Council Minutes 8 June 2022

Minutes of the meeting of Cardiff University Council held on Wednesday 8 June 2022 at 11:15 via Zoom.

Present: Patrick Younge (Chair), Professor Marc Buehner, Ricardo Calil, Gina Dunn, Judith Fabian, Professor Dame Janet Finch, Professor Ken Hamilton, Christopher Jones, Jan Juillerat, Dr Pretty Sagoo, John Shakeshaft, Dr Janet Wademan and Agnes Xavier-Phillips.

Attendees: Katy Dale [Minutes], Bruna Gil, Rashi Jain, Sian Marshall, Claire Sanders and Darren Xiberras.

2043 Welcome

2043.1 All were welcomed to the meeting.

2044 Apologies for absence

2044.1 Apologies were received from the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Damian Walford-Davies, Professor Rudolf Allemann, Professor Rachel Ashworth, Paul Baston, Hannah Doe, Michael Hampson, Dr Joanna Newman, Suzanne Rankin, David Simmons and Judge Ray Singh.

2045 Declarations of interest

Noted there were no declarations of interest.

2046 Membership of the Joint Committee of Council and Senate

Received and considered paper 21/806CR, ‘Membership of the Joint Committee of Council and Senate’. The Chair was invited to speak to this item.

Noted

2046.1 that a revised paper had been issued ahead of the meeting;

2046.2 that the paper requested the initiation of the process to recruit a new Vice-Chancellor and President; in line with Ordinance 7, this required a Joint Committee of Council and Senate to be established to oversee the recruitment process and make a recommendation for appointment;

2046.3 that Ordinance 7 prescribed the Chair of Council would be Chair of the Joint Committee and prescribed for four further Council members; the Chair of Council recommended the Vice-Chair of Council and someone external to the University be members, allowing for two further members of Council to be members of the Committee, noting they could not be employees or students of the University;

2046.4 that the Chair of Council welcomed nominations from lay members of Council to be members of the Joint Committee;

2046.5 that recommendations for the external member of the Joint Committee were welcomed; it was suggested these be individuals who have Vice-Chancellor experience, though are not necessarily a current Vice-Chancellor, and did not need to be from a Russell Group institution;

2046.6 that recommendations were also welcomed for the external advisor to the Joint Committee, who would provide advice but not be a voting member; they did not need to have Vice-Chancellor experience and may offer advice in a more specialised area considered important to the role or strategy of the University going forward;

2046.7 that nominations and recommendations for members of, and advisors, to the Joint Committee would be considered by the Chair and Vice-Chair of Council and a proposal brought to the meeting of Council in July;

2046.8 that Ordinance 7 prescribed the Council members of the Joint Committee could not include students; it was noted that Council was keen to ensure student involvement within the recruitment process and it would ask Senate to consider the inclusion of student within the Senate membership of the Joint Committee, recognising this could not be dictated by Council as the Senate membership of the Joint Committee remained a Senate matter for decision; it was noted that amending Ordinance 7 to allow student membership from Council was not desired at this time, as this would create a delay in the programme; it was also noted that the inclusion of students or other group in the process could be covered via different means (e.g. in an advisory role to the Joint Committee, during stakeholder engagement activities etc.);

2046.9 that the current timeline for recruitment activities included engagement with a range of stakeholders (Welsh Government, Health Boards, Heads of Schools, staff etc.);

2046.10 that it was hoped to have a new Vice-Chancellor in place for the start of the 2023 academic year; it was noted that Ordinance 7 detailed the Deputy Vice-Chancellor would perform the functions of the Vice-Chancellor during a vacancy in the Vice-Chancellor’s office;

2046.11 that a discussion was held on the possible key attributes desired in applicants for the vacancy.

Resolved

2046.12 to agree to initiate the process to recruit a new Vice-Chancellor and President and establish a Joint Committee of Council and Senate;

2046.13 for nominations from lay members wishing to be a member of the Joint Committee be issued to the Chair of Council by Friday 10 June 2022;

2046.14 to encourage the representation of students within the Senate membership of the Joint Committee, and through other mechanisms if no students are elected by the Senate;

2046.15 for the stakeholder engagement plan to be shared with Council when ready.

2047 Reappointment of the Chancellor

Received and considered paper 21/807C, ‘Re-appointment of the Chancellor’. The University Secretary was invited to speak to this item.

Noted

2047.1 that due to an oversight, the end of term date for the Chancellor and Pro-Chancellor had been missed; a revised process had been put in place to ensure this was not missed in future;

2047.2 that the Vice-Chancellor found the relationships useful and of benefit and was supportive of the re-appointments;

2047.3 that at the meeting of Council in February 2022, a query had been raised in relation to ensuring adequate and appropriate escalation routes, given the decision not to appoint a Senior Independent Governor; it had been agreed the Chancellor would hold the role of mediator in this regard, should the need arise.

Resolved

2047.4 to approve the re-appointment of Baroness Jenny Randerson as Chancellor for a second term, from 2 January 2022 to 1 January 2025;

2047.5 to approve the re-appointment of Professor Heather Stevens as Pro-Chancellor for a second term, from 1 December 2021 to 30 November 2024.