EXECUTIVE BOARD

OPEN AGENDA

Monday 19 September 2016 (Room 115)

EB 16/17 5 A Minutes To approve: minutes of the meeting held on 12 September 2016

[Attached]

EB 16/17 5 B Action Points

[Oral Updates]

EB 16/17 5 C Matters Arising/Matters for Report

[Oral Updates]

EB 16/17 5 D Draft Agenda for Academic Board meeting on Wednesday 19th October To note: A paper from the Secretary of the Academic Board

[Attached]

EB 16/17 5 E HE Horizon scan To note

[Attached]

20160912 Executive Board Open Minutes_Draft

These minutes are for information only. Any corrections to the minutes will be recorded in the minutes of the subsequent meeting of the committee.

SOAS, UNIVERSITY OF LONDON

EXECUTIVE BOARD

Monday 12th September 2016

Members: Dr Deborah Johnston (Acting Chair)

Professor Richard Black (From Minute 13) Professor Chris Bramall Mr Paul Doyle Professor Lutz Marten Ms Michele Shoebridge Professor Gurharpal Singh

In attendance: Dr Chris Ince Apologies: Baroness Valerie Amos Mr Graeme Appleby 10. Minutes The minutes of the meeting on 5th September were approved. EB noted the correct spelling of the names of those present. 11. Action Points There were no actions due for report. 12. Matters Arising/Matters for Report (i) EB agenda items The Secretary reported that the future agenda items, discussed at the last meeting, would be built into a detailed forward plan. Members would be contacted to agree dates for specific items and those actions from previous meetings. (ii) Paul Webley Wing opening EB noted the success of the opening for the new Paul Webley Wing and the other Centenary and Alumni events that had taken place the previous week. It thanked all those staff who had been involved in the organising and running of the events. (iii) Director of Library & Information Systems EB noted that the Director of LIS would be retiring from SOAS on 1 October and thanked him for all his hard work and contributions to SOAS over the last seven years. 13. Solar SOAS [Appendix A] EB discussed proposals to install solar panels on the roof of the College Building. This initiative had been student led and EB thanked all those involved over the last year for getting the proposals to this stage.

- 2 -

EB supported the proposals but noted that there were two key issues to resolve before they could go ahead. The legal agreement between the School and the Solar SOAS social enterprise needed to be finalised and planning permission needed to be obtained from Camden Council. EB agreed that the School would contribute £10,000 towards the project and underwrite the £28,000 total, should further crowd funding not be obtained. The School would receive electricity generated free of charge that would pay this back over an estimated 8-20 year period. 14. Horizon Scan [Appendix A] EB noted the latest version of the Horizon Scan. The Pro-Director, Research & Enterprise agreed to bring an initial response to the HE bill to the meeting on 26 September. EB discussed the ongoing industrial action and the recommendation from UCEA for institutions to implement the 2016 pay award. EB agreed that the School would implement this in September and the decision would be communicated to staff. A paper would come to the first Academic Board of the year on the potential implications of the industrial action and any changes required to the Academic Regulations. EB discussed a number of other items including the Government’s latest proposal that all universities should sponsor a state school or academy, the QS rankings and the need to improve engagement with EU institutions and recruitment.

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EXECUTIVE BOARD: Action Points

Minute Item Action 2014/15 Deadline for

report to EB

By

227 Monitoring recruitment on programmes

Agreed process for monitoring recruitment on existing and new programmes. To be agreed with new Head of Planning.

TBC GA

Minute Item Action 2015/16 Deadline for

report to EB

By

204 LIDC Report Include on agenda for HoDs Forum

3/10/16 CI

205 Horizon scan Discussion at ADC on options offered by Moocs and Summer School programmes

10/10/16 DJ

221 Library vision and strategy

Revised version based on discussions at EB and produce associated action plan

17/10/16 MS

222 IT systems and services strategy

Revised version based on discussions at EB and further consultation

17/10/16 MS

227 E&D Annual Report

Review progress against action plan

10/10/17 CI

229 Risk Registers Report back on new method of looking at risk drivers to identify key actions

26/9/16 Risk owners

230 EU referendum Plan to widen UK recruitment 26/9/16 CB

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242 Horizon Scan Coordinate School response to HE Bill + Open meeting

29/9/16 RB

Executive Board 19 September 2016 2016/17 5 D

Anne Marie O’Mullane 14 September 2016

Draft Agenda – Academic Board

EB is asked to Note the attached agenda for Academic Board

Executive Summary Attached is a draft agenda for Academic Board taking place on Wednesday 19 October 2016 in Room 115. Key items for consideration include:

Academic Restructuring – paper author: Valerie Amos or nominee

Senate Membership – paper author: Chris Ince

National Student Survey 2015/16 – paper author: Deborah Johnston

Destination of Leavers in Higher Education Survey 2015/16 - paper author: Deborah Johnston

Update on Curriculum Review – paper author: Deborah Johnston

Changes to Academic Regulations: Deborah Johnston

Recommendations Executive Board is asked to note the draft agenda

Financial Impact Not applicable

Risks Not applicable

Equality implications Individual papers considered by AB will cover any equality implications involved.

