Senate

SEN98-M5

[Minutes]

Minutes of the 322nd (Ordinary) Meeting of Senate held on Wednesday 25 November 1998

Apologies for absence were received from: Professor J L Alty, Dr V Black, Dr P L Byrne,
Mr P G Lewis, Dr A Morris, Mr D R F Walker, Professor R J Wakeman.

98/68 Business of the Agenda

Agenda items 14 and 15 were unstarred.

98/69 Minutes

The Minutes of the meeting held on 24 June 1998 (SEN98-M3), were confirmed and signed. The Vice-Chancellor welcomed all new members of Senate and extended a warm welcome to Professor T Kavanagh, LUSAD, and to Ms S K Wheelans, Manager of Academic Registry.

98/70 Matters Arising from the Minutes

There were no matters arising.

98/71 Matters for Report by the Vice-Chancellor

It was reported by the Vice-Chancellor that

1. It was a pleasure to record that IDE had been awarded the Queens Anniversary Prize, which was recognised as a great achievement.
2. Notwithstanding the inaccuracies normally found in league tables, the University had been ranked twentieth in the recent Sunday Times league table, much higher than on previous occasions. It was felt that this was largely due to the University's performance in recent TQAs (now External Subject Reviews), which had provided an opportunity for departments to shine. The Department of Human Sciences had scored 24 in their recent ERS and Senate offered warmest congratulations to the Department.
3. The Strategic Planning Conference for members of Council in Burleigh Court had been very valuable. A wider range of challenges and opportunities for the University had been identified for the future. The timetable would now broadly follow that in 1996/97. A context paper would be submitted to the Faculties in the near future, whose inputs would be merged into a first draft. A further round of discussions would be initiated in Spring 1999. Heads of Departments were asked to involve all staff in planning at an early stage.
4. The Support Services Review was moving forward with the formation of teams to support and deliver the University's main objectives and Service Improvement Groups to draft Service Level Agreements and budgets. The Pro-Vice-Chancellors now bore very significant executive responsibility. The budgetary arrangements would change to support this structure.
5. The importance of staff making overseas visits establishing contact with overseas alumni was emphasised, following a representation to the Vice-Chancellor to this effect.
6. Many congratulations were offered to the Registrar on his appointment as Registrar and Secretary at the University of Sheffield. He had undertaken a vital role in many recent projects eg the merger with Loughborough College of Art and Design, the Peterborough initiative, and the new swimming pool. His contribution to the University over many years was gratefully acknowledged and he was wished every success in his future career.

98/72 Report by the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research)

Progress in respect of the Research Support Team was less advanced to date than in other areas. The purpose of this team was to focus and strengthen the many elements of research support on campus. As yet the Research Support Manager had not been appointed, but it was hoped to bring together a Finance Officer and Information Officer soon and to identify suitable space.

It was noted that a potential weakness for the next RAE was the relatively low number of research students. Advice was sought as to what initiatives would be taken to remedy this situation. Responsibility for the recruitment of research students could be located in a number of areas but it was felt by members of Senate to be most appropriate within the Research Office rather than the Student Recruitment and Admissions Team. In the future it might be that the role of Research Committee could be fulfilled by the Research Office and Research Support Team. The recent increase in research income compared with the previous two years was most encouraging and staff were to be congratulated. A number of initiatives were underway at present which should be exploited eg University Challenge Seed Fund, the Joint Infrastructure Fund, LATI, and the EPSRC Multi Project research equipment Initiative.

Further concern was expressed about the failure to recruit PhD students particularly in the Engineering Faculty. Few of the University's own graduates seemed interested in pursuing research and on the whole they were more interested in entering employment. It was suggested that a research package should be assembled to market research as a career opportunity. In this connection the University was hopeful that it would succeed with at least one of its bids for the Engineering Doctorate scheme. It was noted that, subject to meeting certain conditions, Research Assistants could be returned as full-time research students in the next RAE, but a flexible approach was vital as RAE criteria could change.

