By Peter Evans
The formal business at the June meeting of the Court was preceded by an impressive presentation from the President of the Sports Union. Stelios Tzedakis highlighted the University's achievements in student sport, the importance of sport for the quality of student life and (inevitably) the need for investment in sporting facilities. His review was well received by the Court, whose members, heartened by the strains of 'Chariots of Fire', turned with resolve to the very substantial agenda which seems to have become the norm for the final meeting of the session.
Topping the bill was a forward planning document, developed from foundations agreed at the Court Retreat in April and through further work by the Planning & Resources Committee, setting out strategic goals and objectives for the period to 2007. This document (see page ??) was judged to be an excellent exposition of the University's medium term strategy. It was agreed that effective delivery of the planned objectives depended crucially on developing performance measures and monitoring of them by the Court. Subject to comments noted in discussion, the document was approved for dissemination to staff and for dialogue with SHEFC and the University's key partners.
Moving to financial planning, the Court approved the recommendations of the Finance Committee that (a) the University's target surplus for 2003/04 be increased from £1.8m to £2.4m, with further increases in 2004/05 and 2005/06 and (b) the University's general borrowings level in support of the capital programme should not rise above £15m over the next three financial years (the current level, at c. £10m, being below the sector average for a university of Dundee's size).
A near-final distribution of resources for 2003/04 through the ARIES academic budget model was presented, together with a breakdown of central costs including support services. The model revealed a deficit of £345k, which would be addressed through the application of a £200k recurrent savings target to central costs as well as in-year windfall and other salary savings. Major issues that would require further attention during 2003/04 included the refinement of units of resource for teaching (following their detachment from the SHEFC methodology) and the identification of a simpler and more acceptable mechanism for funding support services and other central costs. The budget proposals were approved, subject to final adjustments.
The Court also approved an ambitious capital programme over the three-year period to 2005/06. Total expenditure approved for 2003/04 amounted to a massive £27.9m, nearly half of which would be in the form of SRIF grants and other external funding. New elements on the equipment side were £370k over the next two financial years for replacement of the Library's computer system and, subject to a detailed options appraisal, provisional costs of £550k over the next three financial years for replacement of the University's ageing telephone system.
There was lengthy discussion of a detailed report on further progress made towards implementation of the Court's decision in February that outsourcing should be the preferred option for the future development and management of student residences. Amongst the points on which assurances were received by Court members were that there would be no change to the existing policy of providing University accommodation for all first year students and that good relations were being maintained with the members of University staff who would be transferred to the new provider. The Court accepted the recommendation that the University should now move to financial and contractual close and transfer its residences and catering operations to Dundee Student Villages Ltd. A sub-group of Court was authorised to complete this transaction on the Court's behalf over the summer and, in the light of concerns that the financial projections should be even more rigorously tested, was mandated to ensure that due diligence was carried out on all aspects of the project.
The Court received early intimation of a proposed Institute of Advanced Medical Technology, a joint project by the Universities of Dundee and St Andrews under their Promoting Partnership Initiative. Its focus would be on multidisciplinary research and commercial development at the interface of medicine, physics and biological sciences. The Court expressed its support in principle for this enterprise and noted the work undertaken so far.
Prominent amongst a raft of corporate governance items was a proposal that the statutory definition of co-opted lay members of Court as 'representatives of the local community' should be changed, in the light of legal advice that such a definition entailed restricted geographical limits, i.e. Dundee and its surrounding area. This interpretation conflicted with the trend in recent years to widen the search for potentially valuable lay members beyond the University's immediate hinterland - and also with the possibility that the Court might wish to appoint new members who were based even further afield, as envisaged in the Scottish Executive's Higher Education Review. The Court decided that the geographical restriction should be removed, although not without a vote on the precise wording of the Statute amendment (which will require Privy Council approval). It was also agreed that a further full review of the operation of the Court, first undertaken in 1999-2000, should be carried out in a year's time and that no changes to its membership should be contemplated in the interim.
Other matters dealt with under corporate governance were a proposed statement on openness in the government of the University, which was referred to a small group for detailed consideration, and a report on the development of risk registers by faculties and support services, as envisaged in the University's risk management strategy.
On the recommendation of the Campus Services Committee the Court approved the introduction, for a six-month trial period, of a minibus service between Ninewells, the main campus and Gardyne Road.
The meeting concluded with a farewell to those members who were demitting office on 31 July: lay members Harry Terrell and Ronnie Graham, academic members Brian Burchell, Peter Downes and Bob Lyon, and the President of DUSA, Maurice Golden. The Chairman thanked them all for their valuable contributions to the work of the Court and in addition paid tribute to Bill Barr, Deputy Principal and Director of Campus Services, who was retiring from the University. These remarks were warmly endorsed by the Court.