Faculty of Science
Faculty Board
SCI07-M2
Minutes of the Meeting of the Faculty Board held on 15 November 2007
Members: Professor Ken Parsons (Chair), Professor Jon Binner
(ab), Professor Paul Chung, Dr Tony Croft (ab), Dr Sandie Dann, Simon Darvill,
Dr Chris Dawson (ab), Professor Roy Faulkner, Professor John Feather, Richard
Grice, Professor Jerry Griffiths (ab), Dr Paula Griffiths, Dr Diane Gyi, Dr
Janet Harrison, Dr Martin Harrison, Professor Roger Haslam, Dr Tom Jackson, Dr
Steven Kenny, Professor Feo Kusmartsev, Professor Chris Linton (ab), Peter
Lund, Professor Roger Mortimer, Professor Charles Oppenheim, Professor Shirley
Pearce (ab), Dr Iain Phillips, Dr Gareth Pritchard (ab),
Dr Louise Reyner, John Richardson, Professor Sameer Singh (ab), Ms Judy Smyth,
Dr Gerry Swallowe, Professor Peter Warwick
Apologies for Absence: Professor Jon Binner, Dr Tony
Croft, Dr Chris Dawson, Professor Jerry Griffiths, Professor Chris Linton,
Professor Shirley Pearce,
Professor Gareth Pritchard.
In
Attendance: Mrs Martine Ashby (Secretary), Mrs Jo
Corlett
07/22 Welcome
The Dean welcomed new members to the Faculty Board.
07/23 Minutes
The minutes of the Meeting of the Science Faculty Board
(SCI07:M1) held on 24 May 2007 were confirmed.
07/24 Matters Arising from the Minutes
i 07/5.1
Dean’s Business: University Health and Safety Policy: The Health, Safety and Environment Manager had
responded to the query on PAT testing of items brought on campus by
visitors. The revised University
electrical policy would make the policy clear for items brought on campus by
staff, and departmental safety policies would need to be worded accordingly. In
the meantime, her general advice would be forwarded to heads of departments by
the Secretary. ACTION: MA
The Human
Resources Working Group was to consider the introduction of honoraria for first
aiders.
ii 07/5.4 Dean’s Report:
League Tables: Following the last meeting departments had been advised by
the Planning Office that attempts to improve the position of subjects in league
tables could result in their position rising in some tables but falling in
others. It was agreed that Fidelma Hannah should be invited to the next meeting
to expand upon this feedback and to give departments more specific feedback
about factors affecting their ranking in league tables. ACTION: MA
07/25 Career Destinations
SCI07-P8
Mrs
Susan Reed from the Careers Centre attended for this item.
The Faculty Board received a presentation from Susan Reed on first
destination statistics for
League tables were now taking into consideration the results of the HESA
survey of graduates several years after graduation and were becoming more
sophisticated in differentiating between types of job taken up by students.
A summary of the First Destination statistics for the
Faculty’s graduates is available at:
http://www.lboro.ac.uk/service/careers/section/careers_service/sci.html
07/26 Enhanced Learn:
Lee Barnett, Faculty OLDO, and Ruth Stubbings, Academic
Services Manager (Social Sciences and Humanities), attended for this item. Enhanced Learn, the new virtual learning
environment, would become the University’s primary VLE from October 2008
onwards. The new VLE had been trialled in the
Lee Barnett would be attending staff meetings in all of the
Faculty’s departments to introduce the new VLE and to encourage
departments to develop their own strategies for transferring existing materials
across. The transfer exercise would begin in January 2008 to allow sufficient
time for all material to be moved across. Material would be transferred across
by a project team, but academic staff would be encouraged to get involved in
the transfer process to avoid their pages appearing bland. Dates of training
sessions would be publicised in the coming months.
07/27 Constitution
and Terms of Reference of the Faculty Board
SCI07-P9a & b: NOTED
07/28 Dean’s Report
i
Internationalisation:
The Strategic Plan had highlighted the importance of internationalisation
in the University’s activities. Professor Backhouse had been appointed
Director of Internationalisation to lead international initiatives.
The
Faculty was continuing to develop its international links and would focus on a
different country each year, making a significant link with one major
institution. In 2007/08 it would focus on
ii RAE: Departments were reminded of the need to check RAE returns
before the deadline for submissions.
iii
iv Faculty
Role in Implementing the Strategic Plan: The Strategic
Plan was being taken seriously across the University and was already informing
policy, actions and resource allocation. The Vice-Chancellor had given a series
of presentations on the Plan to staff across the University, and within the
Faculty it had been considered at the Faculty away day in the summer. There
were a number of supporting strategies making up the Plan. These had already
resulted in several new appointments including the Chief Operating Officer and
new directors of IT, Finance, Estates and Human Resources.
Advancement
and fundraising were seen to be key future activities for the University. A new
Director of Development and Alumni Relations, Ron Gray, was to join the
University in January 2008. In preparation for their new advancement role the
Deans had recently attended training on advancement and fundraising techniques.
