Open Staff Forum May 2012

1. Open Staff ForumMay 2012 • Welcome Nicer pic of the welcome banners from 50th anniversary Open Staff Forum May 2012

2. Agenda • Size, shape, quality and distinctiveness • Academic staffing developments • Curriculum review and structure of the academic year • Services and infrastructure: • facilities management and catering services • IT systems developments. • Campus development Open Staff Forum May 2012

3. Agenda • Size, shape, quality and distinctiveness • Academic staffing developments • Curriculum review and structure of the academic year • Services and infrastructure: • facilities management and catering services • IT systems developments. • Campus development Open Staff Forum May 2012

4. Reminder of aims in size, shape, quality and distinctiveness debate • “We are thinking about the next phase of Sussex’s development. We aspire to be a top 10 University, with world-class research and outstanding teaching & learning. We want to operate in a sustainable manner, where our staff and students are at the centre of future endeavour.” • Encouraged people to contribute to the debate, across the University, in particular coordinated through Schools. Open Staff Forum May 2012

5. Reminder of growth potential – eg student numbers

6. Engagement across the campus • Meetings have taken place in every School on SSQD • Discussion within Professoriate • Discussion with the elected officers of the Students’ Union • Discussion in Student Experience Forum, which is chaired by the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Teaching and Learning) • Discussion with Heads of School, Heads of Division in the professional services and VCEG. Open Staff Forum May 2012

7. Views emerging – size • Opportunity for growth with changing student number control - planned & focused on specific areas. • Growth matched by opportunities to expand staff base. Needs to be reflected in eg capital programme, research base & size of academic units where critical mass is an issue. • Improve financial stability and increasing efficiencies in operation; and maintain satisfactory staff:student ratios. Open Staff Forum May 2012

8. Views emerging– shape • Academically broad-based, encompassing social sciences, arts and humanities, and science and medicine. • Falmer campus the ‘home’ of Sussex. Explore options for complementary developments to extend education opportunities and fit our brand and reputation. • Further student expansion to take account of (a) UG/ PGT/ PGR mix and (b) the balance between home and overseas students. • International partnerships further developed to position Sussex among universities recognized for quality & distinctiveness. Open Staff Forum May 2012

9. Views emerging – quality • Sussex must have excellence at the heart of all activities. • The excellence of our research and taught programmes are at the core of this. • Continuous improvement across all activities needs range of approaches, reflecting different levels (from individuals to university-wide) at which performance is managed. Open Staff Forum May 2012

10. Views emerging – distinctiveness • Reputation as a research intensive/research led university must be maintained. • Reputation for interdisciplinary work, founded on a base of strong subjects, should be maintained. • Need to maintain a distinctive character in relation to national and international competition. Open Staff Forum May 2012

11. Next steps on size, shape and quality • Take on board feedback as just summarised • Continuing modelling student and staff numbers based on schools’ plans • Building in latest student application numbers • Further discussion in summer term within University • Presentation of initial ideas and options to Council in Summer • Continue working over 2012 to refine plans Open Staff Forum May 2012

12. Agenda • Size, shape, quality and distinctiveness • Academic staffing developments • Curriculum review and structure of the academic year • Services and infrastructure: • facilities management and catering services • IT systems developments. • Campus development Open Staff Forum May 2012

13. Academic staffing developments (1) • Sustaining academic strength across social sciences, arts and humanities, and science and medicine. • Investing particularly in areas of growth. Open Staff Forum May 2012

14. Academic staffing developments (2) Open Staff Forum May 2012

15. Academic staffing developments (3) • Heads of School appointments: • Engineering and Informatics: Professor Diane Mynors • Also in process: • Education and Social Work • Mathematical and Physical Sciences • Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research • And congratulations to Bob Allison appointed VC at Loughborough Open Staff Forum May 2012

16. Agenda • Size, shape, quality and distinctiveness • Academic staffing developments • Curriculum review and structure of the academic year • Services and infrastructure: • facilities management and catering services • IT systems developments. • Campus development Open Staff Forum May 2012

17. Portfolio and periodic review (1) • Periodic Reviews in all schools completed – range of good practice and recommendations emerging • Schools now preparing action plans for start of autumn term • Priorities identified in discussion with students: • Signposting services and training staff in procedures • Focus and clarity of academic advising • Quality and quantity of all assessment and feedback Open Staff Forum May 2012

18. Portfolio and periodic review (2) • Nearly 300 UG and PGT programmes reviewed and revalidated. (Reminder necessary since had deliberately held off review since 2007.) • External assessors have been very positive, including on level of student engagement • Thanks to everyone – staff and students – who has given their time to this vital area of work for Sussex. Open Staff Forum May 2012

