Senate Business Committee

A meeting of the Senate Business Committee will be held at 4pm on Tuesday, 24 February 2026 via Microsoft Teams.

Rachael Bernard
Senior Governance Officer
(r.bernard@abdn.ac.uk )

Purpose

The Senate Business Committee has a primary purpose to set Senate agendas and to support the Senate governance structure to work effectively. 

Remit

[To be reviewed annually at first meeting of committee cycle]

The primary role of the Senate Business Committee is to set Senate agendas and to advise on the programme of business across the year.  In addition, the Senate Business Committee is responsible for regular review and monitoring of the effectiveness of Senate.

To engage Senate in open debate, and to inform future policy development by Senate committees for subsequent consideration by the Senate, Senate Business Committee should develop an annual schedule of business.  This should enable the identification of timing imperatives across the year and may include the invitation of one external speaker during the academic year on an issue of strategic importance to the sector.

Subject to advice from the Secretary to Senate on good governance practice, Senate Business Committee should contribute to the development of:

• proposals to support the effectiveness of Senate, and
• proposals to support the relationship between Senate and its Committees, including reflection on effectiveness surveys, for onward recommendation to Senate when necessary.
• proposals to support the recruitment and induction of new members of Senate.

In exceptional circumstances, and in line with Standing Order 3, as an alternative to calling an additional meeting of Senate, Senate Business Committee may be asked to allow consideration by Senate of an item by circulation.

Senate Business Committee has delegated responsibility from the Senate to approve the appointment of Senate members or representatives to External Trusts based on recommendations from the Senior Vice-Principal and/or a call for expressions of interest. The Secretary to Senate will advise on any circumstances which would require full Senate consideration.  A list of Senate appointees to external trusts will be maintained on the Senate webpages.

Reporting Line/Parent Committee and Interface with Other Committees
Formal reporting line:  Senate

Other Senate committees:

• University Education Committee
• Quality Assurance Committee
• University Research Committee
• Honorary Degrees Committee

Frequency and Timing of Meetings
The Committee will meet at least five times per year (October, November, January, March and May) ahead of meetings of Senate Meetings between 10am – 4pm in accordance with University Policy.

Publication of papers
Cognisance will be taken of the University’s Publication Scheme and Agenda papers will be made available on web pages/StaffNet where possible.

Composition and Quorum

• Provost (Chair)
• Chair, University Education Committee
• Chair, University Research Committee
• Chair, Quality Assurance Committee
• Six elected members of Senate (elected for a two-year term of office and including at least one Senate Assessor)
• Vice-President for Education of the Students’ Association

Quorum: 50%

Advisor to Senate Business Committee:  Secretary to Senate

Membership for 2025/26

• Nick Forsyth (Provost)
• Jo-Anne Murray (UEC)
• Vacancy (URC)
• Steve Tucker (QAC)
• Vacancy
• Patience Schell (until Sept 2026)
• Trevor Stack (until Sept 2026, Senate Assessor to 2029) 
• Scott Allan (until Sept 2027)
• Astley Hastings (until Sept 2027)
• Scott Styles (until Sept 2027)
• Samuel Seymour

Secretary to Senate:  Hannah Brian (Interim)
Clerk: Rachael Bernard