Proposal for Change:School of Art and DesignStaff Briefing – 29.03.2012

Professor Allan Walker Head of School of Art and Design

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2.4 Staff & TU PresentationOwner: Business AreaFormat: PowerpointVersion: 1

Current and Projected Finances

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The School moved from a surplus of £0.14m in 2009/10 to a deficit of - £0.28m in 2010/11.

Remedial measures included a freeze on new appointments and reduction of non-pay related cost, but these have not solved the problem. Estimated Financial Position: February 2012

2011/12 - £544k2012/13 - £1,497k2013/14 - £1,523k2014/15 - £1,547k The most recent forecast, in early February 2012, shows the level of deficit increasing over the next four years from £544k in 2011/12 to £1.5m in 2014/15.

Causes of structural deficit:

• Inability to meet recruitment targets for postgraduate and international students

• Student Number Control• Decline in undergraduate recruitment • High delivery costs due to uneconomical programmes and

modules• Declining research and knowledge exchange income• High overheads based on split sites • Essential central costs to improve quality of student learning

environment and student facing services.

Create long term academic and financial sustainability through realisation of

University Strategy to move into the top quartile of UK HE provision

 

• Improve quality of applicant and increase income established on a wider base, underpinned by a radical change in approach to internationalisation at undergraduate and postgraduate levels and improve performance in bids for research and knowledge exchange.

• Improve the School’s portfolio and increase savings through restructuring as a result of the APR and Transformation processes.

Overview of the proposed changes

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Summary of Impact on Roles

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Timescales

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Stage Date

Open collective consultation for 30/90 day period(minimum period)

28 March 2012

Employee briefings 29 & 30 March 2012

Voluntary severance register for estimates opens COB 30 March 2012

Voluntary severance register for estimates closes COB 13 April 2012

Voluntary severance estimates sent from HR 19 April 2012

Confirmation of voluntary severance request from employee

26 April 2012

Response to voluntary severance request from Dept By 8 May 2012

Collective consultation proposed to close 25 June 2012

Individual consultation commences 26 June 2012

Individual consultation closes 25 July 2012

Notice served 26 July 2012

Those on 4 weeks notice leave 23 August 2012

Those on 3 months notice leave 26 October 2012

Current Structure

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Proposed Future Structure

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Consolidated Pools

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Role Title FTE Headcount Grade Posts Impact of Changes

Director 3 3 10 2

Number of roles not substantially affected by change but a reduction in roles; ring fenced or new roles ring fenced

Pool A Director

Consolidated Pools

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Role Title FTE Headcount Grade Posts Impact of Changes

Lecturer 2 2 8 1

Post Not substantially affected by change-insufficient posts

Pool B – BA Graphic Design-Advertising Pathway

Consolidated Pools

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Role Title FTE Headcount Grade Posts Impact of Changes

Lecturer 3.8 4 8 3

Post Not substantially affected by change-insufficient posts

Pool C – BA Graphic Design – Motion & Interactivity Pathway

Consolidated Pools

Role Title FTE Headcount Grade Posts Impact of Changes

Senior Lecturer/Lecturer

4.1 5 7/8/9 3

Post Not substantially affected by change-insufficient posts

Pool D – Curriculum Area-Theory and Criticism(Including Fine Art)

Consolidated Pools

Role Title FTE Headcount Grade Posts Impact of Changes

Senior Lecturer/Lecturer

3 3 7/8/9 2

Post Not substantially affected by change-insufficient posts

Pool E – BA (Hons) 3D Design – Interior

Consolidated Pools

Role Title FTE Headcount Grade Posts Impact of Changes

Lecturer 1.2 2 8 0Removed roles phased over 2012/13

Pool F – BA (Hons) Design Futures

Mitigation

These will include:– Vacancy Control Processes are in place and will be followed throughout the consultation period to ensure non

essential recruitment is minimised;

– Review of temporary contracts and Agency staff;

– Redeployment in line with the Avoidance of Redundancy Policy and Procedure will be undertaken;

– Training requirements will be considered in line with the Avoidance of Redundancy Policy and Procedure;

– Outplacement will be considered and offered where required;

– The University will consider any other suggestions and proposals put forward as preventative measures throughout the consultation period

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Policy & Procedures

The following policies and procedures are available on the HR Intranet / Organisational Change page for your information and will be followedduring this consultation period;

1. Restructuring Principles Policy and Procedure2. Avoidance of Redundancy Policy and Procedure3. Redeployment Policy and Procedure4. Voluntary Severance Scheme 5. Salary Protection Policy

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Restructuring Principles Policy and Procedure – General Principles

There are 3 definitions of posts in a revised structure:

• New posts: posts which are completely new to the organisation or posts which have changed sufficiently to be classed as new.

• Posts not substantially affected by change: posts which are not changing at all or are not substantially affected by change.

• Removed posts: these are posts which do not exist in the proposed new

structure.

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Procedure to be adopted for appointing staff to “Posts not substantially affected by change”

Where there is no requirement to reduce numbers of staff:

• Where substantive duties, hours of work, salary and T&Cs are wholly or mainly the same:

– Employees are communicated with regarding the proposed changes;– Employees will be automatically provisionally slotted into the new structure pending any successful

pool challenges that have not been anticipated. This will be confirmed both verbally and in writing subject to the conclusion of the consultation process;

– Employees are advised of this verbally and in writing;– Employees are not at risk of redundancy.

