LONDON’S GLOBAL UNIVERSITY
Department of Mechanical Engineering
STAFF STUDENT CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE
Wednesday 20th May 2015
SUMMARY OF ACTIONS ARISING FROM THE MINUTES
Minute
Action required
Person(s) responsible
Due date
35A.1
Report staff who are persistently
late with feedback to YV
Student Representatives
Ongoing throughout the
academic year.
35E.1
Pilot LectureCast broadcasts and
report back to colleagues
BH
Ongoing throughout the
academic year 2015-16
35F.1
Request solutions to tutorial
problems be posted on Moodle
Students to request this of
individual lecturers. BH to
Report to next SSCC
chase up with course leaders
where necessary
35M.1
SJ will do this for the MSc
Set up a Moodle page for the group Biomaterials & Tissue
By start of next academic
project
Engineering with Professional year
Services staff
35Q.1
Exploration of coordination of UG
projects with PhDs so they can
support lab work
AK to consider logistics of
this
36.1.2
Identify errors in equations on
MECH103P lecture slides and
speak about these with Dr Helen
Czerski.
RB to ask first years to
identify errors. BH to pass on
Report to next SSCC
to Module Coordinator Dr
Helen Czerski.
36.1.3
Formative feedback from students
on new module formats is
Student Representatives
welcomed
Ongoing throughout the
academic year
36.1.5
Flag up when students can expect
Professional Services staff
exam results at start of year
By Term 1 SSCC 201516
37.1.1
Pass on notes regarding feedback
from Dr Bernie Eccles for
BH
MECHGM02/M006 coursework
Report to next SSCC
37.1.2
PhD student preparing introductory
BH supervising
material for MECHGM05
By start of next academic
year
37.1.4
Review of MECHGB06/GM91
projects regarding smaller groups
and peer review
Module coordinator SJ
By start of next academic
year
37.2.2
Collation and follow up of written
complaints regarding security
management of Roberts 504
AK to coordinate complaints.
Report to next SSCC
YV to follow up with security.
37.2.3
General and specific training
required by PhD students
Students to be proactive and
contact Jamie Maher for
Ongoing throughout the
general lab training and
academic year
supervisor for training related
to specific projects
38.1.3
Email staff and students about end
MR
of year events
Report to next SSCC
Before end of Term 3
STAFF STUDENT CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE
Wednesday 20th May 2015
Room 419, Roberts Building
DRAFT minutes
PRESENT:
Mr Rohil Bhargava, (Student Representative, 1st year BEng Engineering, Mechanical with Business Finance)
Dr Ben Hanson (Undergraduate Tutor) [B.H]
Miss Vicki Kimmins, (Undergraduate Teaching and Learning Administrator) [V.K]
Mr Paul Knoops (Student Representative, MSc Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering) [P.K]
Miss Anjana Kothandaraman (Student Representative, Postgraduate Research) [A.K]
Mr Mykal Riley, (Communications, Marketing and Events Manager) [M.R]
Mr Vlad Scortanu (Student Representative, MSc Mechanical Engineering) [V.S]
Ms Lucy Underhill (Postgraduate Taught Teaching and Learning Administrator) [LU]
Prof Yiannis Ventikos, (Head of Department)
Key to abbreviations
SSCC Staff Student Consultative Committee
RB (Mr Rohil Bhargava, Student Representative, 1st year BEng Engineering (Mechanical with
Business Finance)
AB (Mr Akshay Bhatt, Student Representative for MSc Marine Engineering)
GBS (Miss Gabrielle Bourret-Sicotte, Student Representative for 3rd year MEng Mechanical
Engineering)
LC (Mr Leo Cheung, Student Representative 2nd year BEng Mechanical with Business Finance)
LD (Miss Laure Durand, Representative of the Mechanical Engineering Society)
SF (Miss Siobhan Fitzgerald, Senior Teaching and Learning Administrator)
BH (Dr Ben Hanson, Undergraduate Tutor)
AI (Mr Andres Igea, Student Representative, 2 nd year MEng Engineering with Business Finance)
CJ (Mr Changwon Jung, 1st Student Representative MEng Engineering (Mechanical)
SJ (Dr Suwen Jayasinghe, MECHGB06/GM91 project coordinator)
VK (Miss Vicki Kimmins, Undergraduate Teaching and Learning Administrator)
PK (Mr Paul Knoops, Student Representative MSc Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering)
NK (Mr Nicholas Koh, Student Representative for 4th, MEng Mechanical Engineering)
AK (Miss Anjana Kothandaraman, Student Representative, Postgraduate Research)
VS (Mr Vlad Scortanu. Student Representative for MSc Mechanical Engineering)
DS (Mr Douglas Stridsberg, 3rd Year Representative, MEng Mechanical Engineering)
WS (Dr William Suen, Graduate Tutor, Research)
LU (Ms Lucy Underhill, Postgraduate Teaching and Learning Administrator)
YV (Prof Yiannis Ventikos, Head of Department)
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Preliminary Business
33
2013-14 MEMBERSHIP; TERMS OF REFERENCE
Noted:
