Chapter 3 – Policy Implications for Gaelic - University of Edinburgh

Investment Committee - Review of Effectiveness
1. Introduction
Investment Committee (IC) members reviewed the effectiveness of the Committee based on the
questions noted below. The findings of the effectiveness review will be reported to Court and are also
noted below.
Q1
Q2
Q3
Q4
Q5
Q6
Q7
Q8
Q9
Q10
Membership of Committee – any gaps?
Attendees at meetings – any gaps, attendance by other senior staff?
Interactions between Committee Members and core attendees – can this be
improved, any concerns?
Chairing of meetings – any comments?
Does the Committee fulfil its remit as set out in its approved Terms of Reference?
Interaction with Principal and senior University staff - comments?
Frequency of meetings/schedule of work – appropriate?
Is the remit still appropriate?
Agendas, minutes, papers – content appropriate, enable the right issues to be
addressed?
Any other comments/suggestions?
2. Effectiveness Review Findings
Q1. Investment Committee members considered that in general membership comprised a well
diversified group but the Committee may wish to ensure that the next time membership is reviewed it
considers the expertise currently available to it and identifies areas of weakness which it would seek
to address by perhaps increasing external representation.
Q2. The mix of attendees at the meeting was appropriate. However, as the group will have three
members of Court from September 2012 it may be appropriate to amend the quorate rules so that
rather than stating the designation of the Court members to attend in order to be quorate the remit just
refers to “one Court member.”
Q3-5. The interaction between IC members was as excellent and the chairing of the meetings worked
well with the meetings being interactive and appropriately action orientated.
Q6-9. Members welcomed the interaction with the Principal and noted that this worked well given
time constraints. The frequency of four meetings per year was considered adequate. The group felt
that the remit of the Committee was appropriate but commented that this is always under review. The
papers etc. were normally of a high quality but dealing with volumes of paper and attachments could
be challenging.
Q10. Additional informal events with the members would be welcomed.
3. Actions
As noted at Q2 above, Court is asked to consider amending the terms of reference from
“Three members of the Committee shall be a quorum. This number must include the
Principal or the Convener of the Finance and General Purposes and two members who
are either external members or lay members”, to “Three members of the Committee shall
be a quorum. This number must include one Court member and two members who are
either external members or lay members.”