MINUTE of the SCHOOL MANAGEMENT GROUP
held in Room 407, 1 University Gardens on 19 th March 2014
PRESENT:
Roibeard O Maolalaigh (Chair), Ian Ruffell, Ann Gow, Thomas Clancy, Adam Rieger, Stuart
Airlie, Michael Murray, Nyree Finlay, Sheila Kidd Jeremy Huggett, Ann Gow, Nyree Finlay
Lynn Abrams, Catriona MacDonald
APOLOGIES:
none received
ATTENDING:
Pauline McLachlan
Table of Contents
Minute of the meeting held 5th March 2014 ............................................................................................... 1
Matters Arising .......................................................................................................................................... 1
Head of School Update .............................................................................................................................. 1
HoSub Update ............................................................................................................................................ 1
Administration/Finance Update ................................................................................................................. 2
School Committees .................................................................................................................................... 2
Any Other Business ................................................................................................................................... 4
Action:
1.
Minute of the meeting held 5 th March 2014
The minutes were approved, subject to corrections.
colleagues.
PMcL will circulate to all School
PMcL
2.1 HATII Review - AG and ROM will meet 19 March 2014 to discuss, with perhaps a
follow up meeting with TC to be arranged.
ROM/AG
Matters Arising
2.2 SRC Teaching Excellence Awards – Humanities had 8 colleagues shortlisted and one
success with Ben Colburn awarded Best Teacher.
2.3 Philosophy PSR – AR reported that the Subject Review had gone well and had been
mainly positive
2.4 Inaugural lectures– ROM reported that Callum Brown’s lecture had gone very well.
Lynn Abrams is next on 8th May 2014.
3.
Head of School Update
3.1 Convenor Job Descriptions - ROM had drafted job descriptions for Graduate Studies
and Research Convenor. ROM would now seek HR input. Once agreed, they would be
issued to all staff seeking invites/nominations for the roles. ROM will advise those
interested to speak to current convenors.
3.2 Head of Celtic and Gaelic - ROM confirmed that Thomas Clancy will take over the
role from Sheila Kidd from 1 August 2014. ROM reported that there is currently
consultation ongoing regarding the Philosophy HoSub position.
3.3 Peer to Peer Support – A workshop will be held on 26 March 2014. Karin Bowie and
Sandy Wilkie are currently organising.
3.4 ScMG Strategy Session - PMcL would be in touch to organise a date.
4.
PMcL
HoSub Update
4.1 Head of College
Congratulations were offered to ROM on his appointment to the Head of the College of
Arts/VP role from 1 January 2015. CoA is dealing with the process for appointment of
replacement HoSc to be appointed from 1 August 2014.
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4.2 History (LA)
LA reported on equity issues following an email from Geography concerning Athena Swan
and impact on their field school. LA suggested as a School we review anything similar we
undertake to ensure we are not disadvantaging staff and students. LA suggested other
concerns to consider included encroaching into vacations, undertaking research work in
vacations and any possible work-related stress concerns. LA will consider how to progress
a review and report back.
LA
TC flagged variances in School vacation periods across different local authorities.
JWH reported that Archaeology had looked at such activities at a subject level, e.g. field
trips and field school.
HoSubs
Head of Subjects to report and discuss at subject meetings and report back to ScMG.
The next ScMG meeting is on 16th April 2014, which is during the Easter vacation.
5.
Administration/Finance Update
5.1 Wi-Fi – MM reported that wireless points had been installed in 1 and 2 University
Gardens and Oakfield Avenue. Other locations should be complete by the end of this
week.
5.2 Server Upgrade – MM reported that work was scheduled to be undertaken in the
vacation in University Gardens. MM also reported on planned work within 2 University
Gardens and issues surrounding a date for the work to take place.
5.3 Process Implementation: Progress Committees - MM sought an update regarding
Progress Committees and joint exam boards.
History – reported concern regarding larger committees and the number of people
involved. The relevant administrators would list points which Convenors should review to
ensure consistency. It had been agreed that the Subject L&T convenor attend all meetings.
LA reported that the pre-honours exam board in History had a clash with Classics and a
resolution would be sought. LA expressed concern that one administrator was dealing with
History Honours and Classics. MM reported that normally, all Exam Boards across the
School should be staggered to allow for additional administrative resources to be applied
as and when Boards are completed.
Classics - IR sought clarity of when Progress Committees should be used. NF explained
that anything over 3 days should be reviewed, but that in Archaeology, they also dealt with
those less than 3 days i.e. everything. Classics colleagues were generally very happy with
the Archaeology model although disquiet had been expressed about the extra meetings. NF
clarified that one meeting per session is scheduled, although ad hoc meetings can be
arranged as necessary.
