Faculty of Social Sciences
and Humanities
Faculty Board
SSH08-M1
Minutes
The
Minutes of Meetings of the Faculty Board are posted on the Web for three years
after the relevant date.
Minutes of
the Meeting of the Faculty Board held on Tuesday 20 May 2008
Members: Professor Dave Allen, Dr Malcolm Barnard (ab), Grahame
Boocock, Fiona Brown,
Dr Paul
Byrne, Dr Ian Campbell,
Professor Laurie Cohen, John Costello (ab), Dr Oliver Daddow
(ab), Professor Ian Davidson, Dr Jack Demaine (ab), Professor
Dr Adrian
Gourlay, Dr Mick Green (ab), Johnny Hardstaff (ab), Dr John Harrison,
Professor
Roger Haslam (ab), Professor Elaine Hobby, Tony Hodgson, Dr Dennis Howitt,
Professor
Terry Kavanagh, Professor Malcolm King (ab), Dr Moya Lloyd (ab),
Dr Marsha
Meskimmon, Dr Jonathan Millett, Johanne Mills (ab), Dr Graham Murdock,
Professor
Myra Nimmo, Professor Shirley Pearce (ab), Professor Eric Pentecost (ab),
Professor Ian Reid, Phil Sawdon (ab), Professor Dennis Smith, Dr Chris Spray,
Dr. David Stensel (ab), Ruth Stubbings (ab), Dr Neal Swettenham (ab)
Apologies for absence: Dr Malcolm Barnard, John Costello, Dr Oliver Daddow, Jack
Demaine, Professor
Professor
Malcolm King, Professor Eric Pentecost, Ruth Stubbings
In attendance: Professor
Mark Weber
1. Business of the Agenda
New Faculty Board
members
NOTED:
Professor Mark Webber who would be taking up his new role as Head of
Department of Politics, International Relations and European Studies from 1
August 2008 was welcomed to the Board.
The student representative, Fiona Brown, was also welcomed.
2. Minutes (SSH07-M2)
NOTED:
The minutes of the Meeting of the Social Sciences and Humanities Faculty
Board, held on Tuesday 13 November 2007 were CONFIRMED subject to the following
correction:
Item 24
(iii): Development of East Park. It was expected that HEBS 1 would be ready
for occupation this summer.
3. Matters
Arising from the Minutes Not Appearing Elsewhere on the Agenda
3.1
Establishment of History at Loughborough
NOTED: A History Chair had been advertised in the Guardian, THES
online and Jobs.ac.uk. Interviews were
planned for Friday 6 June 2008.
Interviewees would be giving presentations to colleagues from PIRES and
other interested SSH Departments on Thursday 5 June or Friday 6 June in the
morning. Two external assessors had been
appointed ( Professor John Young from Nottingham and
Professor Richard Aldrich from
3.2
NOTED: The School had organised an away day at Prestwold Hall and
produced a working document for staff and students to look at. A successful appointment had been made for a
Director of Resources who would be commencing on 1 September 2008. A technical post had also been
advertised. The plan to produce a
satisfactory academic structure was now in place and the School would now be
examining what support structure was required.
The Ergonomics group from the Department of Human Sciences along with
the Department of Design and Technology had been discussing the possibility of
joining the new Design Centre. The Dean
was chairing a working group that was examining the issues involved in the
building of the Design Centre, its vision, and its future occupancy.
4. Dean’s
and Associate Deans’ Reports
4.1 Dean’s
Report
RECEIVED:
A report from the Dean.
NOTED:
(i)
Congratulations
Congratulations
were extended to the
(ii)
RAE
There were
still uncertainties around the RAE with respect to its impact on departmental
development planning. Uncertainties
remained with regard to the impact of the RAE on QR and the rumoured delay in a
decision about its distribution.
(iii)
Centenary Programme
The
University would be celebrating 100 years of tertiary education in 2009. It had been proposed that an ‘academic
lecture series’ would take place as part of the Centenary programme. Heads of Department were reminded to put
forward eminent names in recognised research areas that will promote excellence
in that research area. The names should
be sent to the Dean as soon as possible.
