POLICY & PROCEDURES ON ENDOWED AND NAMED CHAIRS Ref CO/02/1505/09

Transcription

1 POLICY & PROCEDURES ON ENDOWED AND NAMED CHAIRS Ref CO/02/1505/09 Custodian: DIVISION OF HUMAN RESOURCES & EQUITY Policy approved by: Date: 15 May 2009 Policy effective date: Date: 5 May 2009 Policy review structure & date: Date: 2012 Implementation responsibility: Implementation procedures approved by: Faculty Management: Role And Responsibilities, Recruitment & Selection Of Faculty Management & Leadership Council Date: 15 May 2009

2 1. PREAMBLE The University seeks to develop and enhance its academic programmes and activities. It accordingly welcomes external funding from donors that will assist the University to achieve and further its academic mission and foster excellence. The establishment of endowed and named Chairs is one way in which this may be achieved. The University is committed to the tradition and importance of establishing Chairs as a means of developing, recognizing and promoting academic programmes and fields of study that are consistent with the University's mission, vision and strategic objectives. To this end, it has developed a policy and attendant procedures governing the establishment of endowed and named Chairs. 2. DEFINITION OF TERMS Academic employee means any person appointed to teach and or to do research at the University, and any other employee designated as such by the Council of the University. Endowed Chairs are endowment funded prestigious academic staff appointments established to recognize and/or attract to the University nationally and internationally recognized senior academics whose scholarly activity and accomplishments will enrich specific areas of research and teaching in line with the Vision, Mission and Strategic Plan of the University. An endowed Chair generally must, at its establishment, be fully funded from sources outside of the University's regular operating budget. The funding for a Chair should be sufficient to cover the full cost of employment of the incumbent for the proposed duration of the appointment and may include provision for an appropriate level of research/scholarly/administrative support. Named Chairs are Chairs created and supported partly or wholly by the University but are named in order to honour a foundation, individual or a respectable commercial or business unit. NRF Research Chair is a position dedicated to research only. The National Research Foundation (NRF) South African Research Chairs are endowed research chairs created according to the NRF process, with the applicants being nominated and supported by the University. NRF Research Chairs are not included in this policy. University is the University of KwaZulu-Natal. In this policy, unless inconsistent with the context, words referring to any one gender shall include a reference to the other gender; the singular shall include the plural and vice versa; and natural persons shall include legal persons and vice versa. 1

3 3. PURPOSE The purpose of this document is to facilitate and provide guidelines for the establishment and filling of Named and Endowed Chairs. 4. SCOPE OF APPLICATION This policy applies to all Named and Endowed Chairs. 5. PRINCIPLES AND POLICY PROVISIONS 5.1. The purpose of an Endowed or Named Chair must be consistent with the Vision, Mission and Strategic Plan of the University The name of the Chair must bring honour to the University A Named or Endowed Chair may only be established by the Council of the University on recommendation of the Senate and Staffing Committee are intended for scholars distinguished by national and international recognition of their professional accomplishments. Chairs may accordingly be used to recognize an existing academic staff member or to attract a new academic to the University Appointees to shall generally have a distinguished academic record at the level of full Professor. In exceptional circumstances an Associate Professor or distinguished industry expert may, with the approval of Council on recommendation by Senate, be appointed to an Endowed or Named Chair All Chair positions shall be filled fairly and transparently through normal University recruitment and selection procedures unless otherwise provided in the motivation to establish the Chair. Any deviation from policy must be approved by Council on recommendation from Senate In filling a Chair, there shall be due regard for the Employment Equity Policy of the University An Endowed or Named Chair is generally established within a specific discipline but may be multi-disciplinary Subject to terms of appointment the holder of an Endowed Chair shall occupy the Chair for the period of time specified in the endowment agreement or until normal retirement age The holder of a named Chair shall occupy the Chair for a fixed term of office as approved by Council. The appointment may be renewed subject to a performance review and the availability of finances The endowment fund shall be held and administered by the UKZN Foundation. Expenses incurred in the management of the endowment shall be covered by endowment funds The Chair shall be subject to same terms and conditions of employment as applicable to permanent academic staff and shall report to the Head of School An Endowed Chair shall generally only be considered where there will be sufficient funds to meet the purpose of the endowment agreement for the proposed duration. The funding proposal must accordingly be approved by the Chief Finance Officer before the endowed Chair can be considered Whenever agreed by the donor, the endowment agreement should provide for a portion of the income generated by the endowment to be allocated to providing research, travel and administrative support to the Chair. 2

