Margaret-Anne Tuke
From: Louise Richardson Sent: 18 February 2019 13:51 To: David Prout Subject: RE: Finance Committee - Parks College space allocation
I agree
Louise
From: David Prout Sent: 18 February 2019 13:50 To: Cc: Louise Richardson
Subject: RE: Finance Committee - Parks College space allocation
Agree with all this and I agree we should go with your option (a) in terms of allocation of accommodation in 25 Wellington Sq. V best, D
Dr David Prout Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Planning and Resources) University of Oxford Wellington Square OX1 2JD T+44 1865 270004
From: Sent: 18 February 2019 13:32 To: David Prout
Subject: Finance Committee - Parks College space allocation
Dear David,
Thinking ahead, and I have been discussing the drafting of the resolutions to be put to Congregation authorising the allocation of space to Parks College. This will need to differ from the wording of the action points put to Finance Committee. For the most part this will be to fit the drafting style for resolutions. However, there are few points of substance to pin down, listed below.
I would suggest that points 1 and 2 should be resolved (if at all possible) at Finance Committee, and therefore asking whether you could cover these in discussion? Point 2 raises a question for your consideration.
1. To make clear that Parks College is being allocated all of the units in Farndon Court (so the wording would be to allocate Farndon Court (97 units of accommodation) to Parks College;
2. To remove the 'or equivalent' option with reference to Wellington Square. In effect, this asks Congregation to allocate space without being certain of the location of the space. This would be an entirely new approach and may not be welcomed.
1 I understand that the inclusion of the alternative provides flexibility in the event that planning permission for the WSq allows the smaller increase of 18 rooms (not 58). In that context, I would suggest two alternatives:
(a) Put to Congregation the allocation of 60 rooms in Wellington Square, and in the event that the planning permission is not secured, bring an alternative solution to Congregation for allocation if necessary. The benefit of this approach is that the initial allocation to Parks College will be in line with the 160 rooms discussed in the SOBC and, crucially, in the press statement. The disadvantage is the potential need to go back to Congregation; or
(b) Defer the allocation of rooms in Wellington Square until there is greater certainty. The benefit here is that there would no need to 'undo' the resolution if circumstances require this. The disadvantages would be that a return to Congregation would be needed when the position is clear and that allocating only 97 units at the outset might raise questions in Congregation (and with planning authorities) about the other units.
I would suggest that (a) is the better option, for the alignment with the SOBC/public position, and on the grounds that under (b) a return to Congregation would be required, whereas under (a) it only might be required.
Points 3-5 could be picked up afterwards.
3. Each allocation should have a start date — ordinarily this would be the date on which the recipient department is expected to put the space into operational use. This was on the grounds that the date of the allocation would also be the date on which any infrastructure charge would take effect. It has never been clear to me why this needs to be so, charging could easily be tied to PC/handover of a finished facility. An alternative would be to allocate the space from the point that it is to be available for the purposes of the society (which would include availability to be refurbished).
4. Lionel proposes that the building names (Worthington and Jackson) be used for the building in which the RSL is housed. This seems sensible as the society is not displacing the RSL but will share its buildings to enable the RSL to continue.
5. For completeness, an allocation to an academic department would usually have an end date. An end date does not seem appropriate in this case of establishing space for a society.
Happy to discuss if that is helpful.
Best wishes Margaret-Anne Tuke
From: Louise Richardson Sent: 15 February 2019 17:51 To: Lionel Tarassenko Cc: David Prout Subject: Re: Finance Committee - Parks College
Dear Lionel
Thanks Let's decide Tuesday
All best Louise
Sent from my iPhone
On 15 Feb 2019, at 10:27, Lionel Tarassenko
Dear Louise,
It is a very busy period for me, but I think that it is important that I should make myself available whenever possible.
Members of committees do seem to be pleased that there is a "Parks College person" who turns up to speak to the relevant item on the agenda (for example, at BESC yesterday).
Of course, I have no doubt that David and you are perfectly capable of answering questions about the finances of Parks College, but I do have the time to turn up for 20-30 minutes on Tuesday afternoon, if you would like me to.
I am happy to leave the decision until we meet at 8.30 am on Tuesday morning.
Best wishes,
Lionel
Professor Lionel Tarassenko CBE FREng FMedSci Professor of Electrical Engineering Head, Department of Engineering Science University of Oxford, OXFORD, OX1 3PJ T: +44 (0)1865 273002
From: David Prout
Happy to go with the chair!