It was commented
that a number of sport-related posts had been created in preparation for the 2012
Olympics. Some of these staff would be given permanent contracts despite their
being paid from short-term funding.
v Departmental
Administrators Workload: A paper on departmental
administrators’ workload had been considered by the Faculty Directorate
and subsequently by EMG and the Departmental Administrators Group. The paper
had focussed on the workload of departmental administrators within the Faculty
but had wider implications for workloads in general. The Academic Registrar was
to draw up a timeline of departmental administrator activities through the
year. She and the Chief Operating Officer would consider in depth two areas of
concern, one of these being reassessment. It had been mooted that the
distribution of vacations might be reviewed to ease pressure on staff in the
summer vacation. However, it was unlikely that there would be any changes to
vacations for several years because of existing conference bookings.
The
Learning and Teaching Committee had asked the Director of Media Services to
investigate the possibility of introducing a central timetabling service to
ease the burden on departments. Faculty Board wished to note its support for
this investigation.
07/29 Associate Dean’s (Research) Report
i Research
Grants and Contracts: Research Office statistics indicated that income from
research grants and contracts in the Faculty had decreased by £2.2 million in
2006/07. This information ignored CIs and so did not reveal the whole picture.
However, it was considered to be broadly representative and revealed that a number
of staff were not making research applications,
particularly as PIs.
The
Faculty would need to apply its quality control mechanisms to ensure that all
academic staff were making research applications.
Probationers were required to make applications under the terms of their
probation but other academic staff could be asked about their plans for
research applications during PRP meetings. The Directorate would focus on
research application rates throughout the 2007/08 academic year, and heads of
departments would be asked about the application rates of individual members of
staff during forthcoming Deanery visits.
ii RAE
Update: It was noted that the deadline for submission of RAE returns
was imminent. The AD(R) wished to record his thanks to heads of departments and
research coordinators within departments for the considerable work done by them
in preparation for the 2008 RAE. He also wished to express his thanks to Angela
Crawford, RAE and Research Support Officer, for her work on the Faculty’s
RAE returns. The Dean wished to express thanks, on behalf of the Faculty, for
the work undertaken by the AD(R) in preparing the Faculty for the RAE.
Looking
ahead, it was anticipated that STEM subjects would be the subject of an RAE in
2009. However, it was not certain how and when non-STEM subjects such as those
in the Department of Information Science,
STEM
subject RAEs were likely to be metrics based with fewer and broader subject
divisions. The nature of metrics to be used was not yet clear but, as a member
of the advisory board on bibliometric measures, Professor Oppenheim would feed
back to the Faculty relevant information as it became publicly available.
Regardless
of the form of RAE to be applied to subjects, there would need to be an
infrastructure in place before the results of the 2008 RAE were published to be
able to collect data and monitor performance appropriately. There would also be
a need for improved support mechanisms to ensure that staff were bringing in research
money and were managing their research effectively.
iii Research
Degrees: Four-year qualification figures for research students within the
Faculty were noted to be above the national average of 78 per cent. It was
noted that universities were now seeking EPSRC funding for 42 or 48 month
studentships. The AD(R) agreed to bring the matter to the attention of the
Research Team to establish whether the University should follow suit both for
EPSRC studentship applications and for funding internal studentships. ACTION:JF
iv Malaysian
Research Studentship Initiative: A number of Malaysian universities had
approached the University seeking studentships for their lecturers. Departments
were thanked for providing details of potential studentships. The AD(R) and
members of staff from interested departments would be visiting
v Energy Technologies Institute: The
establishment of the Energy Technologies Institute in
07/30 Associate Dean’s (Teaching) Report
i Intake Statistics 2007:
SCI07-P10
Recruitment
in the Faculty had been very pleasing. Departments were now working together as
a Faculty, and those that been asked to take more UK/EU undergraduate students
to compensate for a shortfall elsewhere had done so enabling the Faculty of
exceed its original target. UK/EU postgraduate taught recruitment had been
below target. However, this was reflective of the national trend.
Both the
International undergraduate and postgraduate intakes had exceeded expectations.
It was noted that departments that had designated coordinators for
international recruitment had been more successful in overseas recruitment.
Departments that had not were encouraged to identify a member of staff to take
on such a role.
The Dean
wished to express thanks, on behalf of the Faculty, for the excellent work
undertaken by the AD(T) and the Faculty’s team
of admissions tutors.
ii Recruitment
2008: Application data for 2008 was not yet available.
Undergraduate applicants for 2008 entry were being asked to make five, rather
than six, choices on their UCAS application form. Therefore, it was anticipated
that the University would see a proportionate reduction in applications.
iii e-learning Strategy
SCI07-P11
Faculty
Board NOTED a draft e-learning Strategy and Implementation Plan. Members were
asked to forward comments to the AD(T), copying them
to the Secretary, so that they could be forwarded to the Programme Quality Team.
