Campus News
USS Trustee accepts employer plans for scheme reforms
September 8th, 2021
The USS Trustee board has agreed to take forward the Joint Negotiating Committee’s (JNC) recommendations for concluding the 2020 USS valuation, saving pension scheme members and universities from steep contribution increases from 1 October 2021.
Employers and scheme members were facing escalating contributions from October, where scheme members would have seen their payments rise from 9.6% of salary, to 11%, and employers from 21.1% of salary to 23.7%. However, with the USS Trustee board’s approval of the JNC’s decision to modify benefits, and agreement to proceed with a dual schedule of contributions, new rates of 9.8% for members and 21.4% for employers will apply instead.
The alternative approach to the valuation – passed by a JNC vote – was developed by Universities UK (UUK), the formal representative of over 340 employers in the scheme following consultation with all scheme employers. The proposal includes additional commitments by employers on covenant support and benefit changes to prevent unaffordable rises in contributions.
Central to the proposals are formal commitments from employers to explore alternative scheme designs, including conditional indexation, for the future; accelerate a major review of USS governance with independent expertise; and work with stakeholders including the University and College Union (UCU), representing scheme members, to develop and implement a flexible, low-cost option for lower paid members of staff.
Employers agreed to provide an additional £1.3 billion worth of financial backing to the scheme – or ‘covenant support’ – to ensure the scheme’s current hybrid of guaranteed defined benefits and defined contributions, which depend on the performance of investments, could be maintained.
The JNC decision was passed by the casting vote of its Chair, on the final day for negotiations on its already extended timetable, after UCU decided not to put its counter proposal to the vote of the committee. Now that the JNC’s recommendation is formally accepted by the USS Trustee, a 60-day consultation on the proposals will follow with scheme members as required under the scheme rules.
The employers’ proposal for changes to the scheme, required to meet its 2020 triennial valuation, includes:
- minimising increases in contributions to the scheme by members to no more than 0.2%, and employer contributions to 0.3%, meaning that members’ contributions would only rise from 9.6% to no more than 9.8% of salary.
- maintaining the scheme’s Defined Benefit /Defined Contribution hybrid model with Defined Benefit applying up to a salary threshold of £40,000, and retaining Defined Contributions at an overall 20% of salary above that threshold.
- employers to offer further, stronger covenant support measures including a moratorium on exit, debt-monitoring and ensuring that pension promises are even more secure through protecting the USS Trustee’s status as a creditor.
- a commitment that should the scheme’s financial situation get better then improvements to benefits can be considered rather than reducing contribution rates.
- addressing the high opt-out rate, which sees around 20% of members choosing not to join the scheme and losing out on the 21.1% employer contribution, by giving eligible members the choice of a new lower contribution option.
- a major new review of the scheme’s governance, and exploring moves to a conditional indexation model, which pegs a part of annual pension provision to the performance of scheme funds, via a working group of members’ representatives, employers, and USS.
While the reform package passed by the JNC proposes a particular set of changes to the future pensions earned from USS’s defined benefit and defined contribution sections, the forthcoming consultation with scheme members could lead to these proposals being amended. Employers remain open to considering alternative benefit structures and formulations, provided they are viable, affordable and implementable.
Benefits which members have already earned within USS are protected by law and secure, and the employers’ package, and in particular the unprecedented additional covenant support measures provided by employers, further strengthens that protection.
Tags: UCU, Universities UK, University and College Union, USS, USS pension, USS pension scheme, USS Trustee Board, UUK
Posted in Announcements, News | Comments Off on USS Trustee accepts employer plans for scheme reforms
Safety on campus resources
September 7th, 2021
The health and safety of our community is our highest priority, and as more people return to our campuses, we will all need to make adjustments to the way we live and work.
Materials and resources to support the general rules and information for keeping staff, students and visitors safe across our campuses have been created and are available for staff on a dedicated SharePoint site.
While digital screens, social media, posters and banners are being installed across our buildings the SharePoint will enable staff to access other assets to help with sharing the message to colleagues, students and visitors.
Tags: campus safety, covid safety, COVID-19, safety campus, safety on campus
Posted in Announcements, News | Comments Off on Safety on campus resources
Update to our Asymptomatic Testing Service
September 7th, 2021
As we approach the beginning of term there have been some changes to our testing service locations and opening times. Please do be aware that the testing service is, by definition, for staff who do not exhibit Covid-19 symptoms. If you have symptoms, you must isolate and book an NHS test as soon as possible.
