Board of Trustees Minutes
10am13March 2017in Meeting Room A
No. / Item
Pre Board : Education and Briefing Session
A / Board Briefing: Presentation on Commuter Students and Relevant Demographics
The Board received a presentation from Sarah Harris, Social Policy Coordinator
Q. What sort of employment are students who are not developing social capital going on to?
A. Most ‘normal’ students go on to get the jobs where a degree is required. There is a correlation between those students who stay at home and then do not move on to graduate/higher paying roles.
Minute Note:
It is interesting to link this up to the local labour market
Opening Administration
1 / Quorum, attendees and apologies for absence
Present: Margaret Dale (Chair), David Butcher, Jane Glaister, Karen O’Neill, Sabrina Hussain, Dilara Changis, Charlotte Jackson
In attendance: Tom Royle, Lydia Blundell, Rubina Rashid (Observing) Rae Ellis (Minutes). Sarah Harris (Pre-Board Presentation Only)
Apologies: Mike Kagioglou, Lianne Hunter, Matt Short
Minute Note:
The Board welcomes Rubina Rashid as a newly appointed Trustee. The Board acknowledges TR in his capacity as Interim CEO. The Board requests that SH organise some flowers for LH as she is unwell.
2 / Declaration of any interests
None
3 / Confidential items: 05b, 06b, 06d, 06g, All 7.
4 / Minutes of previous meeting 05/12/16
a)Matters of Accuracy
Minutes of 5th December 2016accepted as a true and accurate record.
b)Matters Arising
- The Board requests to see timescales for simplification of HR Strategy to be implemented.Completed
- The Board requests feedback to the next meeting on the SLF. This should also include some information on the possibility of getting some funding to support this.Completed
- HudLets Departmental Scorecard to go to HudLets Board and not Main BoardCompleted
- A presentation on where HudLets is in regards to the initial 3 year risk strategy to be brought to Board. Deferred until Business Plan completed
- LB to put together some ideas on the predicted requirements and any related overspends and this should be channelled through the sub committees.Ongoing
- Actions taken to increase participation in NSS and Rate Your Union to come to March Board for reviewCompleted
- Remove the introduction to our strategy which is currently on the websiteCompleted
- Officer accountability panel reports to be sent to External Board members on a monthly basisCompleted
Matters for Action / Decision
5 / a)To receive proposal on motion to include 2 student trustees to the Board
The Committee received the paper.
Q. Does any change to the constitution need to be approved by the University?
A. Yes it would need to be approved by them to make sure we are still complaint with the 1994 Education Act.
Minute Note:
We would need to also be compliant with the charity act. We would need to be clear about the responsibilities as they would potentially need to be a full charity trustee
Q. Do some Unions have just observing students at the meeting as opposed to them being trustees?
A. Yes they do. What was the motivation behind the proposal – if they want voting rights they would need to be fully compliant with laws regarding charity trustees?
Minute Action
JG to provide support to LB in drafting options for the Board. CJ will also be assisting with the drafting the proposal to the Board.
The Committee approveda further paper to be brought to Board with options.
b)To receive financial planning proposals from Finance and Staffing Committee
The Committee received the paper.
The Committee deferred the paper until the September Board.
c)To discuss investment and reserves policy
The Committee received the paper.
Q. Is the ambition of receiving an investment return of 2% realistic?
A. We are not certain at the moment it is likely that this could be lower. This may need to be revisited. The statement of risk also needs to be looked at.
The Committee deferred the paper to the next Finance and Staffing Committee.
d)To receive update on Officer accountability panels and discuss operational effectiveness
The Committee received the paper.
Q. How many panels are there at the moment?
A. There is one per month in term time so broadly 6 per year.
Minute Note:
Contrary to SH’s opinion DC feels that having student staff on the panel is beneficial as they understand what the officers are working on. CJ feels that this means that there have been a lack of questions when student staff are on the panel. There is a question about whether there is a lack of transparency and objectivity when the panel is made up of student staff.
