Present:
Ian Carradice (St Andrews, Convenor), Neil Curtis (Aberdeen), Sarah Fairclough (St Andrews), Matthew Jarron (Dundee), Dawn Kemp (Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh), Jacky MacBeath (Edinburgh), Arnold Myers (Edinburgh), Patricia Preston (Edinburgh), Evelyn Silber (Glasgow), Claire Smith (Aberdeen), Peter Trowles (Glasgow School of Art)
1. Apologies:
Jane Cameron (Stirling), Ross Hayworth (Robert Gordon University), Stuart James (Paisley), Alan Knox (Aberdeen), Graham Lowe (Dundee), Joan Penman (Abertay), Alastair Ramage (Glasgow Caledonian), Helen Rawson (St Andrews), John Reid (Aberdeen), Graeme Roberts (Aberdeen/SMC), John Scally (Edinburgh), Ewen Smith (Glasgow)
2. Approval of minutes of Annual General Meeting on 14th November 2003
The minutes were approved without changes.
3 Matters arising
There were no matters arising.
4 Convenor's report
Ian Carradice reported that there had been four committee meetings during the year. The main issues during the year had been:
Biennial conference
With particular thanks to Jacky MacBeath, planning for the UMIS conference was well under way. The conference would be held in St Cecilia's Hall, Edinburgh on 12th November on 'The significance of Collections'.
Opening Doors to Learning
Following the launch of University museums in the UK, UMIS had produced and launched an advocacy document in June in Glasgow. Thanks were due to Evelyn Silber for her work in producing the document and arranging the launch.
Communication
Thanks to Matthew Jarron, reports and minutes are speedily mounted on the UMIS web-site.
Other discussions
Committee meetings had also included discussion of issues such as bids to the Regional Development Challenge Fund, repatriation, the extension of VAT relief to university museums and responding to consultations of the Anatomy Act, Human Tissues Act, the Culture Commission and 'Collections for the Future'.
5. Treasurer's report
In the absence of Ewen Smith, Evelyn Silber presented the Treasurer's report. Taking into account various existing commitments, the balance available to underwrite the Edinburgh conference was over £1500. Three new members (Robert Gordon University, Abertay University and the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh were welcomed).
6. Election of office bearers
The existing office bearers were confirmed in office for a further year. Members were reminded that the committee consists of a representative of each member institution, while office bearers are:
Convenor - Ian Carradice
Treasurer - Ewen Smith
Secretary - Neil Curtis
Web editor - Matthew Jarron
UMG liaison - Evelyn Silber
SMC liaison - Mungo Campbell
7. Other reports
7.1 University Museums Group
Evelyn Silber reported that the main business of the UMG committee had been bringing to publication the advocacy document University Museums in the UK. The publication by UMIS of Opening Doors to Learning had been an excellent response to the UMG's recommendation for Scotland. The next committee meeting will consider follow-up to University Museums in the UK. Comments should be passed to Evelyn Silber by 17th September. UMG efforts in lobbying the Treasury for VAT exemption by university museums appears to have been successful. Although it had not yet been decided, it was likely that those institutions in receipt of funding from the AHRB museums grant or SHEFC would be eligible. She also reported on the review of AHRB of its funding scheme for museums. While this did not directly affect Scotland, it may inform SHEFC before the next round of funding in 2006. It was also noted that Peter Trowles and Matthew Jarron had also joined the committee of UMG.
7.2 University Museums Committee of ICOM
In the absence of Ewen Smith, Evelyn Silber submitted a written report on the work of UMAC.
7.3 Scottish Museums Council
In the absence of Mungo Campbell, Evelyn Silber reported that he had been involved in the SMC reviews of SCRAN and the National Fund for Acquisitions. She also reported that she is a member of an SMC-sponsored working party that is acting as the museum sector's main conduit to the Culture Commission.
8. Conference 2004
Jacky MacBeath distributed leaflets for the conference and reported that Steven de Clerq had agreed to take part in the panel discussion. Booking forms with programme details had been produced and should be distributed by UMIS members as well as by direct mailing.
9. AOB
9.1 Scottish Executive consultations
Evelyn Silber reported that the Culture Commission was looking for bold thinking for the future of cultural provision in Scotland. The museum's sector was feeding into the work of the Commission individually and through a SMC-sponsored working party. At the same time, a group set up by the Scottish Executive was considering the potential for 'Nationally Significant Collections' in Scotland. This work was considering what this and the concept of 'cultural entitlement' would mean to museums in practice. The effects of the Designation scheme in England was being considered by this working group, while issues such as building maintenance, resources and the potential for collaborative 'Nationally Significant collections.'
9.2 Medical Museums
Dawn Kemp reported that the European Medical Museums Group was planning to host its annual conference in Edinburgh in 2006.
9.3 Laura Adam
The death of Laura Adam in January 2004, former Secretary of UMIS and Curator of Dundee University's Medical Collections was recorded with sadness and with gratitude for her work for UMIS over many years.
10. Date of next meeting
The date for the 2005 AGM would be set by the committee for some time in the latter half of the year.
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