RAE 2008: Responsibilities and Timescales

A. Responsibilities of Academic Staff

Table 1: Responsibilities of academic staff.

i = Items for information only.

Explanations.

1. UOA Quality Statements. Academic Leaders and UOA Planning Groups must produce specific criteria for the assessment of work to be submitted to the RAE (e.g. research outputs, esteem indicators etc.). The criteria may be an endorsement of sub-panel guidelines or may aspire to a higher quality threshold. The statements are required by the RAE, and they will set the baseline for staff selection.

2. Survey of likely UOAs. VPs of Colleges, Deans of Schools and - if appropriate - Academic Leaders must inform the Vice-Principal for Research and Enterprise about the UOAs which are under consideration for submission.

3. Survey of likely Joint Submissions. VPs of Colleges, Deans of Schools and - if appropriate - Academic Leaders must inform the Vice-Principal for Research and Enterprise of any likely Joint Submissions with other institutions.

4, 5, 6, 8, 9. Draft RAE forms. A total of 4 rounds of draft documentation are expected. During the 2nd round of draft documentation (1 February 2007) a preliminary listing of research outputs is also expected. Form RA5b "Individual Staff Circumstances" must not be circulated as its data must be treated in confidence. During the preparation of draft submissions, all staff who are being considered for inclusion in the RAE, and who have not been informed of any decision to exclude them, must be included in the documentation.

7. Completion of decisions by UOAs on staff selection. Academic Leaders must inform by 1 April 2007 any staff which do not meet the UOA's quality criteria, that they will not be selected for the RAE. They must also inform staff who may be provisionally selected for the RAE, e.g. subject to research outputs appearing, that they may be left out if the criteria are not met. Eligible staff who are excluded from the RAE will have the right to make informal and formal appeals.

10. Collection of Research Outputs in hard copy. The RAE 2008 proposes to collect research outputs electronically. At the time of writing, details are not clear. It appears that electronic collection of research outputs may only cover outputs published mainly in journals, and by publishers who make their publications available electronically. The process may not cover all journals, monographs and other research outputs. Therefore, all research outputs which are not available electronically at publisher's websites will have to be collected in hard copy.

Health Warning

Planning Group Meetings. Every meeting of a Planning Group must be attended by at least one member of the group who has had Equality and Diversity training. All meetings and decisions of Planning Groups must be documented. Minutes will be required in cases of appeals for discrimination or for not following procedures.

Staff Eligibility for Selection for the RAE

This section is a brief summary and only covers Category A staff. For full definitions please see the RAE Guidance on Submissions or contact Charles Christacopoulos or Professor David Boxer.

Conditions

• Staff must be employed by the University, with a contract of employment, and be on the payroll at 31 October 2007.
• The contract must list teaching or research as the primary employment function.
• Staff on secondment, sabbatical, unpaid leave or staff who may be on secondment to us are discussed extensively in the RAE 2008 Guidance on Submissions.
• Staff with an FTE less than 0.2 may not be included.
• Research assistants would not normally be eligible because they happen to have research outputs to their name, however if they can meet certain conditions of being principal investigators they can be included.
• Casual and hourly paid staff employed under consultancy contracts, or paid in response to claims or submitting invoices for fees or services are not eligible. Hourly staff who receive payment automatically through the payroll of the University "... net of tax and national insurance contributions, and who enjoy similar employment rights to other employees ..." can be included as Category A.
• "Teaching assistants such as foreign language assistants/lectors who are not employed as academic staff cannot be included..." as Category A staff.

B. Appeals Timetable.

Table 2: Appeals timetable

i = Items for information only.

Summary. Staff who are eligible for inclusion in the RAE will have to be informed by 1 April 2007 if they are not selected for the RAE. Staff who are not selected will have the right to informal and formal appeals. Informal appeals could be started until 8 June 2007. They can involve consultations with the Heads of their College/School/Unit, and be completed by writing to the Vice-Principal for Research and Enterprise. If staff wish to proceed to a formal appeal hearing, the necessary panel will be constituted by the director of Human Resources. Formal appeal hearings will run between 1 August and 30 September.
[NB. Please consult the Equality and Diversity Code of Practice for exact sequence of events and timescales].

C. Responsibilities of staff at Central Level.

Table 2: Staff responsibilities at central level

1 Open Days, Seminars, Visits. There will be Open Days for all staff eligible for inclusion in the RAE. The Vice-Principal for Research and Enterprise will explain the significance of the RAE, its implications for funding, and its possible future. He will disseminate the Equality and Diversity Code of Practice, and how the University intends to conduct the exercise. Separate seminars will be organised for Academic Leaders and staff involved in UOA Planning Groups. Where it is necessary, there will be visits to meet with individual UOA Planning Groups to provide additional explanations or help.

2 Main Panel Groups. The Vice-Principal for Research and Enterprise will - in consultation with other senior managers as necessary - establish the composition of the Groups by the time the first round of draft RA5a and RA5c forms is expected, i.e. by 1 Nov 2006.

The role of the Main Planning Groups will be to provide qualitative editorial control. To ensure that our submissions are consistent with the RAE Main Panel requirements especially where we submit to multiple UOAs under one Main Panel.

3. Final Proof Reading. During late November 2007 the Vice-Principal for Research and Enterprise will invite staff to assist with a final proof reading of the submissions.