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MEETING OF THE BOARD OF SCRUTINY

MINUTES

Thursday, 25 May 2006 at 12.00pm

New SCR, Selwyn College

Present: Dr Nick Holmes (Chair); Dr Elisabeth Leedham-Green (Secretary); Miss Emma Easterbrook (Support Officer); Mr Nick Downer; Dr Catherine Pitt; Dr Nick Pyper; Mr Richard Stibbs; Mr David Yates; Mr Michael Kuczynski; Professor David Phillipson; and Mr Frank King.

1. Apologies for Absence

Dr John Little; and Dr Margaret Glendenning

2. Minutes of Meeting on 11 May 2006

Two minor amendments.

3. Matters Arising

None.

5. Guest: Pro-Vice-Chancellor Ian Leslie

The Board welcomed Ian Leslie and invited his comments on the role of Pro-Vice-Chancellors and current issues within the University.

  1. fEC: Focus required on graduate research students; long term good prognosis
  2. Research Assessment Exercise: Need to provide incentives; coherent strategies need to be submitted; cost needs to be addressed

(iii) Research Council: Initial numbers of grants are small; applications not recovering yet; current estimate should be £120 million

(iv) Teaching: Concern raised that undergraduates are being taught more by post-graduate teaching due to Government funding bias

(v) Role of Pro-Vice-Chancellors: Senior PVC is essential; some portfolios will need to change or develop; PVCs receive authority from Vice-Chancellor

(vi) Cambridge Enterprise: Expected ten year resource underpinning will gradually reduce to zero; need to utilise someone to deal with necessary business plan; not a profit organisation

(vii) Research Services Division: Number of staff is likely to reduce in the long term; Acting Director should be supported to create further improvements

6. Composition of Sub-Groups for drafting Report sections

(i) Finance: Nick Downer and Nick Holmes, David Yates

(ii) Other Projects (CAMSIS, CHRIS, North West Cambridge, Cambridge Enterprise): Richard Stibbs, Frank King, David Phillipson

(iii) Architecture: Richard Stibbs

7. Any Other Business

(i) Pay and Grading: Due to be completed by August

(ii) Bus: To be discussed with Pro-Vice-Chancellor Tony Minson

(iii) Congratulations and best wishes: To Dr Margaret Glenning and her new daughter

8. Next Meeting

Thursday, 8 June 2006 at 12.00pm
Guest: Pro-Vice-Chancellor Tony Minson

Emma Easterbrook

Support Officer

31 May 2006