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Faculty of
Social Sciences and Humanities
Faculty
Board
SSH10-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 18 May 2010.
Members: Professor Terry Kavanagh (Chair), Dr Malcolm
Barnard, Jemima Barnes,
Apologies for
absence: Dr
Sudipto Chatterjee, Dr Jack Demaine, Professor Alan France,
Dr
Adrian Gourlay, Dr Jonathan Millett, Professor Shirley Pearce, Phil Sawdon,
Mark Wright
In attendance: Sally McKinley (Secretary)
1. Minutes (SSH09-M2)
NOTED: The minutes of the Meeting of the Social
Sciences and Humanities Faculty Board, held on Tuesday 10 November 2009 were
CONFIRMED with the following corrections:.
Item
19.2:
to read ‘the merger of the Department of Human Sciences within
the School of Sport and Exercise Sciences’.
Item
24: to read ‘it was agreed that it
was important the very positive relationship of the University with the
Students’ Union be maintained’.
2. Matters Arising from the Minutes Not
Appearing Elsewhere on the Agenda
2.1 Loughborough
Design School
NOTED: Congratulations were
extended to the first Director of the Loughborough Design School, Tony
Hodgson. Operations Committee had
approved the appointment of another Professor and was looking to appoint
further strategic posts including a separate Director of Research Studies and
Enterprise. It was expected that a
Senior Management Group would be established in August and an internal launch
would take place in September. The
website would become live in July.
Building progress was on target for June 2011.
3. Dean’s
and Associate Dean’s Reports
3.1 The Dean
RECEIVED: A
verbal report from the Dean
(i) Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research)
NOTED:
Professor Peter Golding was leaving the University in a few months. Peter had been Head of the Department of
Social Sciences for many years and subsequently as Pro Vice-Chancellor
(Research) where he made a very significant contribution to the preparation of
the last RAE and the recent ESRC bid between the University of Leicester and
Loughborough University. The Faculty
extended their thanks and appreciation for all his work.
(ii) Associate Dean (Teaching)
NOTED: Dr
Paul Byrne would be stepping down as Associate Dean (Teaching) at the end of
the academic year. Paul had maintained a
high quality of teaching and learning in the Faculty. Three candidates were being interviewed for
the Associate Dean (Teaching) position next week.
(iii) Financial position of the Faculty
NOTED:
Overall the Faculty would be leaving the current academic year in a good
financial state. Compared to some other
universities, Loughborough University was in a strong position
financially. However, the financial
future of HEIs was uncertain due to the new Government’s view of higher
education. Based on certain assumptions,
the Faculty had been tasked with producing a financial plan to
Directorate. As a result the Faculty
will be in deficit next year with Humanities in particular being hard hit. This was no fault of the departments but
largely due to funding being transferred to STEM subjects.
3.2 The
Associate Dean (Teaching) (SSH10-P8)
(i) Recruitment
NOTED:
Recruitment figures were on target.
Home undergraduate recruitment demonstrated a slight downturn compared
to last year which was in line with Faculty and University recruitment
strategy. This was the first year that
the School of the Arts applicants were using the UCAS system. International undergraduate applications were
down by 22% (10% across the University) with the Business School, Economics,
Social Sciences and the School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences
attracting the majority of the applicants.
Departments were advised to re-examine their marketing for international
students and to seek the International Office’s advice. Home postgraduate taught recruitment remained
a challenge although there had been a 19% increase in applications. Departments were urged to look at
postgraduate home recruitment particularly with respect to new collaborative
programmes and the University was aiming to diversify international
recruitment.
(ii) Report on Annual Programme Review
NOTED: Every
single programme was recruiting well.
Progression rate, attainment, employability were all very good. External examiner reports were very positive
and amongst the best in the country.
Student/Staff Liaison Committee meetings continued to demonstrate a very
positive relationship. Each
School/Department had a relatively small number of issues which they had been
asked to address and these will be followed up in subsequent APR/PPR’s.
(iii) National Student Survey
NOTED: The
final NSS response rate was 75.9% (slightly higher than previously) and 10%
above the national average. The
Department of Geography had excelled with a 90% response rate and
congratulations were extended to all departments for their hard work.
3.3 The
Associate Dean (Research)
(i) Studentships
NOTED:
Studentships had been made available, one per faculty, one development
award per department and a Centenary Trust award consisting of two per
Faculty. Nominations for the
studentships should be sent to Annette McQuillan. In 2010 £1m would be made available to go
towards 50 new studentships and would be advertised in the THES on
Thursday. It was envisaged there would
be some intense competition and interested candidates were advised to look on
the website immediately. Departments
were requested to make the information available to very top students (not more
than 4 candidates per department) as soon as possible. Department should then make a strategic case for
these students. John Feather was in the
process of putting guidance notes together and the deadline for applications
was 14 June 2010. Departments should
provide a ranked list by 22 June 2010 and the final decision will be made in
early July.
