Chair in Law Fp's

Principal of St Mary’s College Vacancy ref: 1790

The Appointment

Applicants with a strong background in both teaching and research in any academic discipline are invited to apply for the post of Principal of St Mary’s College in succession to Miss Jenny Hobbs MBE who retires at the end of academic year 2006-7, having been appointed in 1999. This is an exciting opportunity to influence the planning, development and ethos of a student community. The post offers opportunities to combine the leadership and management of a Durham College with teaching and research in an appropriate Department of the University. The role requires intellectual as well as organisational leadership and for this reason the appointment is likely to be made at professorial level. It is hoped that the new Principal wil take up post on 1st September 2007 to allow some small overlap with Miss Hobbs. Informal enquiries may be made to Professor Tim Burt, Dean of Colleges, on 0191-334- 2611, e-mail [email protected] Applicants may also find it useful to view the College’s website at: http://www.dur.ac.uk/st-marys.college/ Visits to St Mary’s College by arrangement are strongly encouraged. Please contact Dorothy Lawton, College and Principal’s Secretary on 0191-334-5719.

Background

Established in 1832, Durham is England’s third oldest universities, with a first-class reputation for excellence recognised internationally, nationally and regionally and confirmed in independent rankings for research and teaching. Durham is a collegiate University and its colleges play an important role in the admission, welfare, and development of students. Durham has an international profile and its strategic links include Duke University, North Carolina and Renmin University, China. The University is actively engaged with the North East region with a strong commitment to deploy its expertise, enhanced by its international and national networks, in support of regional regeneration. Research and Teaching

Durham University is a first class University serving our international, national, and regional communities. We provide educational opportunities to the highest standards, and we are one of Britain’s leading research universities with a significant number of high-flying departments. External ratings consistently put Durham firmly in the premier zone of university research in Britain.

______Durham achieved excellent results in the 2001 Research Assessment Exercise (RAE). Geography, Chemistry, Applied Mathematics, Law, History and English were rated 5** (the highest rating demonstrating major international quality research); 15 subjects were graded 5, 12 were graded 4, and only 1 graded 3a. This placed Durham 11th in the national RAE rankings. The University aims to have a minimum grade of 5 (or equivalent) across all departments by the next RAE in 2007/8 and to increase the number of 5*s equivalents. Teaching quality is also high. The University is placed consistently in the top ranks. We are 8th in the UK in the 2006 Times Good University Guide. On teaching quality 22 of its 35 departments scored 22 or more out of 24 or have been assessed as excellent.

Durham has 11,446 full-time undergraduate students, 1,975 full-time postgraduate students, and 1,633 part-time students. Competition for undergraduate entry is high, with up to 19 applicants per place and entry standards are high (average 27 A-level points) as is the completion rate (94 per cent). Whilst maintaining entry standards, its widening participation and outreach programme aims to increase the intake of state school and low participation students; latest figures show increases from both groups. This strategy is underpinned by a scholarship programme supported through the University’s fundraising and alumni giving campaign, which will be enhanced through the University’s Access Agreement with OFFA.

International research collaboration has been identified as a key strategic aim for the University, and indeed it is already an important activity for many academic departments and individuals. Our priority now is the development of alliances at institutional level, notably to build a high profile high impact alliance with a US partner and develop an alliance with a leading Chinese university. This will be in addition to the further development of existing research links in particular universities or countries, e.g. Jordan, and diversifying them across a range of disciplines.

Academic Departments

The University is organised into three academic faculties as follows:

Faculty of Arts & Faculty of Social Humanities Sciences & Health Faculty of Science

 Classics and Ancient  Applied Social  Biological & Biomedical History Sciences Sciences  East Asian Studies  Anthropology  Chemistry (due to close in 2007)  Archaeology  Computer Science  English Studies  Durham Business  Engineering  History School (Economics,  Earth Sciences  Modern Languages & Finance &  Mathematical Sciences Cultures Management)  Physics  Music  Education  Psychology  Philosophy  Geography  Theology & Religion  Government and International Affairs (Middle Eastern & Islamic Studies, Politics)

______Page: 2  Health (Medicine, Public Policy & Health)  Law

The University has also established a number of interdisciplinary Research Centres, which vary in their degree of formal structure, from regular but informal collaboration between colleagues in Durham or other universities to formal research centres established and funded as a result of major initiatives. The University has just launched its Institute of Advanced Studies, an ideas-driven research institute which plans to become one of the major global centres of interdisciplinary study; our colleges are fully involved in IAS by providing accommodation for distinguished academic visitors and hosting seminars and lectures.

