Summary from the Board of Governors’ meetings in January, March, May, June and July 2015

The Board of Governors met on 29 January, 5 March, 7 May, 5 June and 3 July 2015.  The following is a summary of business considered and decisions made at those meetings:

• The Board received a report on the outcome of the University’s submission to the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2014 by DVC Professor Owen. Professor Owen reported that the headline result for the University was one of an improved position in the research rankings, with particular improvements in those discipline areas in which Lincoln had made strategic investments.  Governors congratulated Professor Owen and his team on the very commendable REF 2014 outcomes.
• Chris Millward, HEFCE Director of Policy, gave a presentation to the Governors on Future Policy Developments in English HE. Governors noted the on-going agenda to put students at the heart of HE and to promote student choice and competition between universities. Mr Millward noted that areas of focus on policy for the future were likely to be around student demand, students from low income backgrounds and the quality of teaching.
• The Director of Planning and Business Intelligence presented the fifth annual review of progress towards the University’s corporate KPIs, covering student numbers, applications, entry qualifications, widening participation, progression, retention and completion, awards, student experience, research, graduate destinations, enterprise, finance, staff, the University estate, and external profile. Of the major ten KPIs monitored, the one area which had not been satisfactorily met related to overall International student satisfaction, and significant work was being undertaken across the University to address this.
• The Vice Chancellor reported at each meeting on activities within the HE sector environment; on the latest position on applications and conversions from the different categories of students, and the measures being taken to optimise recruitment for 2015 entry; and on a range of other items of contemporary and strategic interest. Professor Stuart had been appointed to the HEFCE Board for the next three years by the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, as one of only two serving Vice Chancellors on this Board.
• Under the new HEFCE Postgraduate Student Support scheme, the University had been allocated a number of scholarships, for which it would provide matched funding. The scheme would be replaced, in 2016/17, with a postgraduate student loan scheme, which it was hoped would reverse the sector-wide decline in this area in recent years.
• The Vice Chancellor thanked the Governors and members of SMT who had attended a very constructive meeting with their Bishop Grosseteste University Council opposite numbers to discuss issues of mutual interest, including ‘complementarity’ in promoting the benefits of HE in the city and county, and student accommodation.
• The Vice Chancellor reported that the University’s graduate level employment had reached over 70% in the 2013/14 results from the DHLE ‘graduate destination’ survey, which was very encouraging.
• Professor Stuart reported on plans to form a new National Centre for Agritech and Food Manufacturing, extending the business model successfully developed at Holbeach across the north of the County and into a broader area of Science and Engineering. UL had been growing its expertise in Agri-Robotics, Agri-Engineering and Biological Research.
• The Vice Chancellor kept Governors apprised of movements in the national HE league tables. UL had risen 11 places to 54 in the Guardian League Table. In the Complete University Guide, UL had improved by 4 places overall to 51^st place, the highest ranked position yet achieved in this survey; also being placed at 40 out of 103 English Universities. The Times Higher Student Experience Survey, largely focused on the wider student experience, had placed Lincoln at 40^th out of 128 institutions – the University had hoped for even better. It was important that neither the University nor the Students’ Union became complacent and further endeavour would be made to improve the results for next year.
• The Vice Chancellor reported that the University had received the prestigious honour of becoming a Global Principal Partner for Siemens, so being offered increased levels of support for Siemens research and development and opportunities for graduates. The other UK universities to receive this honour were Cambridge, Manchester and Newcastle.
• The Chair informed the Board that he had written to the Home Secretary to express concerns over the impact of the Government’s immigration policy on the University and to urge the removal of international students from the net migration target.
• The Board received a presentation from the Head of the College of Arts, which included the recent realignment of Schools within the College. The new Schools set a framework for synergies and partnerships between disciplines in teaching and research; and their principal focus continued to be the student experience.
• Governors welcomed the grant to the College of Arts of an Arts Council Exceptional Award for a digital arts project called ’12.15 today’. The project would include debating, creating provocations and digital artwork around freedoms and liberties and would link into other events in and around Lincolnshire relating to the Magna Carta and the Charter of the Forest.  Staff Governor and Head of the School of Film & Media, Dr Barrow, would lead the project on behalf of the University
• DVC Scott Davidson updated Governors on teaching, learning and digital education, including the work being done by EDEU to maintain the impetus of research-engaged teaching; the updated Personal Tutor system; and the significant investments being made to help realise the ambitions of the Digital Education Plan. Professor Davidson also introduced an overview of the educational character of the University and the role of the Board of Governors, considering the meanings of ‘academic character’ in terms of the University of Lincoln’s mission, vision and strategic objectives, its elaboration through the Teaching and Learning Plan, and its future direction.
• The Vice Chancellor reported on the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF), being proposed by the Minister for Universities and Science, to mirror the Research Excellence Framework. As Chair of HEFCE’s Teaching Excellence and Student Opportunity Strategic Advisory Committee, the Vice Chancellor would have a role in taking this forward, and in helping decision-makers to fully appreciate the implications for teaching in the sector.  Governors noted that there were also moves to re-design the academic quality framework.  Both of these developments would change the nature of practice in HE considerably.
• The Board received and considered the annual report of the Academic Board. Consideration of Academic Board proceedings was one of the ways through which the Governors were able to engage with the University’s educational character and academic activities.  Academic Board had changed its mix of members and now included seven student members.  The format of meetings had also changed to begin with a themed workshop where members could contribute to particular work areas; these had included the development of a PGR culture, the research strategy, student engagement, graduate employability, personal tutoring and a graduate attributes framework.
