Governance and Nominations Committee

Find out more about UCL's Governance and Nominations Committee, including terms of reference, membership, meetings and minutes.

On this page you will find:

• terms of reference
• members
• meetings

Terms of Reference

Subject to any general or particular direction that may from time to time be given by Council, the Governance and Nominations Committee is charged by Council:

1. To oversee and advise Council on the following matters relating to the governance structure and framework of the University:
   1. Proposed changes to UCL's instruments of governance, these being the UCL Charter, Statutes and Regulations for Management, and other governing documents;
   2. Proposed introduction of governance documents; 
   3. Proposed changes to the Council committee structure and the constitutions and terms of reference of Council committees; 
   4. Between governance effectiveness reviews, the effectiveness of Council and its committees, including the relevance of items that are brought to Council and the length and quality of Council papers; 
2. To ensure that a full review of governance effectiveness with some degree of independent input is carried out at least once every three years, and to monitor and ensure the implementation of approved recommendations; 
3. To monitor and advise Council on all matters connected with its membership, including:
   1. keeping under review the overall profile, skills and diversity of the membership of Council, including via consideration of a skills matrix which is refreshed at least annually; 
   2. succession planning; 
   3. role descriptions for members of Council, including the Chair of Council and other roles; 
   4. search and recruitment;
   5. making recommendations on the appointment of external members to Council, and on the re-appointment of members with reference to Statute 3(3);
   6. processes to ensure that all persons recommended for appointment to Council are fit and proper persons as required by the OfS;
   7. the induction and ongoing training and development of Council members; 
   8. the arrangements for recording Council member interests; and 
   9. processes for Council member reviews and feedback. 
4. To monitor and advise Council on the membership of Council committees and sub-committees, including making recommendations to Council on the appointment of members of Council to such committees and of the co-option of other persons (whether internal or external) to such committees; 
5. To make recommendations to Council on the appointment of Council members to working groups, selection panels and other bodies, and to the boards of subsidiaries or other bodies with which UCL is affiliated; and on the allocation to members of Council of any other ad hoc responsibilities as determined by Council;
6. To ensure the effective management of risk in areas covered by the Committee's Terms of Reference;
7. To review and advise Council on the mapping of responsibilities of Council and Council's Committees with the OfS Conditions of Registration;
8. To report to Council by submission to Council of regular reports at a frequency determined by Council;
9. To undertake such other duties and responsibilities as may be assigned to it by Council from time to time. 

Membership

• The quorum of the Governance and Nominations Committee shall be half of the total members of the Committee. 
• The number in ( ) indicates length of continuous service in years, up to and including the 2023-24 session. Length of service is not indicated for ex officio, student members, or observers.

Ex Officio

Appointed

Appointed Members of the Governance and Nominations Committee shall remain members for a period of three consecutive years, and, provided that they remain members of Council, shall be eligible for reappointment for a second or further period not exceeding three years.

Two Appointed Members of Council, appointed by Council on the recommendation of Governance and Nominations Committee 

• Sarah Whitney (1)
• Vacancy

Two academic staff members of Council, appointed by Council on the recommendation of Governance and Nominations Committee 

• Dr Alun Coker (1)
• Professor Helen Roberts (4)

One of the Students' Union UCL Representatives on the Council, appointed by Council on the recommendation of Governance and Nominations Committee 

• Shaban Chaudhary

Secretary

• Olivia Whiteley

Scheduled meeting dates: 2024-25

The copy deadlines quoted are the latest dates by which the final papers must be received by the secretary.

• Thursday 10 October 2024, 9.00am (copy deadline 26 September)
• Thursday 28 November 2024, 2.00pm 
• Monday 10 February 2025, 9.00am (copy deadline 27 January)
• Friday 2 May 2025, 9.00am (copy deadline 18 April)
• Thursday 19 June 2025, 4.00pm (copy deadline 5 June)