(ii) REF
NOTED:
Representation was required on the next REF sub-panels and departments
were requested to put together case studies of ongoing activity. The AD(R) would enquire about the outcome of
the May submissions.
(iii) ESRC
NOTED: A collaborative bid
with the University of Leicester had been put forward. The interim feedback so far had been very
good and the seven referees were very positive.
Loughborough University would be responding to the feedback next
week. Thanks were extended to the
departments who had put pathway documents together.
4. Award of
Degrees (tabled)
NOTED: The
award of Higher Degrees to candidates whose examinations had been conducted
since the last meeting of Senate.
5. Future
Structure and Organisation of the University (SSH10-P9)
RECEIVED: A progress report
from Professor Myra Nimmo and Professor Phil Hubbard.
NOTED: The responses from
the University had been taken into account in the University Structure Project
Management Board Interim Report. An
alternative proposal was that the University would now be looking at seven to
ten schools. There was the possibility
that the Faculty of Engineering would be retained as the School of Engineering.
The PMB had tried to look at academic synergies and lab based subjects together
and would be collating a final report to be submitted to ELT. Thanks were extended to Professor Hubbard and
Professor Nimmo for their input to the PMB.
COMMENTED: It was emphasised
that there had been 36 responses to PMB’s initial report, not just
one. Some departments opposed the
interim report because it was felt that robustness remained undefined. The paper appeared to be inconsistent in its
representation and although it had been put forward that ‘the case is
strong for change’ it was believed by some that this was not the case. It was felt that the interim proposal was
simply a more elegant presentation of the original. The view was that the proposals for new
schools had not been articulated to students.
There was confusion about the main driver of the proposal and the
argument for saving money was not convincing.
It was noted, however, that PMB had accepted that there will have to be a
financial presentation from the Director of Finance and that PMB were anxious
to put forward a finance report of recommendation to ELT for consideration.
It was reflected that
the drivers pushing the change forward were complex and that robustness was
more than financial matters, the maintenance of research and teaching and
saving money, it was also about being an agent
and manager of change. Although there
was no doubt that overlaps and synergies between departments could make cost
savings, it was felt that other opportunities
that may be presented should be considered.
These would include having a greater influence on University strategic
thinking and direction by the new Deans of Schools.
AGREED: It
was recognised that the current Faculty structure was not fit for purpose and
that Heads of Departments/Schools would benefit from a closer relationship with
the centre. PMB needed to clearly
articulate the changing arrangements, provide a broader view and a look to the
future.
6. Value for
Money Projects
RECEIVED: A verbal report from
Caroline Walker, Director of Finance.
NOTED: Loughborough
University was very successful financially being in surplus overall with a plan
for that to continue. However, there
were challenges ahead. Higher Education
will not be exempt from cuts and it was likely in 2-3 years the University
would not remain in surplus. The University
was following its ‘Silver Scenario’ 5 year plan and the modelling
showed that if the University made savings by only 1-2% the University would go
into deficit. The University therefore
required more efficiency savings of 2-3% (£14m). Projects to tackle this had been identified
by ELT:
(i) Raising
income University-wide – some
potential but not as it was in the past.
(ii) Procurement
– trading available for booking rooms and internal charges.
(iii) Simplicity
agenda – increase efficiency of student administration, finance, HR
procedures.
(iv) Increase
income generation.
(v) Increase
services working together – non-academic departments to reduce
duplication.
(vi) Energy
– reduce this in line with the Carbon Agenda.
(vii) Look
to increase institutional robustness.
(viii) Examine the total cost of ownership and IT
support.
The reality was that
the University will need to generate more income and possibly have less staff
in 5 years time. There would be natural
staff losses due to retirements and it was hoped that changes would be made
without compulsory redundancies.
COMMENTED: While the Board
applauded the University’s mission in ‘doing more for less’,
concern was expressed that although the University had a history of being risk
averse and prudent, departments still needed to have the opportunity to invest
strategically. It was also felt that
fees, robustness and hidden costs and savings were not always clear in business
plans. It was explained that these were
not hidden and there was a difference between recurrent and non recurrent
savings that get accumulated. It was
assumed that fees will be increased, banked and matched with spend on
scholarships and bursaries but no policy statement had been issued yet. It was
agreed that more effective management was required in order to better respond
to the challenges ahead.
7. Graduate
Destination Data (SSH10-P10)
RECEIVED: A
presentation from David Lilley, Careers Advisor, Careers Centre.