Visit our Staff testing webpage to familiarise yourself with the updated changes – in particular check the testing location you plan to use.
Anyone with any specific needs can get in touch with the testing team on testingservice@nottingham.ac.uk so we can facilitate these for you and enable you to take your Covid test at least once a week.
Tags: COVID testing, testing, Testing Service, University Testing Service
Posted in Announcements, News | Comments Off on Update to our Asymptomatic Testing Service
Keeping you in the know with your CRSP pension
September 7th, 2021
Pensions can sometimes be complex, but they don’t have to be. To help staff keep on top of their pensions easily, two new innovative services have been made available to use.
Coll8 by Legal & General
Coll8 is an app developed by Legal & General to give you quick access to your University of Nottingham CRSP pension and a host of other useful services.
You can use the app to:
- Access your pension on the go
View or make changes to your pension easily with the L&G pension on Coll8 – always in your pocket. - Say Goodbye to passwords
Access your pension with FaceId or Fingerprint – no need to remember complex passwords. - Take your pension with you
Make sure you can continue to access your pension after you leave employment by registering with Coll8.
The Coll8 app by L&G is available to download from the Apple App Store or Google Play for Android by searching for “Coll8”.
Visit Coll8.co for more information.
My Future Now – new pension consolidation service
If you’ve got pension pots with previous employers or providers, it could make sense to transfer them into your University of Nottingham CRSP pension.
My Future Now is a new, fast, easy-to-use service that gives you:
- A quick, easy way to bring all your pension pots together in one place
- The potential to save on charges
- Fully online process from any device
- An easier way to manage and plan your retirement income
My Future Now are part of the Legal & General Group of companies which is fully authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.
What do I need to do?
Register with My Future Now and they’ll do it all for you.
All you need is your National Insurance number and the names of the providers with your other pots or details of your previous employers. It will only take a couple of minutes and they’ll do all the tracking and tracing on your behalf.
They will also ensure you don’t sacrifice any guaranteed benefits or special features in your existing pension plans and will confirm if any exit fees apply.
My Future Now will not charge you for their services and there is no obligation to proceed.
If you are unsure at any point, we recommend you talk to a financial adviser first. You’ll find a list at unbiased.co.uk. Advisers usually charge for their services.
To start the process of bringing your old pension pots together in one convenient place, visit My Future Now today.
Tags: Coll8, CRSP, CRSP scheme, My Future Now, pension, pension pots, pension scheme, pensions
Posted in Announcements, News | 4 Comments »
Nottingham improves world ranking
September 6th, 2021
The University of Nottingham has been ranked among the best in the world.
Nottingham has jumped an impressive 17 places to position 141 according to the Times Higher Education World University Ranking 2022. It also moves up to place 18th in the UK.
THE World University Rankings assess more than 1,600 institutions to produce the tables using 13 performance indicators which are grouped into five areas:
- Teaching (the learning environment)
- Research (volume, income and reputation)
- Citations (research influence)
- International outlook (staff, students and research)
- Industry income (knowledge transfer).
The university scored strongest in International outlook.
The rankings can be viewed in full on THE’s webpages (registration required) or you can see the university’s ranking here.
Tags: THE, Times Higher Education, Times Higher Education World University Ranking
Posted in Announcements, Main News Story, News | Comments Off on Nottingham improves world ranking
Fields Medal winner appointed Honorary Professor
September 3rd, 2021
Fields Medal winner Caucher Birkar, who studied mathematics at the University of Nottingham after escaping the war between Iraq and Iran, has been made an Honorary Professor.
Former PhD mathematics student Caucher Birkar was awarded the highest honour in mathematics three years ago when he received the prestigious Fields Medal. This honorary professorship is recognition of his achievements during his academic career that started at the University of Nottingham.
Caucher Birkar grew up in the Kurdish region of western Iran in a rural subsistence farming village and is now a Professor of Mathematics in the Yau Mathematical Sciences Center, Tsinghua University, Beijing (on leave from University of Cambridge). In his final year as an undergraduate at the University of Tehran, Caucher Birkar came to England where he sought political asylum.
