Governance Support Unit

Role and Responsibilities

Kate Deeming, Director of Governance Support

My key responsibilities are:

  • Governance: supporting University governance policy and practice and modernising corporate governance arrangements;
  • Committee support: managing the University's senior governance and executive committees (including Council, Senate, University Executive Committee, Nominations Committee);
  • External agencies: interacting as the University's representative with external agencies in relation to corporate governance policy and practice;
  • Guidance and advice: to staff across the University in relation to the above responsibilities;
  • Lay members of Council: supporting the Chairman of Council and lay (external) members of University Council;
  • GSU: leading and managing the Governance Support Unit team.

If you would like any further information please do not hesitate to contact me on c.r.deeming@durham.ac.uk or extension 46113

Erica Young, Assistant Registrar

My main areas of responsibility are:

  • Audit and Assurance: Secretary to Audit, responsible for managing the business of the Committee and for advising on the compliance with the HEFCE Code of Practice on Audit and Assurance;
  • Finance and General Purposes Committee: Secretary to Finance and General Purposes Committee.

If you would like any further information please do not hesitate to contact me on e.d.young@durham.ac.uk or extension 46139

Sophie Philipson, Information and Data Protection Manager

My main areas of responsibility are:

To co-ordinate across the University:

  • Records Management
  • Data Protection, including serving as the University's Data Protection Officer
  • Freedom of Information
  • Guidance and advice: to staff across the University in relation to the above responsibilities.

If you would like any further information please do not hesitate to contact me on s.e.philipson@durham.ac.uk or extension 46152.

If you would like to request access to information under Data Protection or Freedom of Information legislation please email info.access@durham.ac.uk

Durham Burt, Deputy Information and Data Protection Manager

My main areas of responsibility are:

  • Freedom of Information Act and Data Protection Act: coordinating responses to requests for information and ensuring compliance with legislation
  • Records management policy and practices: assisting the Records Manager with development and implementation
  • Training/guidance/advice: helping University staff understand their responsibilities under information legislation.

If you would like to request access to information under Data Protection or Freedom of Information legislation please email info.access@durham.ac.uk

Mark Richardson, Policy Support Officer

My main areas of responsibility are:

  • Minutes secretary to Senate and UEC
  • University Statutes
  • Almanac (diary of formal Committee meetings and events)
  • Committee memberships
  • Senate and Council Standing Orders
  • University Calendar (Volume 1)
  • Guidance and advice: to staff across the University in relation to the above responsibilities.

If you would like any further information please do not hesitate to contact me on mark.richardson@durham.ac.uk or extension 46153

Deborah English, Senior Secretary

My main areas of responsibility are:

  • Senate: supporting the Director of Governance Support and Policy Support Officer with the administration of the meetings of Senate
  • Finance: supporting the Director of Governance Support in monitoring the GSU budget and the day to day finances
  • GSU Web Pages: supporting the production and maintenance of the GSU web pages
  • Calendar Volume I, Almanac, supporting the Policy Support Officer in the production/distribution of these publications
  • Desk Diaries: production of the University Desk Diary

If you would like any further information please do not hesitate to contact me on deborah.english@durham.ac.uk or extension 46150

Kendra Greaves, Senior Secretary/PA to Director of Governance Support

My main areas of responsibility are:

  • PA to the Director of Governance Support
  • Council: supporting the Director of Governance Support and the Policy Support Officer with the administration of Council meetings. Assisting with the recruitment; induction and training and development of Council members.
  • Nominations Committee: supporting the Director of Governance Support with the administration of the Nominations Committee
  • Statutes:
  • Calendar: Volume 1 relating to Statutes and Fees.

If you would like any further information please do not hesitate to contact me on Kendra.greaves@durham.ac.uk or extension 46115

Natalie Weston, Senior Secretary

My main areas of responsibility are:

  • Secretary to the Assistant Registrar;
  • Secretary to the Information and Data Protection Manager and Deputy Information and Data Protection Manager ; assisting with Freedom of Information Requests, Subject Access Requests, Records Management policy and practices and Copyright licenses;
  • University Executive Committee (UEC): supporting the operation of the committee
  • Calendar Volume 1 relating to General Regulations; update this section of the Calendar

If you would like any further information please do not hesitate to contact me on natalie.weston@durham.ac.uk or extension 46124

Vacancy, Secretary

My main areas of responsibility are:

  • Audit Committee; service this committee;
  • Assisting the Policy Support Officer with University Governance duties
  • Assisting in Records Management tasks and responding to requests for release of information under Information Access Legislation.

If you would like any further information please do not hesitate to contact me on extension 46124.