98/73 Report by the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Teaching)

1. Good progress had been made with the Student Recruitment and Admissions, and Programme Development and Quality Teams, with the Managers of both teams now in place. In terms of recruitment it was the role of the team to support departments in their recruitment activities by identifying what was needed and by bringing together knowledge of recruitment markets and strategies. Particular emphasis was to be placed on postgraduate recruitment in future. It was felt by members that it was important to link student recruitment with available resources. Overcrowding and the limited availability and location of lecture theatres was felt to be a particular problem. There were, however, a number of initiatives and exercises underway to alleviate pressure on teaching accommodation.
2. A draft report following the QAA visit in May had been received and was excellent. The final report was expected imminently and although there were matters for the University to consider, no requirements would be imposed. The auditors had seen a wide range of staff and students and had recognised the University's self-confidence in its standards
3. The 1998 recruitment round had generally been a success but had demonstrated the need to diversify the base of overseas recruitment. Data on student withdrawals for the current session were not yet available. It was difficult to use such data to make inter-institutional comparisons because of the variety of data published. Procedures were in place to conduct exit interviews.

98/74 School of Mathematics and Physics

(SEN98-P48)

1. Senate was advised that the Department of Physics had been in deficit for some time and that this had placed a burden on the Department and the Faculty. Accordingly the position had needed to be addressed and these proposals had arisen from negotiations with the parties concerned. The guiding principles had been to establish economies of scale and facilitate a joint Business Plan whilst enabling both departments to retain their identity. The proposals would mature over time and would be reviewed after the RAE. The Department of Physics had welcomed the proposals and had already benefited from the new structure which conveyed membership of a bigger academic community.
2. Concern was expressed about the way in which this matter had been conducted. It was felt that Senate should have been consulted at an earlier stage prior to the implementation of the proposal and that the role of Senate was being bypassed.
3. These concerns were noted but it was felt that it was important to end uncertainty for staff involved and to move forward on the basis of the agreement between the departments concerned.

The proposals for the formation of a School of Mathematics and Physics were unanimously approved and it was RESOLVED to recommend them to Council.

98/75 Analysis of Degree Results

(SEN98-P49)

Further to Minute 98/39 of Senate's meeting of 24 June 1998 and with the advice of Teaching and Learning Committee, Senate received an analysis of degree results and considered proposals from Teaching and Learning Committee.

1. The data presented to Senate represented a substantial amount of work and needed to be used properly. It was argued that they could only be understood at subject level and should be used at annual and periodic programme reviews.
2. The data were welcomed by Senate and in particular the proposal that such information should be presented on an annual basis. It was noted that comparisons should be made with "relevant peer or aspirational groups" namely with groups which were appropriate, suitable and reasonably comparable. Several issues were identified for discussion: the high number of first class and 2:1 degrees; the impact of assessment by coursework and the potential for plagiarism.
3. The potential impact of plagiarism on results was discussed at length by members of Senate. It was regarded as potentially a most serious issue and the University had procedures in place to deal with it. In many areas student co-operation was encouraged but students needed to be made aware of the distinction between collaborative work and individual assessments particularly with respect to final reports. It was reported that this issue had not been identified as a matter of concern by External Examiners.
4. There was further discussion regarding the possibility of grade inflation through assessment by coursework. It was argued, however, that coursework was a balance to assessment by examination.

It was further argued that the statistics on the employability of Loughborough University graduates did not indicate that too many Firsts and 2:1s were being awarded. On the contrary it was felt that in some subject areas too few were awarded which was an issue for Programme Boards.

5. It was emphasised that great care should be exercised in speculating on the factors behind the number of Firsts and 2:1s awarded. The University recruited high quality students and offered high quality tuition as evidenced by the TQA outcomes. The availability of the sandwich year was a significant element in good academic performance. It was not clear whether failure was increasing and whether the increasing financial pressure on students was a factor. Data on 'A' level entry scores were available but were not very useful in this context.