Caucher studied at Nottingham under the supervision of Ivan Fesenko, Professor of Pure Mathematics in the School of Mathematical Sciences. His talent and passion for the subject quickly became apparent and he was awarded a London Mathematical Society grant as the most promising PhD student in Mathematics and an EPSRC postdoc fellowship soon became his first breakthrough.
In his role as Honorary Professor Caucher will deliver two lectures per year, one of which will be suitable for a general audience.
Professor Paul Houston, Head of the School of Mathematical Sciences at the University of Nottingham said: “We’re delighted to be appointing Caucher as an Honorary Professor today at the place where he started his career and developed and expanded his knowledge of mathematics. His achievements in the face of such adversity are remarkable and he is a shining example of what can be achieved with passion and determination. I hope that seeing what Caucher has achieved will inspire a new generation of mathematics students to aim just as high.”
Professor Caucher Birkar commented: “I am very honoured to have been offered this appointment. I hope that this creates a strong link between Nottingham, Cambridge, and Tsinghua.”
Tags: Fields medal, Honorary Professor, mathematics, Professor Caucher Birkar
Posted in News | Comments Off on Fields Medal winner appointed Honorary Professor
Student Engagement Dashboard – university rollout
September 2nd, 2021
The Student Engagement Dashboard – a new tool developed to help colleagues identify undergraduate and postgraduate taught students who require extra pastoral or academic support – is being rolled out to the rest of the university.
After a successful adoption by the Faculty of Science earlier this year, the Student Engagement Dashboard will be rolled out to remaining faculties for the start of the 2021/22 academic year.
“The engagement dashboard has pulled together information that previously required considerable time and effort to assemble. This will mean that our year leaders can efficiently identify students with potential engagement issues and prioritise those most in need of intervention.” – Dr Keith Benedict, Deputy Head of School, School of Physics & Astronomy
The dashboard currently compiles data from the following systems:
- Microsoft Teams: meeting attendance data
- Moodle: frequency of use, number of submitted/late assignments
- Echo 360: frequency of use
A lack of academic engagement can be indicative of a student who is struggling with their studies or general wellbeing. This data, along with what we know about the individual study behaviours of our students, will be used to identify anyone who may require support.
“The Student Engagement Dashboard helps us to proactively support student wellbeing, mental health and motivation by providing an early warning system of students who appear disengaged. Working with our academic staff, we are able to reach students who may be struggling and provide supportive intervention where needed.” – Kirsteen Coupar, Interim Student and Campus Life Director
The Student Engagement Dashboard will be accessible to senior tutors and a small team of colleagues within each school with responsibility for academic engagement and wellbeing. Personal tutors who are concerned about the wellbeing of a tutee will be able to request a copy of that student’s data from a senior tutor or a member of the school/department’s Engagement team.
The Student Engagement Dashboard will not impact grades or assessments. It will be used for welfare purposes and to support the monitoring requirements of UK Visas and Immigration.
Colleagues with direct access to the Student Engagement Dashboard have already been contacted and will make themselves known to local colleagues in the coming weeks. Returning students will be reminded about the dashboard on Monday 6 September.
Further development to extend the information the dashboard receives and to enhance its use will continue across 2021-22 in consultation with staff and students.
Project sponsor and Associate Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Teaching and Curriculum Leadership. Professor Mark Bradley, said: “This new dashboard marks a step change in how the University can support and reach out to students who might be struggling to stay engaged with their studies. It allows our academic staff and our professional services staff to work together effectively to provide the support our students need, and ensures that student welfare is at the heart of everything we do.”
If you have any questions about the Student Engagement Dashboard, please consult the FAQs for personal tutors.
Tags: student engagement, student engagement dashboard, student welfare, student wellbeing, teaching
Posted in News, Teaching | Comments Off on Student Engagement Dashboard – university rollout
Prestigious senior British Academy appointment for Nottingham Professor
September 1st, 2021
A Professor of French and Critical Theory at the University of Nottingham has been elected to a prestigious leading role at the British Academy.
Emeritus Professor Judith Still will take over as Vice-President (Humanities) of the British Academy, which champions the study of the humanities and social sciences in the UK. She will succeed Professor Aditi Lahiri from Oxford University in July 2022.
