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Senate Business Committee

Senate Business Committee
Agenda

A meeting of the Senate Business Committee will be held at 10.05 a.m. on Wednesday, 2 October 2024 via Microsoft Teams.

Rachael Bernard
Senior Governance Officer
(r.bernard@abdn.ac.uk)

AGENDA

FOR DISCUSSION

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.
 


 

6.

Approval of the minutes of the meeting held on 13 May 2024

Remit and Composition

Draft Agenda for the meeting of the Senate on 23 October 2024

Schedule of Business for Senate 2024/25

Election Rules for the Election of the Rector (for approval)
Following discussion with the Students’ Union the rules for the forthcoming election of a Rector have been updated to align with current University Structures.  On behalf of Senate the Committee is asked to approve the rules.

Senate Representation on UEC & QAC
The Committee is invited to discuss the suggestion that the transitional arrangements for the inclusion of Senate members on UEC & QAC are extended for one further year to ensure trust

SBC2425:01

SBC2425:02

SBC2425:03

SBC2425:04

SBC2425:05

 

FOR ROUTINE APPROVAL

7.

8.

Senate Elections

Postgraduate Research Officers
On the recommendation of the Postgraduate Research School the Committee is asked to approve the appointment of the following as Postgraduate Research Officers:

  • Dr Ben Marsden, School of Divinity, History Philosophy & Art History
  • Dr Archie Graham, School of Education
  • Dr Johannes Heim, School of Language, Literature, Music & Visual Culture
  • Dr Sam Miller, School of Medicine, Medical Sciences & Nutrition

SBC2425:06

FOR INFORMATION

9.

Dates of meetings in 2024/25
The Committee is invited to note the dates of meetings to be held in 2024/25:

Committee dates for 2024/25 are as follows:

  • 28 November 2024
  • 15 January 2025
  • 25 February 2025
  • 23 April 2025

Forthcoming dates for Senate 2024/25:

  • 23 October 2024
  • 5 December 2024
  • 5 February 2025
  • 19 March 2025
  • 14 May 2025
  
Remit

Purpose

The Senate Business Committee has a primary role to agree Senate agendas. In order to engage Senate in open debate, the Senate Business Committee also identifies for each meeting of Senate at least one major strategic topic for discussion.

The Committee has delegated responsibility from the Senate to approve the appointment of Senate members or representatives to University Committees and the schedule for Senate elections.

Remit

The primary role of the Senate Business Committee is to agree Senate agendas.

In order to engage Senate in open debate, and to inform future policy and development by sub-committees for subsequent approval by the Senate, it has been agreed that the Senate Business Committee should identify at least one topic for discussion of a major strategic issue at each Senate meeting.  This would not preclude such topics being included on the agenda ad hoc in response to, in particular, national consultations and major issues that emerged during the course of an academic year that the University should address.

The Senate Business Committee, in drafting Senate agendas, should also decide, as deemed appropriate whether an external speaker (e.g. from the Scottish Funding Council, the Scottish Executive, Universities Scotland, the Higher Education Academy) should be invited to address the Senate on a topic of current interest or debate within the HE sector.

The Senate Business Committee is also asked to determine the timing of consideration, by the Senate, of annual reports from the Senior Vice-Principal, Vice-Principals and the University Secretary.

Composition & Membership

Composition and Quorum

  • The Senior Vice-Principal (Chair)
  • University Secretary
  • Vice-Principal (Education)
  • Vice-Principal (Research)
  • Six elected members of Senate (elected for a two-year term of office and including one Senate Assessor)
  • Vice-President for Education of the Students’ Association

Quorum: 50%

Membership for 2023/24

  • Karl Leydecker
  • Tracey Slaven
  • Jo-Anne Murray
  • Nick Forsyth
  • Richard Hepworth-Young (until September 2026)
  • David Anderson (until September 2026)
  • Vacant (until September 2026)
  • Diane Skåtun (Assessor, until September 2025) 
  • Scott Allen (until September 2025)
  • Vacant (until September 2025)
  • Miles Rothoerl

Clerk: Rachael Bernard

Minutes
2023-24
2022-23
2021-22
2020-21