University of Oxford

Note:
(i) Notices of awards are not included in the online Gazette -- please refer to the printed Gazette.
(ii) An asterisk against an entry in the Contents indicates a previously published notice.

Oxford University Gazette, 19 March 2008: Notices

CONSULTATIVE NOTICES

Committee on Statutes Before the Privy Council

Amendment to the Statutes of New College

The Committee on Statutes before the Privy Council, acting under authority delegated to it by Council, is minded to give consent on behalf of the University to the amendment to Statute XV of New College as approved by the Governing Body on 13 February 2008, in so far as such consent is required by Section 7 (2) of the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge Act, 1923.

This consent will be effective unless written notice of a resolution, signed by at least twenty members of Congregation, calling upon Council to withhold that consent, has been given to the Registrar by noon on Monday, 31 March.

The effect of the amendments is to provide for the adoption of a policy of 'total return' in relation to the investment of trust funds.

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Medical Sciences Board/EPSC Review of the Departments of Clinical Neurology, Ophthalmology, and Anaesthetics

The Medical Sciences Board is undertaking a review of the departments of Clinical Neurology, Ophthalmology, and Anaesthetics jointly with the Educational Policy and Standards Committee of Council, as part of a programme of rolling reviews under joint aegis. The review will be chaired by the Head of Division, Dr Ken Fleming, and will take place on 6 and 7 May. The review committee's terms of reference are:

1. To review the quality of academic activities in the departments, by reference to international standards of excellence; action taken since the last review of the department (where appropriate); planning statements at department and divisional level, and in the context of the University's mission statement and strategic plan. In particular:

(a) the quality of the research of the departments, including their participation in interdepartmental, interdivisional and interdisciplinary activities, their research profiles and strategies, and future challenges and opportunities;

(b) (i) the quality of graduate programmes and their delivery and related issues, including:

  • access and graduate recruitment;
  • progression and achievement;
  • curriculum design and programme structure (taught only);
  • teaching, learning and assessment;
  • the relationship between teaching and research;
  • academic and pastoral support and guidance;
  • the provision and use of learning resources (including staff resources);
  • specific arrangements for the pursuit of graduate studies (including research degrees and research training and provision for part-time study);
  • relationships with colleges;
  • quality assurance mechanisms;

(ii) the organisation of undergraduate teaching and its relationship with graduate provision and research;

(c) the organisation of the departments, their management structures and the relationship between the departments and the division, the management of operational matters such as:

  • strategic planning (including relationship to the divisional five-year plans and the University's Strategic Plan);

    —academic and non-academic staff planning and recruitment;

    —student number planning;

  • terms of appointment for academic staff, including career development and equal opportunities issues;
  • accommodation and future space needs;
  • fundraising;

(d) the relationship (structural and operational) between units within the departments, and between the departments and cognate subject areas and colleges to which they are linked in teaching and research, and between the department and relevant external bodies.

2. To consider the current and long-term financial position of, and funding arrangements for, departments, and their financial strategies.

The review committee would welcome written comments on matters falling within its terms of reference. These should be sent to the Divisional Secretary and joint secretary to the review committee, Dr David Bryan (e- mail: david.bryan@medsci.ox.ac.uk), by Tuesday, 8 April.

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Humanities Board/EPSC Review of Medieval and Modern Languages

The Humanities Board and the Educational Policy and Standards Committee of Council will jointly conduct a review of Medieval and Modern Languages in Week Six of Trinity Term. The review committee's terms of reference are:

1. To review the quality of academic activities in the faculty, by reference to:

  • international standards of excellence;
  • action taken since the last review of the faculty;
  • planning statements at faculty and divisional level, and in the context of the University's mission statement and corporate plan. In particular:

(a) the quality of the research of the faculty, including its participation in interdepartmental, interdivisional and interdisciplinary activities, its research profile and strategy, and future challenges and opportunities;

(b) the quality of undergraduate and graduate programmes, and their delivery and related issues, including:

  • access and admissions;
  • curriculum design and programme structure;
  • teaching, learning and assessment;
  • the relationship between teaching and research;
  • academic and pastoral support and guidance;
  • the provision and use of learning resources (including staff resources);
  • specific arrangements for the pursuit of graduate studies;
  • relationships with colleges;
  • quality assurance mechanisms;

(c) the organisation of the faculty, its management structures, and the relationship between the faculty and the Humanities Division, including such matters as:

  • strategic planning (including relationship to the divisional five-year plan and the University's corporate plan;
  • academic and non-academic staffing and recruitment;
  • student number planning;
  • terms of appointment for academic staff, including career development and equal opportunities issues;
  • fundraising;

(d) the relationship (structural and operational) between units within the faculty, and between the faculty and cognate subject areas, and colleges to which it is linked in teaching and research.

