Dame Denise Holt, Chair of Council

On Friday, the University’s governing body, Council, held its termly meeting.

We were delighted that our Vice-Chancellor elect, Sasha Roseneil, was able to join us on campus to attend a pre-meeting presentation about the development of our Inclusive Sussex strategy and meet members of Council over dinner. Sasha joins us permanently on 1 August.

In a thoroughly engaging presentation on the eve of Council, our Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Culture Equality and Inclusion, David Ruebain, took us through the evolution of thinking and current legal and social realities around these important issues. David is currently leading a review of our Inclusive Sussex strategy which will come to Council in due course after being approved by University committees. This was a very thought-provoking session, with many questions. Members of Council much appreciated the insights David was able to share.

At Council on Friday, we covered some issues which I know are very much at the forefront of people’s minds. This message is therefore a little longer than usual.

Pensions

Perhaps the most important issue for many staff will have been a discussion on pensions. We discussed a motion from Senate expressing dissatisfaction with a decision taken by Council on 18 February, not to support the UCU proposal for the USS Pension in response to a UUK consultation.

Members of Council were at pains to recognise how worrying pension changes are to those involved. Our discussion on this topic was mindful of and empathetic toward the distress and anxiety caused to USS members. Members of Council expressed a range of opinions and in particular commented on the very significant amount of information received and discussed by Council over a sustained period, including written and oral briefings from Sussex UCU itself. Having reviewed all the information, Council decided by a significant majority vote that it did not wish to reconsider its decision of 18 February 2022.

With changes to USS pensions now in effect, many members of Council argued that it would be more productive to focus on the agenda for the next valuation to be held no later than 2023. We encouraged the Vice-Chancellor to work with staff, UCU representatives and UUK to secure reform, including notably: low-cost contribution options, governance improvements and benefit conditional indexing. It would also be important to ensure the next valuation had the appropriate risk profile and contribution/benefit outcomes.

Additionally, recognising concerns raised by Senate, Council agreed that the University’s internal auditors (KPMG) should undertake a review of the process leading up to the Council vote of 18 February. This report will come to Council in due course, in order to learn lessons for future decision-making. As noted above, a majority of members of Council were clear that the further information/clarifications since 18 February did not alter their decision.

People Strategy

An integral - vital - element in our ambition for Sussex is our People Strategy. Since our first People Strategy was agreed in March 2020, everyone has been working against a backdrop of two very challenging years with Covid, remote working, uncertainty around Size and Shape, industrial relations disputes and a challenging recruitment market. Recognising how hard this time has been for staff and students alike, Council welcomed the fact that the University remained on an even keel financially and had achieved much to prepare the University for future successes. Details of the revised strategy will be shared by HR staff in due course.

Progress on our strategy and key programmes of work

Since the launch of our Strategic Framework (Sussex 2025) a number of projects and programmes of work have been undertaken to move us forward as an institution. Council welcomed the fact that the Size and Shape programme had enabled greater agility, allowing the creation of new posts where demand was strongest. Our One Professional Service Programme is also on track. Council welcomed the fact that there had been no compulsory redundancies and expressed the hope that, as Investing in a Better Sussex becomes business as usual, we will be able to focus our energy, resources and efforts into outstanding research, education and student experience, all with the aim of regaining our place in the top 20 institutions, safeguarding jobs and traditions at Sussex for the future.

Following Council, members toured the new Student Centre. We hope this space will transform how our students access vital services. Such a lot of hard work has gone into turning this vision into a reality and we are looking forward to seeing it fully up and running. It is part of our determined effort to invest in the future of Sussex, for the benefit of our staff and students. Much of this work, for example improving our IT infrastructure, is invisible, but will be of equal importance to our entire community.

Affordable Housing

Building on our ambitions to be an inclusive community, I was pleased that we were able to approve the Sussex Affordable Housing policy which will provide financial support to first year undergraduate students from lower income backgrounds who apply to live in guaranteed university accommodation. We heard how this policy has been discussed and designed with student representatives, as well as with our Students Union and the Widening Participation team.

Council recognised the drive and support provided by the current Students Union sabbatical officers and the work they have done making this policy what it is.

This is one of the ways we can support students from all backgrounds to be able to access education. We firmly believe a diverse, inclusive university community can help make a fairer society for all. A trial of the affordable housing policy will begin in September 2023.

Students Union update

Finally, Nehaal Bajwa, our USSU Council Representative, briefed Council on the imminent handover to a newly elected sabbatical team as well some changes in permanent USSU staff. Both on the day and at dinner the night before all members of Council congratulated Nehaal on the election to become the next NUS Vice President for Liberation and Equality. We wish Neehal every success in this exciting new role.

With best wishes,

Denise

Dame Denise Holt