Back in June, our Board of Trustees met to discuss a number of key topics including our incorporation, 2024-25 budget, and strategic plan to name a few.
Hannah Hockin
President 2023-24
On 27 June, we held our final Board of Trustees for the 2023-24 academic year. This Board also saw our new Trustees, including new Officers, Student Trustees and External Trustees join as observers.
What is the Board of Trustees?
Our Board of Trustees comprises four elected Sabbatical Officers, three appointed Student Trustees and up to five external and independent Trustees. This group is legally responsible for the organisation and in addition to providing guidance and expertise, helps to set the strategic direction for RHSU.
At Board meetings, Sabbatical Officers and the Chief Executive provide updates on their work and present items which need to be discussed and potentially approved by Board. At RHSU, we want to ensure we are as transparent as possible about how decisions are made and who makes them, so let’s dive into what was on the agenda at our latest meeting.
RHSU Strategic Plan
The Board was presented with our new strategic plan 2024-2027, titled ‘Building Community, Leading Change’.
The presentation reflected on the development journey since Board in March and further student engagement; the mission, values, strategic aims and priorities across 2024-27; our Rate Your Union survey results and our aims across enabling themes of People and Culture, Well Governed and Sustainable, Physical and Digital Infrastructure.
The Board was grateful for the work across various teams in developing our new strategy and was very happy to approve it.
2024-25 Budget
We were pleased to report that the University has approved our Block Grant at £1.9m for next year, alongside a letter of assurance for the drawdown of additional funds, up to £200k across 2024-25 which will cover our current budgeted commercial deficit. Any use of this drawdown would be on a payback basis and reduction of block grants in future years.
The Board also noted the commissioning of the collaborative and partnership approach to the strategic review of commercial services on campus which is about to commence and conclude by the end of term one.
Officer Update
All four officers provided an update on their activities since the last Board meeting, which included work around student safety, careers and employability, mental health campaigns and developing student groups.
Rate your Union Summary
The Board received an initial report on our annual Rate Your Union survey, which saw a total of 951 respondents. The results showed a broadly positive and improving picture across the recent strategic plan and since 2016.
Freedom of Speech Code of Practice
The Board approved a revised and jointly developed single Code of Practice for RHSU and the University. With new legislative and regulatory requirements coming into force from 1 August, the strategic and risk context was highlighted, whilst recognising that guidance from the Office for Students had yet to be published and was further delayed by the General Election.
We’ll be working closely with the University to promote freedom of speech and make students aware of the Code of Practice.
Incorporation
The Board received an update on incorporation, following the motion presented to students in May, which received 596 student votes, with 489 (82%) in favour of incorporating RHSU.
The Board was asked to approve an extension of the current constitution (to be wrapped up in the development of new articles of association); approval to request permission from the University (and Privy Council) for the new company to be called Royal Holloway University of London, Students’ Union; and approval to incorporate as a Company Limited by Guarantee.
Student and External Trustee Code of Conduct
The Board approved a new Student and External Trustee Code of Conduct. This responded to a need to ensure we had a common approach for Trustees, with a different approach for Sabbatical Officers due to their employment status.
Deputy Returning Officer Report
The Board received the Deputy Returning Officer report summarising RHSU Spring and Summer Elections across 2023-24 and changes made on the back of recommendations from the 2023 elections. The report summarised election turnout, complaints and recommendations for 2025 elections, to be reviewed alongside the NUS national election report.
Good Governance Code Actions Tracker
There is an action plan related to good governance, completed last summer and the Board received an update on actions completed and in progress. The Board received a summary of the 21 May Finance, Staffing and Risk Committee, the Insanity Radio Annual Report and the RHUL Letter of Assurance.
The Board meeting closed with thanks given to this year’s Officer team and the outgoing student and external Trustees.