Court news

At its April meeting, the Court focussed on the outcome of the main grant letter from the Scottish Funding Council.

Finance
The Principal reported that the University had received the 2008/9 main grant letter from the Scottish Funding Council. This gave the University an increase of 3.2% overall, which could be disaggregated as a 1.9% increase for teaching and a 6.3% increase for research.

The University had also received £760k from the Scottish Government as its share of the first £10m given to the Higher Education sector announced earlier this year. This would assist the University in terms of cash flow in the current financial year. The Court learned that the University was currently meeting its financial targets and expected to make a modest bottom line surplus at the end of the year.

Looking forward a number of factors would affect the financial position in the next academic year. The first of these was the outcome of the HERA job evaluation exercise. The second was October wage rise, which would be either 2.5% or RPI, whichever was the higher on 30 September 2008. Currently RPI was running at around 4% with the University budgeting 4.2%. The University was committed to paying the nationally agreed salary increase in full and without delay. In relation to student recruitment it was noted that firm acceptances for September 2008 were up on the previous year at this stage. Current Research income also looked positive, with the University having been awarded nearly £11m of grants since the start of 2008.

New Teaching Block
The Court agreed with Senate's recommendation to name the New Teaching Block after the University's second Chancellor, the Earl of Dalhousie. Officers were now charged with seeking the Dalhousie family's permission to use the proposed name.

Strategic Framework: Performance Indicators
Court discussed minor amendments to the Strategic Framework: Performance Indicators documentation. Three new Key Performance Indicators had been added, one in the area of commercialisation and two concerning the efficient use of the University Estate. In relation to the Estate measures, the first focussed on the use of learning and teaching space and the second on the consumption of energy. Discussion also took place on the reporting mechanisms to be adopted.

Auditors
Court approved the appointment of Grant Thornton LLP as the new external auditors for the University, as well as the re-appointment of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as internal auditors for a further two years.

Miscellaneous
The Principal reported with sadness the deaths of Dr Pat McPherson and Professor Walter Spear FRS, FRSE, both of whom had made an immense contribution to the University.

The Principal also reported that Scottish Enterprise Tayside had received a first draft of the feasibility study into the establishment of a Victoria and Albert Museum presence in Dundee. The draft would now be discussed by a steering group which included representatives of Dundee City Council, the Universities and private enterprise.

In relation to events and awards the Principal reported that the University had recently won a Green Gown Award for Energy and Water Efficiency from the Environmental Association for Universities and Colleges. The Principal also congratulated two law students, Steven Blane and Bruce Langlands, for coming third in the world finals of the Louis M Brown International Client Counselling Competition in Bangalore. In relation to the Saturday Evening Lecture Series, the Principal was able to report that close to 5,000 people had attended events so far this year.

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