the Senior Management Group.  This included a decision by Court that September 2011 would be the last year that student cohorts would be admitted to the degree programme in Slavonic Studies.   The Senate meeting proceeding the June meeting of Court had not recommended a closure of the Slavonic Studies course.

Court heard that subsequently the constitutional right of Court to make this decision was challenged on the grounds that it was not within Court’s powers to make that decision without a recommendation of Senate.  The papers circulated to Court before the meeting included an exchange of letters between the Secretary of Court and 2 members of staff in the Law School about this challenge.

Court members had received the report of the Senate meeting on 6 October and heard from the Clerk of Senate that Senate continues to feel very strongly about this matter, and more broadly that there is a need for better communication between Court and Senate.  This is being addressed through a Senate Working Group which will be making recommendations about better engagement between the two bodies.

The Secretary of Court reported that, on behalf of Court, he had consulted the University's lawyers, who include a former Lord Advocate.  They had received copies of the exchange of correspondence with the

2 members of the Law School which was included in the Court papers and had advised that in their view the decision taken by Court was within the powers of the Court.

Court considered the matter very carefully with many members contributing to the discussion.  Court noted that the original decision had been made in June because Court considered that it was in the best interests of the University, and also that the legal advice to the Court was that such a decision was within the powers of the Court.  As a result the June decision of Court to withdraw Slavonic Studies remained in effect.  At the same time Court Members emphasised the importance of work on the wider issue about improving communication between Senate and Court continuing.   It was confirmed that the

Convener of Court and the Secretary of Court would join the next meeting of the Senate Working Group, to discuss the wider issue, and the future modus operandi in the area of communications between Court and Senate.  I confirm that I asked the Court Office to draw together details of the legislation specifying the relative powers of the two bodies which will hopefully be ready to give to members of the Group at that meeting and will of course be made available to Court Members.

There was a Court Strategic Discussion day in September at which Court agreed Rest of UK Fees levels and was briefed on, and contributed to, the University’s strategy relating to Internationisation and Research.

The Court papers included the report on the introduction of My Campus which had gone to Senate and the communications from the last Senate meeting relating thereto. The Secretary reported that the Vice-Principal (Learning & Teaching) had agreed to convene a review panel to consider lessons learned from the Registration and Enrolment exercise in 2011. Court expressed its concern at the understandable frustrations, and the increased workload, arising from the introduction of My Campus.

Court asked that their appreciation of the efforts  of all those staff  who had  worked so hard to support students through the difficulties in this introduction should be recorded in the minutes.

Learning and Teaching Strategy

Court received an update from Vice Principal Frank Coton on the Learning and Teaching Strategy, which had previously been received at Senate.

Finance Committee

Court noted a report on the proposed expansion under the collaborative arrangement with the Singapore Institute of Technology for delivery of undergraduate programmes in Singapore, which had been supported by the Finance Committee.

Estates Committee

Court noted  that Estates Committee has approved in principle the proposed Stevenson Building Extension, subject to satisfactory plans being developed to address Glasgow University Union's needs for a suitable social facility to replace the Hive extension. The Secretary of Court explained that University officers were in discussion with officers of GUU over the steps that might be required to replace that facility.

Communications from Senate

As the most recent meeting of Senate had  been held on the 6 October the communication  following that extensive meeting had only reached Court members the night before the Court meeting. The Clerk of Senate spoke to the report  which included an interim report and recommendations from the Senate Communications Working Group.  The contents of the communication from Senate were noted but it was agreed that in order to allow Court to properly consider them, members of Court would send the Convener any comments which they had thereon by Thursday 20 October. This would be in good time for the meeting of the Working Group which the Convener, Principal and Secretary of Court were to attend to talk about improvements to communications between Court and Senate.

Court noted that one of the recommendations of the Senate Working Group was that Court should publish at the start of the academic year the likely business coming before Court during the session.  In accordance with last year’s internal review, Court members had received such a list for the current session in the Court papers, and asked that this list should be more widely publicised.

Enhancement-led  Institutional  Review

Court approved the University’s submission to the Scottish Funding Council on progress with institution- led reviews during 2010-11.  The reviews are of activities undertaken by the University, largely through the work of Senate and its committees, of its provision for students e.g. subject reviews and reviews of student-facing services.

 

If you would like more information on Court and its meetings, there are further details on the University website at  http://www.gla.ac.uk/services/courtoffice/universitycourtandcourtmeetings/ , including minutes of past meetings.  The annual Schedule of Court business is included on this website.

 

With best wishes

David C H Ross, Convener of Court

 

First published: 21 October 2011

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