Aberdeen University & College Union

ABERDEEN UNIVERSITY & COLLEGE UNION

Minutes: Committee Meeting

Date: Wednesday 28 June 2017

Time: 1pm – 2pm

Venue: Taylor A36

In Attendance: Derek Dawson (Chair), David Anderson, Sola Kasim, Dannette Marie, Helen Martin, Mike McConnell, Ewan McHenry, Masaru Nakamoto, Ruth Payne, Frederik Pedersen, Syrithe Pugh, Adam Price, Alysia Reid (by Skype from 1325), Rachel Shanks (by Skype from 1320), David Watts (by Skype from 1300), Michael Wolfindale

Apologies: Gordon Fernie, Andrew Mackillop, Mandy Murray

Minutes: Susan Melvin

1. Minutes of meetings on 14 June and matters arising:

a) Minutes were approved as accurate.

b) Ewan McHenry was co-opted to Committee as Post Graduate Officer.

c) Plans are in hand for the Branch Organising meeting – will be held at the start of the next semester to develop plans for the next year and review branch priorities.

d) Committee approved Salma Siddique as UCU rep to the STUC Black Workers’ Conference in October. The BEM group meet later today to discuss possible motions for this event.

e) Eight volunteers have come forward to be part of the Equality & Diversity Working Group: Chris Aldred, Juergen Bracht, Sola Kasim, Douglas Martin, Masaru Nakamoto, Alysia Reid, Salma Siddique, Louisa Stratton.

f) Carried forward: Terms and conditions of employment of staff employed in overseas campuses - Syrithe will draft a position statement for consideration at the next committee meeting

2. Look back / look forward: Committee noted future meetings/events and any feedback relating to recent meetings/events will be dealt with under the agenda.

3. Items for discussion:

a) Protected Conversations: It was agreed that guidance on protected conversations would be developed and sent to members. Derek to draft.

b) Court briefing: A report was given to committee from the Court meeting this week. They key messages indicate that further staff savings will be sought and the University will have to generate more income. (Copy of the report appended below) Dannette and Syrithe will draft a summary of the report which will be sent to members and all in the AUCU constituency. The communication will be sent to Caroline Inglis for comment before being sent.

c) FAE: the Framework of Academic Expectation is being used to identify staff who are “underperforming”. In addition, the University has set REF “expectations” even though 1 ABERDEEN UNIVERSITY & COLLEGE UNION

the terms of the next Research Excellence Framework have not yet been announced – both are being used to target staff for “rationalisation”. Previous statements from senior managers that REF is not the only measure of value seem to be being overlooked.

There was discussion about the potential for dispute over this and Derek will speak to Mary Senior in the regional office about this in more detail.

4. Standing Items:

a) Update from Policy Review Group: No report – the PRG meetings are being cancelled

b) Update from PNCC: No report

c) Update from JCCRA: No report

d) Update on Court Briefings/Court: See 3b.

e) General Meetings: No report

f) Recruitment: No report

g) Casework: No report

h) Equalities: See 1d and 1e

i) Anti-casualisation: Masaru attended the anti-casualisation day in London on Saturday. We will ask at PNCC if we can see data relating to the number of “casual contracts” is use at the University.

j) Foresterhill membership engagement: No report

k) Employee Engagement: No report

l) Health, Safety & Well-being: No report

m) Environment & Sustainability: No report

n) Workload: Workload models for all Schools have been requested

o) USS: No report

p) ATUC: No report

q) Facilities Time: No report.

r) Congress/Exec: No report

s) Committee Vacancies & Diversity: See 1e

5. Position Statements: None

6. AOB:

a) Committee authorised travel costs for Susan to attend a training course in London in October

b) The next meeting will take place on 12 July 2017, 1pm in Taylor A36.