(iv)
Human Resources Working Group
The Human
Resources Working Group had produced a new template for the promotion of
SLs. This would give more scope and
flexibility in recognising top staff performance including greater recognition
for taking administrative roles or engagement in enterprise activities. The proposals needed to be mapped onto the
existing promotional scheme. A working
group consisting of Professor Dennis Smith (Chair), Dr Marsha Meskimmon,
Professor Ian Reid and the Faculty Personnel Advisor, Jo Arno, would be
discussing this further and a report with recommendations would be submitted to
Directorate in the Autumn.
(v) Finance
The Faculty
will return a significant surplus for 2007/2008. The budget for 2008/2009 had been agreed but
a further saving of £70k was required. The
saving will be achieved by delaying the appointment to some posts over the
early part of the academic year.
4.2 Associate
Dean (Teaching) (SSH08-P1,2)
(i) Recruitment
Faculty
performance had been strong across the board.
Thanks and congratulations were extended to all colleagues. Although undergraduate UK/EU applications had
fallen by approximately 8% this was in line with the national average. International undergraduate applications had
also fallen slightly. As with UK/EU applicants, the Faculty’s conversion
rate was high indicating that the Faculty was successful in persuading
applicants to make Loughborough their firm choice. UK/EU postgraduate taught applications had
remained constant in the Faculty (the Faculty accounted for 75% of all
applications) although across the University they had fallen by 3%. Faculty international postgraduate taught
applications were down by 5% compared to a 6% fall across the University.
Admissions
remained confident that the Faculty will meet their undergraduate quotas with
the vast majority of programmes attracting high calibre applications. International postgraduate taught recruitment
continued to operate in a highly competitive market but the
(ii) League Tables
The
University continued to perform very well in the various national league
tables, the most recent being ranked in tenth position out of 117 institution in the Guardian leagues tables, making it the
top university in the
(iii) Annual Programme Reviews
Recruitment,
progression and attainment across the board was very
healthy and external examiner feedback very good. Thanks were extended to
Learning and Teaching Coordinators in departments.
(iv) Institutional Audit
The
University underwent a full QAA audit earlier in 2008. The QAA Audit Team pronounced that they had
confidence in the management of the academic standards of awards and the
learning opportunities available to students.
Commendation was awarded for the prioritisation of students in the
University’s institutional culture, industrial links and placement
opportunities and quality enhancement.
Several Faculty departments played an important part in the Audit, particularly
LUSAD.
(v) National Student Survey
Congratulations
went to all in the Faculty who had encouraged students to produce the highest
ever response rate.
(vi) Results
The
Academic Registry had proposed that exams results would be emailed rather than
posted although the facility for posting would be retained.
AGREED.
4.3 Associate
Dean (Research) (SSH07-P3)
RECEIVED:
A report from the Associate Dean (Research).
NOTED:
Thanks were
given to Heads of Department for sparing time to discuss research matters with
the AD(R). A research away day was being
organised for sometime in October.
The
deadline for Imago funding for research activities was June 13 and proposals
should be sent to the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research), Professor Peter Golding. Research capital investment fund proposals
should be sent to the AD(R).
5. Award of Degrees (tabled)
APPROVED:
The award of Higher Degrees to candidates whose examinations had been
conducted since the last meeting of Senate.
6. Estates
Strategy
RECEIVED: A verbal report from the Andrew Burgess,
Director Estates Services, on the Estates strategy for the campus.
NOTED: An update on the master plan for
(i) The first phase would include the
completion of HEBS 1 and the connectivity between Martin Hall;
refurbishment of Towers; completion of the Design Centre by 2011; refurbishment
of Martin Hall and LUSAD.
(ii) The second phase would focus on the
replacement of Victory Hall which would include the demolition of Bridgeman,
Victory Hall and the Dance Studio. Anticipation of a 4 storey HEBS 2 to maximise potential.
(iii) The third phase sees the rationalisation
of English and Drama, Geography buildings.
(iv) In parallel to the three phases of the
East Park Master plan, the Science and Enterprise Park will be developed with
the first building being a ‘Sport Park’ to house national sporting
bodies and complete for 4th quarter 2009.
The next
stage will involve the Master Plan Group making recommendations to Operations
Committee and further consultation will also take place at Faculty Board,
Senate and Council. It was agreed the
Estates Strategy would become a standing item on Directorate.
