THE SERVICING OF COMMITTEES

THE SERVICING OF COMMITTEES

NOTES OF GUIDANCE

2012 - 2013

NOTES OF GUIDANCE

CONTENTSPage

1.INTRODUCTION3

2.COMMITTEES AND BOARDS3

2.1Committee Structure3

2.2Constitutional Provisions4

3.SERVICING PROCEDURES5

3.1The Clerk’s Role5

3.2The Secretary’s Role5

3.3Organisational Responsibilities6

4NOTES OF GUIDANCE7

4.1Preparation of the Agenda7

4.2Minutes: General Guidance8

4.3Confidentiality and Publication of Minutes10

5INSTITUTE/ACADEMIC SUBJECT AREA/DEPARTMENT

MEETINGS11

5.1Institute andAcademic Subject Area Meetings11

5.2Assessment Boards12

5.3Task and Finish Groups12

6.PROTOCOL13

APPENDICES

Appendix 1: Code of Practice: Roles and Responsibilities of

Members of Committees14

Appendix 2:Standing Order: Conduct of Committees15

Appendix 3a: Sample Agenda (Version 1)18

Appendix 3b:Sample Agenda (Version 2)20

Appendix 4: Sample Cover Sheet21

Appendix 5:Sample Minutes22

Appendix 6:Sample Matters Arising Report24

Appendix 7:Sample Terms of Reference26

Appendix 8: Module Board Agenda Template27

Appendix 9: Module Board Minutes Template28

Appendix 10: Award Board Agenda Template32

Appendix 11: Award Board Minutes Template34

Appendix 12: Sample Note taking Template36

  1. INTRODUCTION

These notes are intended to support all members of staff who are responsible for the servicing of committees – whether these are formally constituted or exist on an ad-hoc basis.

The notes are intended to provide both procedural guidance and to give specific examples (see Appendices).

Whilst it is hoped that these will contribute to consistency of style, it is recognised that effective servicing of committees is contingent not only on adherence to procedures and conventions, but depends largely on:

-Experience

-Understanding of the issues involved in discussions that take place during the meeting.

-A high standard of written presentation.

In learning/acquiring this range of skills, it is essential that staff are supported by experienced administrators. You should therefore ensure that, in the early stages, your work is overseen by a senior member of the administrative staff, even though minutes mayhave already been cleared by the Chair.

------

  1. COMMITTEES AND BOARDS

2.1Committee Structure

There are three key authoritative bodies of the University: Board of Governors; Senate and The Executive Group.

The Articles of Government provide for the establishment of a Governing Body and for the constitution of the Senate which is responsible to the Board of Governors for issues concerned with the academic direction of the University.

The Senate is also empowered to establish appropriate sub committees and has determined that over and above this each subject areashould have a Staff/Student Consultative Committee. In addition, there should also be management meetings at Institute and Academic Subjectlevel to determine the operational management of the areae.g.Academic Subject Boards, Institute Board Meetings and Institute Executive Team Meetings.

TheUniversity also requires that for each Academic Subject Areathere isa Module and Awards/Progression Boardresponsible for all assessment which contributes to the gaining of an academic award. These boardsare accountable to theSenate.

The Executive Group Committee is also empowered to establish appropriate Committees to manage the strategic and operational functions of the University.

The three key bodies and their sub committees may establish Task and Finishgroups or advisory groups, on apermanent or ad-hoc basis, for which servicing may be required.

In summary the formally constituted Committees of the University are:

  • The Board of Governors and such committees as it may establish
  • The Senate and such committees as it may establish
  • The Executive Group and such committees as it may establish

It is at these levels that formal University policy decisions are taken. Minutes are brief, focussing on outcome, although it may be appropriate to reflect different points of view and the context of the decision making.

Minutes of these Committees set a model for the University and should be followed, as far as possible, in style.

2.2Constitutional Provisions

The following are general guidelines for the establishment of committees and indicate basic principles irrespective of the formality of the Committee. The constitution of a Committee includes the rules which govern its establishment and the arrangements for its operation.

