Minutes of the Staff-Student Joint Committee held on

Monday 26th October 1998 at 2.30 pm in LR4

Present:

Dr C Y Barlow
Ms J M Conaghan
Mr M W Doherty
Mrs J Hawtrey-Woore
Mr C J Lopez
Mr T Marwala
Ms E L Parry
Dr R W Prager (Secretary)
Mr K M Wallace (Chair)

 

98.19 Apologies for absence

Apologies for absence were received from Dr Brunton, Mr Counsell, Ms Galletly and Mr Todd.

 

98.20 Minutes of the Meeting held on 11th May 1998

The Minutes were accepted.

 

98.21 Matters Arising from the Minutes

98.05(c) Environmental Matters

Dr Prager reported that the paper from Messrs Todd and Counsell had been considered by all the Subject Groups and had been warmly welcomed. Dr Platts had responded particularly positively on behalf of MET. Dr Britter is currently putting together an environmental web page for the department and would be grateful for any help from members of the SSJC.

98.14 Review of the 4th Year

Mr Wallace reported that there were two major changes proposed to the format of the fourth year: the introduction of a detailed transcript of results; and changing the timing of examinations so that they will be held at only one time each year. There is no difficulty in introducing the transcript, and this is likely to happen next academic year. There are however rather more issues involved in changing the times of the examinations. The exam changes will not therefore be introduced next year. By delaying for another year, we will have time to work out the details more carefully.

The proposed new 4th year timetable will include afternoon module lectures during the Michaelmas term.

 

98.22 SSJC and Faculty Board Elections

Dr Prager will circulate all members of the committee with overhead transparencies which can be used to encourage people to stand for the SSJC, and also to encourage them to vote during the days leading up to the election itself. He would be very grateful if any members of the committee are available to help staff the ballot boxes during the election, and to count votes afterwards.

 

98.23 SSJC Booksale

Mr Doherty reported that preparations for the booksale were well advanced. Posters had already been put up, and he would shortly be having a meeting with Mr Counsell to fix the final detailed arrangements. Any other members of the committee who would be able to help run the sale were asked to contact him after the meeting.

 

98.24 Computerised Survey

Dr Prager reported that the survey results for the past year were pleasing, particularly for Part I of the course. He explained that the survey was of great value to the Department in helping to find ways to improve weak parts of the course. The first two years show a generally high standard, with only a small number of weaknesses. The third year is more variable, and the fourth year a mixture in which both the excellent and the poor were present. He asked the student members of the committee to try to encourage the fourth year students to complete the survey, as this will help the Teaching Office to strengthen this part of the course.

The committee welcomed the survey results, and thought them to be generally satisfactory. It was suggested that lecturers could encourage students to fill in the relevant bit of the survey at the end of each course. It was suggested that a list of the names could be drawn up of those students who did not complete the survey, so that they could be individually reminded.

 

98.25 Any Other Business

(a) External Examiners Reports

Dr Prager explained that the SSJC may wish to comment on educational matters that were raised in the the reports of the external examiners. He had found two such issues in the reports from June 1998.
  1. In the second year, there had been a suggestion that the course included coaching on specific short-cut techniques rather than teaching the subject from a broader perspective. In the absence of the two second year representatives, Mr Lopez said that, from what he remembered of the second year, there was no basis to this suggestion.
  2. In the third year, there had been a suggestion that effective feedback was not always given on interim reports of the Easter term projects. Mr Lopez said that he thought this was probably a valid comment. There were a wide variety of styles adopted by the various project leaders, and although the great majority kept strictly to the project timetables, some of them were more lax. If the project leaders did not collect the interim reports on time, then it was much less likely that appropriate and timely feedback would be provided on these reports.

(b) SSJC Suggestions Box

Ms Conaghan reported that she had received one serious comment about the system of only allowing authorised calculators in exams. She offered to reply directly to the student on behalf of the committee.

 

98.17 Dates of Future Meetings

The handover meeting, for current student members and newly-elected student members only, will be held on Monday 30th November 1998, at 2.15 pm in the Board Room.

The next full SSJC Meeting will take place on Monday 1st February 1999, at 2.15 pm in the Board Room.