RESPONSIBILITIES
The following are the responsibility of the ULPGC Social Council, included in the aforementioned Acts, the University Charter and in the Regulations concerning the Social Council:
1.1. Concerning scheduling and the promotion of efficiency:
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To report on the University’s strategic planning, to approve the multi-annual planning and, when applicable, the agreements and programme-contracts in which the aforementioned are developed.
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To study and report on the key criteria for the creation of the university budget, prior to its approval by the university Governing Board.
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To report on the implementation and termination of teaching modules which lead to the awarding of official qualifications which are valid throughout the country.
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To report on the affiliation to the University of public or private research institutions or centres as university research institutions.
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To report on the withdrawal of the affiliation to the University of public or private research institutions or centres as university research institutions described in the previous point.
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To report on the affiliation to the University, by means of agreements, of public or private education centres, so that they may offer courses which lead to the awarding of official qualifications valid throughout the country.
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To report on the agreements in place between the University and health-care institutions.
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To approve the rules governing student’s academic progression and the right to continue studying at the university, in accordance with the characteristics of the different study programmes and following a report from the University Council.
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To approve the economic viability assessments of the study programmes.
1.2. Concerning economic planning the Council’s responsibilities are:
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To report on the University’s strategic planning, to approve the multi-annual plans and, when applicable, the agreements and programme-contracts in which the aforementioned are developed and at the request of the Governing Board
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To study and report on the basic criteria for the creation of the university budget, prior to its approval by the Governing Board.
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To pass the University’s annual budget at the request of the Governing Board and in accordance with the limits established in the Canary Island regional government’s budget.
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To approve, at the request of the Governing Board, the awarding of extraordinary or additional credit whenever a payment is required which cannot be deferred to the next financial year and for which no provision has been made in the existing budget, or for which the existing provision is insufficient and not eligible to be expanded, as well as the inclusion of the surplus [remanentes no afectados] from the previous financial year, if any exists.
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To authorise transactions which concern the capital expenditure credits within the expenditure budget and under the framework of that stipulated in article 54 of the 11/2006 Act of 11th December concerning the Canary Island Tax Authorities, in addition to having prior knowledge of any transfers as referred to in article 1.
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To authorise the budgets concerning borrowing and guarantee operations presented by the University to the regional government for their approval.
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To approve the creation of companies, foundations or other legal entities by the University, except for where this concerns businesses referred to in the 24th additional provision of the 4/2007 Act.
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To report on the creation of technology based companies supported by the University and with university participation or supported by one on the entities stipulated in the previous point and created on the basis of patents or on the basis of results generated by research projects conducted at the University. This is for the purpose of that stipulated in the 24th additional provision of the 4/2007 Act.
1.3. Concerning the promotion of efficiency it is the responsibility of the Social Council:
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To arrange the unique and one off additional payments stipulated in articles 55.2 and 69 of the University Act [Ley Orgánica de Universidades] and at the request of the Governing Body.
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To put forward courses of action for the improvement of the quality and efficiency of activities carried out by the University, collecting the necessary information and promoting studies, surveys or similar initiatives which allow for the performance of the services to be corroborated, especially with regards to teaching, research, and management and to which end relevant information is available from the Canarian Agency for Quality Assessment and University Accreditation [Agencia Canaria de Evaluación de la Calidad y Acreditación Universitaria].
2.1 Concerning monitoring and performance:
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To approve the University’s annual accounts during the timeframe established in the Canary Islands regional financial legislation.
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To approve the annual accounts of the entities which depend on the University within the established timeframe and under the corresponding regulations.
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To propose a candidate for the university auditor or head of internal financial management, for their appointment by the rector.
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To consent to the candidate proposed by the rector for the role of manager of the university, satisfying criteria concerning professional skills and experience in line with that stipulated in article 23 of the University Act.
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To monitor the work of the University in relation to policies surrounding grants, subsidies, exemptions and credits, both with regards to study and research, paid for by the University’s regular resources, guaranteeing full respect for the principles of transparency, merit and competence.
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To report on plans for the management and use of the land owned by the University.
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To publish a report on the recommendations deemed appropriate with regard to the annual report on the management of auditing or the Internal Control Unit, as referred to in article 14 of the Social Councils and the Organisation of the Canary Island University System Act. (Personnel working in auditing or for the entity responsible for the internal control of the University’s financial and economic management will fall under the Social Council, carrying out their role independently with respect to the bodies whose activity is included in their mandate. In addition to the reports to be published in the undertaking of their role, the auditor or head of internal control will compile an annual report on their management which will be submitted to the Social Council plenary for review. In accordance with that stipulated in article 34 of the 11/2006 Act of 11th December concerning the Canary Island Tax Authorities [Ley 11/2006 de la Hacienda Pública Canaria], in the case of discrepancies over issues raised by the internal auditing body, in general it will fall to the rector to resolve these discrepancies, although they may take up the matter with the Governing Board of the University should they deem it necessary).
2.2. At the request of the Governing Board, the following are responsibilities of the Social Council:
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To approve the disposition of the university’s fixed assets and assets of extraordinary value, and the divestiture of the university’s public domain goods.
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To establish the price of the university’s own courses, specialist courses, and activities stipulated in article 81.3 C of the University Act. In addition, to establish the pay structure of the teaching staff who give seminars, courses, or classes which do not lead to official qualifications.
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In accordance with the credits approved annually by the Canary Island government with regard to chapter 1, universities will compile their respective documents stipulating information concerning jobs [relación de puestos de trabajo] to be included in the budget. This will be submitted to the social councils for approval, in line with article 81.4 of the University Act. Likewise, when applicable social councils will be responsible for authorising changes to Chapter 1 of the annual budget previously approved, when the origin or destination of the credits corresponds to a different section of the budget.
3.1 The Social Council will encourage the collaboration of Canary Island society in financing the University, encouraging or even opening channels for patronage of the University by natural and legal persons, both public or private.
In order to achieve this, the Social Council will approve an annual action plan aimed at promoting the relationship between the University and its cultural, professional, economic and social environment in order to benefit the quality of university undertakings.
3.2 The Social Council will promote the involvement of different professional, social and economic sectors in creating and reforming study plans in order to ensure they meet the needs of society.
3.3 The Social Council will promote the creation of agreements and arrangements between the University and public and private entities with the aim of completing students’ training and facilitating their employment.
The Social Council has full independence concerning the ongoing undertaking of its responsibilities. Its agreements exhaust the administrative procedures and will be challenged before the contentious-administrative jurisdiction, without limiting the prior administrative resources provided for by law.