1. Half-Yearly meeting January 2017
Report of the Business Committee
John Marsh, Convener
University of Glasgow General Council

2. Report of the Business Committee
Business Committee membership Matters arising at Business Committee meetings Work of Committees General Affairs Sub-committee Senate Academic Standards Committee Glasgow University Trust Young Alumnus of the Year Avenue Editorial Board Looking Ahead
University of Glasgow General Council

3. Business Committee membership
Eight vacancies
Leaving us:
Professor Arthur Allison
Dr Bobby Logan
Professor Eve Johnstone
Duncan Marley
Kate Dunlop
Ruth Sharp
Helen McAvoy
Anne Lowe
All have made valuable contribution to Business Committee
during sometimes difficult period
Ordinance changing the composition of Court
Higher Education Governance (Scotland) Act
University of Glasgow General Council

4. Scottish Code of Good HE Governance
Introduced in 2013
review due 2016
Higher Education Governance (Scotland) Act 2016 covers many principles of Code
Review by Committee of Scottish Chairs of Scottish higher education
Convener met independent consultants
Code discussed by Business Committee prior to introduction
little day-to-day impact on General Council
governing body to be well connected with its “stakeholders, including staff and students
Principle might be expanded to include any graduates association, i.e. General Council
University of Glasgow General Council .

5. University of Glasgow General Council
Communication
Peter Aitchison, Director of Communications and Public Affairs
Formed a year ago
main role is to maintain, protect and enhance reputation of University
makes more use of video and social media
assists academics to be comfortable before media
attracted many former staff from prominent media outlets
Convener to meet to seek advice on raising the profile of the GCBC and the General Counci
University of Glasgow General Council

6. General Affairs Sub Committee
Supports Convener in identifying matters of interest or concern
Matters considered
level of access provided by the University for students from disadvantaged backgrounds
implications of Brexit
use of Graduate Teaching Assistants
role of University Teachers within the University
gender imbalance in student intake
University’s policy on student debt
University of Glasgow General Council

7. Senate Academic Standards Committee
A member of Business Committee attends meetings of Senate Academic Standards Committee as observer
Matters noted include:
Higher Education Funding Council for England Teaching Excellence Framework
level of discretion to be allowed to external examiners
results of Undergraduate College Monitoring Summaries
University of Glasgow General Council

8. Glasgow University Trust
Business Committee nominates Two Trustees
A limited role
Trust has been restructured
Assets held in more liquid form
Total number of Trustees reduced
Business Committee Trustees reduced to one
University of Glasgow General Council

9. Young Alumnus of the Year
Convener invited to take part in the selection
Matt Fountain (MA, 2011) was named for 2016
founded Freedom Bakery
trains prisoners in artisan bakery
skills which assist them to enter employment on release
University of Glasgow General Council

10. Avenue Editorial Board
Two members of Business Committee on editorial board of Avenue
University of Glasgow General Council

11. Looking ahead Convener has met
Clerk of Senate and Senior Vice-Principal, Professor John Briggs
Secretary of Court, David Newall
Chair of Court, Elizabeth Passey
Aim:
to investigate constructive and supportive role for General Council
Business Committee agreed to consider this in more detail