Minute Note:
There is a feeling that there is a big jump between effective and outstanding. The Board feels that there is possibly a difficulty when the panel is being asked to mark people as being outstanding.
Minute Action:
The Board feels that there are too many meetings and this needs to be trimmed. They feel that there needs to be a 5 point scale instead of the current 3 point scale.
Minute Note:
The Board feels that there needs to be clarity on the Officers as elected members with manifesto points and them as employees as the current process can create some confusion if there were ever an issue of underperformance.
Q. Does this impact the byelaws?
A. It will need to be changed to reflect that the paperwork will be due in 5 days not 10 days before and there would be a change to the amount of panels.
Minute Action:
Amends to the byelaws in regards to Officer accountability panels to be brought to June Board for approval.
The Committee noted the paper.
e)To approve adjustments to the associate, alumni and honorary membership process.
The Committee received the paper.
Minute Note:
The Board feels that the Lifetime Membership fee of £15 is very generous.
Q. What is the motivation for us? What do we get out of it?
A. At the moment very little. We do not ask for money, we do not contact them and pursue anything from them.
Minute Action:
MS is to look at what the options are for utilising the people who become Lifetime Members. KO to provide support
The Committee approved the paper.
f)To receive evaluation of Student Panel
The Committee received the paper.
The Committee noted the paper.
g)To receive an update on the Student Leadership Fund
The Committee received the paper.
Q. This was a commitment from the reserves for 1 or 2 years?
A. It was a commitment for 2 years but the proposal is to re-jig how the project is funded and run.
Minute Note:
The Board feels that the emphasis on the leadership element is a way to potentially attract external funding. The Board recommends that 10 projects would be a practical number to manage and ensure quality.
Q. Do we have a narrative/glossy brochure style story which we can use to attract new students to become involved?
A. We are collecting evaluations as projects come to a close. There will be work with the careers service to help the SLF students to translate the projects for their CV’s.
Minute Note:
The glossy brochure/video would be important to attract investors.
Minute Action:
LB to produce proposals for year 2 funding to June board.
The Committee noted the paper.
Break
The Board presented Matt Mills with a token of appreciation to say thank you for his time as CEO and the work he did during that time.
Matters to Note
6 / Student Matters
a)To note officer objectives and progress towards them
The Committee received the paper.
Minute Note:
The Board thanks LH for her work on Mental Health training for the staff team.
Minute Note:
The Board notes that CJ has been awarded a £50k grant by CLS to improve the flexible learning spaces in the library.
Minute Note:
A discussion ensued surrounding Spot Check Disciplinary Hearings. The Board is concerned that the fines being paid by students is too high. The Board would like to raise a conversation with the University about the sanctions being put in place.
Minute Note:
There is an incident which has been raised by a course rep regarding a lecturer who has replaced face to face lecture time with a screen cast. This is to be raised at the Uni SMT also. CJ is to have a conversation with a member of Uni SMT regarding this.
Q. What has happened to Emma’s objectives?
A. Emma was very focused on getting better offers in the community for students. We have employed a student staff member to take this on.
Q. Is there any opportunity for writing up DC’s work on Care Leavers and using this as a positive message?
A. Yes this would be a good idea.
Minute Action:
JG to give contact details to DC for someone who is working with Wakefield as a city of sanctuary for asylum seekers and refugees to help with DC’s project to encourage the University to play its part in helping refugees.
The Committee noted the paper.
Performance Reporting
b)To note Management Accounts and Finance Report to 31stJanuary 2017
The Committee received the paper.
Q. Where are we in getting the overspend for the training with Matt back from the University from Matt
A. The agreement was that in return for MM starting early the University would pay back a significant amount of this money.
Minute Note:
We are concerned that there is no noted documentary evidence of what Matt would be responsible for paying pack the money. There must be documentary evidence that we have handled this properly.
