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FS&N School Staff Meeting. April, 2012. Agenda. Apologies Matters Arising Items from Senate Items from Faculty Management Committee HoS’s Statement Space Items from Student Education Committee Items from Research Committee Items from Postgraduate Committee Finance HR Issues AOB
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FS&N School Staff Meeting April, 2012
Agenda • Apologies • Matters Arising • Items from Senate • Items from Faculty Management Committee • HoS’s Statement • Space • Items from Student Education Committee • Items from Research Committee • Items from Postgraduate Committee • Finance • HR Issues • AOB • Date of next Meeting
(2) Matters Arising • QDE • Absence from School
Leave of Absence • The SMG has discussed absence from the University • The SMG has strongly agreed that University and School procedures on absence must be followed
(3) Senate • QAA Institutional Review – initial feedback very positive • H&S VC Award – Engineering Safety Team • Russell Group expanding by 4 • According to the VC, the biggest threat to international student numbers was ……? • Physics & Astronomy Review
(4) Faculty Management Committee:Windows 7 for Research Equipment • Remove Windows XP by the end of 2013 • Remove 32-bit operating systems by the end of 2015 • (All operating systems to be 64-bit)
Chemistry Stores • We pay a contribution to Chemistry Stores • This is mostly determined by how many orders that are put through • We put through more orders than the whole of Chemistry! • Can Supervisors encourage students and others to ‘group’ orders to individual suppliers (eg Sigma)
School In-Year Deficit/Surplus Sept 11
Financial Plan Going to IPE 2012 • On target for 3rd year in a row of in-year surplus • Deficit will soon disappear • Forecast surplus of £215k by end 2011-12 • Our future financial plans don’t give us everything we would like but they do give a small forecast surplus for end 2012-13 • Note in-year budgets cannot be in the red • Surpluses then grow to 2017
Space • We need 2 offices for the 2 new Profs • We need Paul to have an office nearer the teaching laboratory • We need 1, possibly 2, laboratories for the 2 new Profs. • There is a pressing laboratory space issue around Biochemistry/CO/SK which is already causing lots of disquiet amongst staff and students. • Computers/space for PGR students. Their complaints are getting louder and are getting heard outside the School – which means that we have to do something. We have agreed to use post-doc offices, after up-grading, but this is a short-term solution. • Computers for UGs. We cannot provide a cluster-type facility for UG students but enhanced access for UG students to some pcs through the building is part of our student experience planning. • We have firm plans for a new post funded by the Student Experience Enhancement money; over the next few years I am envisaging further new posts. • Human Study Laboratory. We have already agreed to convert the cluster into a HS Lab (and an office for Paul). It’s not ideal (far from it) but the only option without getting more space. • Visitors are essential to establishing our status – lack of suitable space (particularly for ‘senior’ visitors) means that we are experiencing increasing problems situating new visitors in the School. Those that are here exacerbate existing space problems for staff and students.
Space • The best (by far) space I have looked at is in ‘Chemistry’ • It is continuous, has offices and labs (wet and dry), and some flexibility • The cost of the space (which I found out 2 weeks ago) would be £108k pa • (The current space cost for our building is ~£430k, which seems roughly proportional) • We can afford the space; the Dean and Kirsty agree • The reaction to the space from people who have been over has been generally positive • The decision will be made by the IPE meeting in June
IPE Submission 2012 • Lecturer in nutrition • ‘Year-out Tutor’; grade 6 • Admin support (non-student facing); grade 5 • ‘Research technician’ to be shared between teaching and research labs; grade 6; from 2013-14 • Costing for the proposed new space (£108k pa)
IPE Submission 2012 • 2 Fat Professors; including a post-doc each; including £110k equipment budget for each of next 2 years (might be eligible for matched funding from the University) • £50k equipment/infrastructure budget for each of next 5 years (might be eligible for matched funding from the University) • £100k ‘new space’ equipment infrastructure budget for each of next 2 years (might be eligible for matched funding from the University)
HoS’s Statement • ‘Core ‘ Money • Despite (or because of?) our improved financial position, we will stick to budgets • If you need access to additional School resources (‘core’ money) you must get in touch with Catherine or me at an early stage • For the sake of clarity, any requests for money where commitments have already been made will be turned down • Leadership Chairs • Athena Swan • New Website
(6) Safety • Inspections • Awareness • Accidents • Noticeboards • Easter Closing