7. Careers
Destination Statistics (tabled paper)
RECEIVED: A report from David Lilley, Careers Advisor,
on the destination of graduates from the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities.
NOTED: The tabled report on careers destination statistics was also
available on the Careers Centre website and had been circulated to all Heads of
Department.
It was
difficult to generalise across a Faculty where destinations were so diverse but
overall the number of graduates entering graduate-level jobs rose in line with
a drop in the numbers entering non-graduate-level employment. Figures for the Faculty in 2007 showed an
increase in numbers of graduates either unavailable for work or still seeking
work six months after graduation.
Although this corresponded with a fall in percentages for those
commencing employment, study or a combination of both, the five-year summary of
first degree destinations showed that overall employment rates remained higher
than those reported for 2003, 2004 and 2005.
However, the percentage of non-graduate-level jobs was higher than in
the other Faculties and the causes of this needed to be examined. In
general, the Careers Centre's view was that one had to recognise that there
were a lot of non-vocational courses in the Faculty and it took students longer
to get settled into graduate jobs. The advice from the Careers Centre in
these cases was that it would be sensible for students to gain work experience
and take a longer term view towards a graduate job. On the other
hand, there was evidence (reinforced by comments from employers) that some
students of the Faculty were not developing widely required skills and
experience by the time they graduated. Furthermore, national reports
had identified skills gaps in areas such as commercial awareness and
relevant work experience, with particularly worrying gaps in
communication skills. Several Careers Centre initiatives had sought to
address these shortcomings, including a work shadowing programme offering
second-year students 120 placements in the Loughborough area and a
mentoring scheme providing business mentors for black and ethnic minority
students. An employability development programme had also been started in
the Department of Politics, International Relations and European Studies, with
enthusiastic support from academic staff and good take-up from students.
8. Teaching
Centre (SSH08-P4 +
tabled paper)
RECEIVED: A progress report on the Teaching
Centre from Professor Morag Bell, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Teaching) and Jan
Tennant, Head of Academic Practice and Enhancement, Professional Development.
NOTED: The University Teaching Centre was being established as a
resource for academic colleagues in their teaching role. The Centre’s aim was to meet the
professional development needs of staff and to support colleagues in meeting
challenges arising from strategic priorities, department-based initiatives and
developments in learning and teaching practice.
The QAA and Funding Council had placed a new emphasis on quality
enhancement as well as quality assurance and the work of the Centre was a
response by sustaining and enhancing the University’s reputation for high
quality learning and teaching provision.
The Teaching Centre would be managed by a Director, Jan Tennant,
reporting to the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Teaching), Professor Morag Bell. A Teaching Centre Advisory Group would also
be established and chaired by the Associate Dean (Teaching), Dr Paul Byrne.
The tabled
paper summarised additional activities that will form part of the Teaching
Centre’s work plan for 2008-09. In particular it will be looking to
provide a more responsive service to better meet the needs of individuals and
departments; to review and revise HEA accredited provision (New
Lecturers’ Route and Associate Teaching Route) with a view to successful
reaccreditation in Summer 2009; to establish a range of initiatives that
support teaching quality enhancement; to strengthen the University’s use
of awards and rewards for teaching and to establish an appropriate
infrastructure and management arrangements for the Teaching Centre.
The Faculty
expressed their concern about the ‘lean’ resources appropriated to
the Teaching Centre in order to carry out such a full agenda. It was agreed that the Centre which was
currently housed in
9. Associate Dean (Teaching) Action
RATIFIED:
Actions taken by the Associate Dean (Teaching) in approving the
following:
i. Waivers of Programme Regulations
ii. Appointment of Programme Boards
iii. Credit Transfers
(Further
details of the actions were available from the Faculty Board Secretary upon
request)
*10. Appointment of Examiners of the University, External
Examiners and External Programme Assessors
NOTED: Details of appointments made by the AD(T) were available from the Faculty Board Secretary on
request.
*11. External Examiner Reports
NOTED: The reports of External Examiner’s
had been deposited with the Faculty Board Secretary and were available for
consultation on request.
