President's weekly update
28 July 2022
Supporting and recognising our staff
I hosted an event for new staff from across the University and spoke about our plans, successes and challenges. They asked me lots of questions about how we deliver equality, diversity and inclusion, what all staff can do to improve student experience, how they access open staff meetings, achieving zero carbon, availability of mentoring, coaching and leadership development, the development of North Campus, and our Cultural Institutions.
At the final meeting with our staff who are part of the national ‘100 Black Professors’ programme, they told me about what they had learnt and gained from the programme and I suggested a follow up meeting with them.
Recognising the achievements of our staff and students, it’s great to see that Dr Melanie Giles and Professors Penny Harvey and Hilary Owen were elected as Fellows of the British Academy (one of the four recognised national academies) and Professor David Olusoga was elected as an Honorary Fellow. Congratulations!
Attracting, retaining and supporting talented staff in Higher Education is the remit of a national group that I am part of. Led by Simon Laver (from Perrett Laver as an expert Chair), the outcomes of this group’s deliberations will be sent to government. We discussed many factors such as pay and conditions, stability of funding, mobility between universities and other employers, retraining opportunities, how to accommodate partners and families, and equality, diversity and inclusion.
Board Chair
Edward Astle is standing down as our Board Chair after an amazing tenure through some of the most difficult circumstances we could have ever imagined. He joined a meeting with senior staff to discuss what we have achieved and what we still need to do. This was followed by a lunch to acknowledge his enormous contribution.
Students
At my last one-to-one meeting with Melody Stephen, outgoing General Secretary of our Students’ Union, we reflected on the past year. Melody said how much she has learnt about the University and how it has been an amazing eye-opener and great experience for her.
I filmed a welcome to our incoming students. Let’s hope they have a bit easier time than students have had over the last three years now things have returned to a ‘new normal’ after the pandemic.
Heads meeting
The main focus of the meeting was on the National Student Survey of satisfaction and what we can do to improve this. We also had a discussion about hybrid working and the need to balance the benefits of flexibility versus the importance of a vibrant campus and community.
External meetings
As part of the Russell Group, I met the new Universities Minister, Andrea Jenkyns. As she had only been in post for less than two weeks, she was very much in listening mode. We raised concerns about: European funding; the pressures on students due to inflation; student admissions this year, with pressures in many areas, particularly where numbers are capped such as medicine and dentistry and where students have deferred from last year and where demand exceeds the number of places; the costs of teaching; ever increasing bureaucracy and reporting which takes funding away from our core activities.
Football
Good luck to the England women’s football team in the final this weekend against Germany. Notably six of the team starting the semi-final and four of the substitutes are from Manchester clubs!
Finally
It is now quieter at the University and a time when many of us try to take a break or time for focus on our research or teaching. We should recognise those colleagues who work throughout the summer months, and especially those who are so busy with confirmation and clearing as A-levels come out in August.
I would also like to thank everyone for their tremendous effort and dedication throughout this year. While it has not been without challenge, it is your effort whether academic staff, Professional Services teams, researchers or teaching staff that continues to make our University so successful.
I won’t be sending regular messages over the next few weeks but will update on any key issues. I hope you all have a great break and hope for fine (but not too hot) weather.
Nancy Rothwell, President and Vice-Chancellor