Governance at the Open University TITLE Lisa French & - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Governance at the Open University TITLE

Lisa French & Charlotte Boardman

Agenda

• What is Governance?
• Governance Committees
• Roles and Responsibilities of Committee Members
• Accessing Papers - SharePoint

What is Governance?

Decision making and oversight by the right people at the right time with the right information

• Setting strategic aims and objectives
• Ensuring accountability and effective scrutiny
• Monitoring and measuring performance
• Appointing and ensuring the effectiveness of the head of institution

What is Governance?

Academic Governance Ensuring University’s programmes of study, admissions, research, teaching and awards meet all the relevant requirements (internal strategy and external compliance) Academic Management Implementing agreed strategies, policies, plans and being accountable for delivery.

CAMPAIGN ASSETS

Governance Triangle - OU

Council The governing body responsible for institutional strategy, finances, property and staff Senate The academic authority responsible for teaching, learning and research strategy, academic standards, the award of degrees and student policy and discipline. Vice-Chancellor’s Executive A management meeting, advisory to the VC

CAMPAIGN ASSETS

Officers at the University

External Officers Chancellor Martha Lane-Fox Pro-Chancellor Malcolm Sweeting Treasurer Caroline Stockmann

CAMPAIGN ASSETS

Officers at the University

Internal Officers

Vice-Chancellor Mary Kellett University Secretary Jonathan Nicholls Pro-Vice Chancellor Research, Enterprise & Scholarship Kevin Hetherington Pro-Vice Chancellor Students (Acting) Liz Marr

Governance Committees

Council

The Council has ultimate authority within the University, but to respect the views of the Senate in academic matters Membership is 21 Must have a majority of external members It also has internal members: e.g. the Vice Chancellor, staff and students The Council is supported by a number of sub-committees

What is Governance?

COUNCIL Strategic Planning and Resources Committee SENATE Academic Staff Redundancy Committee Audit Committee Finance Committee Governance & Nominations Committee Nominating Advisory Committee Remuneration Committee Negotiating Committees

Academic Governance Structure (See separate chart)

Senate

The academic authority of the University, but is subject to the powers of the Council as the University’s governing body. Membership of 108 Determines academic strategy and policy frameworks, as well as plans and priorities The Senate is supported by a number of sub-committees

What is Governance?

SENATE

Academic Staff Promotions Committee Chair and Readership Subcommittee Academic Staff Promotions Appeals Committee Honorary Degrees Committee Module Results Approval and Qualification Classifications Panel Education Committee Qualifications and Assessment Student Experience Research Degrees Exam Result Approval Research Degrees Special Appeals Committee Academic Quality and Governance Committee Human Research Ethics Curriculum Partnerships Research Committee Associate Lecturers Assembly Associate Lecturers Executive Central Disciplinary Committee STRATEGIC PLANNING AND RESOURCES COMMITTEE Master of Research Award Board

Teaching Committees

Faculty

Senate

Institutional Governance Academic Unit Governance Academic Unit Internal Structure (required) Academic Unit Internal Structures (variable)

Education Committee Qualifications & Assessment Committee Student Experience Committee Curriculum Partnerships Committee Teaching Committee Assembly Boards of Studies Departments and other groups – including research Academic Quality and Governance Committee

Committee Constitutions

Each Committee has a constitution which outlines:

• Terms of Reference
• Membership

This can be accessed on the SharePoint site

Roles & Responsibilities – Committee Member

7 Principles of Public Life

Must act in accordance with acceptable standards of behaviour in public life:

• Selflessness
• Integrity
• Objectivity
• Accountability
• Openness
• Honesty
• Leadership

Collective Responsibility

• Members have a corporate responsibility. Decisions are taken collectively,

by all members of the body, in the interests of the institution as a whole

• Not act in a personal or individual capacity or as a representative of a

constituency

• Be bound by decisions made by the committee

Role & Responsibilities

• Be committed to the University’s values
• Consider issues from a strategic perspective
• Question intelligently, debate constructively, challenge rigorously and

decide dispassionately.

• Listen to the views of others
• Take decisions with proper concern for the University’s reputation and

standards, and for the principles of academic freedom

• Attend regularly and participate, read papers and seek briefing if needed

Accessing Papers – SharePoint

Committee Papers

• Papers are published on the Governance SharePoint site at least 6

working days before the meeting

• Members are responsible for reading all papers

50.open.ac.uk

Signing in to SharePoint

Security

For extra security, you will be asked to provide a phone number on first sign in. You will then be sent a text message with a code to verify your account.

The Governance Site

• 1. Go to Committee Papers
• 2. Select the filter button
• 3. Refine by year
• 4. Refine by meeting

How to find a past paper

For example, if you are looking for a past paper from the first meeting of Senate in January

• 1. Select the Filter icon on the top right
• 2. Click the arrow on the left of the year. This will open the drop down of meetings
• 3. Select the relevant meeting
• 4. The list will be refined to papers from meeting 01

The Forum feature in SharePoint is used for meetings by correspondence.

Using the Committee Forum

Using the Committee forum

If you are having trouble with SharePoint, or have any questions, please get in touch with us at: Governance-team@open.ac.uk

Getting in touch