Regional Engagement

Durham’s world-class research and staff expertise places it in an excellent position for engaging with the North East Region. One North East (the North East Regional Development Agency), has identified a clear role for universities in making a step change to a knowledge driven economy from the region’s traditional economy, based on primary industries and heavy engineering.

The University has an active and deep involvement with this strategy, especially in relation to technology transfer, and continues to build extensive relationships with businesses and other key stakeholders. The programme is led by the Deputy Vice Chancellor.

Queen’s Campus, Stockton

The Stockton campus was opened in 1992 in purpose-built accommodation of very high quality, as a key component in the region’s economic development strategy, and with the general aim of making the resources of Durham University more widely available within the region through a range of innovative programmes. From 190 students in 1992/3 the campus has grown in ten years to approaching 2000 students. Around 40 per cent of the student population is made up of mature and non-traditional entrants from the region. The Wolfson Institute at Queen’s is the base for innovative interdisciplinary research programmes in health, environments and the economy.

Durham Colleges

Durham’s colleges, in collaboration with departments, are responsible for the admission of students, their general welfare and progress. The colleges do not undertake teaching, but support and promote the academic work of the University in ways that complement the work done by the academic departments. In particular the Colleges provide an excellent system of pastoral support and student development opportunities. The University has recently opened its 16th College, Josephine Butler College, as part of an accommodation project which has added 1000 new en suite bedrooms to our residential capacity. An introduction to the Durham colleges can be found at www.durham.ac.uk/colleges/

______Page: 3 Management structure of the Univesity

The Vice-Chancellor, as Chief Executive, is responsible for the University’s effectiveness. The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Chris Higgins, is also Warden of the Durham Colleges. The Vice-Chancellor chairs the University Executive Committee which consists of three Pro- Vice-Chancellors, the three Deans of Faculty; the Dean of Colleges, the Treasurer, the Registrar & Secretary, and the Director of Human Resources. The Pro-Vice-Chancellors each have responsibility for a portfolio of cross-cutting policy areas relating to University strategy, covering Research, Student Experience, and Regional Strategy & Queen’s Campus. The three Deans of Faculties have responsibility for academic and budget management of the departments within their faculty, and the Dean of Colleges has responsibility for student support and financial performance within the colleges (and for Sport). The Treasurer is responsible to the Vice-Chancellor for the financial conduct of the University. The Registrar, as the University’s Chief Operating Officer, is responsible to the Vice-Chancellor for the conduct of the University’s business and its operations, and has line management responsibility for the University’s administration and support services. The Registrar is also Secretary to Senate and Council.

Strategy for change

The University set out in 1999 a clear strategy to move from being one of the UK’s top 20 universities to being securely within the top 10 for research by 2007 – the University’s 175 th anniversary. As an indication of progress, in 1999 it stood at 17th in the Times Higher Education Supplement (THES) RAE league table and 18th in the Sunday Times league table. It now stands at 11th in the THES RAE league table and 8th in the Sunday Times league table. A new league table published in December 2004 by the Times Higher Education Supplement lists the University 95th in the world’s Top 100 science universities from an opinion poll of world scientists. Reviewed on the basis of research impact Durham stands at No.18 in the world and in the top 3 in the UK. In order to help Durham make the next substantial step forward, it has engaged in a process of structural and strategic change. 2002 saw changes in the management structure and in 2003 a Strategic Improvement Plan was developed and implemented, aimed at ensuring that the University remains competitive and adaptable in a changing and challenging environment. This plan will create the capacity to continue to invest in the University’s academic strengths. A key issue for the University is to strengthen and consolidate our research effort. As part of the Strategic Improvement programme, Durham undertook a major review of its academic subject portfolio and has instituted a challenging programme of income generation, including a major fund-raising campaign. Last year we implemented a sustainable investment plan valued at around £170M in the very best of the University’s teaching and research areas to secure and strengthen academic developments across 25 departments. This 3-year investment plan is centred on creating new academic posts - over the last year we have appointed over 30 new professors and created a similar number of other academic posts – as well as new academic infrastructure that provide an exciting opportunity for talented individuals to contribute towards our strategic development. The strategic programme also involves major investments in student infrastructure as well as change and enhancement of support services. ______Page: 4 The process of change continues, including an ongoing review of the colleges’ residence, catering and conference operations.

