Author: Shaun Williams, Executive Director Engagement and Advancement
Operating in Gold Command mode, UEB discussed several operational and campus issues:
- Following last week’s very extensive discussion about the January student assessment period, and issues raised by some students through SUSU, UEB heard that over the last week the in-person assessments have taken place successfully, with high attendance. Senior executives and additional staff from our Health, Safety and Risk team have continued to check venues to ensure any issues can be addressed swiftly. At the end of last week the University also provided a further update to students in relation to the Special Considerations process, in response to concerns.
- Last week also saw confirmation from the Government of the lifting of Plan B COVID restrictions in England, and a return to the Plan A guidance we had been operating under until mid-December. For our University, this means that from 31 January we will no longer request those staff whose role permits them to work from home to do so. UEB discussed the need for a measured and sensible approach which balances the return of more staff to our campuses, with all the benefits around community, creativity and wellbeing that brings, along with the desire by some staff for a more hybrid work pattern where roles allow, with the need to take into account the size of our university population, and be sensible about the overall density numbers on campus. Our own COVID cases are relatively stable, but care still needs to be exercised. UEB also heard that the wearing of face coverings is still expected by staff and students when moving around inside our campus buildings and halls of residences, and in all taught and practical sessions.
The meeting then reverted to normal UEB mode to discuss a number of other issues:
- UEB discussed and agreed that the University should sign up to a pledge promoted by the Department for Education urging universities to commit to not using legally-binding Non-Disclosure Agreements in dealing with complaints of sexual misconduct, bullying and other forms of harassment.
- UEB discussed an update on the main activities of the Research Integrity and Governance (RIG) team, and approved publication of the University’s Annual Research Integrity Assessment for 2020-2021, under its obligations as a signatory of the Concordat to Support Research Integrity, to uphold the highest standards of rigour and integrity in all aspects of research.
- UEB reviewed and approved a proposed response to the Office for Students (OfS) consultation on Data Futures and Data Collection. The consultation’s focus has been on how the OfS can ensure that they have the necessary data to perform their function whilst ensuring that their data requirements from registered higher education providers are proportionate. In particular, the OfS have been seeking views on the approach to the collection of in-year individualised student data as part of the Data Futures programme, in respect of the nature, frequency and timing of data collections by HESA to enable them better to achieve their regulatory aims.
- UEB reviewed and endorsed a paper outlining key feedback points for REF2021, gathered in consultation with members of the University’s REF Planning Group who carried out a ‘lessons learned’ exercise, and which will now be submitted to Research England as part of its Institutional Feedback process.
- UEB agreed to extend access to the Staff Diversity Dashboard, an evolving tool introduced last year by the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (ED&I) team to provide statistical information about staff diversity, initially for use by all EDI leads as well as Head of School and above.
- Finally, there was the regular review of the University’s Risk Register.