Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities

Faculty Board

SSH00-M5

Minutes

The Minutes of Ordinary Meetings of the Faculty Board are posted on the Web for three years after the relevant date.

Minutes of the Twenty-fifth (Ordinary) Meeting of the Faculty Board held on Tuesday, 31 October 2000.

Professor P H Roberts

Mr J Barker
Professor M Bell
Professor S J H Biddle (ab)
Mr A Bunkum
Mr J Costello
Professor S J Cox
Dr H G Denton
Dr H P Drake
Professor J Evans (ab)
Professor P Golding
Dr A Gould
Mr R Hamilton
Professor C Hanson (ab)
Professor T Kavanagh
Dr T A Kay (ab)
Professor D Kirk (ab)

Dr J Leaman (ab)
Mr P G Lewis
Mr W P J Maunder (ab)
Professor T Mills
Mr G Murdock (ab)
Ms J Prince (ab)
Dr C D Rhodes
Dr S P Rice
Mr J S Smith
Professor M H Smith (ab)
Miss R Stubbings
Ms J Tormey (ab)
Professor D J Wallace (ab)
Professor T G Weyman-Jones
Dr P Wild (ab)
Professor J M Wilson

In attendance:

Ms P J Rouse

By invitation:

Mr D Blease (for item 65)
Ms L Dutton

Apologies for absence:

Professor Biddle, Professor Evans, Ms Prince, Mr Maunder, Professor Smith, Ms Tormey, Dr Wild.

61. Welcome

The Dean extended a warm welcome to new members attending their first meeting of the Board.

62. Minutes

SSH00-M3 (previously circulated)

The Minutes of the Twenty-third (Ordinary) Meeting of the Social Sciences and Humanities Faculty Board, held on 23 May 2000, were confirmed and signed.

63. Matters Arising from the Minutes

No matters were raised.

64. Reports from the Dean and Associate Deans

64.1 The Dean

(i) Research School in Ergonomics and Human Factors

Following decisions by Senate and Council, a Research School in Ergonomics and Human Factors had been established, with effect from 1 October 2000. This involved the transfer of ICE from the Faculty to join HUSAT and part of the Department of Human Sciences. The new School would be associated with the Faculty of Science.

(ii) Restructuring of Initial Teacher Training (ITT)

Following careful consideration of the issues, Senate and Council had agreed that, with regret, the Department of Education should close and that action should be taken to establish a smaller Teacher Education Unit. It had also been agreed to:

  • Retain ITT in Design and Technology, PE and Science
  • Seek additional quota in PE and Science
  • Withdraw from Primary ITT and from ITT provision in Secondary English, Mathematics and ICT.

The Unit, which would have links to the Departments of Design and Technology and PE, would be seeking to establish a clear identity before the Department of Education closed.

(iii) Efforts to Increase Income

It would be imperative for the Directorate, other groups and individuals to seek and pursue over the next few months initiatives to generate increased income. All opportunities should be examined including increased research activity, increased research and postgraduate student numbers, in particular an expansion in international student numbers and greater collaboration to develop new areas and new markets. The Directorate would be considering how the possible establishment of Graduate Schools could assist in this.

64.2 The Associate Dean (Research)

(i) Graduate Schools

A small Faculty Working Group had been meeting since September to consider the possible establishment of one or more Graduate Schools. It would report shortly and a paper would be provided to the next meeting of the Board. The Group had also considered postgraduate research training provision across the Faculty.

(ii) RAE

The second dummy run was well underway and by December there would be a clear picture of how the final submission would look. Tactical decision making would be necessary in some areas in relation to which and how many staff should be included in the submission.

(iii) HEFCE Review of Research Activity

A response to the Review was required by HEFCE by 8 December. Information should be provided to the Associate Dean (Research) by 20 November. Further details were available on the HEFCE website (Publication Number 00/37).

(iv) Enhanced PhD Project

Together with nine other UK universities, Loughborough was involved in a pilot project to examine enhanced PhDs. The aim was to devise a model, or models, that would be more competitive in international markets and would include a significant taught element, as did the popular US model. The Business School and European Studies had been submitted as possible candidates to pilot the scheme; decisions on this were expected in the next couple of weeks. The Department of English and Drama had already embarked on an enhanced PhD and it was confirmed that other departments interested in pursuing this route could do so. There was no specific funding for studentships for those involved in the pilot.

(v) Research Grant Funding and Postgraduate Student Travel Grants

Limited amounts of Faculty funding were available for allocation for small research grants and for postgraduate student travel grants in the current year. Information would be provided to Heads of Departments.

64.3 The Associate Dean (Teaching)

(SSH00-P36)

The Board noted a report.

65. Procedures for Programme Review

(SSH00-P37)

The Board considered revised procedures for academic programme review presented by Mr Blease, Director of the Quality Assessment Unit. It was noted that revised procedures were proposed to improve the process and to realign with the new criteria and methodology for External Subject Review (ESR). A number of points were raised in discussion.

