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Faculty Executive Board (Sciences)

Objectives and outcomes

The Faculty Executive Board (FEB) is the Faculty’s senior leadership decision-making body, with delegated responsibility from the University Executive Board (UEB) to take key decisions on the strategic direction of the Faculty within the University Strategy 2030 framework approved by Council and the strategic aims, outcomes, activities and initiatives led and agreed by UEB.

Chaired by the Faculty Dean, FEB’s role is to ensure that Faculties deliver the public good purpose of the University, academic excellence, whilst achieving financial sustainability and resilience.

FEB oversees Faculty Strategy and associated financial and academic resourcing, including staffing investment, policy and planning, and provides collective responsibility for the reputation and good standing, and effective academic and executive management of, the Faculty in the interests of its students and staff, steering and supporting academic departments and schools in their delivery of these strategic and major operational functions.

Remit

The remit of the Board under the following core, agenda-aligned headings is:

(a) Strategic development, planning, performance monitoring and resourcing: items for consideration and/or decision

  1. To develop and endorse a Faculty Strategy for UEB approval, aligned to the University Strategy 2030 (and related strategies and plans), and exercise joint responsibility for its successful delivery.
  2. To approve and review a framework of Faculty KPIs and risks linked to Strategic KPIs and risks.
  3. To approve strategic initiatives developed by, and between, academic departments and schools, and review their wider staffing and wider resourcing and delivery.
  4. To approve staffing investment plans in the context of the University Strategy and Faculty Operating Margin (FOM).
  5. To:
    1. Identify priority strategic capital estates, IT and integrated infrastructure plan projects which involve the Faculty and academic departments and schools within the scope of faculty budgets and
    2. Oversee their scope and delivery once approved by UEB (or UEB subcommittees, ie CESIS and/or Planning Committee), in conjunction with any central governance oversight (ie central programme or project boards).
  6. To influence and implement University-wide strategic initiatives impacting the Faculty in conjunction with the Pro-Vice-Chancellors (PVCs), Assistant Pro-Vice-Chancellors (APVCs) and Professional Services colleagues.
  7. To collaborate and jointly agree Faculty student recruitment, research performance and knowledge exchange and partnership engagement targets, in conjunction with PVCs and Professional Services Directors on behalf of UEB.
  8. To ensure delivery of the Faculty’s financial targets, focused on the FOM as set by UEB and approve allocation model targets for Heads of Departments and Schools.
  9. To take or delegate decisions on use of the Faculty Fund1 to fund strategic initiatives.
  10. To monitor external or internal academic, disciplinary and policy and organisational developments with significant Faculty, Departmental or School implications.
  11. To ensure health, safety and welfare, EDI and sustainability considerations are designed into all aspects of Faculty decision making and discussions, taking assurance from the Faculty Operations Group (FOG).

(b) Policy and regulatory matters

  1. To approve the Faculty Risk Register, delegating detailed risk management to the FOG.
  2. To ensure compliance with University Statutes, Ordinances, Regulations and policies to enable the Faculty to:
    1. Contribute to University-level governance and assurance; and
    2. At Faculty level through the academic departments and schools.
  3. To ensure University policies and regulations are implemented effectively and proportionately across the Faculty.
  4. To receive and provide periodic assurance to UEB and other bodies on the effectiveness of those policies as delegated for implementation across academic departments and schools.

1 The FOG has delegated authority to directly oversee aspects of the above, but headline accountability remains with the FEB.

Authority

The FEB reports into UEB via the Dean of Faculty who is a UEB member, and through the formal reporting mechanisms set out below.

The FEB has budgetary control and decision-making authority as set down in these terms of reference and related policy and documentation, including the Scheme of Delegated Authority (SoDA).

Reporting and frequency

Reporting to UEB

The FEB reports key points arising from its meetings to UEB as follows:

  • Up to four times per year: through summaries of the business of FEBs to UEB (aggregating salient points for UEB information or decision from the FEB meetings) on a for information basis. The Dean will also draw out key points of note through their quarterly reports to UEB to coincide with submission of summaries of key points arising from the FEB meetings in the prior quarter.
  • Ad hoc: where urgent University-wide matters pertaining to the Faculty require direct escalation to UEB for decision or discussion, Deans are accountable for doing so, having consulted with the relevant UEB members.

Reporting to the Committee

The FEB has the following core committees reporting into it:

  • Faculty Operations Group (FOG), chaired by the Head of Faculty Operations (HoFO)
  • Faculty Research Group (FRG) (chaired by the Associate Dean, Research)
  • Faculty Learning and Teaching Group (FLTG) (chaired by the Associate Dean, Teaching, Learning and Students) - for information
  • Faculty Health and Safety Committee.

Beyond this, the FEB is empowered to establish its own sub-groups and committees to reflect the requirements of the Faculty and or University-level initiatives impacting the Faculty, promoting a task and finish approach where possible. The actions of the above Groups (or updates drawn from these in writing) should be presented to the FEB on a timely basis. There will be an informal Faculty leadership group, with local variation as to nomenclature.

Reporting from the Committee

The FEB maintains indirect reporting relationships with a range of bodies where there is no equivalent Faculty Committee.

Meeting frequency

The FEB will meet at least once a month, with variations as required.

Meeting modes

Meetings to be held either in-person, online or via a hybrid format, subject to agreement by members.

Membership

The FEB’s membership comprises:

1 The Dean will allocate a Deputy Chair to convene the FEB in their absence assigning interim Chairship from the pool of Associate Deans or the HoFO.

In routine/recurrent attendance

  • Karen Barker, Secretary

Other individuals will be invited to attend as required including the Pro-Vice-Chancellors, Associate Pro-Vice-Chancellors, Deputy Heads of Department/School, UEB members, Heads of Professional Services (eg External Relations – Admissions, OPPA, DTEF), DHFOs.

Quorum

50% of members, or 50% plus one where the number of members is not even.

Meeting dates

2023/24

  • Tuesday 5 September 2023, 3pm to 4.30pm in Y/H110
  • Tuesday 3 October 2023, 3pm to 4.30pm in H/G21
  • Tuesday 7 November 2023, 10am to 11.30am in H/G21
  • Tuesday 5 December 2023, 10am to 11.30am in H/G21
  • Tuesday 9 January 2024, 3pm - 4.30pm in H/G21
  • Tuesday 6 February 2024, 3pm to 4.30pm in H/G21
  • Tuesday 5 March 2024, 3pm to 4.30pm in H/G21
  • Tuesday 2 April 2024, 3pm to 4.30pm in H/G21
  • Tuesday 7 May 2024, 3pm to 4.30pm in H/G21
  • Tuesday 4 June 2024, 3pm to 4.30pm in H/G21
  • Wednesday 10 July 2024, 10am to 11.30am in H/G21
  • Tuesday 6 August 2024, 3pm to 4.30pm, H/G21

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