33.1 The terms of reference of the Committee at SSCC 1-1 (13-14).
34
MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF 04/02/15
Confirmed:
34.1
The Minutes of the meeting of SSCC (25-32) held on 04/02/15
35
MATTERS ARISING FROM THE MINUTES
35A
27E. Report staff who are persistently late with feedback to YV. (SSCC 04/02/15)
Noted:
35A.1 Item ongoing. Students are encouraged to notify YV of this issue throughout the
academic year.
35B
27J.1 Inform students that they need to contact VK to claim Travel Expenses for East
Surrey College. (SSCC 04/02/15)
Noted:
35B.1 Item completed. These forms are now being processed.
35C
27K.1 Ensure marketing of the IEP more accurately reflects the course content.
(SSCC 04/02/15)
Noted:
35C.1 Item completed. Adam Wojcik (AW), Vicki Kimmins (VK) and Mykal Riley (MR) have
amended the Offer Holder Open Day programme to reflect this. Presentations will
emphasize the teaching style and contact on the IEP.
35D
28A.1 Produce Moodle page for MECH105P. (SSCC 04/02/15)
Noted:
35D.1 Item completed.
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35E
28A.2 Request LectureCast broadcasts from individual lecturers. (SSCC 04/02/15)
Noted:
35E.1 Item ongoing. Lecturers are still be recruited for this. BH to pilot and report back to
colleagues.
35F
28A.3 Request solutions to tutorial problems be posted on Moodle. (SSCC 04/02/15)
Noted:
35F.1 Item ongoing. Students have been requesting solutions to the tutorial sessions. BH to
chase up with course leaders where necessary and where solutions exist. Use of
Moodle is up to the individual academic.
35G
28B.1 Investigate the possibility of splitting the second year Modelling and Analysis
tutorial into two sessions. (SSCC 04/02/15)
Noted:
35G.1 Item completed. A spilt is not possible due to a lack of available rooms.
35H
28B.3 Investigate the possibility of mid-sessional tests for 2nd years and above as part
of the IEP programmes. (SSCC 04/02/15)
Noted:
35H.1 Item ongoing. This will be investigated over the summer as part of an ongoing review
of the IEP modules. Content of new second year modules is in development. Yearlong modules are likely to have mid-sessional tests.
35I
28C.1 Investigate possibility of increasing memory space on departmental computers.
(SSCC 04/02/15)
Noted:
35I.1
Item completed. The issue has been resolved (note that this was not due to lack of
memory space).
35J
28C.2 Promote central deadlines calendar. (SSCC 04/02/15)
Noted:
35J.1 Item ongoing. A calendar of coursework deadlines is currently being assembled by
the Teaching and Learning Team and will be publicised when it is complete. They
are awaiting confirmation of deadlines from some module coordinators.
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35K
28B.3 Collate feedback on the teaching in the 3rd year Applied Mechanics Module
(SSCC 04/02/15)
Noted:
35K.1 Item ongoing. To be fedback in this SSCC. See agenda point 36.3. No third year
Student Representatives were present to report.
35L
28C.4 Investigate progress of repairs to computer room air conditioning (SSCC
04/02/15).
Noted:
35L.1 Item ongoing. The issue with the air conditioning in the Computer Room has been
reported to Estates and a request made to have the units in that room isolated to
avoid further problems. Estates are looking into this and Peter Kelly is exploring
options.
35M
29A.1 E-mail VK with the list of missing MSc Moodle Pages (MECHGB06/GM91:
Bioengineering and Group Project). (SSCC 04/02/15)
Noted:
35M.1 A Moodle page for the group project will be made available by the Module Coordinator, Suwan Jayasinghem for next academic year. This year group projects
have been submitted in hard copy only.
35N
29A.3 Investigate possibility of student access to room 503 up to 9pm on weekdays.
(SSCC 04/02/15)
Noted:
35N.1 Item completed. Access across the building is restricted to 9pm and access to 5th
floor rooms is restricted to MSc Naval Architecture and MSc Marine Engineering
students or those who need access to the specialist software in room 503. If students
wish to make a case for access to the room outside of working hours they need to
contact Colin Wormald.
