Universities UK Accommodation Code of Practice - Monitoring Compliance

Richard Taylor made this Freedom of Information request to Universities UK

The request was refused by Universities UK.

From: Richard Taylor

20 April 2010

Dear Universities UK,

I am writing to make a request for the release of information
relating to the Universities UK Code of Practice for the management
of Student Housing.

==PART ONE==
Could you please release the papers (agendas, minutes and reports)
for all meetings of the "UUK/SCOP Code Managing Committee /
Governance Board" which oversees the Universities UK/SCOP Code of
Practice for the Management of Student Housing. Could you please
confirm the managing committee is one and the same as the
"Governance Board" [1] as UUK appear to use the two terms to refer
to a body with identical responsibilities.

==PART TWO==
With respect to accommodation situated in Cambridge I would like to
request; "The relevant section of auditors’ reports, management’s
response and the timescale for addressing auditors’
recommendations." and details of "significant complaints made by
students". I would also like a copy of any proposals, guidance or
other enforcement and compliance related notices relating to
accommodation in Cambridge. I am limiting this aspect of my request
to Cambridge as I suspect the full returns registered institutions
are required to make may not be included in the committee papers as
requested in part one.

==PART THREE==
I note that the 2008-9 UUK annual report on the operation of the
Code of Practice for the Management of Student Housing states:

"During the year, the 36 Colleges from Cambridge University have
chosen to leave the UUK Code and will now be registered with the
local authority for the next five years." [2]

Despite this many colleges of the University of Cambridge still
claim to be registered under the Universities UK Accommodation Code
of Practice though they are not listed on the UUK "March 2010
institution list". [3] For example Homerton College Cambridge's
website states:

"Homerton College is registered with Universities UK and is signed
up to their Accommodation Code of Practice." [4]

Murray Edwards College Cambridge's website states:
"The College subscribes to the Code of Practice for the Management
of Student Housing as issued by the Universities UK/SCOP" [5]

Selwyn College Cambridge's website states:[6]
"Selwyn College has signed up to the Universities UK Code of
Practice for the management of Student Housing."

Could you please provide any information you have which explains
this apparent inconsistency and could you please release any
correspondence you have had with Cambridge University Colleges in
relation to they way they ought be describing their current status
with respect to the UUK code of practice in order not to mislead.

Could you please acknowledge you have received my request.

Many thanks,

--

Richard Taylor
Cambridge
http://www.rtaylor.co.uk

==References==

1.http://www.universitiesuk.ac.uk/PolicyAn...
2.http://www.universitiesuk.ac.uk/PolicyAn...
3.http://www.universitiesuk.ac.uk/PolicyAn...
4.http://www.homerton.cam.ac.uk/studentlif...
5.http://www.newhall.cam.ac.uk/students/ac...
6.http://www.sel.cam.ac.uk/college/College...

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From: Information Centre
Universities UK

20 April 2010

Dear Enquirer,

Please note this is an automatically sent reply.

Thank you for contacting Universities UK. We have listed below the most common subjects of enquiries with links to relevant websites - please follow the web links provided, which we hope should answer your enquiry.

However, if your enquiry is not answered by the following websites we will respond to your enquiry in due course.

Please note that Universities UK is NOT a university and it is NOT a source of funding for students. If you are a prospective student from outside the UK you can obtain information from the British Council, a list of their worldwide offices is at http://www.britishcouncil.org/home-conta...

