Senate Business Committee

Agenda

A meeting of the Senate Business Committee will be held at 10am on Tuesday, 29 September 2026 via Microsoft Teams.

Lucy Quarry
Governance Officer
(lucy.quarry@abdn.ac.uk)

For Discussion

Approval of the Minutes of the Meetings held 22 April, 7 May and 25 August 2026
Remit and Composition 2026/27
Draft Agenda for Senate Meeting on 21 October 2026
Timeline and Approach to the Senate Effectiveness Review
Schedule of Business for Senate in 2026/27

For Routine Approval

Hay of Seaton Committee

For Information

Committee dates for 2026/27

Tue, 17 November 2026
Tue, 12 January 2027
Tue, 16 February 2027
Tue, 20 April 2027

Forthcoming dates for Senate 2026/27

Wed, 21 October 2026
Wed, 9 December 2026
Wed, 3 February 2027
Wed, 10 March 2027
Wed, 12 May 2027

Remit

Purpose

The primary purpose of the Senate Business Committee is to agree Senate agendas and to support the Senate governance structure to work effectively.

Remit

[To be reviewed annually at first meeting of committee cycle]

The primary role of the Senate Business Committee is to agree Senate agendas and to advise on the programme of business across the year.

To engage Senate in open debate, and to inform future policy and development by Senate committees for subsequent approval by the Senate, Senate Business Committee should develop an annual schedule of business. This should enable the identification of timing imperatives across the year and the inclusion of one external speaker during the academic year on an issue of strategic importance to the sector.

Senate Business Committee should contribute to the development of, subject to advice from the Secretary to Senate on good governance practice:

proposals to improve the effectiveness of Senate.
proposals to improve the relationship between Senate and its Committees, including reflection on effectiveness surveys, for onward recommendation to Senate when necessary.
proposals to support the recruitment and induction of new members of Senate.

In exceptional circumstances, as an alternative to the Principal calling an additional meeting of Senate, Senate Business Committee may be asked to allow consideration by Senate of an item by circulation.

Senate Business Committee has delegated responsibility from the Senate to approve the appointment of Senate members or representatives to External Trusts based on recommendations from the Provost and/or a call for expressions of interest. The Secretary to Senate to advise on any circumstances which would require full Senate consideration. A list of Senate appointees to external trusts to be maintained on the Senate webpages.

Senate Business Committee delegates responsibility for managing the schedule of Senate and other elections to the Committee Clerk, with oversight from the Secretary to Senate.

Process and Terms of Appointment

Members of Senate Business Committee are elected by Senate following an invitation to Senate members to apply for the role.
Members of Senate are appointed for a period of two-years.
Members can stand for re-election for a consecutive two-year period, after which they are time-barred for a period of two years before they may re-apply for membership.

Convenor and Administrative Support

Convenor: Provost
Clerk: Governance Officer

Reporting Line/Parent Committee and Interface with Other Committees

Formal reporting line: Senate

Other Senate committees:

University Education Committee (UEC)
Quality Assurance Committee (QAC)
University Research Committee (URC)
Honorary Degrees Committee (HDC)

Frequency and Timing of Meetings

The Committee will meet at least five times per year (September, November, January, February and April). Normally Senate Business Committee meets three working weeks before meetings of Senate Meetings, between 10am and 4pm in accordance with University Policy.

Publication of papers

Cognisance will be taken of the University’s Publication Scheme and Agenda papers will be made available on web pages/StaffNet where possible.

Composition & Membership

Composition and Quorum

Provost (Convenor)
Chair, University Education Committee (UEC)
Chair, University Research Committee (URC)
Chair, Quality Assurance Committee (QAC)
Six elected members of Senate (elected for a two-year term of office and including one Senate Assessor)
Vice-President for Education of the Students’ Association

Quorum: 50% of the total membership

Advisor to Senate Business Committee: Secretary to Senate

Account to be taken of Equality and Diversity, subject spread and staff location in membership.

Membership for 2026/27

Professor Nick Forsyth, Provost (Convenor)
Professor Jo-Anne Murray, Vice-Principal for Education (Chair, UEC)
Professor Ben Tatler, Vice-Principal for Research (Chair, URC)
Professor Steve Tucker, Associate Vice-Principal for Quality Assurance & Enhancement (Chair, QAC)
Professor Trevor Stack, LLMVC (Senate Assessor to 30 Sept 2029)
Professor Patience Schell, LLMVC (until 30 Sept 2026)
Dr Scott Allan, Law (until Sept 2027)
Professor Astley Hastings, DHPA (until Sept 2027)
Scott Styles, Law (until Sept 2027)
Vacancy (elected member of Senate)
Courage Mene, Vice-President for Education, Students' Association

In attendance:

Dr Christine Milburn, Chief Governance Officer and University Secretary (Secretary to Senate)
Governance Officer (Clerk)

Minutes

2025/26

22 April 2026
26 February 2026
14 January 2026
02 December 2025 (additional)
25 November 2025
23 September 2025

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