1 I think the issues will be:
- how certain are we that we can get to financial sustainability in 5 years - are we moving too fast (- possibly ... is there really a business case for more graduates - but a bit late for that)
Dr David Prout Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Planning and Resources) University of Oxford Wellington Square OX1 2JD T+44 1865 270004
On 15 Feb 2019, at 08:27, Louise Richardson
Dear Lionel
To be honest I don't think It is necessary I tWnk it will sail through Finance Ctte quite easily and I am very conscious of all the demands we are putting on your time.
f David feels strongly otherwise I'm happy to defer
All best
Louise
Sent from my 'Phone
On 14 Feb 2019, at 23:05, Lionel Tarassenko
Dear Louise,
David has recommended that I should attend both today's meeting of BESC and next Tuesday's meeting of Finance Committee.
Would you like and me to be present at next week's meeting of Finance Committee for the Parks College item on the agenda (presumably the report from the recent meeting of SCSG and its recommendations)?
Best wishes,
Lionel
Professor Lionel Tarassenko CBE FREng FMedSci Professor of Electrical Engineering Head, Department of Engineering Science University of Oxford, OXFORD, OX1 3PJ T: +44 (0)1865 273002
From: David Prout
2 Cc:
Subject: RE: Parks College Project SOBC
Yes, in my opinion you should attend both — but it is up to the chairs: Louise for Finance Committee and Nick Brown for BESC. V best, D
Dr David Prout Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Planning and Resources) University of Oxford Wellington Square OX1 2JD T+44 1865 270004
From: Lionel Tarassenko Sent: 11 February 2019 11:48 To: David Prout
Subject: FW: Parks College Project SOBC
Dear David,
I gather that you will not be at the Tuesday morning meeting tomorrow.
There are meetings of both BESC (Thursday 14th) and Finance Committee (Tuesday 19th) coming up. Would you like me to attend the meeting of Finance Committee next Tuesday?
Best wishes,
Lionel
Professor Lionel Tarassenko CBE FREng FMedSci Professor of Electrical Engineering Head, Department of Engineering Science University of Oxford, OXFORD, OX1 3PJ T: +44 (0)1865 273002
From: Date: Monday, 11 February 2019 at 10:32 To: Lionel Tarassenko
Dear Lionel;
Tomorrow we are missing David, Martin and Anne, hence I thought it might not be the most useful meeting for you to attend.
3 Yes cerrainly breakfast sounds a good idea. I can do this Thursday, or next Monday, Tuesday or Friday, let me know what suits you.
Best of luck with Matt Hancock,
From: Lionel Tarassenko Sent: 11 February 2019 10:28 To: Cc: Lionel Tarassenko
Many thanks for your very helpful e-mail. It would be good for us to have breakfast in Carluccio's (next week?) to go through your feedback from your meeting with the Students' Union in detail (all the points which you list are fine with me, by the way).
Who will be there tomorrow morning? If David Prout is there, that would be very useful, as I would like to talk to him about the forthcoming meetings of BESC and Finance Committee.
I'm off to London for a meeting with Matt Hancock, but will be checking e-mails on my phone (and on the train).
Best wishes,
Lionel
P.S. You could also point the VC and Pro-VCs to this piece from the President of MIT in today's FT: littps:iion.lt.coni 213NJYrk
Professor Lionel Tarassenko CBE FREng FMedSci Professor of Electrical Engineering Head, Department of Engineering Science University of Oxford, OXFORD, OX1 3PJ T: +44 (0)1865 273002 4 Margaret-Anne Tuke From: Louise Richardson Sent: 30 January 2019 17:52 To: David Prout Subject: RE: discussion of new college at Strategic Capital Steering Group today Thanks, David Time for a glass of wine! All best Louise From: David Prout Sent: 30 January 2019 17:45 To: Louise Richardson Hi Louise, No problem getting the new college funding through SCSG — everyone unanimously supportive. Issues: Strong view from Gavin that the range of subjects for the College to take graduates in was too narrow (MSD was down for 15% of places) Request from Sarah for more social science courses to be included o On these first two we agreed that Lionel would meet with the Heads of Division to discuss and that for now we would not be precise on these matters Chemistry would like to retain occupation of the old inorganic chemistry labs and Abbot's kitchen until April 2021 o Lionel said that was fine by him (!), but we concluded that vacant possession was required asap, that Estates would work with MSD to find alternative space and that under all circumstances the old inorganic chemistry labs (decontaminated) had to be provided with vacant possession by April 2021 V best, D Dr David Prout Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Planning and Resources) University of Oxford Wellington Square OX1 2JD T+44 1865 270004 Margaret-Anne Tuke From: Louise Richardson Sent: 15 January 2019 06:59 To: Lionel Tarassenko Cc: Gillian Aitken; David Prout; Anne Trefethen; Martin Williams (Pro Vice-Chancellor Education); Patrick Grant; Robert Easton; Subject: Re: Parks College Project SOBC Dear Lionel, Thanks. Let's discuss at 8:30 Best regards Louise Sent from my