Executive Board 19 September 2016 2016/17 5 D

Anne Marie O’Mullane 14 September 2016

ACADEMIC BOARD

OPEN AGENDA

Wednesday 19 October 2016 (Room 116)

2016/17 AB 1 A Minutes To approve: minutes of the meeting held on 06 June 2016

[Attached]

2016/17 AB 1 B Action Points

[Oral Updates]

2016/17 AB 1 C Matters Arising/Matters for Report

[Oral Updates]

2016/17 AB 1 D Terms of Reference and Procedures for the Conduct of Meetings To note

[Attached]

2016/17 AB 1 E Directors Report To note

[Attached]

2016/17 AB 1 F Academic Restructuring To receive

[Attached]

2016/17 AB 1 G Senate membership

For approval [Attached]

2016/17 AB 1 H National Student Survey 2015/16 To receive

[Attached]

2016/17 AB 1 I Destination of Leavers in Higher Education Survey 2015/16 To receive

[Attached]

2016/17 AB 1 J Update on Curriculum Review To receive

[Attached]

2016/17 AB 1 K Changes to Academic Regulations

For approval [Attached]

2016/17 AB 1 L *Board of Trustee Open Minutes of the meeting held on 11

July 2016 For information

[Attached]

2016/17 AB 1 M *Academic Promotions To note: academic promotions effective from 1 September 2015

[Attached]

2016/17 AB 1 N *Emeritus Status To note: the award of emeritus status on Professors Keith Howard, Peter Muchlinski, Jeff Waage and Dr Graham Smith

[No Paper]

Executive Board 19 September 2016 2016/17 5 D

Anne Marie O’Mullane 14 September 2016

Executive Board 19 September 2016 2016/17 5 E

Anne Marie O’Mullane

HE DIGEST

Thursday 8th– Thursday 15th September 2016

EB is asked to receive the Horizon scan paper attached and note the actions listed below

Action Deadline By

EB to consider a written response to the House of Commons Public Bills

Committee on our views about the HE & Research Bill

http://www.parliament.uk/business/news/2016/july/have-your-say-on-the-

higher-education-and-research-bill/

18/10/2016

(or asap)

Tbc

Executive Board 19 September 2016 2016/17 5 E

Anne Marie O’Mullane

Gov.uk

DFE has published a note on student protection plans as proposed by the Higher Education and

Research Bill. It sets out what students can expect if their course, campus or institution closes.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/higher-education-and-research-bill-student-protection-plans

DfE

A consultation has been launched 'Schools that Work for Everyone’. The focus of the consultation is

primarily at School stakeholders. There are questions in the consultation that refer to Universities:

How can the academic expertise of universities be brought to bear on our schools system, to improve school-level attainment and in doing so widen access

Are there other ways in which universities could be asked to contribute to raising school-level attainment? Yes or No

Is the DfA guidance the most effective way of delivering these new requirements?

What is the best way to ensure that all universities sponsor schools as a condition of higher fees?

Should we encourage universities to take specific factors into account when deciding how and where to support school attainment? Yes or No

https://consult.education.gov.uk/school-frameworks/schools-that-work-for-everyone

The consultation runs from 12 Sep 2016 to 12 Dec 2016

HEFCE

HEFCE released analysis on the 6 January 2016, Schools sponsored by higher education institutions.

The results do not seem to show that HEI-sponsored schools are better than others. HEFCE also has

a full list of HEI-sponsored schools, correct as of January this year.

http://www.hefce.ac.uk/workprovide/schools/analysis/?mc_cid=4c6aa4c5ad&mc_eid=89c6622ca8

UCEA

New JNCHES - Higher Education gender pay gap data

The report highlights ongoing improvements in the HE sector with gender pay gaps having halved

over the last decade for both sector professional services and academic staff. The analysis of basic

salaries collected by HESA reveals that the gender pay gap for full-time staff has narrowed for both

academic and professional services staff groups. Between 2003-04 and 2014-15, the gender pay gap

for full-time academics narrowed from 10.3% to 5.7%, while the gender pay gap for full-time

professional services staff narrowed from 12% to 5.7%. Unlike the whole economy, gender pay gaps

in the HE sector are not significantly wider when bonuses and overtime are included. The data show

zero or no significant gender pay gaps for staff on the nationally-agreed spine points. [12 September

2016]

http://www.ucea.ac.uk/en/publications/index.cfm/hegenderpaygap

Executive Board 19 September 2016 2016/17 5 E

Anne Marie O’Mullane

UK HE IN THE NEWS

1. Theresa May criticises university 'safe spaces' for shutting down debate

May made clear her opposition to safe spaces in prime minister’s questions, when pressed for

her views by Victoria Atkins, a Conservative MP. [14 September 2016]

https://www.theguardian.com/education/2016/sep/14/theresa-may-criticises-university-safe-

spaces-for-shutting-down-debate

2. Government urged to protect EU Erasmus student exchange scheme

“We do really want there to be prioritisation on the Erasmus Plus because it is important – it has

a direct impact on the students and the economy,” said its director, Ruth Sinclair-Jones, who is

based at the British Council

https://www.theguardian.com/education/2016/sep/13/government-urged-to-protect-eu-

student-exchange-scheme [13 September 2016]

Executive Board 19 September 2016 2016/17 5 E

Anne Marie O’Mullane

INTERNATIONAL HE IN THE NEWS

1. Fifth of Canadian students diagnosed with anxiety - Almost a fifth of Canadian university

students were diagnosed or treated by a professional for anxiety within the past year, according

to a national survey. The article notes: A separate survey of 6,504 UK undergraduates,

conducted by YouthSight and YouGov and published earlier this month, found that around one

in eight students believe they have a mental health condition. [September 13 2016]

https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/fifth-canadian-students-diagnosed-anxiety

2. Sweden – All remaining members of Karolinksa Institute have been removed by the Swedish

Government after the Macchiarini case. [10 September

2016]http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-37311038

3. Universities failing to make best use of Twitter – Research conducted by co-authors Royce

Kimmons and Scott Woodward, of Brigham Young University, and George Veletsianos, of Royal

Roads University on Twitter accounts of 2,411 US higher education providers found that

institutions should use the social network not just as a marketing tool but also as a way to break

down barriers with the wider community.

https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/universities-failing-make-best-use-twitter-

researchers-say