Present: Ian Carradice, Convenor (St Andrews), Helen Rawson (St Andrews), Jane Cameron (Stirling), Ewen Smith (Glasgow), Peter Trowles (Glasgow School of Art), Matthew Jarron (Dundee), Alan Knox (Aberdeen), Neil Curtis (Aberdeen), Dawn Kemp (Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh), Jacky MacBeath (Edinburgh), Caroline Brown (Dundee), Claire Smith (Aberdeen), Joan Penman (Abertay), Sarah Fairclough (St Andrews), Esther Black (Dundee), Mungo Campbell (Glasgow)
Apologies: Stuart James (Paisley), Laura Hamilton (Strathclyde), Alastair Ramage (Glasgow Caledonian), Evelyn Silber (Glasgow), Cathy Cardwell (Dundee), John Barnes (Dundee), Jim Fiddes (Robert Gordons), Laura Adam (Dundee), Graeme Roberts (Aberdeen/SMC)
1. Minutes
The minutes of the 2002 AGM were approved
2. Convenor's report
Two committee meetings have taken place since the last AGM, one of which was a few minutes ago; the Committee has also been in regular contact via circular emails. The main business dealt with has been as follows:
UMIS responses were prepared and sent to the appropriate bodies for two major consultations: 1) Scotland's Museums - an Action Plan; 2) Museum Registration Phase 3. The Committee also discussed the SMC's 10 priorities for a new Parliament, published in its leaflet 'The future of the Past', which, somewhat disappointingly, failed to mention university museums. Returning to the first consultation, the Scottish Executive's 'Action Framework for Museums' was published in August 2003 and it received a very lukewarm (in fact, from most quarters, cold) reception, being welcomed only by the NMS and NGS, since it more or less retains the status quo. The only major initiative in the Framework is the creation of a Regional Development Challenge Fund, so we are once again being consulted, via the SMC, on yet another proposal, to which we will return later in this meeting.
Our biennial conference is the most tangible contribution made by UMIS. It has been agreed that the next UMIS conference will be held at the University of Edinburgh in 2004 - details of dates and venue are yet to be confirmed. I would like to thank Matthew Jarron for publishing the papers from the last UMIS conference, at St Andrews in 2002, on the UMIS website. The Committee has also proposed that future Committee meetings will include reports from members on collections/museums activities at their universities, and these, and the Committee meeting minutes, will be web-mounted.
3. Treasurer's report
A report was tabled, showing that the balance available to UMIS as at 31st October 2003 totalled £2,395.07. It was noted that this amount would enable UMIS to underwrite the 2004 conference and enable initiatives such as inviting keynote speakers. Following the recommendation of the committee it was agreed that the subscription rate should remain at £50 per institutional member. The Treasurer undertook to send subscription invoices to member institutions shortly.
Summary accounts 2003-4
Opening balance £1,641.74 Income Annual subscriptions received (11 x £50) £550.00 Conference Income £1,330.00 Gross interest received £12.18 Total income £1,892.18 Expenditure Conference expenditure £1,103.70 Administration costs £35.15 Total expenditure £1,138.85 Net income £753.33 Closing Balance £2,395.07
4. Elections to committee
Apart from IC who had been elected to a three-year term as Convenor in 2002, the other office bearers were elected unopposed for a further year. Office bearers for 2003-4 are therefore:
Ian Carradice (Convenor)
Ewen Smith (Treasurer)
Neil Curtis (Secretary)
Matthew Jarron (Web editor)
Evelyn Silber (UMG / UMIS liaison)
Mungo Campbell (SMC / UMIS liaison)
5. Reports
5.1 University Museums Group
In the absence of Evelyn Silber who was attending the UMG AGM on the same day, the delay in the publication of the Advocacy Document was noted.
It was noted that Peter Trowles and Matthew Jarron had been nominated for membership of the UMG committee.