NOTED: The two pie charts in the report had been
transposed on pages 35 and 36. The chart
for Social Sciences on page 35 was that for the School of Sport, Exercise and
Health Sciences on page 36. The Faculty had recorded a further fall, compared
to 2008, in the percentage of graduates in employment six months after
graduation alongside an increase in the percentage taking on non-graduate
roles. Recruitment activities were very
varied with banking being particularly badly affected but this was not
widespread. The largest ever Careers
Fair found employers interested despite the recession. The message was that graduates must be
focussed and prepare and market themselves effectively. The Faculty’s diversity was reflected
within individual departmental statistics.
Unemployment dropped amongst graduates from arts and sports-related
subjects and rose in Design and Technology, Economics and Geography. There was a noticeable positive trend of
students on non-placement courses in the light of taking a year off. The Graduate Recruitment and Placement Fair
had advertised work placements for students this year. The Careers Centre at Loughborough continued
to expand its Loughborough University Alumni database and remained a useful
resource for students. The Springboard
Careers Fair was aimed at students mostly from the Faculty of Social Sciences
and Humanities. The Loughborough
University employability award which had strong ties with the Faculty was
launched in 2010 and would be launched again in 2011. The target was 400 students with an actual
figure of 353 student registrations, 605 from the Faculty of Social Sciences
and Humanities. A Government funded
graduate internship programme for graduates not successfully employed was
launched in 2008-09 and would be regionally managed by De Montfort
University. The target was 370
internships by September 2010. Case
studies of success stories will be available to departments shortly.
8. 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.
9. Personal Titles
NOTED: The award of personal titles and to offer the
Faculty’s congratulations:
Dr Tracy Bhamra, Chair in Sustainable Design (from November
2009)
Dr Clive Edwards, Chair in Design History (from November
2009)
Dr Eddie Norman, Chair in Design Education (from November
2009)
Dr Elizabeth Stokoe, Chair in Social Interaction (from
December 2009)
Dr Barry Bogin, Chair in Biological Anthropology (from April
2009)
10. Curriculum
Sub-Committee
10.1 New
Programme Proposals
NOTED: That Curriculum Sub-Committee will be
recommending to Learning and Teaching Committee (subject to any matters being
resolved to the satisfaction of the ADT) prior to their meeting on 3 June 2010,
the following new programme proposals:
(i) The full-time MSc in Sport Coaching from the School of Sport,
Exercise and Health Sciences commencing October 2010
(ii) The part-time Postgraduate Certificate in Back Care Management
from the Business School commencing June 2010.
(iii) The part-time Postgraduate
Certificate/Diploma/Master of Science in Healthcare Emergency Preparedness and
Business Continuity Management from the Business School commencing October
2010.
(iv) The part-time Postgraduate Diploma and Master of Science in
Healthcare Fire Safety Management from the Business School commencing October
2010.
(v) The full-time BSc, DPS Design Ergonomics
from the Loughborough Design School with effect from October 2011.
10.2 Discontinuation
of a Programme
NOTED: That Curriculum Sub-Committee will be
recommending to Learning and Teaching Committee prior to their meeting on 3
June 2010, the discontinuation of the following programmes:
(i) The MSc
Occupational Health from the School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences.
(ii) The
MSc European and International Studies from the Department of Politics, History
and International Relations with immediate cessation.
10.3 Proposal to suspend a programme
NOTED: That Curriculum Sub-Committee will be
recommending to Learning and Teaching Committee prior to their meeting on 3
June 2010, the proposal to suspend the MRes in Criminology and Justice from the
Department of Social Sciences. Date of
last intake 28 September 2009, proposed date of next intake when anticipated
recruitment is resumed 3 October 2011.
11. Staff/Student
Committees
NOTED: That
reports of the Staff/Student Committee meetings had been deposited with the
Faculty Board Secretary as follows:
|
Department
of Social Sciences |
18
March, 29 April and 19 November 2009 |
|
Department of Geography |
9
June, 28 October 2009 |
|
MSc
Management/MSc International Management/MSc Marketing & Management/MSc
Finance & Management/MSc Business Analysis & Management (Business
School) |
2
December 2009 |
|
MBA
(Business School) |
20
April 2010 |
|
Department
of Economics |
11
November 2009, 10 March 2010 |
|
Department
of English and Drama |
10
March 2009 |
12. Faculty Board Membership
NOTED: Vacancies
for membership of the Faculty Board for the session 2010-2011:
School of the Arts (1)
Business School (1)
Department of Social Sciences (1)
Department of Economics (1)
Department of Geography (2)
13. Date of Next Meeting
The next Faculty Board meeting will take place prior to a Directorate
meeting on 9 November 2010.
Author – Ms S J McKinley
May 2010
Copyright (c) Loughborough University. All
rights reserved.