I am pleased to provide this update for the Sussex staff community following the meeting of Council on 4 April 2025. As the University’s governing body, Council’s role is to approve the University’s strategy, to meet the University’s responsibilities in relation to legal and regulatory requirements and those deriving from the Charter and Statutes, and to monitor the institution’s (and its own) effectiveness and performance.
Office for Students’s (OfS) investigation
Whilst last Friday was Council’s scheduled spring term meeting, we also met on 25 March to discuss the OfS’s final decision in its investigation into the University. The investigation has lasted nearly three and a half years, and it has been very disappointing that, throughout, the OfS refused to meet to discuss any matters of substance. I will not rehearse the details – although material can be found here – but the OfS’s findings have significant implications for Sussex, as well as the university sector more widely. Council’s concern, of course, is Sussex and it is in order to protect Sussex’s interests that on 25 March we took the decision that key aspects of the findings should be challenged legally. This is not a decision we took lightly but given the damage that the findings could do to the University’s reputation, and our belief that there are errors in law, Council judged this to be the right decision.
Student recruitment
As you will know, the University is facing recruitment challenges, and whilst some are sector-wide, others are specific to Sussex as is illustrated by the fact that, at the UCAS equal consideration date (29 January 2025), Sussex’s UCAS applications were down 12% on last year set against a national increase of 1% and a competitor increase of 2%.
Addressing these challenges is the most important issue facing the University. For this reason, Council spent considerable time last Friday on this issue. It is clear that a large part of the challenge is ensuring that what Sussex has to offer is more widely known and that we better articulate the benefits of a Sussex education – and so investing in marketing and refreshing our brand will support this. Council heard about a number of initiatives that are being introduced in this area and will be spending more time next term on this issue.
Finances
Council also met on 28 February to approve the University’s financial statements for 2023/24. There is no doubt that Sussex – indeed the whole university sector – faces significant challenges, with little prospect of government assistance, in the near- to medium-term. This is why the difficult decision was made to run a Voluntary Leavers Scheme. It remains too early to know what level of saving this might generate or whether further action will be necessary, but all decisions will be made on the basis of Sussex values and with the aim of realizing the ambitions set out in the Sussex 2035 strategy.
Socially Responsible Investment Policy
As many of you will know, Council has created a Council review group to look at the University’s Socially Responsible Investment Policy. To date, the group has drafted ten guiding principles for an updated policy, held its first community engagement event (on 24 February), and invited written submissions from members of the community (the closing date for which was 27 March). Once the review group has considered the written submissions, alongside feedback from the 24 February event, it will commence a second round of community engagement activity.
Policies, polices everywhere…
Council considered the work being done to reduce the number of policies in the University; there are currently over 300. Having fewer policies and making sure people know about them and know how to comply with them will help Sussex to be a great place to work and study. Council is very pleased that the University will be rationalising its policies with the aim of creating a much smaller, more manageable number of policies. As over 100 have already been identified as redundant, this work is not expected to have any adverse effects and should support the University in becoming more agile and flexible. As unnecessary and unused policies can also create a regulatory risk for universities, Council will be monitoring this work closely.
Finally, we are now approaching the end of term, the weather is getting warmer, and the days longer. I do hope that you can all take a break over the next few weeks. Council remains confident in the University’s long-term future but recognizes that these last few months have been challenging for everyone and that we all need to rest and recharge.
Rosemary Martin
Chair of Council