Presentation on the Review of the Central Administration Professor Paul Wellings, Vice-Chancellor Professor Bob McKinlay, Deputy Vice-Chancellor Staff Briefing 28 th October 2008

Introduction Review was not precipitated by a dysfunctional central administration Review was rather precipitated by –no recent review –area of substantial change –area of major importance –positioning for the future Evidence base –reports (consultants and academics) –other universities (both UK and overseas) –domestic information Macro lessons –no right answer –many strong features –some recurring concerns –directions of travel

Basic building blocks Council Vice-Chancellor Management Group Central Services Senate Faculties

Vice-Chancellor Divisional Heads DeansDVC/PVC FacultiesAFR Vice-Chancellor Management Group

Central Services – Part 1 Centre/Local Balance Could move to Faculties – inappropriate (not confederacy, lose economies of scale due to relatively small size, institutional issues to be covered). All central – inappropriate (would mean turning back the clock to traditional civil service world; inconsistent growth in salience of Faculties) Partnership – highly appropriate and would anticipate increasing, albeit variable, intersection Some key points on partnership –Faculties model centre –must be some marked stability –clarity on division central/Faculty and on line management responsibility (danger of duplication) –expect variation in balance of partnership across functional areas.

Central Services – Part 2 Functional Organisation Rationale for grouping by function –produces internal and external clarity –permits form to follow function –provides the basis on which partnerships with Faculties are built –provides the basis on which clarity of objectives can be achieved.

Central Services – Part 2 Functional Organisation ctd… Functional groupings –Marketing and External Linkages –Student-based Services –HR –Finance –Facilities –ISS –Research Support and Commercialisation –Governance/Legal

Central Services – Part 2 Functional Organisation ctd… Rationale for number of functional groupings –need to avoid overstretch –need to be reasonably large for economies of scale and flexibility –need to cohere around distinctive and enduring substantive functions tied to constituencies.

Vice-Chancellor Faculties Deans Portfolios Deputy V-C Pro-V-C University Secretary Marketing & External Linkages Chief Operating Officer Governance Student-based services HR Finance Facilities ISS Research Support & Commercialisation Central Services – Part 3 Organisation Arrangement

Central Services – Part 3 Organisation Arrangement ctd… Rationale for grouping of functions –separate governance/legal essentially following independent judiciary –put remaining functions into a unitary structure to maximise integration