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MSLs 2008/9

Page contents > 1. General | 2. Appointments | 3. Hourly Paid Staff | 4. Special Leave and Staff Absence | 5. Promotions and other HERA regradings | 6. Premature retirement and voluntary severance packages | 7. Resources for Additional Students | 8. Carryforwards | 9. Virements | 10. Contacts

The following provides a brief overview of the MSL system. Further information on salary bands, the regulations regarding virements and special leave can be supplied on request.

1. General

  1. The Minimum Staffing Level (MSL) is the level of resource that APRC considers necessary for a unit to carry out its essential core functions.
     
  2. Each unit is given an allocation of MSL points. In 2008/2009 the cash equivalent rate of one MSL point will be £865 (to be confirmed).
     
  3. Each salary band has an associated MSL point value, determined by the relative average cost of an appointment at that grade.
     
  4. MSL points are recorded on two main forms:
     
    • The MSL/1 records allocation.
    • The MSL/2 records spend.
       
  5. In August and March, the Planning Unit sends out updated MSL forms for agreement and sign-off. Live MSL forms can be accessed at any time via the Outlook Public Folders.

2. Appointments

  1. The MSL/2 form provides an entry for each full-time or fractional member of staff who has a permanent or fixed-term appointment and is funded through the MSL system.
     
  2. HR Division will automatically include replacement assumptions on the MSL/2 form, with effect from the leaving date where there are sufficient MSLs to do so.
     
  3. Units have the authority to make appointments against MSL resources, provided that total staffing expenditure (projected and actual) remains within their allocation.
     
  4. Before agreeing any MSL-funded appointment, HR Division will ensure that sufficient MSL points are available over the planning period.
     
  5. If insufficient MSL points are available for the full length of time required, the staffing request will be referred to the Planning Unit for further evaluation.

3. Hourly Paid Staff

  1. Cash expenditure on hourly-paid teaching, casual and agency staff will be converted to MSL points using the equivalent rate. Such spend is shown in detail on supplementary spreadsheets.
     
  2. At the beginning of each academic year, organisational units provide HR Division with an estimate of the total expenditure on hourly-paid teachers, other casual staff and additional expenditure, for the current and future financial years.
     
  3. Organisational units are advised to maintain an independent record of the commitments which they make against their MSL for hourly-paid teachers, other casual staff and agency temporary staff.
     
  4. All agency temporary staff must be booked via HR Division. When booking temporary staff please ensure you specify the correct funding code and also alert HR Division to any subsequent changes.
     
  5. The actual cost incurred as posted in APTOS by the Finance Division will be converted into MSL points at the current equivalent rate and details entered on the MSL form. Organisational units must check that the correct agency temporary staff are recorded along with the correct details.

4. Special Leave and Staff Absence

  1. While staff are on Sabbatical Leave, Travel Leave, Short Leave or Special Buyout Leave, they remain on the School’s payroll and continue to appear on the relevant MSL/2.
     
  2. If a member of staff becomes a School Office-holder, they continue to be shown on the MSL/2 of their organisational unit. Additional resources are provided from the Replacement Teaching Fund. As this is a cash budget outside of the MSL system, the award is not added to the MSL/1.
     
  3. When a member of staff is absent through long-term sickness or on maternity leave, the MSL/2 will be amended to reflect any reduction in pay.
     
  4. In addition, where Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) is payable, 92% of the net SMP paid can be recovered by the School from the Inland Revenue. Equivalent MSLs will be credited back to the organisational unit and the MSL/2 will be amended accordingly by HR at the end of each relevant period of maternity leave.
     
  5. A unit may apply to the APRC for assistance with any additional costs required to recruit replacement staff from the Sickness and Maternity fund. An assessment of each application for assistance from the fund is made on its merits. Any award is made to the MSL/1.

5. Promotions and other HERA regradings

  1. When a member of staff is promoted they will be charged at their new salary band from the date of their promotion. Additional points for promotion are shown as an additional entry on the MSL/1.
     
  2. When a member of the academic staff who has been promoted to Senior Lecturer, Reader or Professor leaves the School, the promotion points will be reclaimed from the MSL/1.
     
  3. If a post is regraded for any other reason, e.g. restructuring of the department or of the post, then points will not be awarded.

6. Premature retirement and voluntary severance packages

  1. One-off costs of premature retirement or voluntary severance packages will normally be deducted from the organisational unit's MSL.

7. Resources for Additional Students

  1. Additional MSL points may be allocated to academic units for planned increases in student numbers over and above the figures included in the APRC Rolling Plan.
     
  2. In the event that the School projects a potential and substantial unplanned overshoot against its overall student target numbers in any particular year, the APRC may request that the Finance & General Purposes Committee (FGPC) release limited funds to compensate for the impact of a significant number of additional students.
     
  3. These additional resources may be clawed back should planned increases in student numbers not be achieved/maintained, or when a projected overshoot against target does not materialise.

8. Carryforwards

  1. At the end of each financial year organisational units carry forward any unspent or overspent MSLs to the next financial year unless agreed otherwise.
     
  2. During the August sign-off exercise, all units should confirm that the year-end MSL forms (including carryforwards) are correct, and that all the relevant assumptions about future staffing expenditure have been incorporated.
     
  3. Following the August sign off, no retrospective changes would normally be made to the entries for the previous year(s).

9. Virements

  1. At the end of each financial year organisational units may, without the need for the approval of the APRC, vire unspent MSL points up to a maximum of 5% of their Effective MSL allocation to non-staffing budgets.
     
  2. Requests to make virements should be made to HR Division on form MSL/5, which will be sent to organisational units in June by HR Division for return by mid-July.
     
  3. At the end of the financial year HR Division will inform Finance Division about adjustments required to the relevant cash budgets; Planning Unit will also be kept informed of all adjustments.
     
  4. If a unit wishes to vire unspent cash budgets or earned income into their MSL/1 they must first approach both Planning Unit and Finance Division with full details so that the request can be considered and subsequently agreed or declined.

10. Contacts

In the first instance, queries should be addressed as follows:

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