iPhone On 15 Jan 2019, at 00:36, Lionel Tarassenko Dear Louise et al., Since we met last week, I have had two very helpful meetings with David Prout (and have also met with the architects and the Capital Project Board). I have agreed the financial parameters with David, and have put together the attached document which is the Case for Parks College. It has all the information which will go into the Strategic Outline Business Case but it is ordered differently. If you give me the go-ahead, my final task will be to re-order the document to produce the Strategic Outline Business Case which can go to the SCSG meeting on 30th January. I am mindful that you will have little or no time to read the paper before 8.30 am, and so I am also listing the recommendations (to be found on page 10) below: The Strategic Capital Steering Group is asked to: 1) Allocate the RSL buildings to Parks College (Levels 1 to 8), with a guarantee of space occupancy for the Bodleian Libraries and the Museum Collections (storage space in Levels 1 and 2). 2) Allocate the Abbot's Kitchen, western wing of the Inorganic Chemistry Teaching Labs and connecting space to Parks College. 3) Allocate 160 units of graduate accommodation to Parks College (100 units in Farndon Court and 60 units in the redeveloped Wellington Square), and provide a sum of £4m for renovation of Farndon Court. 4) Agree the provisional allocation of £24m from the Capital Fund for the refurbishment works for the RSL, Abbot's Kitchen, western wing of the Inorganic Chemistry Teaching Lab and connecting space, including project management costs. 5) Agree to the University underwriting Parks College's budget with an annual sum of £500k, for five years from 1St September 2019. Many thanks, Lionel 1 Professor Lionel Tarassenko CBE FREng FMedSci Professor of Electrical Engineering Head, Department of Engineering Science University of Oxford, OXFORD, OX1 3PJ T: +44 (0)1865 273002 - Version 3.1 Parks College and RSL Redevelopment Strategic Outline Business Case.docx Margaret-Anne Tuke From: David Prout Sent: 18 December 2018 19:57 To: Louise Richardson Cc: Gillian Aitken; Lionel Tarassenko; Anne Trefethen Subject: Re: Rooster Dear all, I tend to agree. A new kind of college needs a new way to run itself, particularly in the early days when fleet of foot executive decisions will be made. My strong advice would be to start with a small fellowship and governing body and take time to grow the culture in a way that does not try to mimic the old colleges. V best d Dr David Prout Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Planning and Resources) University of Oxford Wellington Square OX1 2JD T+44 1865 270004 PA Margaret-Anne Tuke ([email protected]) On 18 Dec 2018, at 18:30, Louise Richardson Dear Gill, Many thanks for this. It does seem doable. My one query is about using the St Cross Statutes. This may indeed be the most efficacious way to proceed but I do wonder whether in light of our experience with societies there is anything we would like to change about the statutes. (I don't have anything in particular in mind, I just think we have an opportunity to do something different.) Very best regards Louise From: Gillian Aitken Sent: 18 December 2018 18:10 To: Lionel Tarassenko Dear Lionel As promised this morning I attach a revised timetable for the constitutional elements of setting up the new society. It shows that it is feasible to open in MT 2020 and makes the following assumptions: The Head is appointed at 4th February Council in advance of (and therefore subject to ) the full Council and Congregation approvals of the creation of the Society and allocation of space which will follow at 14th March Council with Congregation to follow on 30th April. We can't do it all in the February meeting because it needs to go through SCSG and Finance Committee before Council and it feels right to offer Conference of Colleges an opportunity to consider. 4th February Council will also endorse the process for establishing a fellowship so that the Head is free to start that (again subject to the 14th March full approvals). There may be other ways to shorten the timetable but this looks manageable and allows a reasonable time for each step. The only process I have assumed should be truncated is the preparatory step before SCSG of the SCSG Review Group so that you have flex in January to get the Business Case to the necessary standard (as agreed this morning it is a high level Outline Business Case so should be feasible with David's support) 1 Best wishes Gill 2 Margaret-Anne Tuke From: Louise Richardson Sent: 11 December 2018 16:13 To: David Prout Subject: Re: a couple of reactions to the new college at PRAC Hi David, Yes, Anne briefed me. We should have given Council an advanced copy of the announcement. I should have thought of that. We'll have to do some prep work to make sure this lands softly in the February meeting. All my best Louise Sent from my iPhone On 11 Dec 2018, at 15:41, David Prout said it had taken by surprise RN clearly wasn't listening at Council). asked what authority we had to announce it. I said we were merely announcing an intention in order to allow the team