Plans to strengthen and modernise University charter

Friday, 23 May 2014

The University has today set out major reforms to strengthen and modernise its 88-year-old constitution - including enhanced protection for academic freedom and enshrining equality for all staff.

The Charter, the University's core constitution, was drawn up when Reading became an independent institution in 1926. It gives the University its legal status, sets out its governance structure and gives it the power to award degrees.

But a Project Board set up by the Vice-Chancellor Sir David Bell last year has concluded that the Charter and its underpinning Statutes and Ordinances as drafted is archaic, complex and confusing. It found some provisions are not compliant with modern employment law. It also found some of the disciplinary and grievance procedures it stipulates are unnecessarily longwinded and adversarial.

The Project Board has now recommended a series of far-reaching changes so that the Charter helps deliver the University's longer-term plans in the run-up to its centenary year in 2026.

Sir David has written an open-letter to staff today kick-starting a detailed consultation process with staff on the proposals.

This starts with formal discussions on proposed changes on employment provisions with the University and College Union starting this month. The new proposed new Charter will be published for consultation with staff and students in the autumn. And the University aims to introduce the new Charter and underpinning Ordinances on 1 August 2015.

The key proposed reforms include:

• setting out the objectives of the University, its powers and the structure of the governing bodies more clearly, to ensure greater accountability at all levels.
• enshrining academic freedom for the first time rather than it being set out in one of the supporting Statutes.
• making explicit the University's commitment to fair and equal treatment of every employee and student - not just academic staff.
• making it less adversarial and more straightforward to resolve disciplinary or grievance issues.
• bringing employment provisions up-to-date, so the University can meet its legal obligations fully and in good time.

Sir David Bell said: "Our Charter has been barely touched since it was drawn up in 1926 - the year of the General Strike; when Britain had an empire; Stanley Baldwin was Prime Minister; and very few young people went into higher education.

"The University has an ambitious vision that by our centenary in 2026, we will be a vibrant, thriving, sustainable and global institution - significantly larger in terms of students, international reach and revenue.

"It is important to ensure that our governance structures are fit-for-purpose. We need to ensure that our Charter will help us to realise our plans."

The University will keep staff and students updated throughout the consultation process. For more information see our consultation website: http://www.reading.ac.uk/charter-reform/

This includes a frequently asked questions section and the full consultation timetable.

Staff should contact Erin Murphy in the Human Resources department with any questions - erin.murphy@reading.ac.uk.