ACTION: All
iv National
Student Survey: The University had achieved an
excellent outcome in the National Student Survey and was determined to retain
its position. Three Quality Enhancement Officers had been appointed to assist
faculties in all matters relating to teaching quality. Part of their role would
be to assess performance. They had already examined qualitative data from the
survey and would feed relevant sections back to departments.
v QAA Institutional
Audit: The Faculty could be seen to be in good shape but checks were being
carried out to identify any areas where there was scope for improvement.
vi Physics with Cosmology Programme Proposal: The
Physics with Cosmology programme proposal had received strategic approval from
Operations Sub-Committee. The Department of Physics would submit an enhanced
proposal in December to seek operational approval.
07/31 Periodic Programme Reviews
SCI07-P12
Faculty Board received a copy of the PPR report for the
Department of Chemistry and the Departmental response. It was noted that the
Panel had been very supportive of the Department. It had identified a small
number of issues which the Department was addressing.
07/32 Award of Research Degrees
SCI07-P13
Faculty Board APPROVED the award of Higher
degrees to candidates.
07/33 Mathematics Education Centre
SCI07-P14
Faculty Board NOTED a report on the Mathematics Education Centre. The Centre
had proven to be an outstanding success for both the Faculty and the
University. The Dean wished to express his thanks to the Director of the Centre
and to congratulate him on his personal Chair.
A member noted that the partial relocation of the Mathematics Education
Centre had released a comparatively small amount of space. Directorate was
aware that some departments were being constrained by a lack of space. Heads of
departments within the Faculty were to meet to discuss space issues affecting
their departments.
07/34 SEFS
[LATE PAPER – no paper number]
Faculty Board NOTED a report from the new Director of SEFS, Dr Sandie
Dann, who drew attention to a number of proposed changes to the management of
the programme. Departments were encouraged to feed back any comments on the
proposals and on the programme handbook to Dr Dann.
It was noted that departments that were involved in the programme were
required to provide a personal tutor for students who intended to join their
department on completion of the programme. Heads of Departments were asked to
place SEFS on the agenda for a departmental staff meeting with a view to
developing a policy for their department on SEFS involvement. Dr Dann indicated
that she would be willing to attend staff meetings as appropriate to assist
departments in their discussions. ACTION:
HODs
07/35 Faculty IT Support
i The new Director of IT Services
was to oversee both Computing Services and Corporate Information Services.
ii The University was rolling out a
number of significant new computer systems in 2007/08: LUSI, AGRESSO and
MOODLE.
iii Computing Services were to
prepare a bid for funds for proposed new projects by the end of February.
Directorate had informed the Faculty IT Coordinator that it would be supportive
of a central timetabling service and of increased email space for staff.
Departments were encouraged to forward additional requests to the Faculty IT
Coordinator
07/36 Membership
SCI07-P15
Faculty Board NOTED its membership for the session
2007/2008.
07/37 Membership of Health, Safety and Environmental Committee
It was NOTED that Professor Peter Warwick had been appointed
as a member of the University Health, Safety and Environmental Committee.
07/38 Membership of Prizes Committee
It was NOTED that Professor Ray Jones had been elected as a
member of the University Prizes Committee.
07/39 Programme Proposals
It was NOTED that the Learning and Teaching Committee had
approved the following programme proposals:
i Changes to
Programme Titles
From: PG Cert Mathematics Support
for Students with Dyslexia and Dyscalculia in HE/FE
To: PG Cert Mathematics Support and
Dyslexia/Dyscalculia in HE/FE
(with
immediate effect)
From: MSc Chemistry and Information
Technology
To: MSc Analytical
Chemistry and Information Technology
(from
October 2007 entry)
ii Discontinuation
of Programmes
MEng Chemical Engineering
with Professional Development (Last intake: October 2006)
MSc Chemical Product
Design (Last intake: October 2006)
MSc Electronic Publishing
(October 2006)
BSc Information Science
(Last intake: October 2007)
MSc Mathematical
Processes in the Environment (Last intake: October 2007)
iii Major Programme Changes
MA/MSc Information and Library Management
07/40 Associate Dean‘s (Teaching) Actions
Faculty Board NOTED the action of the Associate Dean
(Teaching) in approving the following:
-
appointment of University examiners
-
waivers of programme regulations
Full details of these actions were available from the
Secretary upon request.
07/41 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.
07/42 Staff-Student Committees
It was NOTED that the following reports of Staff-Student
Committee meetings had been deposited with the Secretary:
|
Chemistry - 9 May 2007 |
IPTME - 24 October 2007 |
|
Computer Science -17 October 2007 |
Mathematics - 2 May 2007, 21 May 2007 |
|
Human Sciences - 31 May 2007 |
Physics - 7 November 2007 |
07/43 Award of University Prizes within the Faculty
SCI07-P16
Faculty Board NOTED
the names of students from the Faculty who had won University prizes in
2006/07.
07/44 2008
The next Graduate School Open Day would take place from
12.00noon until 4.00pm on 20 February 2008.
07/45 Date of Next Meeting
Thursday 22 May 2008
Martine Ashby
November 2007
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