Professor Still has retired from teaching but is still active as a member of the Modern Languages and Linguistics panel in the current national research assessment exercise (REF). She continues to research in French Studies in the university’s School of Languages, Cultures and Area Studies. She works in the fields of 18th century as well as 20th and 21st century French thought, including the work of Rousseau, French feminism and the poststructuralist philosopher Jacques Derrida, and has authored books on Derrida and Hospitality and Enlightenment Hospitality. Her most recent monograph was Derrida and Other Animals: the Boundaries of the Human. She is currently working on the Franco-American farmer and philosopher J. Hector St John de Crèvecoeur (see her recent podcast 10-Minute Talks: Crèvecœur: what is an American? | The British Academy).
Professor Judith Still
Judith was elected a Fellow of the British Academy in July 2018, joining a community of more than 1,400 leading minds including Dame Mary Beard and Sir Simon Schama.
Reacting to her Vice-Presidency of Humanities, Judith said: “I was delighted to be offered this opportunity to get more involved in the Academy at a time which is both exciting, as I believe there is a renewed commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion at the Academy, and very challenging because of the threat to the arts and humanities nationally. At a moment when our attention is drawn to the extreme fragility of women’s rights (indeed human rights) globally, I feel deeply privileged to have had a mother and grandmothers who were able to support my education in spite of the precariousness of their own situations. I hope my biological and intellectual children will be proud of me and above all achieve their own potential.”
Head of the university’s School of Cultures, Languages and Area Studies, Professor Nicola McLelland, added: “It’s wonderful to see this recognition of Judith’s standing in the arts and humanities. I know Judith will bring outstanding energy and vision to this key leadership role in the British Academy, at a crucial time for the arts and humanities, the British Academy, and the academic community that it represents.”
Pro-Vice-Chancellor for the Faculty of Arts, Professor Jeremy Gregory, said: “Congratulations to Judith on this very prestigious appointment. This is testimony both to her exceptional academic standing and to her outstanding record of leadership in the arts and humanities nationally and internationally.”
The British Academy is a funding body for research, nationally and internationally, and a forum for debate and engagement.
Posted in Announcements, News | Comments Off on Prestigious senior British Academy appointment for Nottingham Professor
2021/22 ILM Programmes: Levels 2 to 7 available now for booking
September 1st, 2021
Professional Development are pleased to confirm the latest dates for the ILM Leadership and Management programmes are now available for staff to book on to.
These programmes are all nationally recognised qualifications and range from Level 2 Team Leader to Level 7 Certificate in Leadership and Management.
Further information and booking details can be found via Professional Development.
Tags: ILM, leadership, leadership and management, Leadership and Management programmes, Level 2 Team Leader, team leader
Posted in Announcements, News | Comments Off on 2021/22 ILM Programmes: Levels 2 to 7 available now for booking
Staff nominations to join university committees
September 1st, 2021
Would you like the opportunity to contribute to decision making within the university?
Would you enjoy working with a wide range of colleagues from different job families, Faculties and Departments? If you would like to be actively involved in the role of Executive Board sub-committees, then we would love to hear from you.
To broaden and diversify our decision making process, all staff are invited to apply for a role as a Nominated Member on the sub-committees of the University Executive Board. This is a great opportunity for staff to become involved and play a role in strategic discussions and decision making.
You will be part of a journey, seeing proposals and business cases as they develop following feedback from committee members. You will be required to think critically and have the opportunity to develop a wide range of skills and experiences that come with being a committee member.
You do not need to have previous committee experience to apply for this opportunity. You simply need an open mind, a willingness to contribute to discussions and be committed to ensuring that decisions are made fairly and within the best interests of the university.
There will be a total of 15 vacancies on offer. We are keen to ensure that our committee membership is representative of our diverse staff group and applications from those in underrepresented groups will be prioritised. Candidates who are applying for this opportunity for the first time will also be prioritised. We are also keen to receive applications from those within the Technical Services and Operations and Facilities job families.
To ensure fairness and equal opportunity for all, please note that staff who have previously held the position of a Nominated Member within the last two years are unable to apply. Senior members of staff, who already sit on strategic, decision making committees/boards are also not eligible to apply.
To read more about the sub-committees and how to apply for the role of a Nominated Member, please visit this SharePoint site.
Applications are via this Office 365 form and will be open from Wednesday 1 September until Friday 24 September 2021.
Full training and support will be provided for the successful candidates. If you feel you have something to offer and you could apply your personal experiences to committee discussions, please consider this opportunity.
Tags: committee, Nominated Member, UEB, University Executive Board
Posted in Announcements, News, Opportunities | Comments Off on Staff nominations to join university committees