2. To consider the current and long-term financial position of, and funding arrangements for, the faculty, and its financial strategy.

The review committee would welcome written comments on matters falling within its terms of reference. These should be sent to the joint secretary to the review committee, Dr Anne-Marie Drummond, Humanities Division, 34 St Giles' (e-mail: anne- marie.drummond@humanities.ox.ac.uk ), by Wednesday, 30 April.

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Mathematical, Physical and Life Science Board/EPSC Review of Physics

The Mathematical, Physical and Life Sciences Board is undertaking a review of Physics jointly with the Educational Policy and Standards Committee of Council, as part of a programme of rolling reviews under joint aegis. The review will be chaired by the Head of Division, Professor Halliday, and will take place in Week Four of Trinity Term. The review committee's terms of reference are:

1. To review the quality of academic activities in the department, by reference to:

  • international standards of excellence;
  • action taken since the last review of the department;
  • planning statements at department and divisional levels, and in the context of the University's mission statement and strategic/corporate plan. In particular:

(a) the quality of the research of the department, including its participation in interdepartmental, interdivisional and interdisciplinary activities, its research profile and strategy, and future challenges and opportunities;

(b) the quality of undergraduate and graduate programmes, and their delivery and related issues, including:

  • access and admissions;
  • curriculum design and programme structure;
  • teaching, learning and assessment;
  • the relationship between teaching and research;
  • academic and pastoral support and guidance;
  • the provision and use of learning resources (including staff resources);
  • specific arrangements for the pursuit of graduate studies;
  • relationships with colleges;
  • quality assurance mechanisms; (c) the organisation of the department, its management structures, and the relationship between the department and the Mathematical, Physical and Life Sciences Division, including such matters as:
  • strategic planning (including relationship to the divisional five-year plan and the University's strategic/corporate plan;
  • academic and non-academic staffing and recruitment;
  • student number planning;
  • terms of appointment for academic staff, including career development and equal opportunities issues;
  • fundraising;

(d) the relationship (structural and operational) between units within the department, and between the department and cognate subject areas, and colleges to which it is linked in teaching and research.

2. To consider the current and long-term financial position of, and funding arrangements for, the department, and its financial strategy.

The review committee would welcome written comments on matters falling within its terms of reference. These should be sent to the Divisional Secretary and joint secretary to the review committee, Mary-Ann Robertson (e-mail: maryann.robertson@mpls.ox.ac.uk ), by Tuesday, 8 April.

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GENERAL NOTICES

University Policy on Socially Responsible Investment

The following statement of policy was approved by Council on 10 March 2008

The University of Oxford is committed to ensuring that it makes investment decisions responsibly and with integrity. The University will ensure that its procedures fulfil the following aims:

1. (a) to engage with companies in which it might invest (that is, use its influence to encourage ethical standards, practices and lines of business acceptable to the University); or (b) negatively or positively screen investments on ethical grounds, where this does not reduce the financial return on investment, but with the proviso that, if the activities of a company are, on ethical grounds, inconsistent with the educational and/or research objectives of the University, then the University may choose not to invest even though this may reduce returns;

2. to provide a forum for the review of investments under this policy;

3. to monitor the University's investments and the procedures for reviewing investment proposals to ensure that its ethical standards are maintained.

To carry out its policy objectives the University has established the Socially Responsible Investment Review Committee, the terms of reference and composition of which are set out in ' University Acts' above.

University Gazette: publication arrangements

This is the final Gazette of the present term.

Publication for Trinity Term will begin on 17 April. The usual deadlines will apply.

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APPOINTMENTS

Professorship of Social Anthropology

DAVID N. GELLNER, MA M.PHIL D.PHIL Oxf, Fellow of Wolfson College and University Lecturer in the Social Anthropology of South Asia, has been appointed to the professorship with effect from 1 October 2008.

Dr Gellner will be a fellow of All Souls College.

Reconferments of the Title of Visiting Professor

The Mathematical, Physical and Life Sciences Board has reconferred the title of Visiting Professor in Physics upon the following:

DR MATT MOUNTAIN, B.SC, PH.D, DIC, ARCS, FRAS, Director, Space Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore, for three years from 1 May 2008

DR RICHARD WALKER, BA, M.SC. PH.D, Technical Director, Diamond Light Source Ltd., for three years from 1 March 2008

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