Minutes of the 39th meeting of the Faculty Board held on 19 May 2004.
Members: Professor C J Backhouse (Chair), Mr C J Bigger (ab), Dr P M Carrillo, Dr A R J Dainty, Mr J G Dickens (ab), Professor P Dickens, Dr A El-Hamalawi (ab), Dr K Gregory (ab), Dr J L Horner, Dr M G Kong, Dr L R Mustoe (ab), Dr S T Newman (ab), Dr G J Page, Professor C D Rielly (ab), Dr S J Rothberg, Mrs C E Siemieniuch, Professor V Silberschmidt (ab), Professor P R Smith (ab), Dr I G Smout, Dr A Spencer (ab), Dr E S Tarleton (ab), 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 (ab), Professor M A Woodhead (ab)
Apologies for Absence: C J Bigger, J G Dickens, A El-Hamalawi, K Gregory, L R Mustoe, S T Newman, C D Rielly, V Silberschmidt, P R Smith, A Thorpe, R J Wakeman, D J Wallace, P Willmot,
In attendance: Ms M Kennedy, Mr D L Wolfe
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The Minutes of the 38th meeting of the Board were confirmed and signed by the Chair.
15. Dean’s
Report
.1 The Working Party on the Structure of the Academic Year would be reporting to the next meeting of Senate. It was likely that the current structure would be maintained, with increased flexibility in the use of weeks 11-15 in the First Semester. One proposed variation, welcomed by the Board, was that the length of both the Christmas and Easter vacations be standardised at four weeks.
.2 The Moderation Working Party was continuing its review of organisational structures, and would be recommending the creation of virtual Research Schools across Departmental and Faculty boundaries, whilst retaining an enhanced Departmental/School structure probably incorporating a number of mergers or federations. The possibility of IPTME moving into the Engineering Faculty was under consideration.
.3 As a result of the imminent settlement of the AUT dispute, salaries, particularly at lower levels, should be subsequently enhanced.
.4 The Working Party on Tuition Fees would be reporting shortly. Whilst Loughborough’s overall position as a low-cost high-reputation University meant that it was well-placed to meet the challenge of variable tuition fees, the particular position of M.Eng programmes needed to be addressed.
.5 Congratulations were in order to all staff as the University had now reached the Times Top-Ten.
.6 Undergraduate and taught postgraduate applications were generally encouraging. Departments were reminded of the need to meet or exceed their business planning targets.
16. Associate
Dean (Research)’s Report
The Associate Dean (Research) reviewed key points in regard to the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise.
Research outputs must be published between 1 January 2001 and 31 July 2007. The census date would be 31 October 2007. The outcome would be a weighted profile for each Unit of Assessment.
It was essential locally to ensure that all academic staff were able to submit four quality publications, and to discuss strategies for maximising each individual’s esteem by, for example, sitting on high profile Committees or becoming Visiting Professors.
Assessment would be conducted by some 15-20 main panels (including one overarching Engineering Panel) and some 70 sub-panels, whose composition would be known by the end of the year.
It was anticipated that Research Committee would issue further guidelines on issues such as maximising esteem, PhD registrations, appropriate journals, and joint authorship.
17. New
Structure for Academic Regulations
The Board received and considered a paper from the Director of Registry Services outlining proposals to restructure various academic regulations. The paper was the result of widespread consultations over a two year period. Members were invited to comment directly to the Associate Dean (Teaching).
One specific issue raised was in response to the proposed Assessment Regulations for University Awards (ARUA), paragraph 9, and in particular the circumstances under which Programme Boards could condone marks which did not meet the normal requirements for progression or for an award to be made. The Board felt that the proposals could lead to an unwelcome increase in the number of resit candidates in the Final Year of degree programmes, and accordingly asked that this paragraph be reconsidered. The Board was also concerned that Board of Examiners might not be consistent from one year to the next in the manner in which they exercised condonement, and that this might lead to a further increase in student appeals.
18. Research
Degrees
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It was RESOLVED to award research degrees.
[Secretary’s note: J O Ajaebobo graduates from Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, not Civil and Building Engineering]
19. Actions
of the Associate Dean (Teaching)
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Actions of the Associate Dean (Teaching) were ratified.
20. 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:-
Chemical Engineering: 3 May 2004, 28 April 2004
Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering (undergraduate): 7 January 2004
Construction Engineering Management: 24 November 2003
Civil and Building Engineering: 10 March 2004
Transport Studies: 4 February 2004
Civil and Building Engineering, M.Eng, B.Eng: 18 November 2003
Construction Management – MSc: 18 February 2004
Risk and Reliability Methods: 7 November 2003, 23 January 2004, 13 February 2004
Aeronautical and Automotive Engineering: 12 November 2003
21. External
Examiners’ Reports
It was noted that External Examiners reports and Departmental responses had been deposited with the Secretary, and were available for consultation on request.
22. Calendar
of Meetings
Noted as follows:
27 October 2004
2 February 2005
18 May 2005
Author
– David Wolfe
Date
– May 2004