St Mary’s College

St Mary’s College was founded in 1899 as the Women’s Hostel, initially located on Claypath, within Durham City, then in Abbey House next to the Cathedral and subsequently in the Cathedral precincts in what is now the Chorister School. It was established as St Mary’s College in 1919/20 and moved to its present magnificent location on Elvet Hill in 1952. Its site is one mile south of the Cathedral and it is located four or five minutes on foot from the Main Library and Science Site of the University.

Following an ongoing review of St Mary’s undergraduate admissions during 1998-2003, the University decided in December 2003 that the College should admit men undergraduates from October 2005. Men now represent 44% of the current first year, with a second year of 40%, which compares very favourably with other Durham Colleges.

St Mary’s is one of Durham University’s smaller colleges, with about 660 members, including around 50 postgraduates. Cultural diversity characterises the whole College community, with a significant proportion of international students, students from different faiths, and varied socio-economic backgrounds. It was the first College to implement the University’s policy of offering completely segregated student accommodation. The refurbished 26 bed Shepherd Wing, formerly the Mews, was opened in October 2005 for women only, both undergraduates and postgraduates. Students with special need for privacy, with faith or cultural requirements for an all women area or medical support can apply to live in this wing. There are mixed and all male corridors and en suite facilities elsewhere in College.

The College places a very high value on the ideals of its historic faith-based foundation: tolerance, understanding, respect for each other and a striving for social justice and the worth and dignity of each person, welcoming people from all faiths and none. The roofspace of the North East wing contains a beautiful chapel designed by the former Cathedral architect George Pace. The Chapel has a flourishing choir. There is a resident part-time Chaplain, whose vision is very open, particularly encouraging personal development and active awareness of the historic, economic and cultural life of the North East of England.

St Mary’s has had a close link with Teikyo University since its Durham campus opened in 1990. There is a student room exchange between the two, whereby 15 rooms in St Mary’s College are offered to Japanese students, with an equivalent number in Teikyo’s halls of residence for St Mary’s students.

Although the College community was divided over the decision to ‘go mixed’ in December 2003, St Mary’s values have been retained. The process of going mixed was prepared very carefully internally and has gone extraordinarily well. The College is no longer considered to be ‘in transition’ by undergraduates, but to be an enthusiastic and fully integrated mixed community.

Structure and Management

______Page: 5 The College has a total of 47 staff and is managed by a small team of College officers, comprising the Principal, the Vice-Principal and Senior Tutor (50% fte), and the Bursar (50% fte shared with Trevelyan College), with the support of the Assistant Senior Tutor (50% fte) and the Domestic Services Manager (100%). They are closely supported in their work by a sabbatical JCR President who, like the College officers is an ex officio member of the College Council. This is chaired by Professor M. C. Petty (Professor of Engineering) and has a number of internal sub-committees addressing health and safety, the tutorial system, the library, development (including fundraising and use of funds) and the College bar. The pastoral, cultural, social, spiritual and intellectual life of the College is strengthened by the resident Chaplain (part-time), who acts as a College Officer providing senior cover, the Librarian (part-time) and the Archivist (part-time). The Principal is the budget manager of the College and is accountable to the Dean of Colleges who leads the Colleges Division of the University.

The Common Rooms

All members of college are admitted to one of three common rooms depending on their University status. Undergraduates are admitted to the Junior Common Room (JCR) which plays a very significant part in the social, cultural and wider life of the College, both for students who live in and for those who live out in the city. The JCR values the involvement of all three common rooms and College Officers in all formal events and promotes cultural diversity within the College. The inclusion and involvement of students with disabilities and medical needs has also traditionally been a strength of the St Mary’s JCR, with its excellent welfare commitment as well as high profile involvement in recent years, in the Durham University Charity Kommittee, (DUCK), Kids Camp (a unique St Mary’s weekend for children in care) and the University’s post-tsunami Project Sri Lanka.