5.2 University Museums and Collections Committee of ICOM (UMAC)
Report by Ewen Smith
The UMAC Annual Conference was held in Oklahoma, September 2003. It was attended by 55 delegates from 14 countries, at which some 30 papers were presented, Working Groups met (with a new one for Publications being formed), and the AGM held.
The following matters are perhaps of greatest interest to UMiS:-
Members may also be interested to note that ICOM invited UMAC to submit articles for its occasional Study Series edition no. 11. This edition dealt exclusively with University Museums and Collections, and contains 12 papers covering a variety of topics, in English, French or Spanish.
Report by Mungo Campbell
Mungo has recently resigned from the committee of ICOM UK. It was important that someone from Scotland be on the committee as it provided a link between the Scottish museum community and ICOM, particularly as a number of issues relating to museums are reserved to Westminster (such as the international trade in antiquities), while Resource is a UK body. Without clear representation, there is a danger that the Scottish perspective can be forgotten.
Peter Trowles indicated that he would be willing to act as Scottish representative should a more formal arrangement become available on the ICOM UK committee structure.
5.3 Scottish Museums Council
Report by Mungo Campbell (member of SMC board)
University museums will need to be actively involved in the regional Development Challenge Fund which will be managed by SMC. He noted that universities were well represented on SMC, with both himself and Graeme Roberts (Aberdeen University and Chairman of SMC) as board members.
Over the coming months SMC would be reappraising its role, partly in the light of the resignation of Jane Ryder as Director and partly in response to interest by the Executive. Views were being sought on the value of maintaining SMC's role as a membership organisation or whether it should become a NDPB of the Executive.
It was also noted that Mungo will be the SMC board's representative on the SCRAN board, while Jim Devine (Hunterian) is on the SMC's ICT review steering group.
5.4 Regional Development Challenge Fund
Report on the Regional Development Challenge Fund consultation exercise, held at the University of Stirling Management Centre on 4th November (Ewen Smith)
Bob Irvine, from the Scottish Executive, introduced the event, emphasising the key elements of the consultation. In particular, he acknowledged sector-wide disappointment at the limitations in the action proposals thus far, but noted the resource constraint in which actions had been promulgated; now, new spending review in February 2004, provided an opportunity to start building capacity in the sector. He emphasised that financial restraints still exist, however, so review of governance a prerequisite to any new funding, and in that context, a regional element, and partnerships will be "important to ministers". He noted further that the Scottish Executive was "desperate to see over-lap with Community Planning agenda"; this, of course, is a Local Authority imperative. Following his presentation, there were a series of work-shops, from where feed-back questioned whether or not Regional Development Officer posts were the best way of achieving the stated outcomes, or simply the only way on offer by the Scottish Executive. If, as seemed probable, this was all that was on offer, then it was recommended that RDO's should at least be attached to regional projects, meeting the aims and criteria centrally determined, but tailored to local circumstances, not imposed from above to a uniform job description. Importantly, successful bids should be able to demonstrate a clear continuity strategy, as the concept of 'building capacity' was incompatible with a three year partnership project that fizzled out when the central funding was exhausted. Noted that any further comments should reach SMC by 28 November.
6. Scottish Executive
There was some discussion about consultations by the Scottish Executive. While it was felt that there was a danger of 'consultation fatigue', it was agreed that it was important the UMIS and its members contribute to such consultations.
In discussion about the Regional Development Challenge Fund, concern was expressed that there was too narrow a geographical focus (compared with the Strategic Change Fund) which might mitigate against bids from consortia including universities. A response to the Scottish Executive will be drafted by Ian Carradice, in consultation with other committee members. Members were also encouraged to make individual responses.
7. 2004 Conference and AGM
The conference is to be held in Edinburgh, probably in November 2004, with Jackie McBeath as local organiser. Various topics were suggested for the conference that will be considered by the committee. It was agreed that while the conference should demonstrate the wealth of university collections, the conference should be of value to the wider museum community. Suggested topics included:
8. Date of next AGM
The date was not fixed, though it was agreed that we should avoid a clash with the UMG AGM next year. It may be that the UMIS AGM can coincide with the 2004 conference.
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