Faculty of Engineering

Faculty Board

ENG04-M1


 

Minutes of the 38th meeting of the Faculty Board held on 4 February 2004.

 

Members:  Professor C J Backhouse (Chair), Mr C J Bigger, Dr P M Carrillo, Dr A R J Dainty (ab), Mr J G Dickens, Professor P Dickens (ab), Dr A El-Hamalawi , Dr K Gregory, Dr J L Horner, Dr M G Kong (ab), Dr L R Mustoe, Dr S T Newman (ab), Professor C D Rielly ,  Dr S J Rothberg, Mrs C E Siemieniuch (ab), Professor V Silberschmidt , Professor P R Smith (ab), Dr I G Smout, Dr A Spencer (ab), Dr E S Tarleton, Ms M E Thomas, Professor A Thorpe (ab), Professor R H Thring, Professor J C Vardaxoglou (ab), Professor R J Wakeman (ab), Professor D J Wallace (ab), Dr P Willmot, Professor M A Woodhead

 

Apologies for Absence:  Dr A R J Dainty, Professor P Dickens,  Dr M G Kong, Mrs C E Siemieniuch, Professor P R Smith, Professor A Thorpe, Professor, J C Vardaxoglou, Professor R J Wakeman, Professor D J Wallace

 

In attendance:  Mr D L Wolfe


 

1.      Minutes

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         The Minutes of the thirty-seventh meeting of the Board were confirmed, and signed by the Chair.

 

2.      Dean’s Report

 

.1      A Working Group had been established to consider the University’s response to the possible introduction of variable top-up tuition fees.  Colleagues receiving enquiries from potential students were advised to state that it was probable that the University would charge the maximum permitted fee in all subject areas, and to emphasise the introduction of a wide range of bursaries.  The Dean would advise the Working Group of the importance of Admissions Tutors’ receiving definite guidelines as soon as possible.

 

.2      The Dean reported that the current funding bands within the University would remain unchanged for the time being.

 

.3      The Moderation Working Party was continuing its review of the current Departmental and Support Services structures with a view to facilitating increased research activity through more efficient teaching and administration.  It was anticipated that a number of alliances and mergers would result.

 

.4      The International Office was to be expanded in order to deliver an enhanced post-arrival service.

 

3.      Associate Dean (Research)’s Report

 

         In the absence of the Associate Dean (Research), a paper was tabled indicating as follows:

 

·           The Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering would be holding a PhD Progression Board on 23 February.  Each Department was invited to send an observer.

 

·           The next RAE census date was expected to be the end of December 2007.

 

·           An agreement had been reached with the Egyptian Government for the funding of PhD students.  Any proposed registration should initially be discussed with the AD(R), prior to the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the parties.  Such PhDs would have to be completed in three years and potential supervisors would have to sign individual contracts to this effect.

 

·           The University was ranked second behind only York in HEFCE’s latest review of Research Performance.

 

4.      Associate Dean (Teaching)’s Report

 

·           Details of current undergraduate and taught postgraduate applications for 2004 entry were tabled.  Home undergraduate applications were slightly up on the previous year; international applications had increased substantially.

 

·           A Market Research Report by Heist in regard to Awareness and Perceptions of the University was to be considered in detail by the SRA Team.

 

·           A further paper on a possible condonement procedure would be circulated for comment shortly.

 

·           The University would receive its first students under the Defence Training Undergraduate Scheme in Autumn 2005.

 

·           A bid was under preparation for a Centre of Excellence in Learning and Teaching in the subject area of Engineering.

 

5.      Consultation on the Structure of the Academic Year

 

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         Further to the discussion at its previous meeting, the Board received reports of three Departmental Staff Meetings and revisited the proposals made by the Consultation Committee.  It was AGREED:

 

·           There was no support for the proposed Model C, with colleagues unconvinced that it would work, and fearful that it might be detrimental to research activity.

 

·           There was some limited support for reverting to a traditional three term structure, but on balance it was felt that this would cause too much disruption.

 

·           Accordingly the Board supported Model A – The Status Quo.  Within this pattern, serious consideration should be given to increasing the Christmas and Easter Vacations to four weeks each.  The view was also expressed that weeks 12 to 15 of Semester One should be utilised at the discretion of Departments, with no insistence on uniformity for its own sake; most programmes in the Faculty of Engineering were overwhelmingly contained within a single Department, and any constraints imposed because of the requirements of Joint Honours programmes elsewhere in the University were inappropriate.

 

6.      Award of Degrees

 

         Degrees were awarded as follows:

 

Doctor of Philosophy:    L  M Sim, P J Lloyd-Jones, M Aziz, P E Bamforth, E V Golysheva

 

Master of Philosophy:    T Staikos

 

7.      Actions of the Associate Dean (Teaching)

 

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         It was RESOLVED to ratify actions taken by the Associate Dean (Teaching).

 

8.      Appeals Committee

 

         It was RESOLVED to ratify the action of the Dean in approving a recommendation from an Appeals Committee of the Board that an appeal from a PhD student in the Department of Civil and Building Engineering against termination of studies on the grounds of unsatisfactory progress be dismissed.

 

9.      Staff – Student Committees

 

It was noted that reports of the following Staff-Student Committees had been deposited with the Secretary, and were available for consultation on request:

 

-        Electronic and Electrical Engineering: 5 May 2003, 5 November 2003

-        Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering: 22 October 2003

-        Transport Studies: 13 November 2003

-        Construction Management: 22 October 2003

 

10.    External Examiners’ Reports

 

It was noted that reports of External Examiners, and Departmental responses, had been deposited with the Secretary, and were available for consultation on request.  Any major issues had been brought to the attention of the appropriate Head of Department, and of the Associate Dean (Teaching).

 

11.    Appointment of Boards of Examiners, Module Boards and External Examiners

 

It was noted that details of appointments made by the Associate Dean (Teaching) were available from the Secretary on request.

 

12.    Science and Engineering Foundation Studies

 

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         The Programme Director’s Annual Report was noted.

 

13.    Date of Next Meeting

 

19 May 2004.

 


Author – David Wolfe

Date – February 2004

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