98/76 Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Information Strategy and Services

(SEN98-P50)

1. The Vice-Chancellor advised Senate that the pace of change in the areas of information services and systems was such that a post of this kind was now appropriate. The postholder would be a member of the Executive Management Group and would have equal status with the other Pro-Vice-Chancellors. The appointment of the PVC for External Relations was a precedent for this proposal. It was not suggested that this was a statutory appointment, but it was felt that the creation of this post was in the best interests of the University.
2. Concern was expressed that this proposal might be contrary to the Charter which provided for only two Pro-Vice-Chancellors. It was agreed that further consideration should be given to this.
3. The Vice-Chancellor felt that it might be appropriate to amend the Statutes in the future to provide greater flexibility. In the interests of good management it was requested that the proposal be permitted to proceed. It was reported that the title would be Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Information Strategy and Services.
4. Senate APPROVED the course of action for the appointment of the PVC for Information Strategy and Services and appointed Professor P Golding and J F P Rowland as the Senate membership of the Selection Committee.

98/77 Titles of Departments

It was RESOLVED to recommend to Council, on the recommendation of the Faculty of Science, that the Department of Computer Studies be renamed Department of Computer Science and that the Department of Information and Library Studies be renamed the Department of Information Science with effect from 1 January 1999.

98/78 Institute of Surface Science and Technology

(SEN98-P51)

It was RESOLVED on the recommendation of the Faculty of Science and the Directorate to approve the transfer of the Institute of Surface Science and Technology from the Department of Physics to IPTME with effect from 1 December 1998.

98/79 Programme Proposals

(SEN98-P52)

It was RESOLVED on the recommendation of the Teaching and Learning Committee and on the advice of the Curriculum Sub-Committee to recommend to Council as appropriate

1. New programmes for introduction in the 1999/2000 session

BSc Architectural Engineering and Design Management
Professional Diploma in Management - Higher Education Administration

2. New programmes for introduction in the 2000/2001 session

BEng/MEng Communications Engineering
BEng/MEng Transportation Electronics Engineering
BEng/MEng Electronics and Software Engineering
BEng/MEng Computer Network and Internet Engineering.

3. Major revisions and Changed Titles

BA Library and Information Management (from Information and Library Studies) for the 1999/2000 intake.
BSc Information Management and Business Studies (from Information and Management) for the 1999/2000 intake.
BA Publishing with English (from Information and Publishing Studies) for the 1999/2000 intake.
BSc Information Management and Computing (from Information and Computing) for the 1999/2000 intake.
BSc Mathematics and Management change of award from DIS to DPS with immediate effect.
BA/BSc Industrial Design and Technology with Education (3 years) to replace BA/BSc Industrial Design and Technology with Education (4 years with Certificate of Education) for students entering in September 1997 and thereafter.

4. The discontinuation of the following programmes with no further student intake

98/80 Librarian's Annual Report 1997/98

(SEN98-P53)

On the recommendation of the Information Services Committee the Annual Report for 1997/98 from the Librarian was received.

98/81 UK/EU Undergraduate Intake Quotas 1999/2000

(SEN89-P54)

1. A member of Senate expressed concern that the data presented to Senate included the Foundation Year students in the overall targets and that they were not identified separately. It was felt that this gave a misleading impression since, it was suggested that only a third of Foundation Year students passed their examinations on the first occasion
2. It was reported that 90 of the 107 students had progressed to Part A of their programmes. There were two routes onto the Foundation Year, either by applying through UCAS or directly to departments. Departments set their own progression hurdles and it was confirmed that 51 of the cohort of 107 did not need to resit their examination to enter Part A. The figure of 33% previously stated was misleading.
3. Senate was advised that the paper was presented for resource purposes and that it was logical to include the Foundation Year students in the intake data and not to make a distinction between them and any other categories of student. The paper contained no qualitative information and there was no evidence that Foundation Year students progressed significantly differently from other students.
4. Senate was advised that the paper allowed for the University's ceiling of MASN plus 3%. Given the student withdrawal rate from September to December it would be appropriate in September to aim for MASN plus 4% in September in order to achieve the required target for the December census.

It was RESOLVED on the recommendation of Resources and Planning Committee to approve UK/EU undergraduate intake quotas for 1999/2000.

