Professor Sasha Roseneil

As we start the new academic year I am introducing a number of changes to the University’s executive governance structures, as well as creating two new leadership forums. Below I explain the key elements of these changes.

Ultimately, the University is governed by Council but within Council’s overarching responsibility there are three elements of governance.

First, there is there is the Council’s own ‘corporate’ governance which is to ensure that the University is fulfilling our charitable objectives, and our statutory, regulatory, and legal compliance requirements, as set out in our Charter.

Second, there is academic governance, which is the responsibility of Senate. Senate’s remit is academic standards and the direction and regulation of academic matters.

Then there is executive governance. Executive governance supports me in day-to-day leadership and management and in realising the University’s strategic and operational objectives, subject to Council’s oversight.

Executive governance

Having reflected over the past year since I arrived at Sussex on how our executive governance structures are working, I have decided to introduce some changes. The aim is to improve the quality of decision-making, to close some governance gaps, and to ensure that policy is developed and decisions are made at the appropriate level, with the right people in the room.

Historically, at the top of executive governance has been the University Executive Group (UEG), the formal role of which is to advise and support me in my work as Vice-Chancellor, in particular in relation to strategic and operational objectives. UEG will, from now on, be renamed the University Executive Team (UET). This minor change signals that our senior leaders work together as a team, with members taking collective responsibility for the decisions we make.

In addition to UET, I will be creating several new ‘UET+’ Boards and modifying a couple of others. The new Boards will be the:

• Risk Management Board
• Environmental Sustainability Board
• Academic Performance Improvement Board
• Global and Civic Engagement Board
• Financial Planning and Monitoring Board
• People and Culture Board
• Capital Strategy and Investment Board

The focus of the UET+ Boards is on issues that are vital to the long-term success and health of the institution and which need dedicated focus, with a clear annual cycle of meetings. Some of these Boards will be chaired by me, and some by other members of UET.

There are other groups, committees, forums etc. that are part of the University’s executive governance, and we need to be clear how they feed into UET or one of the UET+ Boards, in order for us to have a coherent executive governance structure, with clear accountabilities and delegated responsibilities. How this is achieved is very much a work in progress and will evolve over time.

University leadership

In addition to these executive governance changes, I am making some changes to how the wider leadership of the University comes together, by creating a new University Leadership Forum and an Academic Leadership Forum – each of which will meet two to three times each term.

The University Leadership Forum, which I will chair, will include everyone who leads a significant University function. This will include Heads of Schools and the Professional Services Leadership Team – who have in the past met as the ‘University Leadership Team’ – and it will include others too. I think it is vital that everyone who leads a significant activity and function gathers together regularly, and that we are able to discuss the University’s strategic and operational aims and direction.

The Academic Leadership Forum will consist of everyone who has an academic leadership role across the University. This will include a range of roles, including Heads of Schools and Departments, Subject Heads, and Directors of Teaching and Learning, Student Experience, and Research and Knowledge Exchange, amongst others. The aim is comprehensive coverage of our academic leaders. I am creating this Forum because, well, it should already exist but doesn’t! Sussex needs well-informed and engaged academic leaders who regularly meet with each other and with the University’s senior leadership to discuss key academic issues. Professor Michael Luck, our new Deputy-Vice-Chancellor and Provost, and I will chair the Academic Leadership Forum and all Pro-Vice-Chancellors and Deputy Pro-Vice-Chancellors will be members.

In addition to these two forums, our four Pro-Vice-Chancellors will also be creating their own leadership teams for their portfolios. Information about membership of these groups will be made available in due course, as arrangements are finalised.

Reviewing and updating our executive governance and leadership structures is vital to the long-term work of ensuring that Sussex is able to develop and thrive in a challenging and fast-moving external environment. Everything will not change overnight, and there will almost certainly be teething problems – we will definitely be learning by doing – but in the medium term I hope, and expect, that you will all start to see the benefits of these new executive governance and leadership structures.

With warmest wishes for the year ahead,

Sasha 

Professor Sasha Roseneil
Vice-Chancellor and President