• The Board received a report from Ms McEwen, who had acted as Governor-Sponsor for the institutional KPI on creating employable and highly engaged graduates. All of the people in the University and SU to whom she had spoken understood the importance of graduate employability and helping students to gain good graduate jobs, and for the vast majority this was of personal significance. More could be done to help businesses engage with the University in an easily accessible way, and to ensure that all staff were responsive to external approaches and opportunities.
• The Governors exercised strategic oversight of arrangements to secure financing from the European Investment Bank (EIB) for further investment in on-campus capital projects including new buildings and facilities for science, social science and student residences. The Board delegated detailed scrutiny to the Financing the Future Working Group and considered regular reports from it, before formally agreeing to enter into £48million long-term loan from the EIB.
• The Board considered the annual Estates & Commercial Facilities report. The Director of Estates & Commercial Facilities (DECF) reported that the Estates Department had been restructured to address the complex challenges arising from the construction on campus of three major new buildings, with the aim of minimising disruption to the student experience and the University’s core business.  The DECF gave a presentation on building a top 40 University, covering the design and landscaping proposals and associated aspects of the programme of the new buildings on the Brayford campus: the Isaac Newton and Sarah Swift buildings and the new student residences, Marina Courts.
• The Chief Finance Officer provided monthly summaries of the University’s financial position and presented the mid-year financial forecast update for consideration by Governors. Governors noted that under-recruitment against the international student intake target had impacted the predicted surplus for the year, but that this was off-set by increased College external income and the identification of further cost savings. The Financing the Future model, as approved by Governors, was now the basis of financial planning for the University and formed the financial targets for the 2015/16 budget and five year plans. In July, the Board approved the draft budget for 2015/16 and the financial five year plans, which would be submitted to HEFCE, noting the possible impact of anticipated in-year HEFCE grant cuts further to recent Government announcements relating to BIS funding (no detail of which was available at the time).
• The Board approved an adjustment to the Financial Regulations relating to the approval of budget virements of up to £500k per financial year between capital and revenue budgets (and vice versa). Governors considered a report on the University’s portfolio of insurances, noting the insurance cover currently in place and the planned amendments for 2015/16.
• The Board received a report on the impact on the University of the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015, which required the University to cooperate with the local Prevent panel on precautionary measures to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism. Governors agreed that this had to be read in the context of the University’s parallel obligations to ensure freedom of speech and academic freedom, and that the position should be kept under active review.
• The Board held an Awayday to give initial consideration to the University Strategic Plan for
  2016-21. Governors noted the establishment of a WordPress Blog for access by all staff and students, enabling cross-University engagement with the themes and strategic questions. The movement towards becoming a Top 40 university was one principle that everyone in the institution was aware of and focused on achieving, and Governors agreed that this was central to the new Plan. There were some big questions about a vision for education, including what higher education in the 21^st century should look like and what part the University should play within that. The draft strategic plan would be submitted to the Board in the autumn of 2015 with sign-off scheduled for early 2016.
• The Clerk reported that the Committee of University Chairs had produced its new HE Code of Governance in December 2014 and that a careful review would be undertaken to map the University’s governance structures and arrangements against the Code. In response to a requirement in the Code, the Board agreed to re-establish a Nominations Committee and approved its terms of reference and membership.
• The Board received a presentation from the Head of the College of Science around the College’s key objectives as set out in its Strategic Plan for 2015 – 2019. The College had a good range of subjects, including new subjects such as Chemistry and Mathematics, with strong income generation potential. It aimed to provide an outstanding educational experience based on core scientific principles and disciplines, to conduct world-leading research in its areas of focus, and to work with external partners (industrial, academic and others) internationally, nationally and regionally.
• The out-going SU President gave a presentation covering key SU achievements during 2014/15, reminding Members that at the beginning of his term of office, ULSU had recently achieved the NUS Students’ Union of the Year award. A major step forward had been taken in bringing the Engine Shed and Tower Bars, and the Swan pub (formerly The Shed) under SU management, and developing them as student-dedicated venues. The President reported that the plans to establish an SU Advice Centre for 2015/16 would be conducted in discussion with the Director of Student Affairs.  This would focus on academic matters and was intended to work in conjunction with the support and advice services already available through the University. The Chair paid tribute on behalf of the Board to Brian Alcorn’s contribution as Student Governor during the year.
• The Board received and discussed the annual HR report. The Director of HR summarised the organisational picture of the University in relation to the workforce and the key HR related activities and projects delivered or commenced as part of the ‘People Strategy’. The fifth Staff Survey would commence in November. The previous survey’s results had demonstrated a high level of positivity from staff.
• DVC Professor Davidson and the Director of HR also reported on academic career development, and Governors welcomed the positive achievements being reported in this fundamental area of University activity.
• The Board discussed the High Level Risk Register. The Chair of Audit Committee reported that the Committee now considered risk management at every meeting. The University had developed a good approach to risk within the organisation and the Committee had felt that it could take assurance from the overview of the methodology and identification of high level risks and sub-risks.  Key risk owners would be invited to attend the Audit Committee to talk through their risks and explain the mitigating and improvement actions.
• The Board approved the reappointment of Ms Jackson, Ms Gilhespy and Professor Bailey for a second four-year term from 1 August 2015 to 31 July 2019. Ms Molly Jackson was re-elected as Deputy Chair for the years 2015 and 2016. The Board also approved the reappointment of Mr Darwin for one further year from 1 August 2015. In July 2015, the Board welcomed the new SU President who had been appointed as Student Governor.

Paul Walsh   Clerk to the Board of Governors