Staff Handbook: 2.1 The School and the University
| Approved: |
27 November 2002 (Significant changes since approval will be in red.) |
| Relevant University documentation: |
University Statutes
University Ordinances University Regulations |
Contents
1. Schools
The 'School' is the primary focus for the management of the University (Ordinance 2.5.2). The Head of School is responsible directly to the Vice-Chancellor for the financial and academic management of the School. A School may contain sub-units called 'Departments'; at present the School of Computer Science does not contain any Departments.
Up to 1999, Schools were arranged into 'Faculties' and Heads of School reported to the Dean of the Faculty. A democratically elected 'Faculty Board' had decision-making powers on academic issues within each Faculty. Traces of this remain in University legislation and in particular in the Conditions of Employment, which have not been revised since 1991. Computer Science was in the Faculty of Science.
2. Deans
Deans still exist despite the abolition of faculties. They have "responsibilities for specified areas of the University's academic activities" (Ordinance 3.8; see also Regulation 2.2). Since the start of the academic year 2002/03, the School is within the remit ('deanery') of the Dean of Physical Sciences and Engineering. The Dean presides over a "Dean's Forum", of which all staff (academic, administrative and support staff) and student representatives are members. The Dean's Forum meets at least three times per year. The forum has two means of advancing items of business: (a) there is a standing item on the agenda of Senate to deal with matters submitted by Deans' Fora; and (b) the Vice-Chancellor will normally attend at least one meeting per year.
3. Senate
Senate is responsible for regulating and directing the academic work of the University (Statute 26). This includes teaching, examining, research, the award of qualifications, and the enforcement of student discipline. In practice much of the responsibility of Senate for academic matters is delegated to the Academic Board and its subcommittees for undergraduate and postgraduate teaching. The online Semester Diary Dates gives a calendar of meetings of Senate and subcommittees.
The composition of Senate was changed for 2002/03. It is chaired by the Vice-Chancellor and has 60 members. Each School is represented by its Head and one other member of teaching or research staff who is elected by the School Committee. Senate is answerable to Council, the senior governing body of the University (Statutes, Section 14-15, 25-26). Senate meets four times per year. Staff can take matters to Senate via their elected representative, the Head of School, the Dean or the Dean's Forum.
4. Academic Office
Academic Office is equivalent to the 'Registry' in many other universities. Senate (via Academic Board) formally approves new degree programmes and modules, but these have to be submitted to the Academic Office. The procedures for proposing new programmes and modules are described in 3.2.1 and 3.2.2 of this handbook. The Academic Office carries out the administration of programme and module descriptions, student applications and admissions, student records, student scholarships and financial support, timetabling and room bookings, examinations, and degree congregations. It also services the Academic Board and subcommittees. Its website contains useful guidance on all these matters.
5. Committees and Officers of the University
Much business is delegated to committees or officers of the university, such as the Vice-Chancellor.
Strategy, Planning and Resources Committee (SPRC) This is a committee of Council and has a duty to "ensure effective management within the University." It formulates academic, financial and physical plans. The University's current 5-year plan was approved by Council in June 2002 and is available online.
Staffing Committee Not to be confused with the internal Computer Science Staffing Committee (see 2.2 Management Structures), this is a powerful subcommittee of SPRC that appoints all NON-professorial academic staff (Ordinance 3.10). A Selection Committee is set up for each appointment (Regulations 3.6 and 3.7), which sifts applications, arranges interviews and makes a recommendation to Staffing Committee.
Professors are appointed by the Vice-Chancellor on behalf of Council (Ordinance 3.16), following the recommendation of an Electoral Board (Regulation 3.1). The Electoral Board includes the Dean and a number of professors, including one from another School who is nominated by the School Committee.
Heads of School are also appointed by the Vice-Chancellor (Ordinance 3.16.3). The original procedure is described in Regulation 3.2; basically, School Committee selects a professor from another School to convey its views on the filling of the post to the Vice-Chancellor, who makes the appointment after consulting this professor and the Dean. A more recent, revised procedure is described at http://www.punit.bham.ac.uk/employees/Appoint Head of School.htm.
Joint Safety Advisory Committee This is the statutory committee for consultation on all safety aspects of University operations, and includes trade union representatives. The Health and Safety Unit supports the implementation of the University's health and safety policy.
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