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Oxford University Gazette, 16 June 2005: Notices

CONSULTATIVE NOTICE

Task Force on Academic Employment

Amended notice

Note: the following notice replaces the notice on the Task Force on Academic Employment published in the Gazette of 16 June 2005, pp. 1175-6.


At the end of Hilary Term Council agreed to appoint a task force to undertake a wide- ranging review of a range of key academic staffing issues, including joint appointments. The membership of the task force and its proposed terms of reference are set out below. Council considers that it would be valuable to consult widely on the draft terms of reference to ensure that there is an accurate perception of the full range of issues and concerns in this general area before the task force begins its detailed deliberations.

The task force wishes to stress that it has no preconceived ideas as to whether to propose any changes to current structures or, if so, what those changes might be. It hopes that members of the University will not concentrate on the details of current arrangements but will view this as an opportunity to reflect at a more general level on the broad question of what optimal arrangements for academic employment at Oxford might be, bearing in mind the importance of recruiting, retaining, and rewarding academic staff of the highest international calibre within a structure that appropriately meets the needs of our students and academics. The task force will also have due regard to the implications of academic freedom in the areas under discussion.

The task force intends to seek submissions on the substantive issues within its remit once the terms of reference have been finalised.

Comments on the draft terms of reference should be sent to Ms A. Cross, Deputy Head of Personnel Services, Wellington Square by the end of week 3 of Michaelmas Term (28 October 2005).

Draft terms of reference

To undertake a comprehensive review of arrangements for academic employment in the collegiate University, specifically:

  • the principles relating to all academic appointments, and the effects of the appointments system on workload and the achievement of academic objectives;
  • academic salary structures, including the number and structure of pay grades, promotion, arrangements for recruitment and retention payments, for merit pay and market pay, and for allowances and other additional payments and benefits;
  • arrangements for tenure;
  • the use of titles of distinction;

and to make proposals for future structures in this area, bearing in mind resource issues such as the financial position of the collegiate University, the proportion of its expenditure which should be devoted to academic salaries, the desirable balance between general and discretionary levels of academic salaries, and the key importance of arrangements to recruit, retain, and reward academic staff of the highest international calibre.

Membership

Fiona Caldicott, Principal of Somerville, Pro-Vice-Chancellor-Elect (Personnel and Equal Opportunities) (Chairman)

Anne-Marie Drummond, Senior Tutor, Lincoln College

Philip England, Head of the Department of Earth Sciences, Fellow of University

Felicity Heal, CUF Lecturer in Modern History, Tutorial Fellow of Jesus

Frances Lannon, Principal of Lady Margaret Hall

Timothy Softley, Professor of Chemical Physics, Tutorial Fellow of Merton College

Michael Spence, Head-elect of the Social Sciences Division, currently CUF Lecturer in Law and Tutorial Fellow of St Catherine's College

Bernard Taylor, external member of Council

Nigel Thrift, Pro-Vice-Chancellor-Elect (Research), currently Head of the Life and Environmental Sciences Division, Student of Christ Church

Jeremy Whiteley, Director of Personnel and Administrative Services

Secretary: Alison Cross (Personnel Services)



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GENERAL NOTICES

Computing Services

Academic Computing Development Team (Learning Technologies Group): proposals invited

Over the coming weeks, members of the University will see links appear on a number of University web pages inviting them to 'Send us your ideas and get free help'.

The Learning Technologies Group is looking for suggestions for new IT tools, resources and projects at the University, and would like members of the University to have their say in this by proposing ideas, or informing the LTG of problems which are in need of a solution. Suggestions may be in the form of a general facility for everybody to use, or something more specific to support the proposer's own research or teaching.

The LTG will contact those who fill in the form with advice and useful information where this is appropriate, and for some suggestions may also be able to offer substantial practical help from experienced developers free of charge. Ideas put forward will also be used to influence future work in the Learning Technologies Group.

Suggestions can be filled on online at www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/acdt/suggest/, or by following the link on the Webmail and WebLearn login pages. Alternatively, suggestion can be e-mailed directly to acdt@oucs.ox.ac.uk (include your name and department/faculty in the message).

This initiative is also the entry route into this year's Academic Computing Development Team Call for Proposals, which is usually circulated at this time of year (see further, below). Anybody who was hoping to submit a proposal to the aforementioned scheme is requested to fill in the Suggestions Form, and their idea will be considered for development assistance from there.

Academic Computing Development Team Call for Proposals

This notice is for the attention of groups or individuals who were intending to put in a project proposal to the summer 2005 ACDT Call for Proposals. In order to improve the proposal scheme, the ACDT is trialling a two-stage process for the Summer Call. Initial ideas for projects are being collected online in conjunction with a wider survey for IT development suggestions at the University. In the first instance, interested parties should fill in the online form at http://www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/acdt/suggest/. The ideas collected will then each be considered individually and the proposers invited to submit a full proposal where appropriate.

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APPOINTMENTS

Conferments of the title of Visiting Professor

The Medical Sciences Board has conferred the title of Visiting Professor in Immunology on J.R. LAMB, MA (BDS, D.SC. Edinburgh, PH.D. London), currently a member of the Translational Medicine and Genetics Group, GlaxoSmithKline, for a period of three years from 1 July 2005.

The Medical Sciences Board has conferred the title of Visiting Professor in Experimental Endocrinology on Y.P. BERGGREN (PH.D. Uppsala), currently Professor and Head of Cell Biology and Experimental Endocrinology, the Rolf Luft Centre for Diabetes Research, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, for a period of three years from 1 July 2005.

The Mathematical and Physical Sciences Board has conferred the title of Visiting Professor in Industrial Mathematics on professor PETER GRINDROD (B.SC., HON. D.SC.), C.ENG., FBCS, FIEE, Chief Mathematician, Lawson Software, for a period of three years until 30 June 2008.

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Reconferments of the title of Visiting Professor

The Medical Sciences Board has reconferred the title of Visiting Professor in Cancer Pharmacology on P.S. SCHEIN (BA, MD New York), currently President (USA), International Network for Cancer Treatment and Research, for a period of five years from 1 November 2005.

The Medical Sciences Board has reconferred the title of Visiting Professor in Human Cancer Gene Therapy on D.H. KIRN (BA, MD California), currently President and CEO, Jennerex Biotherapeutics Inc., for a period of five years from 1 July 2005.

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