UCL
DEPARTMENT OF HEBREW AND JEWISH STUDIES
Student Staff Consultative Committee Meeting
Thursday, 21 January 2016
13.00, FC331
Action
Apologies and
welcome
Present: Prof Neill Lochery (Chair, NL), Prof Michael Berkowitz (MB), Prof Sacha
Stern (HoD, SS), Imogen Resnick 1st year UG student (IR), Sergio Cittadino, MA
student (SC), Joseph Citron, Research student (JC), Noemie Duhaut, Research
student (ND), Belinda E. Samari-Stojanovic (Departmental Administrator, BES)
Apologies: William Pimlott, MA student (WP)
The Chair welcomed all present and ensured everyone was familiar with everyone
else on the committee.
1. Minutes and
Matters
Arising
NL reported that the assessment is now in place for HEBR5000.
VC took the actions as laid out in the previous minutes.
SS reported the security issue (from the last minutes) was readdressed after the
Paris attacks. SS had several meetings with the head of security at UCL and others
to discuss options of securing Foster Court. The outcome was that no further action
would be taken due to the various issues that arose: 1) FC is difficult to secure, 2)
there was an option to secure the double doors on either side of the departmental
offices, but this was a highly impractical solution. SC reported that the MA students
were generally not bothered about the security issue, and IR confirmed the first year
students felt the same way. SS added that he has urged UCL to take its overall
security more seriously due to increasing student numbers on a campus that is
limited in size.
2. Annual
Student
Experience
Review
(ASER)
3. Compulsory
modules
interdepartmental
degree clash
(IR)
4. First year
practice
essay (IR)
The minutes were ratified.
The Chair reminded the committee that the ASER is a new report to catalogue
student feedback and replaces annual monitoring. NL added that lecturers will be
required to write a one page report on their course, listing the issues that arose; this
will ensure that both students’ and lecturers’ perspectives will be reported to
improve the teaching experience at UCL.
IR raised the concern that joint degree students, one in particular, had an extremely
difficult time as modules clashed; in general then students often had to miss hours
of lectures to accommodate the clash. It would be helpful if both departments could
confer so as to minimise the clashes.
BES said that potential clashes are taken into consideration, however overall it is
usually manageable except in the cases of some individuals, dependent on their
particular module choices, etc. Also timetabling is very difficult as there are multiple
factors that each department takes into consideration when timetabling. BES and
DM Vanessa Clarke will contact SELCS and SSEES to attempt to minimise clashes
for the upcoming academic year.
IR reported that many first year students found it difficult to write their first essay
really well, particularly as it counts toward their grade. IR suggested introducing a
practice essay that might be optional but could help students prepare for academic
writing at the university level. Though IR also added that if it is not compulsory, it is
BES/VC to
contact SSEES
& SELCS to
attempt to
minimise
clashes of
compulsory
modules
Action
unlikely that students will do it even though it is for their benefit.
SS said that it is good practice to submit drafts to lecturers and that doing so might
be an option for first year students in particular. NL added that this will be discussed
at the Departmental Teaching Committee which is due to take place in a week’s
time (28/01). SC added that students should be told that while their essays from
their first year may not be weighted equally to those in their final years, nonetheless
they will always appear on their transcripts.
5. Beginners
Biblical
Hebrew
marked tests
(IR)
IR reported that she was representing the concern of one student who suggested
that regular, marked homework be introduced into Biblical Hebrew as it is done in
Modern Hebrew.
BES responded in confirming that this is indeed done, and SC confirmed as he
himself had taken the Biblical Hebrew course the student in question is referring to.
6. Modern
Hebrew
progress (IR)
IR reported that many students are struggling with modern Hebrew. IR wanted to
know what options for additional support exist outside of contact hours of lectures,
whether as student tutors, a list of qualified tutors from outside UCL recommended
by the Department, or subsidised Ulpan classes.
NL added that it is perfectly normal to feel this way as a first year student, and that
often options for extra classes exist in the form of advertisements on the
departmental noticeboard. The UCL language centre also offers Hebrew, however
JC added that it is quite expensive, costing roughly an additional £280 for two terms
on top of standard tuition fees.
IR to relay to
student that the
issue of
homework is to
be taken up with
Shosh Sharpe,
the lecturer of
Modern Hebrew
NL to email TR
Shosh to make
Moodle page for
Modern Hebrew
like Lily for
Biblical Hebrew
SC also added that in regard to Modern Hebrew (there are five MA students in the
beginners Hebrew), no clear outline has been given as to the structure of the class,
no syllabus, and Moodle is not populated. The issue of an unpopulated Moodle has
been brought up by students four times in class and the answer was always that the
lecturer did not have enough time. Students find it increasingly stressful to come to
class not knowing what will be covered, as well as attempting to find out what was
taught should they have missed a class. BES asked if something akin to a Reading
Group (which exists as an extracurricular activity at the moment for more advanced
students) would be helpful – IR confirmed it would. SC and BES both confirmed that
a good example of a Moodle page for a language course is that of Dr Lily Kahn,
who usually teaches the Introduction to Biblical Hebrew course. NL will email Dr
Tsila Ratner, head of the departmental language committee, to discuss options of
making the Modern Hebrew Moodle like that of Dr Kahn.
7. Teaching
opportunitie
s for
postgraduate
students
(JC)
JC inquired as to whether there are teaching opportunities for departmental PhD
students as he would like to develop his skills in this area. NL confirmed that there
are opportunities and that in the first instance he should contact his supervisor who
could advise on next steps to take.
BES added that a call was made earlier last year for PGTAs for the BA Core Course
but no one came forward, hence it was taught by Dr Guesnet. ND is also a PhD
student who is teaching alongside Dr Guesnet on one of his courses, so
opportunities do exist, and it is a matter of fitting into one of the existing taught
modules in the Department.
8. AOB
SC reported that the MA students are slightly discontent with the MA Core Course.
They were only told what the assessment would be for the course last week (the
first week of the second term), and now they will need to complete three intense
assessments with little forewarning in a matter of weeks. Many of them are greatly
concerned about this.
SC also relayed the concern of his peers at the scheduling of the assessments, in
that they are all due within a few weeks of each other, leaving little time for thorough
preparation.
JC to relay to
other PhD
students that
those who are
interested in
teaching are to
contact their
supervisors
about this in the
first instance
NL to raise this
issue at the
upcoming DTC
Action
MB responded in saying that there has been an ongoing issue with the difficulty of
assessment for the MA Core Course, something that the Department has tried to
remedy based on last year’s feedback. Unfortunately it is still a work in progress
and all he can do is apologise.
Date of next meeting TBC
BES 21/01/16