Composition - The composition of a Committee represents the formal arrangements for membership, ie. the categories of people entitled to serve, the way in which they will be nominated/elected, the normal period of office and an indication of their voting rights.

Chair - The constitution should indicate the way in which the Chair is appointed. The term of office of the Chair should also be indicated,for instance, the Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive chairs the Senate and nominates the Chairs for the Senate Subcommittees.

The Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive also chairs the Executive Group Committee and again nominates the Chairs for the Executive Subcommittees.

The Chairof the Board of Governors nominates the Chairs for the Board of Governors Subcommittees.

There will usually be a Vice-Chair appointed who can chair meetings if the Chair is unavailable.

Deans will chair their Institute Board Meetings and Institute Executive Team Meetingsand Academic Leaders will take responsibility for the chairing of the Academic Subject Board meetings.

Chairing of Assessment Boardsisthe responsibility of the Dean of the relevant Institute, although he/she may nominate an Associate Dean, Academic Leader or other person approved by Senate.

Membership - The membership of a Committee may be drawn up/reviewed annually or biannually and should be in accordance with the constitution. The membership list should indicate under which category relevant members serve. There may often be vacancies against membership categories, and it is important to keep a note of these and to remind the Chair to seek new members.

It is also advisable to produce a separate attendance sheet, which will normally list names in alphabetical order and will alsodistinguish between categories of members. Members should be asked to sign the attendance sheet at the start of each meeting. It may be important to know which members are entitled to vote and which form part of the quorum e.g. By Invitation members would not vote or be part of the quorum.

Quorum - This is the minimum membership without which a meeting cannot take place. This may either be set, or determined by the Committee itself and should be included in the Terms of Reference.

Terms of Reference - The terms of reference indicate the areas of responsibility of individual Committees. In most instances, Committees do not have an executive function, but are required to report to a higher agency or to advise a higher agency. However, in some instances, committees may have delegated powers and this must be explicit in the Terms of Reference.

Standing Orders - The Standing Orders represent the rules for the conduct of the University’s Committees, details of which can be found on the intranet under ‘Boards and Committees’ or alternatively a copy can be obtained from the Executive Office or Academic Registry. Committees which fall outside of the University’s formal committee structure do not generally have standing orders but they must respect University practices and policies by following these guidelines and the Codes of Practice.

Code of Practice: Roles and Responsibilities of Members of Committees (Appendix 1)

Standing Order: Conduct of Committees (Appendix 2)

------

3SERVICING PROCEDURES

In some instances Committees may have a Clerk and a Minute Secretary

3.1The Clerk’s Role

The Clerk is responsible for:

Ensuring that the committee acts in accordance with its Terms of Reference;

Ensuring that all aspects of the Committee’s Terms of Reference are considered by members and that the work as detailed in the Plan of Work for the year is dealt with appropriately;

Advising members on matters of protocol with regard to the Standing Order:Conduct of Committees and general University procedures;

Liaison with the Chair of the committee to prepare agendas, with the support of the Secretary;

Overseeing the work of the committee secretary, in particular, that any actions arising from discussions at meetings are forwarded to relevant parties for prompt action and that appropriate agendas and reports are prepared.

3.2The Secretary’s Role

The Secretary is responsible for:

The organisation and smooth running of the committee, including domesticarrangements;

Liaison with the Chair and Clerk of the committee to prepare agendas for meetings;

Preparation and presentation of relevant documentation, including the minutes, in conjunction with the Clerk;

Initiation of follow up action as resolved at meetings.

3.3Organisational Responsibilities

Meeting procedures can be broken down into stages. The Clerk and Secretary should work together to agree who is responsible for the following tasks.

Annual Schedule

  • Arrange dates of meetings and advise members.
  • Check current membership.
  • Book accommodation for each meeting.
  • Make diary notes in relation to Agenda preparation and issue.
  • Arrange agenda setting meetings with Chair.
  • Inform the Senior Executive Officer of all dates planned for inclusion in the University Calendar in a timely fashion.