Celtic & Gaelic – SK reported that colleagues were happy with the pre-exam board
Progress Committee, although joint exam boards had not been discussed. It is planned to
introduce more regular Progress Committee meetings.
Philosophy – AR reported that Philosophy practices are similar to History: Honours level
had a pre-Honours scrutiny/Progress Committee that met before the exam board and that
for level 1-2 the proposal is for 2 meetings of two colleagues, rather 1 meeting of four.
HATII - AG reported that the first HATII Progress Committee was to be held today.
HATII practice was for penalties to be applied and then removed by the Committee.
It was agreed to establish and implement Progress Committees across subjects for 2014/15,
perhaps with nuances for subjects. MM will follow up via email
MM
School Committees
6.1 Graduate Studies
CMacD reported on recent Graduate Studies activity.
6.1.1 PTES - All action plans had now been reviewed by subjects and CMacD would meet
ROM to discuss
6.1.2 Internship - CMacD to meet with Charlotte Wallace to confirm arrangements for an
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internship at Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park
6.2.3 Mainz PGT development – CMacD and Stuart Airlie met on 18 March to discuss
taking the Mainz PGT collaboration further. MM, CMacD and SA will be meeting with
Mainz via Skype in April to progress.
6.2.4 GTA Workshop - CMacD will lead a GTA skills workshop for the Dean of Graduate
Studies interns on 28 March.
6.2.5 College SSLC - A meeting would be held this morning with a College Graduate
Studies Board meeting this afternoon.
6.2.6 CPD development – Work is continuing on developing a History of the Book CPD
course (HATII).
6.2.7 PG Questionnaire – There had been little feedback received on CMacD’s proposed
PG questionnaire to date.
6.2 Learning and Teaching Committee
SA reported on recent Learning and Teaching activity.
6.2.1 Board of Studies – The next meeting would be held on 19 March 2014. SA reported
that a few courses from Humanities would be discussed.
6.2.2 College L&T Committee – The Committee had highlighted exam feedback and draft
guidance is circulating. Schools would be responsible for providing minimum criteria on
feedback. SA suggested that focused and clear exam marking/comments are required and
there should be no one-word comments on exam answers. Ben Colburn had also attended
in his ‘retention and success’ role, highlighting the need for early warning systems for
students in trouble.
6.2.3 NSS - Schools are meeting targets, but SA asked that students are reminded to
complete.
SA
6.2.4 School L&T Committee – The SAMS document had been reviewed. Chris Lindsay
had presented on some elements to the School Forum. SA would take forward the issue of
absence reporting with the relevant people.
6.2.5 Draft Questionnaire - This had been discussed at School L&T Committee. David
Bain had highlighted some aspects on the proposed GU form, for example, speed of
processing and uniformity, core questions had been requested, space to name lecturers and
the need for them to be machine readable. MM outlined that the effiecincy of the new
system is driven by the time gains in the conversion of course assessment data from forms,
whether based on pre-existing or new forms.
SA
SA
6.2.6 Careers - Ann Duff had attended the School L&T meeting and reported on SMLC
careers week. SA is proposing a Humanities event in Autumn.
6.2.7 Plagiarism – SA will follow-up discrepancies.
6.3 Research Committee
TC
TC reported on recent Research activity.
6.3.1 Newton Fellowships – TC confirmed that 6 applications from Humanities had been
submitted. TC will consider the introduction of quality control and an internal competition
next year. ROM reported that there may be a CoA policy next year.
6.3.2 College Research & KE Committee – A meeting had been held last week. The
School Research Committee was postponed as a result (both scheduled for the same
morning).
TC
6.3.3 Leverhulme ECF - Discussion concerning more than one applicant going forward is
ongoing.
6.3.4 Research Grant applicants – Guidance is being clarified and is available on the
College information for staff webpage. TC will inform colleagues via email. ArtsLab is
also developing an Awards Development Service (ADS).
PMcL
6.3.5 Research Leave - TC reported that CoA is updating the application form. PMcL to
recirculate the next School and CoA deadlines.
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6.3.6 Strategic Research Allocation - Karen Lury, Dean of Research is considering the
SRA process.
TC
TC
6.3.7 EU Cultural Heritage Funding call - TC will circulate the details.
6.3.8 Research Blog - ROM sought an update. TC will clarify with Dan Scroop.
7.
Any Other Business
7.1 Action Reporting – actions agreed
7.2 Toulouse Erasmus – LA reported that it had stalled for this year and she would
review the feedback.
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