4 5.15. An Endowed Chair shall only be appointed contingent on fulfillment of funding of the endowment and subject to University policies and procedures to ensure appropriate financial and organizational controls In exceptional circumstances a Chair may be appointed prior to completion of the pledge payment. This is subject to approval of the University Legal Advisor/Registrar and Chief Finance Officer. Such a Chair will be conditionally established and may be disestablished if the full funding is not received in terms of the endowment agreement The Council may with the donor s approval(if applicable) disestablish an Endowed or Named Chair where the discipline ceases to be consistent with University objectives or the Endowed or Named Chair remains vacant for three years and the Dean confirms there is no likelihood of filling the post. In such cases, the Donor may agree to reallocating the funds to another Chair The attribution of a name to a Chair does not imply or confer any right of involvement or oversight into the operations of the University, by any third party, including the donor or the individual or organization whose name is attached to the Chair The University reserves the right to withdraw a Named or Endowed Chair or rename it if the association of the University with the particular name of the Chair could have negative consequences for the reputation of the University or where the name of the Chair becomes associated with principles, beliefs or activities that are not congruent with the University Mission, Vision and Core Values. 6. PROCEDURES 6.1. A proposal for the establishment of an Endowed or Named Chair shall be submitted to the Faculty Board, and in the case of a cross-disciplinary Chair which spans more than one Faculty, to all the respective Faculty Boards The Faculty Board/s shall consider all relevant factors to determine if the proposed Chair is within the parameters of this policy and how it will enhance excellence in the discipline and contribute to the relevant faculty s strategic objectives The Faculty Board shall forward the proposal for establishment of an Endowed or Named Chair together with its recommendations to the Academic Affairs Board for recommendation to Senate Once approved by Senate the motivation shall be submitted to the University Staffing Committee which shall after due consideration recommend accordingly to Council A proposal for the establishment of a new Endowed Chair should address the following aspects: Motivation for the establishment of the Chair (addressing School, Faculty, College and University objectives) Proposed name of the Chair and motivation thereof Purpose of establishing the Chair Name of Funder Duration of the Chair Duration of appointments to fill the Chair Written pledge from Funder in a form that constitutes a legally binding commitment by the donor once approved by Council Details of proposed funding including all financial implications for the University. 3

5 The detailed financial plan requires prior approval by the Chief Finance Officer. Discipline or disciplinary specialization Faculty(ies) involved 6.6 Once approval has been granted for establishment of an endowed Chair, a formal endowment agreement shall be concluded which shall inter alia address: Name of the proposed Chair Duration of the Chair and procedures and principles for dissolution Discipline or disciplinary specialization Faculty(ies) Endowment period Name and contact details of the funders Detailed conditions of the endowment including disolution. Financial implications for the University(if any) 6.7. A copy of the Endowment Agreement shall be retained by the Faculty (ies) and College(s) concerned as well as by the UKZN Foundation. All originals shall be lodged with the office of the Registrar On receipt of the signed original Endowment Agreement the Office of the Registrar shall advise the Division of Human Resources and Equity. The post shall then be created but shall only be released for advertising contingent on fulfillment of funding of the endowment in terms of the financial plan and subject to University policies and procedures to ensure appropriate financial and organizational controls A proposal for the establishment of a new named Chair should address the following aspects: Motivation for the establishment of the Chair (addressing School, Faculty and University objectives) Proposed name of the Chair and motivation thereof Purpose of establishing the Chair Duration of the Chair Duration of appointments to the Chair Name of Donor (if applicable) Details of proposed funding including all financial implications for the University. The detailed financial plan requires prior approval by the Chief Finance Officer. Written pledge from Donor(if applicable) in a form that constitutes a legally binding commitment by the donor once approved by Council Discipline or disciplinary specialization Faculty(ies) involved 10. EFFECTIVE DATE This policy shall take effect on 18 May REVIEW DATE This policy shall be reviewed every three years from effective date. 4