Meet our Members
Members (ID 1153)
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Professor Neal Juster(Chair)
Professor Neal Juster
Neal Juster is Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lincoln. He is a graduate of the University of Leeds where he obtained a BSc in Mechanical Engineering and a PhD in Computer Aided Design
Neal has extensive experience in University Management: He was Senior Vice-Principal and Deputy Vice Chancellor at the University of Glasgow having been initially appointed as Vice-Principal (Strategy & Resources). Previously he was Pro Vice-Principal, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Head of Department in the Department of Design, Manufacture and Engineering Management at the University of Strathclyde and Senior Lecturer in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Leeds. His research interests were in the broad area of computer aided design including rapid prototyping and use of virtual reality in design and manufacturing processes.
Neal a Fellow of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) and a member of the QAA Advisory Committee on Degree Awarding Powers
He is a Director of UL Learning Resources Ltd, Riseholme Park Farms Ltd, ULEX and UoL Services Ltd. His is also Chair of the Members Committee for the University of Lincoln Academy Trust.
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Simon Parkes
Simon Parkes
Simon is the Chief Operating Officer at the University of Lincoln. His role is to ensure that the University operates from an inspiring, efficient and well-maintained estate; that the services for staff and students on the campus work effectively and that the University is financially secure.
Simon came to the University because he believed that universities can transform the lives of students and communities and, in particular, the University of Lincoln’s values in widening participation, creating opportunity and contribution to the local economy match his own.
Simon was originally an Accountant and has served in both the Royal Air Force and the Army.
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Mark Tinsley
Mark Tinsley
Mark graduated from London University and worked for 7 years as a manager of a complex farming business with a packing house supplying both Marks & Spencer and Sainsbury. Following this Mark returned home to farm and is still there on 600 hectacres farming potatoes, vegetables and cereals.
Mark has been either a Chairman or Director of a number of Food and Farming businesses and on the Board of the NFU Mutual and the Greater Lincolnshire LEP. Mark was previously a member of a government commission looking at sustainable food and farming and helped set up the Red Tractor Scheme and chaired the Oxford Farming Conference. Mark also spend a period of time on the governing body of Ayscoughfee Hall School.
Mark enjoys all sport, studying the natural environment and reading good books.
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Anita Backhouse(Chair of the Trust)
Anita Backhouse
Dr Backhouse started her working life as a laboratory manager in the food industry before becoming a science teacher and Head of Department. Following this, she worked in school improvement for a local authority for about 8 years supporting both primary and secondary schools across the East Riding of Yorkshire.
This experience has provided her with a strong sense of the day today and the strategic challenges and issues that schools face.
Moving into academia in 2008, working as a Senior Lecturer, teaching on both undergraduate (Primary) and PGCE primary and secondary teacher training programmes. Also playing an active role in mentoring and assessing colleagues in their HEA Associate and Fellowship applications both within the institution and internationally.
Joining the University of Lincoln in 2016, completing her doctorate soon after.
Becoming the Head of School in 2020, having oversight of two undergraduate programmes, a large MA Education programme of which the vast majority are international students and primary and secondary PGCE programmes run in partnership with two local teacher training providers. The research environment in the School is strengthening at a pace and recent appointments have provided us with a growing capacity to engage in high quality research into education and social justice both locally and internationally.
Outside of academia, Dr Backhouse has been a primary school chair of governors for many years and its relatively recent academy conversion into what is quite a secondary dominated MAT has highlighted the interesting dynamics that can be part of this partnership.
Members
Members have a similar role to that of shareholders of a company limited by shares and in this case they are the sponsors of the Trust.
- They are the subscribers to the trust’s memorandum of association (where they are founding members) and may amend the articles of association subject to any restrictions in the articles, the funding agreement or charity law. The members must approve any new funding agreement and they reserve the right to approve or otherwise any decisions related to new schools or academies joining the Trust
- They appoint and remove their own members. They appoint and remove Trustees including the Chair and may, by special resolution, issue direction to the trustees to take a specific action
- They appoint the trust’s auditors and receive the trust’s audited annual accounts.
- They have power to change the name of the company and, ultimately, wind up the academy trust.
University of Lincoln Academy Trust has five members with three members being University employees and two members being independent.
There are no lengths to the term of office.
No employee of the Trust is a member.
Members will normally meet a minimum of three times a year.
The Trust's Governance Professional will support and minute Members meetings; minutes are not published.