Nominations from Schools to Senate 2020

Nominations for Election to Senate

If you would like to help enhance the academic standards of the University and to contribute directly to the University’s strategic development, please put yourself forward for election to join the Senate next Session.

The Senate plays a key role in fostering the University as a Values-Led Organisation:

  • Belong to a diverse, inclusive and international community working together across boundaries and cultures.
  • Collaborate by working in partnership to shape the future whilst taking responsibility for our own actions.
  • Inspire curiosity to learn and find solutions that transform lives.
  • Celebrate excellence and take pride in the achievements of our students, staff and alumni.

Nominations are now welcome (Monday 18 May to Monday 1 June 2020) if you wish to stand for election as a Senator in your School for the next three years. 

There are vacancies from 1 August 2020 in the following Schools:

  • Energy, Geoscience, Infrastructure and Society has three vacancies
  • Engineering and Physical Sciences has three vacancies
  • Textiles and Design has one vacancy
  • School of Mathematical and Computer Sciences has five vacancies
  • Social Sciences (now including EBS) has three vacancies

The responsibilities of Senate are specified in the University’s Statutes.

Any member of our Academic Staff with a permanent (that is, open-ended) appointment can stand for election as a Senator. You may only nominate, stand or vote for a position in your own School. Nominations are welcome from colleagues from all of our Campuses, whether in Scotland, Dubai or Malaysia.

Role

Colleagues are elected from Schools to bring to Senate their individual diverse academic experience and perspectives in order to help enhance the academic standards of the University and develop and monitor our academic strategies. 

Induction to the role of Senator is provided every year to newly elected Senators.

There normally are five meetings of the Senate each Session, and you can gain a flavour of the meetings from the minutes that are available online.

Senators are expected to take time to prepare in advance for meetings, and it is essential that each Senator maintains a high level of attendance at meetings and participates in discussions. You must be able to devote sufficient time to the role. Senate meetings take place in mornings (UK time) so as to better include colleagues based outwith the UK. The meetings are normally on a Wednesday or Thursday.

Further information on the role and responsibilities of Senators is available on the website.

Voting

You are eligible to nominate, vote or stand for your School in this election if you hold a contract as:

  • a permanent full-time or permanent part-time member of the Academic Staff; or
  • a research staff member on a permanent contract.

The University continues to be committed to achieving greater diversity across the membership of all its committees, recognising, for example, that women are often underrepresented. We recognise that governance is enhanced through diversity of membership as this ensures that a broad base of knowledge and experience is brought to our decision-making. All eligible members of Staff are therefore encouraged to participate in the election, with especial encouragement given to women and those colleagues with currently underrepresented backgrounds and perspectives.

Ex-Officio members of the Senate (e.g. Heads of School or Deans) are not eligible to nominate, vote or stand for election.

If more candidates come forward than there are places available for any of the Schools, then an election contest shall be held in June 2020. For each School where an election is required, eligible colleagues will be e-mailed details in due course.

Term

After serving an initial term of three years, a Senator shall be eligible to stand for election for immediate reappointment for one further period of up to three years. Of those Senators whose terms of office expire in 2020, a number are eligible to stand again.

Dates:

  • Nomination: forms are available from Monday 18 May 2020 on the website, and completed forms should be returned to Lorna Kirkwood-Smith by Monday 1 June 2020 (4.00pm UK time).
  • Voting: if necessary for any School, voting will take place between mid and late June 2020. Voting will be conducted independently, by Civica Election Services, and the single transferrable voting system will be used.
  • Successful candidates will take office as a Senator on 1 August 2020, and will serve for three years until 31 July 2023.

Ordinance C1 governs these elections. Please contact Lorna Kirkwood-Smith (Head of Corporate Governance) for more information.

Sue Collier

Global Director of Governance and Legal Services

May 2020