The Middle Common Room, (MCR) includes mature students and fourth year undergraduates as well as postgraduates (currently 10 PGCE, 26 Masters and 11 PhDs). Only recently independent of the JCR, the MCR is fast establishing itself as a coherent and active body within the College, with strong social links with the Senior Common Room. The Senior Common Room (SCR) comprises about 170 members, including 12 – 15 senior residents, all the College Tutors, as well as academic and administrative staff, some alumni, and friends of the College from the local community. The senior residents include, typically, young academics and others from a range of Durham academic departments, ‘postdocs’ and visiting fellows including those appointed by the University’s new Institute of Advanced Study (IAS). Most eat on High Table in term time; every Tuesday evening there is a formal meal for SCR alone when academic gowns are worn and Latin grace is said. The SCR also join in the ‘full hall’ formals, which take place as lunch on the first and last Sundays of each term and on a number of Thursday evenings during term. The SCR actively supports the MCR and the JCR in a number of ways as well as enjoying its own programme of events.

Academic Support

All undergraduates and postgraduates are allocated a College Tutor. The Assistant Senior Tutor is very proactive in promoting a Personal Development Programme with internal and external input. The Chaplain also plays a significant role in this. It is the Vice-Principal’s responsibility to recruit men and women who have a vocational interest in student welfare and support, as it is part of the ethos of the College that good academic progress can only

______Page: 6 take place in a caring community which pays attention to all aspects of human development. Tutors are required to help students develop a career strategy, and in particular to identify strengths and weaknesses in so-called ‘soft skills’. The Principal is involved in the selection of new Tutors.

St Mary’s was the first College to complete the cabling of all student rooms for internet access and also has three communal computer rooms. The Library contains 8000 books including a reserve collection of core undergraduate textbooks. The catalogue and issue system have recently been computerised as part of a college-wide project.

Student Admissions

St Mary’s recent admissions history is one of steady improvement in numbers of direct applicants to the College and conversion of offers to acceptances. Visits to schools, both local and further afield, actively encouraging wider participation, communicating the College’s new mixed status, strong support of post and pre-offer Open Day initiatives by Durham University as a whole, and working in tandem with its Schools Liaison team and International Office to broaden recruitment are all still vitally important. Nevertheless since 2001 the College has more than filled its first-year bed allocation and increased the number of resident and non-resident postgraduates. Greater numbers of applicants are applying directly to St Mary’s. Further admissions initiatives include moves to publicise the all women’s Shepherd Wing.

St Mary’s College Society

The St Mary’s College Society has a current membership of around 4500, and is the source of active and valued support for College hardship funds, Travel Bursaries and Development funds. St Mary’s College, with its long history and unpretentious atmosphere, has one of the strongest alumni groups in Durham in terms of bequests and loyal commitment. Initiatives from among alumnae in the past have included the ’56 Book Grant Fund. The Principal is an active member of the executive committee.

The Principal of St Mary’s College Applicants with a strong background in both teaching and research in any academic discipline are invited to apply for the post. Applicants should have the ability and experience to provide strategic direction for the College, promoting the academic and general welfare of its students and staff, and be involved in external fund-raising in support of its future development. It is expected that the successful candidate will play a significant role in an appropriate University department.

The normal arrangement for a College Principal (‘Head of House’) at Durham is a 50% appointment in an academic department and applicants from any subject area are welcomed.

The successful candidate should have:  proven leadership skills and sensitivity to the needs of the College and its members;  commitment to sustaining the community within a college;  the capacity to generate new ideas and judgement to assess their merits;  commitment to the Durham model of collegiate life and to its academic ethos;  excellent interpersonal and communication skills;  managerial ability demonstrated at a senior level;  experience of leading a small managerial team;

______Page: 7  the capability to act as advocate for the College and its interests, both within and outside the University;  an awareness of the importance and effect of commercial factors in the life of the College;  demonstrable success in an academic career.

