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During the Meeting

Declarations of Interest

  1. If any committee member has a real or perceived, personal or pecuniary interest in any matter that is related to a decision the committee may take, they should declare it in advance to the Chair. However, it is also good practice for the Chair to ask members of the Committee if they have any conflicts of interest they need to declare at the beginning of the meeting and this will always be included in the preliminary business of the agenda. The Secretary to the meeting can advise on how to respond to any declared interest (e.g. ask the member to not take part in discussions or leave the room for certain items).

Running the Meeting

  1. It is the Chair's responsibility, along with the Secretary, to ensure that the meeting starts on time and that all items on the agenda are covered. Agenda items are normally taken in the order that they appear, although the Chair may alter the order if they wish to or is requested to. This should be clearly communicated to the Committee at the start of the meeting.
  2. The Chair is responsible for the flow of business and for determining when the committee should move on to the next item on the agenda. Before moving on, the Chair may wish to summarise the discussion and its outcome in order to ensure clarity for the Committee and the attendees.
  3. It is the responsibility of the Chair to facilitate discussion and to ensure that everyone has a say where appropriate. The Chair should ensure that decisions are reached when needed, and to ensure that the Committee does not get bogged down in unnecessary detail.
  4. Only minor items, usually for report only, should be raised under "Any Other Business".

Quoracy

  1. Quorum exists for Boards of Examiners (see regulations 9, 32, 37 and 39), Disciplinary Committees (see Regulation 23), Subsidiary Company Boards and the Assembly (see Standing Orders of the Assembly). No other formal committees of the University are subject to a defined quoracy.

Characteristics of a Good Chair

  • Good listening and communication skills
  • Impartiality and flexibility
  • Exerts authority when appropriate
  • Gains consensus and avoids undue conflict
  • Ability to summarise fairly and succinctly
  • Ensures follow-through.