University Executive Board minutes - 23 March 2021

Date:

23 March 2021

Present:

Professor K Lamberts (KL) (in the Chair), Professor J Derrick, Professor S Fitzmaurice (SF), Ms H Fraser-Krauss (HFK); Professor S Hartley (SH), Professor M J Hounslow (MJH), Ms J Jones (JJ), Professor C Newman (CN), Professor D Petley (DP), Mr R Sykes (RS), Professor G Valentine (GV), Professor M Vincent (MV) (Items 6-8), Professor C Watkins (CW)

In attendance:

Dr T Strike (TS); Mrs T Wray (TW); Mr I Wright (IW); Professor Andy Hindmoor (Items 1-5) Mr A Carlile (AC) (Items 1-5); Mr D Jones (Item 6); Ms D Lodge (Item 6)

Apologies:

Secretary:

Mr M Borland (MB)/Dr E Smith (ES)

Closed Minute and Paper
Report of the UEB Estates and Capital Sub-Group
- (Meeting held on 15 March 2021)
- UEB approved a number of proposals set out in the related paper and accompanying business cases, subject to Finance Committee and/or Council approval where relevant in accordance with the Scheme of Delegation:
  - Norton Playing Fields
    - The release from the capital programme to support the completion of the car parking facilities at the Norton Sports Ground.
    - That, subject to the Social Science PEG accepting a satisfactory design and costs, the PEG be given full delegated authority to instruct the physical construction change.
  - Relocation of School of East Asian Studies (SEAS)
    - The relocation of SEAS from Shearwood Road to Jessop West which would include carrying out minor reconfigurations to Jessop West to create a small number of additional academic offices to facilitate the move.
    - The estimated cost of the project inclusive of fees & VAT and that these funds would be released from the Capital Programme.
  - Harpur Hill
    - The budget for the essential infrastructure works to the Harpur Hill site.
  - Computer Science Hub
    - Proceed with the development of the proposed Datacubes Building as a standalone project, to be separated from the main refurbishment of Regent Court, which would be carried out at a later date.
    - The release of gross budget.
  - Gene Therapy Innovation and Manufacturing Centre (GTIMC) funding update and approval to proceed
    - The release of the full capital budget for the GTIMC.
Closed Minute and Paper
Round Table
- Staff Illness: MJH reported on the illness of a member of staff in the Faculty of Engineering. UEB would offer support to the affected colleague in due course.
- Department for Education (DfE): KL informed UEB about a meeting with the Permanent Secretary of the DfE.
- UKRI: SH updated UEB on UKRI’s recently announced cuts to the ODA grant. It was anticipated that all grants in scope would receive no further funding after July 2021. It was noted that the sector was awaiting information from UKRI on how the cuts would be employed, and whether there was scope for grants to be re-profiled. UEB agreed that, as a specific response to the exceptional circumstances, decisions relating to principal investigators (PIs), e.g. in respect of probation or promotion, should not be affected by the removal of their funding.

University Executive Board