19. Students’ Union – stop press news • Clare Mackie has rightly been very positive about with Students’ Union and student reps involvement in the curriculum review. Important role. • Please to say USSU shortlisted today for NUS Students’ Union of the Year 2012. And special commendation for 'Innovative Technology of the year' award. Wish them all the best for that. Open Staff Forum May 2012

20. New structure of the academic year • Remember new structure of the academic year – eg two twelve-week teaching periods, and teaching starts 20 September. • Final elements of new structure (for PGT and V&E students) go to Senate in June • Among other things, new structure with mid-year assessment helps us improve assessment and feedback for our students. Open Staff Forum May 2012

21. League tables – impact of assessment and feedback • Sussex at record position in league tables in 2011, on back of excellent NSS and sustained research quality • 2012: Independent from 19th to 21st (although score increased) • 2012: Guardian down to 27th - fall in "assessment and feedback" score in 2011 NSS (they give heavy weight to this) • Still in Guardian top 10 for both teaching and value-add. • "First class" rating in People and Planet Green League (first time ever) out today • Times and Sunday Times due to come this summer. Open Staff Forum May 2012

22. Agenda • Size, shape, quality and distinctiveness • Academic staffing developments • Curriculum review and structure of the academic year • Services and infrastructure: • facilities management and catering services • IT systems developments. • Campus development Open Staff Forum May 2012

23. Facilities management, catering and conferencing (1) • As we grow, want to provide sustainable and high-quality services to students and staff, as efficiently and effectively as possible. • Planning to work with external organisations to manage estates and facilities and to provide catering and conferencing services. • From May 2012, going through formal process to identify experienced high-quality organisations that can best meet our needs. • By March 2013 have preferred suppliers, take on role of providing these services in August 2013. Open Staff Forum May 2012

24. Facilities management, catering and conferencing (2) • Around 235 staff out 2,200 at Sussex, transfer across to new providers. • We are not proposing redundancies. This is about growth and sustaining and improving quality. Staff transfer under TUPE regulations. • Informed trades unions and staff directly affected. • Continue to meet trades unions. Holding meetings with directly affected staff to ensure they have opportunity to raise questions and concerns. • Formal information and consultation with trades unions in spring 2013, once providers identified, as legislation requires. Open Staff Forum May 2012

25. Facilities management, catering and conferencing (3) • Already work successfully with a range of external providers - for example, grounds maintenance, most cleaning and laundry services, and waste management. • Use high-quality external providers in other areas – eg large-scale printing, internal audit, legal services, senior staff recruitment, design services. • We also have external organisations on campus that provide our supermarket, post office, bookshop, health centre. And most recently to sustain creche and nursery services as well. • This process and approach is supported by Universities UK and one which other universities have already undertaken. Open Staff Forum May 2012

26. Agenda • Size, shape, quality and distinctiveness • Academic staffing developments • Curriculum review and structure of the academic year • Services and infrastructure: • facilities management and catering services • IT systems developments. • Campus development Open Staff Forum May 2012

27. IT systems developments • Investing in IT to improve how we work: eg • New finance system, Agresso went live on May 8 • StarRez student housing system introduced • Sussex Research Online launched • Web Content Management System project to implement the TerminalFour solution is beginning • HR & Payroll System – in the final contractual negotiations with the preferred supplier. Open Staff Forum May 2012

28. Student IT improvement project • Investing in IT to better support our students: • More than 360 new computers installed • Wi-Fi improved in the Library • Additional Wi-Fi around where students congregate and in lecture and seminar rooms • Wi-Fi in university residences • IT Systems to be more accessible from student owned devices Open Staff Forum May 2012

29. Agenda • Size, shape, quality and distinctiveness • Academic staffing developments • Curriculum review and structure of the academic year • Services and infrastructure: • facilities management and catering services • IT systems developments. • Campus development Open Staff Forum May 2012

30. Campus development Open Staff Forum May 2012

31. Developing our campus – efficient use of space as we grow Open Staff Forum May 2012

32. Library refurbishment – usage up over 50% compared to 2010-11

33. New academic building ready – but still need more academic space Open Staff Forum May 2012

34. Northfield – gives 1,000 bed spaces – but further development needed Court - March 2012

35. Future capital development • Student residences to meet growing student demand • New academic and research space – Sciences labs • Making best use of our existing buildings • Making sure student-facing services more accessible – ‘Careers’ in library, Student Life Centre Open Staff Forum May 2012

36. Open discussion Comments and questions? (Please raise your hand and wait for a microphone so that everybody – including those using the room’s hearing loop – can hear you.) Open Staff Forum May 2012

37. Open Staff Forum • Thank you for coming today Open Staff Forum May 2012