People Committee

Terms of Reference

The People Committee, chaired by the Chair of Council, meets at least four times per year, and operates under delegated authority from Council in the areas of remuneration, nominations, and matters relating to the University’s people, culture and values more generally.

The Committee’s responsibilities are detailed below.

Remuneration Responsibilities

1. To determine on appointment, and review at least annually, the remuneration and employment terms and conditions of the Vice-Chancellor.  Any such review to be informed by reliable, up‐to‐date benchmarking information from other institutions of comparable scale and complexity.
2. To consider and approve requests from the Vice-Chancellor in relation to the acceptance of any extra-contractual appointments, and to determine in which cases it would be appropriate for the related remuneration to be retained.
3. To determine on appointment, and to review annually, informed by appropriate recommendations from the Vice-Chancellor, the remuneration and employment terms and conditions of members of the Vice-Chancellor’s Executive Group.  Any such review to be informed by reliable, up‐to‐date benchmarking information from other institutions of comparable scale and complexity.
4. To monitor, on an annual basis, the Vice-Chancellor’s performance against approved key objectives, informed by a report prepared by the Chair of Council.
5. To consider an annual report detailing the expenses paid to the Vice-Chancellor and other members of the Vice-Chancellor’s Executive Group during the course of the previous academic year.
6. To keep under review the wider arrangements in place in relation to the appointment, remuneration and employment terms and conditions of staff outside of the Vice-Chancellor’s Executive Group – to include the provision of updates on nationally agreed pay awards/incremental progression.
7. To consider and approve any severance arrangements for staff earning £100,000 FTE (excluding on costs) or more per annum, in the context of specific guidance from the University’s sponsoring Department and the NI Charity Commission.
8. To provide an Annual Report on the Committee’s consideration of people and culture matters (including remuneration) for approval by the Council, prior to the inclusion of a summary report within the Financial Statements on the University’s website.
9. To consider and approve, in advance of their publication, any notes within the Financial Statements that relate to remuneration and related payments – to include staff numbers, staff costs, emoluments of the Vice-Chancellor, remuneration of Key Management Personnel, compensation for loss of office and specified pay multiples.

People and Culture Responsibilities

10. To provide advice to the University on significant policies and policy updates underpinning the Statement of the Main Terms and Conditions of employment.
11. To provide advice to the University, on request, in relation to its arrangements for staff engagement and its impact on organisational performance.  This could include a particular focus on the findings and recommendations arising from Staff Surveys and associated forms of ongoing engagement.
12. To consider periodical reports on strategic people initiatives that relate to the themes contained within the University’s People and Culture Strategy – including BRAVE and the University’s core values.
13. To keep under review all matters relating to Trade Union relationships and activity within the institution – to include the receipt of updates on proposed action short of strike and the likelihood/resultant impact of industrial action where appropriate.
14. To consider and approve institutional policies seeking to promote of all aspects of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion across the University and compliance with all related statutory and legislative requirements – to incorporate the consideration and evaluation of progress within the University’s Equality Scheme, in line with Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998.
15. To receive the University’s annual Section 75 Return and annual Disability Action Plan for information.
16. To promote the University’s responsibilities for equality and diversity by ensuring that relevant issues are given full consideration in all matters relating to the remuneration of all staff falling within the remit of the Committee.
17. To consider and recommend to Council, the University’s Annual Report and assurances in respect of the University’s arrangements for Health, Safety and Wellbeing and to receive updates at each meeting in respect of progress within the HSW plan.
18. To consider periodic summary reports on legal cases involving significant employment matters.

Nominations Responsibilities

19. To agree and oversee the following processes, making recommendations regarding appointments to Council, as appropriate:
    • The appointment and terms of office of the Chancellor, Pro-Chancellors (including the Chair of Council) and Honorary Treasurer, to include effective succession planning.
    • The number of Pro-Chancellors.
    • The appointment of an interim Pro-Chancellor, where required.
    • The selection of Council representatives to serve on the Joint Committee established to appoint the Vice-Chancellor.
    • The appointment of members of Council/Charity Trustees.
    • The election process governing the election/appointment of staff members to Council.
    • The optimum overall composition and membership of Council and its Committees.
    • The allocation of Council members to membership of the University's core Committees. Where a conflict arises, the Committee can reallocate members across Committees without recourse to Council.
    • The removal from Council – for good cause – of any member of Council in line with the relevant Statute.

    In doing so, to take due account of the skills and experience required on, and to actively promote diversity across, the membership of Council and its core Committees.

20. To agree and oversee the process through which additional co-optees are appointed as advisors (rather than trustees) to University Committees to address identified skills gaps, making appointments as appropriate.
21. To oversee the arrangements for the induction, appraisal and ongoing training and development of Council members and of co-optees to Council Committees.
22. To consider and recommend to Council any proposed deviation from the appointment of Chairs to University Committees practice, together with the Chair positions on any other Council committees.
23. To consider and approve the appointment of Council/University representatives to the University’s subsidiary and related companies – to include Innovation Ulster Limited (IUL) and Studio Ulster.

Reporting

24. To provide a report on the work of the Committee to each meeting of the University Council in a format to be determined by the Council.

The Committee will have due regard, in reaching decisions, to their impact on, and implications for, the University’s commitment to ensuring equality of opportunity and good relations as outlined in its Equality Scheme, and associated policies, and where possible and practicable the Committee will ensure that its actions are proactive in this respect.

These Terms of Reference will be subject to annual review.