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ACTIONS:

Derek  Draft advice to members re protected conversations

Dannette  With Syrithe, draft comms re Court Briefing (3b)  Request data on no of casual contracts at PNCC (4i)

Syrithe  Draft position statement re overseas campuses (1f)  With Dannette, draft comms re Court Briefing (3b)

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SUMMARY OF COURT BRIEFING, 26 JUNE 2017

* Financial reporting: Different analyses are being undertaken (i.e., risk, sensitivity) with different assumptions about how things might develop (or not) (e.g., Overseas student fees, Online delivery, Transnational Education (TNE), Brexit). Challenging times.

* The financial strategy is for all schools to be generating a £17M surplus in 3 years’ time, which will then be reinvested in the university in capital building projects

* Professional Services merging to result in a new Directorate of Facilities. Caroline Inglis stated nobody’s job is at risk. Business as usual. New posts will be advertised internally.

* Summary of main paper: School plans and budgets have been aligned to the university budget. Target is to break even by 2019/20. Schools will cumulatively grow their income over the next 3 years by £20M through overseas student fees, online delivery, and TNE. £5.6M in savings through reductions in staffing – including £3.1 identified by Schools.

* JCCRA: Previous assurance that JCCRA wouldn’t be used (Derek asked directly) to achieve above not confirmed. All policy routes and all management tools (including JCCRA) will be used as ‘key pinch points are within schools’.

* There are various references in the papers to staff being terminated / reduced / released / exited / rationalised which is worrying. Can you give any reassurances at this stage? o commitment to exhaust the other suggested savings mechanisms before considering JCCRA o commitment VS/ER before JCCRA o agree policy on settlement agreements/protected conversations o any update on the proposals tabled to address redundancy avoidance concerns

* Protected conversations: One of the tools can be used (positively). University been using them for years under the guide of having ‘without prejudice’ conversations. Employees can ask to have a protected conversation with their line manager. If targets achieved – then more potential to improve.

* Framework of Academic Expectations: is another one of the management tools. All HoS have been encouraged to use all tools to ensure staff are currently performing or to enhance their performance. Workload models another tool to identify ‘scope for efficiencies’.

* UNITE commented that posts are being retired and not being replaced, which puts extra requirements on remaining staff who may not be proficient in technical skills of former post-holder. Main question: What are the ‘essential criteria’ for core-funded posts? Some posts possibly won’t be filled. Also, difficult to read through court briefing papers (too extensive).

* Senior VP is now responsible for staffing/finance: Line Managers/HoS reporting to Senior VP. UNITE wanted to know what is classed as ‘essential’ or not for different schools.

* REF criteria are not being released until November, 2017 so how are individuals currently being identified as REF-able?: Main criterion for research-active staff is 4 X 4* papers. HoS have already provided information about staff.

* The University’s internal REF strategy will be used to rationalize staff “in the next few months”. It was acknowledged that although REF criteria are not being released until November, 2017, that does

4 ABERDEEN UNIVERSITY & COLLEGE UNION not make any difference at all since the University has its own REF strategy of minimum number of 3* papers.

* Natural Sciences and Computing: Merger is being considered seriously. There would be consultation with staff encouraged to collaborate together.

* Workplace Stress is not included as a Strategic Risk Area. Comes under remit of Health, Wellbeing and Safety.

* Internationalisation and recruitment: Not much discussion: Rwanda under review/on hold. Online Education (2017/18 generated £145K).

* Court Effectiveness Review: Main question what does Court see as its role versus the Operating Board’s role? Could Trade Unions contribute to Operating Board if vacancy available. Something to look at. Transition agreement requires Privy Council approval (meeting in July and October).

* Remuneration Committee (REMCOM): 49/51% split between women and men (Grade 9+) to redress imbalance. Possible to have a Trade Union representative on REMCOM? Brian (UNITE) is on committee, but not in the capacity of being a union rep.

* Line Managers having access to staff Outlook calendars. Reasonable request that your Line Manager knows where you are. You can either accept or decline request for access by your Line Manager.

* Finally discussion about correct number of union representatives at Court Briefing. Caroline Inglis is in the process of responding to correspondence from AUCU to her.