ADMISSIONS PROCESS - UNDERGRADUATE see www.ucas.com
ADMISSIONS PROCESS - POSTGRADUATE (COURSE AND RESEARCH/PHD) see www.prospects.ac.uk/cms/ShowPage/Home_pa...
BOGUS COURSES see www.dcsf.gov.uk/recognisedukdegrees/
COURSE FINDER - UNDERGRADUATE see www.ucas.com
COURSE FINDER - POSTGRADUATE (COURSE AND RESEARCH) see www.prospects.ac.uk/cms/ShowPage/Home_pa...
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS - http://www.universitiesuk.ac.uk/UKHESect...
FUNDING ADVICE - STUDENTS see http://www.nus.org.uk/en/Student-Life/Mo...
FUNDING - INTERNATIONAL POSTGRADUATE RESEARCH
STUDENTS see http://www.britishcouncil.org/learning-f...
FUNDING ADVICE - POSTGRADUATE STUDENTS see http://www.npc.org.uk/page/1082154863
FUNDING - UK STUDENTS STUDYING OVERSEAS see http://www.ukcisa.org.uk/student/ukstude...
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/EducationAnd...
LEAGUE TABLES see http://www.universitiesuk.ac.uk/UKHESect...
LOCATION OF UNIVERSITIES see http://www.ucas.com/instit/index.html
NON-ACCREDITED OR NON-RECOGNISED UNIVERSITIES see http://www.universitiesuk.ac.uk/UKHESect...
OVERSEAS RESEARCH SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS SCHEME - APPLICATION FORMS Contact your higher education institution not ORSAS
OVERSEAS RESEARCH SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS SCHEME - INFORMATION See www.orsas.ac.uk
RANKINGS OF UNIVERSITIES see http://www.universitiesuk.ac.uk/UKHESect...
RECOGNISED UNIVERSITIES see www.dcsf.gov.uk/recognisedukdegrees
SCHOLARSHIPS FOR NON-UK STUDENTS see www.educationuk.org
STUDENT LOANS see http://www.slc.co.uk
TUITION FEES see http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/EducationAnd...
VISAS see www.ukvisas.gov.uk
WEB ADDRESSES OF UNIVERSITIES see http://www.ucas.com/instit/index.html
Best regards,
Information Centre
Universities UK
Before you print, please consider the environment.

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From: Information Centre
Universities UK

20 April 2010

Dear Richard,

Thank you for your enquiry.

I have forwarded your request to our Policy Adviser, whose policy remit covers this area.

We will get back to you next week with a further response.

Best regards,

Susan Bradley
Information Officer, Universities UK
Direct tel +44 (0)20  7419 5523  Email  [UUK request email]
Universities UK
Registered Office: Woburn House, 20 Tavistock Square, London WC1H 9HQ
Switchboard tel +44 (0)20 7419 4111  Fax +44 (0)20 7383 5766
Web www.UniversitiesUK.ac.uk Email [UUK request email]
Registered Company No. 2517018 Registered Charity No. 1001127

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From: Information Centre
Universities UK

4 May 2010

Dear Richard,

Further to my email below, I have now heard back from the Policy Adviser. Apologies for the delay in our response.

With reference to part 1 we can confirm that the managing committee is one and the same as the Governance Board.

Please note that Universities UK does not fall under the Freedom of Information Act and we do not wish to release the papers (agendas, minutes and reports) for all meetings of the "UUK/SCOP Code Managing Committee / Governance Board".

You can, however, read (and download) the annual reports via the section on our website Policy and research > Guidance > Accommodation Code of Practice > Annual reports - http://www.universitiesuk.ac.uk/PolicyAn...

With regards to the outcomes of auditors reports, any such requests for specific institutions should be redirected to that organisation - so please contact the University of Cambridge for these.

Re Part 3 the reason why they can continue to be listed as members of the UUK code is that the register held by Parliament is only updated once a year in October. So technically they are still members of the UUK Code until that time.

I hope you find this information useful.

Best regards,

Susan Bradley
Information Officer, Universities UK
Direct tel +44 (0)20  7419 5523  Email  [UUK request email]
Universities UK
Registered Office: Woburn House, 20 Tavistock Square, London WC1H 9HQ
Switchboard tel +44 (0)20 7419 4111  Fax +44 (0)20 7383 5766
Web www.UniversitiesUK.ac.uk Email [UUK request email]
Registered Company No. 2517018 Registered Charity No. 1001127

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Richard Taylor left an annotation (18 May 2010)

I find it very odd that UUK publish a list of registered establishments on their website, but when questioned claim the definitive list is held by Parliament. I have written to the National Administrator of the UUK register of establishments registered under the UUK accommodation code of practice seeking confirmation / clarification of this bizarre state of affairs.

--

Richard Taylor
Cambridge
http://www.rtaylor.co.uk

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Richard Taylor left an annotation (19 May 2010)

I have received a response from the administrator of the register confirming that the definitive list is the one on the UUK website.

"
Dear Richard,

The definitive list is the one held on the UUK ACoP website;
http://www.universitiesuk.ac.uk/PolicyAn...

It is updated in February, although it may be amended throughout the year if necessary.

Best Regards

Daniel Armstrong
UUK/Guild HE CoP
Administration
Accommodation Services
Sheffield Hallam University
38/40 Howard Street
Sheffield
S1 1WB
Tel - 0114 225 4505
Email - uuk-cop at shu.ac.uk
"

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Richard Taylor left an annotation (25 May 2010)

I have written an article citing this request at:

http://www.rtaylor.co.uk/cam-college-acc...

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