Together with the College Council, the Principal of St Mary’s College is responsible via the Dean of Colleges to the University Council for exercising the powers of Council within the College as prescribed from time to time in Council Standing Orders. This formal statement of duties and responsibilities is set out below.

Formal Statement of Duties and Responsibilities of the Principal of St Mary’s College Purpose To be accountable for the leadership and management of the College and its administration, admissions, discipline, and employment, and the safety and the welfare of all who are associated with the College including both postgraduate students and staff, including academic, administrative and domestic. Responsibilities The Dean of Colleges is the designated Budget Officer for the maintained Colleges of the University. The Principal shall be responsible to the Dean for all funds, equipment and resources allocated to the College by the Dean or obtained from the operations of the College. The Principal is assisted by the Bursar in the discharge of this responsibility.

Responsibilities within the policies and procedures laid down by the University Council and the College Council shall be as follows:

(a) To advise the College Council on policy issues and ensure good order and efficiency in the affairs of the College including the implementation of the University Health and Safety Policy. (b) To implement decisions of the College Council, of which the Principal is an ex officio member. (c) To initiate discussions and consultation concerning the College’s future development and to present such proposals to the College Council. (d) To advise the College Council, at any time, if any action or policy under consideration by the College Council appears to the Principal to be incompatible with the policies or procedures laid down by University Council including the terms of Council Standing Orders. Should the College Council decide nevertheless to proceed the Principal shall inform the Vice-Chancellor and Warden in writing forthwith. (e) To accept students for admission to the College, with the assistance of the Senior Tutor, in accordance with such procedures as the Senate may from time to time prescribe. (f) With the assistance of the Senior Tutor and, as required, the Bursar, to exercise discipline over students in accordance with the regulations prescribed by the University Council (g) With the assistance of the Senior Tutor, to appoint tutors in the College in accordance with the regulations prescribed by the University Council.

______Page: 8 (h) With the assistance of the Bursar, to manage College administrative and domestic staff (including day to day management of their appointment and dismissal), in conjunction with the University’s HR Department and in accordance with the approved University procedures. In addition to those formally set out in the University Council’s Standing Orders, the Principal is also responsible to the College Council and thence to University Council for exercising the following duties:

(a) To play a significant role, in consultation with the University's Director of Development, in external fund-raising in support of the College’s future development and advise how such funds might be applied in accordance with the procedures governing funds donated to the University for the benefit of the maintained colleges and societies. (b) To take personal responsibility for communications with alumni and encourage their continued support for the College. (c) To foster and encourage actively a wide range of student activities and interests. (d) To participate in a rota with the other College Officers as Senior Emergency Officer. (e) To hear and decide, in consultation with one or more of the other College Officers, appeals against disciplinary decisions. (f) To undertake such other duties as may from time to time be allocated by the College’s College Council or the University Council.

In keeping with the Principal's ex officio membership of Senate, s/he will engage in academic work in an academic department or school of the University in a manner satisfactory to the Board of Studies concerned and to an extent to be agreed in advance of the appointment and reflected in the apportionment of salary costs. College resources will not be available in support of such work.

The post is residential, the Principal occupying a house rent-free within the curtilage of the College. Meals whilst on duty are provided free of charge.

Terms and Conditions of Appointment

The post is tenable from 1 September 2007 or as soon as practicable thereafter. The salary will be by negotiation within the senior staff range in use at Durham. The post is pensionable. Durham is a member of the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS). Appointment to this post will be subject to a satisfactory disclosure from the Criminal Records Bureau.

The Recruitment and Selection Process

Applications, including the names of three referees, should be sent to Mr. J. Boyd, Director of Human Resources, either by email (preferred) to [email protected] or by post to him at Durham University, Human Resources, University Office, Old Elvet, Durham, DH1 3HP.

______Page: 9 Formal interviews will be held on Tuesday, 17th July 2007. It is expected that short-listed candidates will be available to participate in an informal programme of visits to the College to meet members of staff and student representatives. Further details of this informal programme will be forwarded to the short-listed candidates in advance of the formal interview date.

Closing date for receipt of applications is Friday 22nd June 2007.

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