Author: Shaun Williams, Executive Director Engagement and Advancement
A variety of issues were discussed at today’s UEB meeting:
- There was a further discussion about our 2020 National Student Survey (NSS) results, which saw our overall student satisfaction score improved to 85 per cent, placing us very strongly in relation to our direct peer set and the Russell Group more widely. Analysis of the data shows some disciplines are performing very strongly. However, this improvement was not across the board meaning that some disciplines still require further attention in order to improve the satisfaction scores from their students. Faculties are being asked to report back to UEB with opportunities for improvement in those disciplines, and to assess whether there are any useful external comparisons to be made to help us understand better our own performance and what assistance might be necessary from the University.
- There was an update on the Southampton COVID-19 Testing Programme in which the University has taken a leading role in a pilot to assess a new weekly-testing approach using saliva samples, which has included some of our students and staff. UEB heard that the pilot, now in its final week, has gone extremely well and the Government is assessing the results.
- There was an update following media reports of a serious cyber-attack and data breach involving Blackbaud, one of the world’s largest providers of customer relationship management systems for not-for-profit organisations and the Higher Education sector. Although the University of Southampton is a client of Blackbaud, we were not affected by the attack because our data is stored on the University’s own network and not on Blackbaud’s ‘cloud’ network, which was breached.
- UEB heard that there has been positive feedback after leaders and managers were encouraged to reach out to their BAME colleagues to find out more about how they are feeling and their experience of their working environment, and to gain insight on their individual experiences. In addition, managers have been encouraged to hold conversations with wider teams about how we can systematically challenge our practices to be more inclusive, and share best practice with the wider University community.
- UEB supported a proposal by the Cowrie Scholarship Foundation for the University to pay the fees of three disadvantaged black British students over the next decade as part of a programme to support at least 100 disadvantaged black British students through leading UK universities in the next decade.
- UEB gave its support to Southampton City Council’s strategy for developing its cycling infrastructure, recognising its importance for the city’s – and the University’s – approach to sustainability and wellbeing, but also recognising the need to ensure effective traffic flow within a congested city.
- UEB warmly congratulated two colleagues who were last week made Fellows of the British Academy – Constantine Sedikides, Professor of Social and Personality Psychology; and Christopher Woolgar, Professor of History and Archival Studies. You can read more about their achievements on the British Academy website.
- UEB also noted and congratulated Synairgen, originally founded by three Professors in our Faculty of Medicine, for widely reported success in a trial of a drug for treatment of coronavirus.
- There was also an update on developments at national level with the USS pensions scheme; confirmation that a Green Paper on the University’s new Sustainability Strategy will be published this week seeking the views of our staff and students , and the regular review of the University’s Risk Register.
- Finally, the Vice-Chancellor encouraged all UEB members and their teams to watch, engage with and celebrate the annual Vice-Chancellor’s Awards, from 2-3pm on Wednesday 29 July.