98/82 Identity Cards

(SEN98-P55)

1. On behalf of the AUT it was stated that the Minute of Resources and Planning Committee inaccurately reflected the outcome of discussions with the AUT. It was their view that while there was no objection to asking staff and students to carry ID cards there had been no agreement requiring staff to wear them. In particular there was concern about creating a new disciplinary offence. Female staff in particular might feel sensitive about revealing their names for their own personal security. It was proposed that the matter be referred back to Estates Management Committee for further discussion and negotiation.
2. The Registrar reported that discussions with Unions had been fairly low key and that concerns were raised principally about enforcement and practicalities. The issue of civil liberties had not arisen. There had been a number of thefts on campus and further measures were required. Disciplinary action over the wearing of cards would be very much a last resort.
3. It was felt that card carrying of itself would make only a marginal difference to security because people were generally reluctant to challenge strangers. The wearing of cards was seen as a step towards improving security. It was suggested that visitors should also be required to wear ID cards and it was agreed that there would be a move towards using Visitors Passes.
4. It was felt that the detailed operation of the scheme was the significant issue. It was proposed that the matter be referred back for further consideration. Senate, however voted by 20 votes to 14 that the proposal should go forward. It was agreed that consultation on implementation would be made and reported in matters arising at the next Senate.

Recommendations being made by Resources and Planning Committee to Council concerning the carrying and wearing of Identity Cards were NOTED.

98/83 Honorary Degrees

(SEN98-P56)

It was RESOLVED pursuant to Statute XVIII and with the advice of the Honorary Degrees Committee to make a recommendation to Council regarding persons to be invited to receive Honorary Degrees at Degree Congregations in 1999.

98/84 Research Committee

(SEN98-P57)

It was RESOLVED further to Minute 98/37 of Senate's meeting of 24 June 1998, to approve procedures governing the attendance and role of Observers at Research Degree Oral Examinations.

98/85 Teaching and Learning Committee

Associate College Status
(SEN98-P58)

It was RESOLVED on the recommendation of Teaching and Learning Committee to approve principles for the award of the title 'Associate College of Loughborough University'.

98/86 Ordinances and Regulations

1. It was RESOLVED on the recommendation of Ordinances and Regulations Committee:

1. Membership of Court, Council, Senate, General Assembly and Other Bodies
   (SEN98-P59)

To approve and to recommend to Council as appropriate amendments to Statutes XII, XIII, XIV and XV and to Ordinance XXX, Regulation X and to Regulations for Higher Doctorates, giving effect to Council's decision that part-time staff should no longer be excluded from membership of committees.
[Secretary's Note: to come into effect when the Privy Council approves amendments to the Statutes.]

2. Amendments to Ordinance I: Admission of Students
   (SEN98-P60)

To recommend to Council amendments to Ordinance I to take account of Further Education provision by LUSAD with immediate effect.

3. Ordinance VIII: Membership of Court

1. Deletion of 'The Principal of Loughborough College of Art and Design' as a member of Court.
2. Deletion of 'until 31 July 1994' from the prefix to the list of Head Teachers in so doing confirming their current membership.

2. Membership of General Assembly

3. Manager of Academic Registry

98/87 Reports from Committees

Reports from the following Committees were received:

1. (SEN98-P61) Research Committees of 12 June and 29 October 1998
2. (SEN98-P62) Ordinances and Regulations Committee of 30 October 1998
3. (SEN98-P63) Student Services Committee of 4 November 1998
4. (SEN98-P64) Teaching and Learning Committee of 5 November 1998
5. (SEN98-P65) Resources and Planning Committee of 6 November 1998

98/88 Membership of Senate 1998/99

(SEN98-P66)

The Membership of Senate for 1998/99 was NOTED.

98/89 Any Other Business

 Members were reminded that the tabled paper on Honorary Degrees should remain confidential at this stage. It was suggested that further candidates would be put forward in due course.

98/90 Date of Next Meeting

Wednesday 27 January 1999 am (if required).
Wednesday 3 March 1999 am.