Preparation of Agenda

  • Send out notice of meetings at least three weeks in advance, inviting Agenda items.
  • Refer to Minutes of previous meeting and identify any specific Agenda items.
  • Prepare draft Agenda for discussion with Chair.
  • Collect/prepare all supporting papers and discuss these with the Chair.
  • Arrange structure of Agenda with Chair.
  • Adhere to standard format and order of Agenda.
  • Ensure that the Agenda provides a clear indication of the items which are to be discussed.
  • The Agenda and papers should be issued at least one week prior to the meeting.

Before the Meeting

  • Ensure that you have read all papers carefully.
  • Collect apologies for absence.
  • Send out late papers if there is time. Tabled papers should only be accepted in exceptional cases and only if agreed by the Chair prior to the commencement of the meeting.
  • Confirm arrangements for accommodation and refreshment.
  • Consult with Chair if you foresee any problems e.g. the possibility of an inquorate meeting.

During the Meeting

  • Ensure that you have all back-up files, including the correspondence file, the Minute Book and previous Agenda papers. Take spare copies ofAgenda.
  • Remind Chair of points of order and courtesy (for instance if new members are to be welcomed, ensure that this is done).
  • Note all present and those sending apologies.
  • Make a separate note of items which require particular action following the meeting.
  • Ensure that decisions and recommendations are clearly recorded and if necessary ask for these to be repeated.

Taking of Notes - It may be helpful to make a note of the major points of discussion, and conflicting points of view expressed and a brief summary of that discussion may be useful. However, the most important element is to record decisions actually reached.

NOTE: Sometimes decisions are reached without any discussion, ie. through acceptance of a submitted paper. It is important that such decisions are recorded appropriately.

After the Meeting

  • Draw up action sheet, which should be circulated to the Chair and Members of the Committee.
  • Draft the Minutes as soon as possible, and certainly within one week.
  • Submit draft Minutes to the Chair for his/her views and if necessary discussion. If a senior officer has attended the meeting with you, s/he should also be consulted on the draft.
  • Prepare any reports or correspondence arising from the meeting.
  • Check on the status of any recommendations, eg. for modification to programme regulation.
  • Initiate follow-up action: NB for Boards of Examiners, failure and referral letters must be initiated immediately after the meeting.
  • After the Chair has been consulted about the Minutes, preparethe final version. Issue these to members of the Committee, unless another meeting has been arranged within a short timescale (eg. one month).
  • Send copies of any tabled papers to members not present at the meeting and to others on the distribution list.

------

4.NOTES OF GUIDANCE

4.1 Preparation of the Agenda(See Appendices 3a & 3b for examples)

Heading - The Agenda should indicate precisely the date, time and venue for the meeting. It should also indicate clearly whether the meeting is convened as an adjourned, additional or extraordinary meeting.

Agenda Items - The list of items on the Agenda for an ordinary meeting should include, at the beginning, the following routine items:

Apologies for Absence

Minutes (stating clearly the date(s) concerned)

Matters Arising from the Minutes

Standing items such as Admissions, Retention, Recruitment, Health & Safety, Risk Management

There may be other routine items such as:

Report on Action taken by the Chair since the last meeting;

Reports from sub committees

If the agenda is lengthy, some may find it useful to organise it in a thematic way for example: minutes; standing items; items for discussion; items for report; items for information only etc. (Appendix 3a). Alternatively, a simpler layout may be preferable (see Appendix 3b).

In order to ensure that the meeting is focused on key strategic items it may be useful to ‘*’ items that do not require discussion so members are prepared to accept such items as presented.

Changes in membership of the Committee should normally appear as the first item, to provide the opportunity to welcome new members, thank those retiring etc. Routine items should be followed by substantive items of business. The last item is normally ‘Any Other Business’.

Backup Papers - Substantive Agenda items should usually be supported by a report. This should have an appropriate reference number or be identified through its page number. All reports should indicate the Agenda number, what the item is about and what the Committee is being asked to do. It is accepted practice to include information on a covering sheet that accompanies the paper indicating the above information. The Cover paper also enables an indication of how the item mitigates against the University’s Corporate Risks. (Appendix 4)

Following Papers - Any papers sent after the issue of the Agenda (which should be circulated a week in advance) must be accompanied by a covering note indicating papers attached and to which Agenda item these refer.

