Pay and reward

Remuneration Committee

Terms of Reference and membership of the Court Remuneration Committee.

1. Purpose

To approve the total remuneration package for the Principal and those senior staff reporting directly to the Principal, to approve the reward policy for Professorial and equivalents staff and to approve the Policy Statement on Severance Payments in respect of all staff.

2. Composition

2.1 The Committee shall consist of five members.
2.2 The Principal and the Vice Convener of Court are ex officio members of the Committee.
2.3 The other three members of the Remuneration Committee shall be lay members of Court.
2.4 Court shall appoint members of the Remuneration Committee on the recommendation of the Nominations Committee.
2.5 The Nominations Committee on making recommendations to Court shall take cognisance of ex officio members of the Committee.
2.6 The term of office of lay members will be no longer than their membership of Court unless otherwise determined by Court and shall normally be for a maximum of three years.
2.7 Previous members are eligible for re-appointment up to a normal maximum of two consecutive terms of office.
2.8 The Vice-Convener of Court shall be appointed ex officio Convener of the Committee.
2.9 All members of the Remuneration Committee are expected to comply with the University’s Code of Conduct as set out in the University’s Handbook and declare any interests which may conflict with their responsibilities as members of the Remuneration Committee.
2.10 The Principal while a member of this Committee shall withdraw from the Committee when his/her salary, terms and conditions or severance payments are being considered and take no part in the discussions or any decisions reached by the Remuneration Committee in respect of these matters.
2.11 The Director of Human Resources shall be in attendance at the Committee. Other individuals from within the University may also be invited to attend meetings from time to time to provide the Committee with information on specific items on the agenda.

3. Meetings

3.1 The Committee shall meet as required to fulfil its remit and will meet at least once in each academic session.
3.2 Minutes, agendas and papers will normally be circulated to members of the Committee at least five days in advance of the meeting. Late papers may be circulated up to two days before the meeting. Only in the case of extreme urgency and with the agreement of the Convener will papers be tabled at meetings of the Committee.
3.3 Non-contentious or urgent matters not on the agenda may be considered at a meeting subject to the agreement of the Convener of the meeting and the majority of members present.
3.4 Minutes, agendas and papers will normally be circulated to attendees at least four days in advance of the meeting unless the originator of the paper otherwise determines. Late papers may be circulated up to two days before the meeting. Only in the case of extreme urgency and with the agreement of the Convener will papers be tabled at meetings of the Committee.
3.5 Papers will indicate the originator/s and purpose of the paper, the matter/s which the Committee is being asked to consider and any action/s required and confirm the status of the paper in respect of freedom of information legislation.
3.6 Three members of the Committee shall be a quorum. This number must include the Principal and two lay members one of whom shall be appointed Convener by the majority of members present for the duration of the meeting should the Convener not be present.
3.7 A formal minute will be kept of proceedings and submitted for approval at the next meeting of the Committee. The draft minute will be agreed with the Convener of the Committee prior to circulation and in the case of the absence of the Convener at a meeting the Committee member appointed to act as Convener for the duration of that specific meeting.

4. Remit

4.1 In respect of the University’s senior management team the Committee will:

4.1.1 Receive comparative information on salaries, other emoluments and conditions of service in the university sector;
4.1.2 Review and approve annually the salaries, contractual terms and emoluments of the Principal and of such senior staff as report directly to the Principal or who may, from time to time, be agreed by the Committee;
4.1.3 Approve performance criteria, proposed by the Principal, for the senior management team and review and approve any discretionary salary revisions for such staff;
4.1.4 Be responsible for the Policy Statement on Severance Payments;
4.1.5 Consider and decide any severance payments proposed for the Principal and such senior staff as report directly to the Principal or who may from time to time be agreed by the Committee to be included in its considerations.

4.2 In respect of Professorial and equivalent staff the committee will:

4.2.1 Receive comparative information on salaries, other emoluments and conditions of service in the university sector;
4.2.2 Approve the overall Reward Policy for Professorial and equivalent staff;
4.2.3 Receive annually, information from the Principal on the decisions made, in conjunction with the Heads of College, concerning the salaries and other emoluments of professorial and such other senior staff as may, from time to time, be agreed.

4.3 In respect of all other University staff the Committee will:

4.3.1 Agree, in advance, severance packages for other senior staff and staff outside the norm, as specified in Policy Statement on Severance Payments, or where there is conflict of interest for one or more of the signatories in the Policy.

5. Other

5.1 The Committee will from time to time undertake a review of its own performance and effectiveness as part of the overall review of Court and its committees and thereon report to Court.
5.2 In order to fulfil its remit the Committee may obtain external professional advice as necessary. The Committee may also request such other information as it might require in exercise of its remit which is additional to that listed in section 4.
5.3 To report to Court on an annual basis on the main activities undertaken by the Committee.
5.4 Membership and remit of the Committee will be published on the University’s internet.

Approved 26 February 2007.

This article was published on Mar 18, 2011