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University Committees

University Strategy Implementation Committee

Standing Orders

(Governance and Business/Operations committee of Council)

These Standing Orders should be read in conjunction with the Joint Standing Orders of Senate and Council.

Membership

Ex officio members:

The Vice-Chancellor and Warden (Professor Stuart Corbridge)
The President of the Durham Students’ Union: (Miss Megan Croll)

Up to five members of Council including at least one member of Audit Committee, one member of Finance Committee and one staff member:

A member of Finance Committee: Mrs Kate Pretty (Chair) (2017)
A member of Audit Committee: Ms Alexis Cleveland (2017)
Ms Fiona Ellis (2017)
Mr James Grierson (2017)
One staff member: Professor Catherine Alexander (2017)

Up to two co-opted members:

In attendance:

The Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Provost (Professor Antony Long)
The Chief Operating Officer (Mrs Jane Robinson)
The Chief Financial Officer (Ms Sally McGill)
Director of Strategic Initiatives Delivery Unit (Ms Sian Broadhurst)

Secretariat

The University Secretary shall be Secretary of the Committee.

Frequency of Meetings

Quarterly, but likely to be more frequent in the first year of operation

The Committee to have the power to appoint up to two co-opted members

Quorum to be 50% of the members of the Committee including at least 3 lay members.

Minutes of Meetings

Draft minutes of the meetings shall be circulated to committee members as soon as practicable after each meeting.

Purpose

A Committee of Council established to provide strategic oversight and scrutiny of progress in implementing the University Strategy 2017-2027, in particular its nine Critical Initiatives, where such oversight and scrutiny does not already fall within the remits of other Council Committees (e.g. Finance and Audit).

The Committee will receive progress reports on behalf of Council, from the Executive and Project Boards on implementation of the overall University Strategy and strategic projects as against targets, key performance indicators (KPIs) and timelines.

The Committee will have no decision making powers, will be a scrutiny rather than policy-making body and will report to Council.

Terms of Reference

To provide strategic oversight and scrutiny and gain assurance for Council on the progress of the Executive in implementing the University Strategy 2017-2027 and other strategies approved by Council.

  1. To ensure that key risks associated with the implementation of the University Strategy have been identified and that mitigating actions are in place for managing these.
  2. To receive reports demonstrating that adequate arrangements and controls are in place to ensure the delivery of major projects.
  3. To receive assurance from the Executive that developments in the external environment that could impact achievement of the University Strategy are being kept under review and to be informed as to any revisions which may have to be made to the University Strategy, its targets or KPIs.
  4. To agree with the Executive the best way of reporting the above matters (1-4) to Council.
  5. To review its own effectiveness and Terms of Reference after a year of operation (and annually thereafter) to enable Council to assess whether the Committee is performing a useful role.