Points of Principle and Procedure - In drawing up an Agenda, the following should be observed:

  • The University Calendar indicates the dates of each Committee, Membership of the Committee and the Clerk to the Committee so the advanced notification of the deadline for submission of agenda items can be established well in advance.
  • The draft Agenda should be drawn up by the Secretary/Clerk and agreed with the Chair.
  • Where possible, all Agenda items should be supported by relevant papers/documentation, or by a note against the agenda item indicating the purpose/nature of the item: for note; for information; for discussion etc.
  • Agendas should have consistent presentation.

Please note: If an extraordinary/unscheduled meeting is convened, this should not be used for clearing Minutes of previous meetings; these should all be submitted to the next ordinary meeting.

4.2 Minutes: General Guidance

Presentation - Examples of the presentation/layout of Minutes are given in Appendix 5. Whilst there may be some variation according to the nature/formality of the Committee serviced, a number of general principles apply:

Heading: If the meeting was an adjourned, additional or extraordinary one, this should be indicated in the heading (eg. Minutes of the Extraordinary Meeting held on)

Format:The text should be in size 11 Arial Font single spaced within a table consisting of 3 columns: the first allowing for recording of minute number; the second for the body of the text and the third to record those responsible for the resulting action if any. The Minutes should begin with a list of those who attended the meeting in alphabetical order. Professional title should be used at all times in a consistent fashion. Other titles are optional but must be consistent. Each Committee Member should have their job title alongside or the capacity in which they are attending the Committee meeting.

Other categories for attending could be:

  • In attendance for Agenda item ……..
  • Present by invitation
  • Observer, together with an indication of the relevant item for which they were present.

Minutes should be numbered consecutively from one meeting to the next. At the start of each Academic Year minutes should revert back to ’01’ sequence preceded by the current calendar year e.g.:

for the academic year 2010/11 the number sequence will start with 10.01

and for the academic year 2011/12the number sequence will start with 11.01.

The numbering sequence for each consecutive meeting will continue from where the last set of minutes finished.

Minute numbering will therefore start in September of each academic year and run up until the end of the following August.

Matters Arising:An example of a Matters Arising Report can be found at Appendix 6. It is important to include all open items from the minutes, which require further action. The original minute number and title should be used and for the establishment of an audit trail, previous minute numbers should also be included. This will facilitate the tracking of the progress of that item. Where matters arising are included as separate agenda items, this should be indicated in the report.

If a Matters Arising Report is not used minute numbers for matters arising should be sequential within the minutes using the original title with the original minute number in brackets e.g. 10.14 Student Recruitment ( Minute 10.08 refers).

Secretaries/Clerks may wish to adopt their own style in tracking matters arising depending on the formality of the meeting and the complexity of the matters being discussed e.g. a simple action list may be sufficient for less formal team meetings.

Secretary’s Notes: These notes should be restricted to procedural matters only e.g. where a meeting becomes inquorate, or where the Chair has to stand down because of a conflict of interest.

To identify these notes as separate from the formal minutes, they should be included in italics and font 10 should be used.

Minutes:should be headed according to the Agenda, so that business can be trailed and audited. Where the discussion moves on to another (important) topic, then the following phase can be useful: In a development of discussions, members gave consideration to…… However, it is important, particularly for inspection purposes, that any business that the Committee discusses and which then needs to be picked up at a subsequent meeting can be followed through in the minutes and can be seen to be ‘closed’ at some point. This is a routine device used by auditors and reviewers to see if ‘quality loops are being closed’. It is the Clerk’s responsibility to keep on-going matters under review and bring them to the attention of the Chair when agendas are being planned. In some instances agenda items are taken out ofsequence. In such cases the minutes should reflect the agenda order and asecretary’s note should be inserted to indicate that the order of discussion diverted from the agenda order.