Minute Action:
We need to find the documentary evidence which SH says she has signed. We will now send MM a bill for £10k.
The Committee noted the paper.
c)To note departmental performance reports
The Committee received the paper.
Minute Note:
We should be careful of the wording we use and what KPI’s we are focusing on. For example the number of issues logged by Course reps is worded as below target. This is actually a positive thing but could be read negatively.
The Committee noted the paper.
d)To receive Election Results (tabled paper)
The Committee received the paper.
Q. Is there a cost implication if we need to sponsor an international student to stand as an officer?
A. Yes there is – we need to have a licence and then a certificate per person.
Minute Note:
The Board expressed their appreciation to the staff and officer team for the work which they have done on the elections.
Q. Is the only way to vote online?
A. Yes but we would have ballot stations for people to vote we will not allow candidates to have tablets on them. There may be an impact on turnout.
The Committee noted the paper.
e)To note NSS Action Plan
The Committee received the paper.
Minute Note:
Lots of universities are reducing the number or dissertations they do. At some point there may be a requirement to think about changing this to be more aligned with the needs of final year students. We are already doing some work in the advice centre on exam stresses, EC (Fit to Sit policy) water and fruit.
Minute Action:
The Board requests a summary of the actions taken, what has worked etc and some correlation of results to actions where possible This is to be presented at the September Board.
The Committee noted the paper.
f)Rate your union update
The Committee received the paper.
Minute Note:
There is some requirement to refine the targets as we have previously had a blanket 80%. There is a view that there should be a growth target instead.
The Committee noted the paper.
g)To note progress on QSU
The Committee received a verbal update.
Q. Did PARR come to a conclusion about whether this should continue?
A. No it was agreed that this one should be completed and then it should be looked at.
Minute Action:
A full review of QSU and whether this should be pursued in the future to be carried out once it is completed.
The Committee noted the update
h)To note Chief Executives Report
The Committee received the paper.
The Committee noted the paper.
Matters for information and briefing only
7 / Sub Committee reports/ minutes
a)Minutes of Finance and Staffing Committee
The Committee received and noted the minutes.
b)Minutes of Performance, Audit, Risk and Remuneration
The Committee received and noted the minutes.
c)Minutes of Consolidated Executive and Management Committee
The Committee received and noted the minutes.
d)Minutes of HudLets Company Board
The Committee received and noted the minutes.
e)Minutes of Student Activities Executive
The Committee received and noted the minutes.
f)Minutes of Officer Accountability Panels
The Committee received and noted the minutes.
Closing Administration
8 / a)Date of next meeting 05/06/2017 & future agenda items
b)Board Review: effectiveness of meeting (against BoTToR)
9 / Preparations for Meeting with University SMT
- Review of Agenda Items
- Review of SU Report
Matters Arising Actions from 13/03/2017
Minute Ref. / Action / Owner05a / JG to provide support to LB in drafting options for the Board. CJ will also be assisting with the drafting the proposal to the Board. / LB / JG / CJ
05d / The Board feels that there are too many meetings and this needs to be trimmed. They feel that there needs to be a 5 point scale instead of the current 3 point scale. / LB
05d / Amends to the byelaws in regards to Officer accountability panels to be brought to June Board for approval. / LB
05e / MS is to look at what the options are for utilising the people who become Lifetime Members. KO to provide support / MS / KO
05g / LB to produce proposals for year 2 funding for SLF to June board. / LB
06a / JG to give contact details to DC for someone who is working with Wakefield as a city of sanctuary for asylum seekers and refugees to help with DC’s project to encourage the University to play its part in helping refugees. / JG
06b / We need to find the documentary evidence which SH says she has signed. We will now send MM a bill for £10k. / TR
06e / The Board requests a summary of the actions taken, what has worked etc and some correlation of results to actions where possible. (NSS) (September Board) / LB
06g / A full review of QSU and whether this should be pursued in the future to be carried out once it is completed. / MS