Organisation

Detailed scrutiny of contemporary issues affecting the wellbeing and prosperity of the University is undertaken in Standing Committees which report to the Business Committee.

The Business Committee typically meets 5 times per year, on Thursdays, at 5.15pm in the central area of the University.  Meetings are chaired by the Convener.  Papers are circulated at least a week in advance, and members are expected to have read the papers to equip them to comment on issues arising at the meeting. Meetings normally finish between 6.45pm and 7pm.  The Business Committee has five Standing Committees who meet 3 or 4 times per year, normally in the late afternoon.

A typical agenda for a meeting includes a report from an invited speaker from the University on an issue currently under consideration by the Business Committee.  The meeting also takes account of the observations of the Court Assessors.  Each of the Standing Committees, which undertake the more detailed scrutiny of contemporary issues affecting the University and prosperity of the University, provides a report of its recent activities to the Business Committee at each meeting as well.  The meetings are formally minuted.

The Business Committee reports its work to the wider General Council through its website, through its publication Billet, and at the General Council's statutory half yearly meetings.

Whenever possible, attendance in person is preferred at Business Committee but for those who cannot attend in person (for example, due to the amount of travel involved) it is possible to attend online.  There is no provision to reimburse expenses incurred in attending meetings.