  • Whilst appreciating the overall aims behind the revision, the Board was concerned that the proposals would involve an even greater workload and greater frequency of review. A three year cycle for reviewing a department's complete portfolio was too much. It was suggested that this be adjusted when the cycle for ESRs was known.
  • There was concern at the role outlined for external examiners. It was thought unlikely that they would be able to attend summative meetings of review bodies. Members were assured that external advisors could receive documentation for the summative meeting of the review body. Attendance of all advisors would not be essential.
  • Support was voiced for the current Annual Programme review (APR) and the role, played in preparing for Periodic Programme Reviews (PPR). It was suggested that guidance should be drawn up for APR to ensure that this would harmonise with PPR.
  • It was confirmed that commentary could be provided for the whole portfolio or separately for different programmes.
  • A member queried whether the University would sponsor staff to act as reviewers in the new methodology.
  • It was confirmed that the documentation provided would be revised to include LUSAD in the programme for 2005, rather than 2004, to coincide with Design and Technology.

The Dean thanked Mr Blease for attending the meeting.

66. Academic Misconduct

(SSH00-P38 and P38a – attached)

The Board considered proposed changes to the Regulations for Higher Degrees by Research, together with the contents of an email (P38a) clarifying issues relating to the changes. The Board RESOLVED to RECOMMEND that:

  • Paragraph 9 of Appendix 1 should be amended to provide further clarification in line with the points raised in P38a.
  • A comment on the unacceptability to the University of plagiarism should be included in the proposed changes. No degree of plagiarism should be accepted.
  • The Guidance Notes for Supervisors, Directors of Research and Candidates should be amended to include a clear statement on plagiarism. The clear implications of the declaration of the originality of submitted research work should be emphasised to candidates in the guidance issued.

It was observed that the procedures outlined did not include provision for action before the thesis was submitted.

67. PhD Submissions by Publications

(SSH00-P39)

The Board considered proposals to widen opportunities for staff to make PhD submissions by publications. The following points arose in discussion:

  • Clarification was required as to which staff groups the proposals were designed to include and whether it was that all staff (ie. not only those appointed under Ordinance VI, or equivalent, provisions) should be included. It was suggested that this should be the case.
  • Clarification of the criteria for eligibility was required to aid candidates. It was suggested that Annex 2 should be expanded to include a requirement for sufficient and appropriate pieces of academic output. Whilst departments and candidates should be given guidance on criteria, it was thought that specifying the quantity of output or defining the nature of that output as articles or publications was not helpful.

The Board RECOMMENDED that a formal review be required in each year of registration.

68. Constitution and Powers of the Faculty Board

SSH00-P40

These were noted.

69. Membership

SSH00-P41

The membership of the Faculty Board for the session 2000-2001 was noted. A correction to the membership has been made to replace Professor P Taylor with Dr C Rhodes.

70. Representation on Other Bodies

SSH00-P42

Representation of the Faculty on other bodies was noted.

71. University Operational Plan 2000-2001

(SSH00-P43)

The University Operational Plan was noted.

72. Staff/Student Committees

The Board noted that reports of Staff/Student Committee meetings had been deposited with the Secretary as follows:

Design and Technology

17 May 2000

European Studies (Undergraduate)
European Studies (Postgraduate)

1 March 2000, 10 May 2000
7 March 2000, 13 June 2000

MBA (Executive)

8 December 1999, 17 May 2000

MBA (Peterborough)

16 December 1999, 11 May 2000

MBA (Sport and Leisure Management)

24 February, 2 March, 30 June, 7 September 2000

MSc Management

30 November 1999, 27 March 2000

PGCE (Primary)
PGCE (Secondary)

15 December 1999, 5 April 2000
23 February 2000

Physical Education, Sports Science and Recreation Management

1 December 1999, 23 February 2000, 10 May 2000

Professional Diploma in Management (FKI)

14 January, 22 September 2000

Professional Diploma in Management
(Higher Education Administration)

10 December 1999

Professional Programmes in Management

5 September, 8 September 2000

Social Sciences (Undergraduate)

17 May 2000

73. Senate

The Board noted that the Minutes of the 334th Ordinary Meeting of Senate held on 28 June 2000 were available on the University Web pages.

74. Reports of Committees

The Board noted that reports of the following Committees were available on the University Web pages:

75. Matters from Teaching and Learning Committee and Senate

(SSH00-P44)

The Board noted matters approved by the Teaching and Learning Committee on 8 June 2000 and by Senate on 28 June 2000 in respect of the following:

  • General Regulations for Undergraduate Awards and Assessment Regulations for Undergraduate Awards
  • Student Appeals
  • Code of Practice for Collaborative Provision
  • Code of Practice on Departmental Staff/Student Committees

76. Degree Congregation

The Board noted that degrees for programmes and research in the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities would be awarded at the Congregation on the afternoon of Monday 18 December 2000.

77. Reading Lists

Members of the Board were advised that there had been a significant improvement in the submission of reading lists to the Library. Thanks were extended to them for their role in improving returns.

78. Date of Next Meeting

  • Tuesday 6 February 2001 pm

(Closing date for receipt of Agenda items: Monday 22 January 2001)

Author Ms P J Rouse
November 2000
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