*12. Personal Titles
NOTED: The award of personal titles after Senate on 21 November 2007 and to receive the
Faculty’s congratulations to:
Dr Alan
Bairner,
Dr Tracey
Skelton, Department of Geography:
Professor of Critical Geographies
Dr Anne
Souchon,
Dr Eitan Gerstner,
*13. Members
of Assessor Panels
NOTED: Chair’s
action in approving the appointment of the following staff in the Faculty as
members of the Sir Robert Martin Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities
Prizes Assessor Panel:
Dr Jeremy Leaman
Professor Kathy Armour
Professor Mike Pickering
*14. Curriculum Sub-Committee
14.1
Changes to
Programme Title/Awards
NOTED: Curriculum Sub-Committee will be recommending the following proposed
programme title changes to Learning and Teaching Committee, prior to their
meeting on 5 June 2008:
MSc Criminal Justice Research to MRes Criminal Justice
Research
MA
in Performance and Multi-Media Texts to MA in Performance and Multi-Media
MA
in Texts in Performance to MA in Drama
Postgraduate
Programmes in Management: Higher Education Administration to Postgraduate
Programmes in Management and Leadership: Higher Education Administration
14.2 Changes to Programme
Regulations and Programme Specifications
NOTED: Curriculum Sub-Committee will be recommending the following proposed
changes to programme regulations and programme specifications to Learning and
Teaching Committee, prior to their meeting on 5 June 2008:
MA in English
(with Pathways in Modern and Contemporary Writing; Victorian Writing;
Early-Modern Writing; American Writing; Creative Writing)
MA
in Creative Writing
14.3 Discontinuation of Programmes
NOTED: Curriculum Sub-Committee will be recommending
to Learning and Teaching Committee prior to their meeting on 5 June 2008 to
discontinue the following programmes:
MA in Early-Modern
Writing 1560-1780
MA in Modern and Contemporary Writing
14.4 New Programme Proposals
NOTED: Curriculum Sub-Committee will be recommending
to Learning and Teaching Committee prior to their meeting on 5 June 2008 the
following new programme proposals:
MA Cultural
Sociology commencing October 2009
MSc Cultural
Sociology commencing October 2008 or 2009
MSc Medical
Management commencing October 2008
Postgraduate
Certificate in Management and Leadership (The Sports and Play Construction
Association) commencing January 2009
MSc Globalization, Space and Sport
*15. Staff/Student
Committees
NOTED: Reports of the Staff/Student
Committee meetings had been deposited with the Faculty Board Secretary as
follows:
|
Department |
Level |
Date |
|
|
MSc
Management/MSc International Management/MSc Marketing & Management/MSc
Finance & Management/MSc Business Analysis & Management |
5
December 2007, 23 April 2008 |
|
|
Postgraduate Diploma in Management (NGB) |
3
April 2008 |
|
Department
of English & Drama |
All |
16
May, 17 October, 21 November 2007, 5 March 2008 |
|
|
Undergraduate |
13,
15 Nov 2007, 21 February 2008 |
|
|
MBA
Semester 2 |
20
November 2007 |
|
|
BSc
(Hons) Business Studies, |
26
November 2007 |
|
Politics,
International Relations & European Studies |
Undergraduate |
15
November 2006, 2 Feb, 2 May 2007 |
*16. Membership of the Faculty Board
NOTED: The following vacancies for
elected departmental representatives of the Faculty Board for the session
2008-2009:
Department of Design & Technology ((1)
Department of Politics, International Relations and European Studies
(2)
Social Sciences ((1)
School of Sport & Exercise Sciences (2)
Department of English & Drama (1)
17. Any Other Business
NOTED: Professor Dave Allen would be stepping down
as Head of Department of Politics, International Relations and European Studies
after six years. The Board acknowledged Professor Allen’s outstanding achievement
as a Head of Department. During his
times as Head of Department, Professor Allen had fought for the integrity and
viability of the department aided by the support of the staff of PIRES, the
Directorate and the Faculty Board and had achieved impressive results. He would be leaving a department with a
strong, internationally recognised research culture and in a healthy financial
position. Thanks were extended to an
excellent colleague and friend of the Faculty.
18. Date of Next Meeting
The next
Faculty Board meeting will take place prior to a Directorate meeting on Tuesday
11 November 2008.
Author – Sally McKinley
May 2008
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