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Date:

2 November 2021

Present:

Professor K Lamberts (KL) (in the Chair), Professor J Derrick (JD), Professor S Fitzmaurice (SF), Professor S Hartley (SH), Professor J Litster (JL), Professor C Newman (CN ), R Sykes (RS), Professor G Valentine (GV), Professor M Vincent (MV), Professor C Watkins (CW)

In attendance:

Dr T Strike (TS), T Wray (TW), I Wright (IW), E Croxford (EC) (Item 6)

Apologies:

J Jones (JJ)

Secretary:

Dr E Smith (ES)

1. Minutes of UEB Held on 15 December 2020

   • The Minutes were approved as an accurate record.

2. Minutes of UEB Held on 12 January 2021

   • The Minutes were approved as an accurate record.

3. Minutes of UEB Held on 13 July 2021

   • The Minutes were approved as an accurate record.

4. Closed Minute and Paper

5. Closed Minute and Paper

6. Students’ Union Officers Goals 2021-22, Part 2

   • (Evie Croxford in attendance for this item)

   • Following the presentation from the seven full-time Students’ Union Sabbatical Officers at its previous meeting, UEB received and noted additional presentations from the six part-time Officers on their respective objectives for 2021/22. Chief among these was the improvement of the University’s offer to mature students; the desirability of increasing the provision of learning and meeting spaces for different groups in the University’s student population, including liberation groups; and work to enhance the PGR student experience.

   • During discussion, UEB welcomed the strong complementarity between the respective Officers’ goals and recognised the value of ensuring that University staff were appraised of these objectives.

7. Prevent Monitoring During the 2020-21 Academic Year

   • The item was deferred.

8. Closed Minute and Paper

9. Closed Minute and Paper

10. Report of the UEB Sexual Violence and Harassment Group

    • UEB considered and approved the report, including minor updates to the membership. Members also noted the range of work in train in the area, including updates to the Sexual Violence and Harassment Action Plan; the University’s approach to Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs) following a letter to universities from Michelle Donelan MP, the Minister for Further and Higher Education, on this subject.

11. Report of the UEB Estates and Capital Sub-Group

    • UEB considered 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.

12. Coronavirus Update

    • Update from the Major Incident Team

      • UEB received and noted the report. There had been a slight decrease in the staff and student infection rates.
      • Members discussed the merits of an incremental approach to strengthening COVID-19 measures on campus, and agreed the following, with (a), below, for immediate implementation and (b) and (c) to assessed in the coming weeks and deployed if needed:
        • The strengthening of messages around wearing face coverings, for roll out on 1 November.
        • The mandating of face coverings, in line with the first step of the UK Government’s Plan B.
        • The potential trialling of COVID passes in the Library, in advance of passes being required as part of Plan B, provided the necessary resources and support were in place and the initiative was considered feasible.
      • UEB also agreed that, going forward, it would no longer have the Coronavirus Update as a standing item and would receive relevant updates and approve proposals as and when required.

13. Round Table

    • AAP Alumni Discount: UEB considered and approved a proposal from MV that the 10% alumni discount available to students who had taken up a doctoral programme in Archaeology at the University should be transferable to doctoral programmes at other universities.
    • Industrial Action: Incident Management Team Update: IW informed UEB that an Industrial Action Incident Management Team (IMT) had been updated.
    • PPBI: KL updated UEB on a member of staff in the Department.
    • COP26: SH updated UEB on the University’s activities in support of COP 26, the publication of good news stories on the University’s website, and work to engage local MPs.
    • Faculty of Arts and Humanities: SF updated UEB on the positive rankings of Departments and Schools in the Times Higher World University Rankings.
    • Faculty of Engineering: JL reported that one of the Engineering: You’re Hired Teams had won a national competition.
    • British Ecological Society: SH informed UEB that she had been granted an Honorary Membership of the Society.