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I
was elected to the University Counci in May
2007 by the non-academic staff for my third and final term
- Council members are not permitted
to sit for longer than three terms of three years unless they
hold office.
I am actively involved on Council, serving on the Physical Resources
and Information Services Committees and was a member of the Selection
Committee for our new Vice Chancellor. I am able to enhance
Council's understanding of support
issues, and the concerns of staff, across the University. I
engage on wider issues of University strategy - in particular
the need for Sussex to maintain key disciplines across arts and
science and be responsive to the needs of society. I am proud
of the part I played, along with many other staff and students,
in keeping Chemistry at Sussex.
Sussex has a completely new
management team headed by the new VC and the next three years
will see significant changes. I believe that the pace of change
should be appropriate and that planning must be inclusive. I
have a wide understanding of higher education issues and things
that matter to staff and challenge
proposals that I think are flawed but encourage those that
seem right. As examples, Council will decide the future of the
USPAS pension scheme and scope of Professional Services and it
is vital that the interests of support staff are well represented.
I am aware that much of the work of Council may seem remote and
I am keen to involve those who are interested and facilitate
meetings between independent members of Council and support staff.
I work well with all other members of Council and know that
involvement makes for better decisions.
The
agenda , papers and minutes of Council meetings can be found
via
http://www.sussex.ac.uk/secretariat/1-4-4.html
I
want to reflect staff views, so please feel free to email me
at J.Maris (at) sussex.ac.uk
or telephone me on 8060 if you want to discuss anything to do
with the University.
Jeremy
Maris |