to talk to people openly. We did not need authority to do that. Masked who had appointed Lionel. I said he was playing an interim role and we were lucky to have him. Rick Trainor said other graduate colleges were expecting help from the University. asked how we had balanced investment in a new college against investment in existing colleges. Dr David Prout Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Planning and Resources) University of Oxford Wellington Square OX1 2JD T+44 1865 270004 Margaret-Anne Tuke From: Louise Richardson Sent: 16 November 2018 13:44 To: ; David Prout; Gillian Aitken Cc: Subject: RE: Draft process document for Project Rooster Thanks so much for this it is very helpful My once concern is that, I think, it conflates a college and a society. As it is a society I'm not sure it needs 3 i note on College Criteria, that in my view could all be left to the end with Annex A. It does make me feel that we need a team to shepherd this through All best Louise From: Sent: 16 November 2018 13:20 To: Louise Richardson Dear Louise, David and Gill 1 - please make sure that this is available to Louise prior to her trip to China.) I attach a draft process document for Project Rooster, following discussion with David and Gill. I emphasise that this is still very much draft, intended as an aid to deciding how to take the project forward. Lionel has asked me to send the process document to him, but David is clear that we should not do that without Louise's approval. Best wishes i. Margaret-Anne Tuke From: Louise Richardson Sent: 07 November 2018 15:36 To: Cc: Lionel Tarassenko; Martin Williams (Pro Vice-Chancellor Education); David Prout; Anne Trefethen Subject: Re: Action points re. Project Rooster Thanks. I have spoken to Rick who is fine and thinks colleges will be. < I'll allude to it vaguely at HoH meeting on Monday. I've also contacted Lies' and Jonathan and both are happy to join the project board All best Louise Sent from my iPhone On 7 Nov 2018, at 14:38, wrote: Dear All, Just a quick note of the action points from this morning to jog everyone's memories. There will be a Project Board set up to start work on the details of the scheme; potential members are going to be roughly as follows: Libraries — Catriona Cannon, Deputy Librarian — Anne Trefethen will approach Richard Ovenden before speaking to her. Communications — Jonathan Ray, handing over to his successor — the VC will speak to him. Project manager — Lionel Tarassenko will speak to Engineering Legal — David Prout will approach Estates — David will speak to Paul Goffin Development — the VC will speak to Liesl Lionel will also consider a couple of potential Fellows who can be added at an early stage in the process. Once the above have been approached, Lionel will aim to meet with them 1-1 over the next few weeks and get together a slightly more detailed version of the vision document for Council on the 26/11. Other people to be approached: The VC will speak to Rick Trainor Lionel will start to speak to potential donors. I will look into the precedent for appointing Heads of newly-formed Societies. The executive board overseeing the project will be the Tuesday Group plus Lionel. Lionel will come to the Tuesday morning meeting on the 20th. 1 I think this is everything, please do let me know if you think I missed something important. Best wishes, Mar aret-Anne Tuke From: Louise Richardson Sent: 03 November 2018 15:52 To: Lionel Tarassenko Cc: David Prout; Anne Trefethen; Martin Williams (Pro Vice-Chancellor Education); Luke Swanson Subject: Re: Project Rooster meeting Dear Lionel Thanks so much. All my best Louise Sent from my iPhone On 3 Nov 2018, at 15:43, Lionel Tarassenko Dear everyone, I have drafted a "vision document" for the new graduate college. I shared the first iteration of this document with David Prout, Anne Trefethen, Luke Swanson and Prof. EJ Milner-Gulland. David gave me some useful financial data. Anne and I talked about how the plans for the new college on the RSL site might be integrated with the existing plans for the re-development of the RSL. Luke and I discussed how the vision for the college might best be communicated, both within and outside the University. Prof. EJ Milner-Gulland was very helpful. Not only did she provide information about the proposed theme of environmental change, she also contributed several other ideas to improve the plans, which are now reflected in the document. She is very keen to continue to be involved in the project. I am attaching to this e-mail the second iteration of the vision document (6 pages). I very much hope that you will have time to read it before our meeting at 8.00 am on Wednesday morning. I would like to suggest the following agenda for our discussions on Wednesday: • Review of vision document • Going public with the plans for the new college • Involvement of other University colleagues • Integration with current plans for re-furbishment of the RSL • Interaction with Martin School • Meetings with other graduate colleges (Green Templeton, Kellogg, Linacre, Nuffield, St Antony's, St Cross, Wolfson) • Fund-raising activities • Next steps. Best wishes, Lionel I