Author: Shaun Williams, Executive Director Engagement and Advancement
- UEB thanked those involved in organising last week’s successful Staff Party, which had clearly been enjoyed by many and had seen record attendance levels. UEB also thanked the many colleagues across the University who have been preparing for the summer graduations, which start on Wednesday, and which UEB members are greatly looking forward to.
- There was an update on developments at a national level concerning the ongoing industrial action by members of the University and College Union (UCU) relating to pay and working conditions. UEB heard there had been what was described afterwards as a constructive meeting between UCU and the Universities and Colleges Employers Association (UCEA) at the end of last week, which included discussion about how to reach a common understanding of the financial health of the sector, and whether routes to resolution could be identified.
- UEB also considered a communication from our campus UCU branch regarding the withholding of pay from participants in the marking and assessment boycott. UEB confirmed the principles previously agreed by UEB of not accepting partial performance, and agreed to keep under review the position of introducing a cap. UEB is guided by the advice from UCEA.
- UEB discussed and approved a new Naming Policy setting out the framework for creating and agreeing naming opportunities in respect of philanthropic gifts or honorary naming. Naming could include physical items, such as a building, part of a building, equipment, or non-physical – such as bursaries, or academic positions. We anticipate increased philanthropic income in the years ahead, and substantial potential naming opportunities, so this policy is timely, and best practise.
- UEB approved a recommendation that, following a review, we should stop the practise of seeking references on receipt of an application for a job at the University, and that in future references will normally be sought at the point a conditional offer is made. In exceptional circumstances, an option to request references following the short-listing stage will remain available, to help inform the appointment decisions.
- UEB were briefed on the need to close our Astro House data centre for remedial electrical works, which will be scheduled between 27 and 30 December 2023, which presents the least disruption to the University. During this period the data centre will be taken offline, and most IT services will not be available. The work will be at a significantly lower level than for the previous remedial shut-down, in December 2021. There will be detailed and regular communication in the run up to the December closure.
- Finally, UEB approved three upcoming appointments as non-executive directors to the University Science Park Board, and there was the regular review of the University Risk Register.