In spite of objections from Norfolk and Suffolk County Councils and from the Suffolk College of Further and Higher Education, the DES has signified its approval of the name "Anglia" for our merger. On 1 April 1989, therefore, we will become Anglia Higher Education College. We fully anticipate, however, that this somewhat unpleasing title will be of short duration. PCFC is likely to set about the business of polytechnic designations in the summer, and we will be pressing our case with a great deal of confidence that we will become Anglia Polytechnic in the autumn. In order to get accustomed to this idea, we should encourage everyone to refer to us as "the Polytechnic", although of course we cannot use this title officially. A logo has been produced to go with the title Anglia Higher Education College, but easily convertible when polytechnic designation is given. It will shortly be on view.
To avoid using the temporary title, it has been agreed that students graduating in 1989 will have the titles 'Cambridgeshire College of Arts and Technology' and 'Essex Institute of Higher Education' on their certificates as appropriate.
Although even at this late stage there are some figures which are still not known in developing a Polytechnic budget for 1989/90, a projection has been prepared and considered by Governors. The projection forecasts a deficit in excess of £1m on a budget of about £23m. Governors have taken the view that this deficit should be reduced by generating additional income, through means which will include optimising part-time fee income; and by reducing expenditure in appropriate areas, including those where student/staff ratios are unsatisfactory. But Governors acknowledged that it was important to sustain and encourage development at this critical time in the Polytechnic's life, and that it would therefore be unwise to seek to remove the deficit completely in the first year of operation, but rather to reduce it - to about £½m.
A great deal of progress has been made to establish the financial systems necessary after 1 April. Cambridgeshire and Essex County Councils are to continue to provide much of the basic service on contracts and the process of appointing the necessary Accountants begun.
Proposals for the Academic Board and Committees of the Polytechnic have been fully examined in the existing Academic Boards in Essex and Cambridge. Many suggestions for change have been put forward, one about which there was widespread feeling on both Boards being the question of size. The Governing Body has accepted the Model Articles and Guidelines from the Secretary of State and proposed that the size of the Academic Board should be 30. It has been argued, however, that the exceptional circumstances which the Secretary of State concedes may allow for membership up to 40 do exist in the case of the new Polytechnic. Accepting that there was a need to have a constitution in place for 1 April, especially with an eye to negotiations with CNAA, Governors agreed that the Directorate, taking into account the views expressed in the Academic Boards, should prepare an interim constitution. This will be sent out to the Governing Body for consideration at its meeting on 30 March.
Discussions leading to the development of Faculties are proceeding well, although, as was to be expected, final proposals are rather nearer in some cases than others. Some pieces of the jigsaws can be reported.
With the agreement of all concerned, Sociology at CCAT will be moving to join colleagues in the Faculty which includes members in the current Department of Humanities. A smart bid to become the BEST Faculty has come from colleagues in Built Environment, Engineering, Science and Technology. The devolution of the structure of the Business School is proceeding, with the assumption that Danbury Park will remain within the Polytechnic.
For the Faculty of Health and Social Services, four District Health Authorities in Essex have agreed that two Schools of Nursing should be formed as Departments seeking a place in the Polytechnic. Governors have agreed to set up a Shadow Policy Group to consider the complex personnel, management and financial issues involved in this new form of association, with a Shadow Faculty Board considering the academic issues.
A letter confirming continuity of employment and existing contracts at 1 April will be sent out shortly thereafter. We are awaiting advice from the Polytechnics and Colleges Employers Forum, of which the two colleges are members, on contracts for new appointments of teaching staff, in light of the Forum's position that terms and conditions for teaching staff should be such as to meet the new situation in which the Higher Education Corporations will find themselves. Informal discussions are taking place with Trade Union representatives, which an acknowledgement on all sides that these have to be still without prejudice to the position after 1 April, from which point the Polytechnic will take on its responsibilities as employer for consultation and negotiation with recognised unions.
As many Polytechnics have found, there are advantages to be gained from establishing a Company or Companies for such purposes as income generation, tax management and personal indemnification. We are setting up such a Company, initially with a very broad remit, but with a view to identifying what, after consultation with Departments, it can most usefully do.
The separate Student Unions at Chelmsford, Brentwood and Cambridge are working to produce a unified constitution which will at the same time allow them to continue to operate at each campus in such a way as to meet the particular needs at these campuses. They will be reporting to the Governors at their next meeting on 30 March.
MIKE SALMON KEN SWINHOE Director, EIHE Principal, CCAT (Director Designate, Anglia) (Pro-Director Designate, Anglia)
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