Where there are insufficient posts in the revised structure:

– Employees will be ring fenced for assessment for these posts;– If successful this will be confirmed both verbally and in writing subject to the conclusion of the

consultation process with other employees who have been selected for redundancy;– If unsuccessful following selection:

• The employee will be advised they are selected for redundancy;• The University will then enter into a 30 day individual consultation period with the employee after

collective consultation has been concluded.

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Procedure to be adopted for “Removed Posts”

– The employee will be notified verbally and in writing that they are selected for redundancy;

– The Avoidance of Redundancy Policy and Procedure applies and employees will be placed on the redeployment register and asked to complete a redeployment pro-forma;

– The University will consult with the employee during the collective consultation process that is taking place;

– The University will then enter into a 30 day individual consultation period.

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Selection Criteria

– The selection criteria will be outlined by the University and we will collectively consult with the Trade Unions on the criteria to be applied.

– Selection may take the form of a competency based interview and assessment dependent on the grade and nature of the post.

– The selection criteria will;- Differentiate dependent on the role to ensure effective selection;

- Be carried out by the business area;- Be objective and consistent;- Will enable appointment to be based on merit.

– Employees will be supported throughout the process with workshops and e-learning to assist with applications and interviews.

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Voluntary Severance Scheme – General Principles

– Voluntary severance (VS) is at management discretion and there is no appeal against a decision not to accept a VS request.

– All staff at risk of redundancy can request their VS figures/calculations from HR whilst the VS register is open.

– Voluntary severance payments will be in line with the current VS scheme and only staff at risk of redundancy will be eligible to receive VS calculations from HR.

– To be eligible for VS, employees must have 2 years continuous service, please refer to the University’s Voluntary Severance Scheme for the details on the scheme payments.

– Employees wishing to take VS must confirm this in writing to HR before the VS register is closed. Only employees who have confirmed this preference will be taken forward for management approval at that stage in the process.

– The line manager will arrange to meet the employee and confirm the outcome of the employee’s VS request.

– Please refer to the timescales in relation to the opening and closure of the VS Register.

– Voluntary severance will be available during the 30 day individual consultation period for those staff “selected for redundancy”.

– The University may choose to re-open the VS register again, but this will be at management’s discretion.

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Compulsory Redundancy Procedure

– This procedure will be initiated as a last resort once all avenues to avoid redundancy have been explored;

– Where an employee is made compulsory redundant they will be entitled to receive statutory redundancy pay provided they have 2 years continuous service with the University;

– Details of the Statutory Redundancy Payment can be found in the Avoidance of Redundancy Policy & Procedure;

– Where an employee wishes to appeal against dismissal by reason of compulsory redundancy, they should do so in writing to the Executive Director of Human Resources within 10 working days of receipt of the written notice of dismissal. The member of staff should set out in full the grounds for the appeal.

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Notice Periods for Employees

Notice periods for both voluntary and compulsory redundancy will normally require:

– Employees to work their full notice period (contractual or statutory whichever is higher);

– To continue to discharge their duties in accordance with the terms and conditions of employment;

– To take any outstanding annual leave before the end of employment.

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Redeployment Policy & Procedure – General Principles

– Redeployment is usually restricted to roles at same grade;

– Exceptionally may apply to lower grades;

– Advanced redeployment register - employees who are potentially displaced due to organisational change will have priority in having the opportunity to apply for roles that arise within the University;

– Employees will be required to complete a form detailing their skills and experience when they are placed on the register;

– Employees will be supported in undertaking this process;

– Employees will have access to a vacancy portal via e-recruitment and will be sent any vacancies via email on a Friday;

– If an employee accepts suitable alternate employment, a trial period of a minimum of 4 weeks will apply. This may be extended to 16 weeks. 24

Salary Protection Scheme – General Principles

• Salary protection for the defined period will be limited to no more than one grade below the substantive grade (existing role) and where this is exceeded, protection will be limited to one grade above the grade being offered as alternative employment. E.g. a grade 9 employee offered an alternative role at grade 7 may receive protected salary based on maximum grade 8.

• If a job offer at same grade is unreasonably rejected, terms of policy will not apply. • Salary protection limited to 2 years beginning from the effective date of the new appointment at the

lower grade.• No increments or pay awards are given during protection period.• At the end of the 2 year period the employee’s salary will be calculated at the maximum point of the

grade relating to the alternative employment i.e. their new substantive grade;• During the period of protection, payments and allowances will be calculated at the maximum point

of the grade for the alternate employment i.e. new substantive grade;• All other terms and conditions of employment will be according to the alternative employment with

effect from the date of appointment, apart from pension membership. The employee can retain their membership pension for duration of the protection period and then join the pension scheme appropriate to new grade.

• Any payments relating to base pay e.g. Overtime, will be based on the appointed (not the protected) grade

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• Individual meetings to be held with impacted staff through regular surgeries

• HRD Employee Support Workshops – book on HR Intranet

• All other information/presentation/policies/VS on HR intranet

Next steps:

10/04/23 26