35O
29A.4 Report concerns re: quality of teaching on MSc Control Modules to BH for
discussion with the staff member concerned. (SSCC 04/02/15)
Noted:
35O.1 Item to be fed back to the SSCC. BH has discussed these issues with the lecturer
and it was felt the teaching was significantly improved.
35P
29B.1 Investigate progress of repairs to the heating in room 504. (SSCC 04/02/15)
Noted:
35P.1 The Estates Team have confirmed that they have no record of any repairs to this
room being requested. See item 35L.1 for details of ongoing investigations.
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35Q
29B.4 PhD students have requested more support from UG and PG students when
writing up research reports. (SSCC 04/02/15)
Noted:
35Q.1 Item ongoing. Research students to request this support from UG and PG students
in liaison with their supervisors on an ongoing basis throughout the academic year.
AK to consider logistics of coordination of UG with PhD projects.
35R
30A.1 Arrange a meeting between the interior designer and students regarding
concerns with the furniture in room 410. (SSCC 04/02/15)
Noted:
35R.1 Item ongoing
35S
30A.3 Investigate the possibility of creating an eating area in the 410 in conjunction
with the Student Representatives and the interior designer. (SSCC 04/02/15)
Noted:
35S.1 Item ongoing
35T
30A.4 To investigate alternative security access to room 410 as a swipe card system
cannot be installed.
Noted:
35T.1 Item ongoing. Options such as a coded keypad are being explored.
Business for Discussion
36
Issues raised by undergraduate students
Discussed:
36.1
First Year Matters
36.1.1 Feedback on scenario week and the second term were very positive.
36.1.2 Errors in algebraic equations on lecture slides for MECH103P were reported.
Action: RB to ask first years to identify specific errors. BH to pass on to Module
Coordinator.
36.1.3 Some students had given negative comments on the structure and level of
MECH103P, which has recently been reformatted.
Action: Student Representatives to report formative feedback on new module formats.
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36.1.4 It was reported that some students struggled with adapting to undergraduate level
study on MECH101P. This is always a period of adjustment and extra support was
not requested.
36.1.5 It was requested that students be informed at the start of the year when students can
expect examination results.
Action: Professional Services staff to flag this at the start of 2015-16
36.2
Second Year Matters
No second year representatives were present to report
36.3
Third Year Matters
No third year representatives were present to report
36.4
Fourth Year Matters
No fourth year representatives were present to report
37
Issues raised by Postgraduate Students
Discussed:
37.1
Postgraduate Taught Student Matters
37.1.1 Students requested more in-depth feedback from Dr Bernie Eccles for aspects of
coursework on MECHGM02/M006, as this would help with understanding marks
received. It was noted that this coursework is being discontinued.
Action: BH to pass this on to Dr Bernie Eccles.
37.1.2 Some students reported finding MECHGM05 lectures too advanced and required
additional material to support them.
Action: BH is supervising a PhD student’s preparation of introductory material for this
module.
37.1.3 Locations for recent lectures at the Institute of Child Health were not specified clearly
and students went to the wrong place. This complaint has been passed to the Room
Bookings office.
37.1.4 Additional projects or smaller groups to be allowed were requested by students for
MECHGB06/GM91 projects. Large groups made thorough peer review difficult to do.
Action: Module coordinator (SJ) to review for the next academic year
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37.2
Postgraduate Research Student Matters
37.2.1 Social events for students outside the Department are being held in committee rooms
at the Hampstead Road site. YV has made a case for giving these rooms to the
Department for our sole use. The issue is ongoing.
37.2.2 Feedback was received regarding management of Roberts 504 by security staff.
Students reported some staff had evicted them early and in an inappropriate manner.
Action: AK to coordinated collation of written complaints regarding this. YV will follow up with
security staff.
37.2.3 Some students have requested more training in use of labs and relating to their
project.
Action: Students to be proactive and contact Jamie Maher for general lab training and their
supervisor for specific training.
38
Departmental Activities
Discussed:
38.1
Communications feedback was positive overall. Moodle and Student Handbook
synchronisation is ongoing. Feedback on the National Student Survey, such as
problems with survey completion eligibility, will be considered for next year.
Action: MR to email all with details of end-of-year events.
Other Business for Approval or Information
39
ANY OTHER BUSINESS
None raised.
40
DATES OF NEXT MEETINGS
Noted:
40.1
The next meeting of SSCC TBC
Lucy Underhill
Teaching and Learning Administrator (Postgraduate Taught & Short Courses)
Mechanical Engineering
0207 6793907, EXT: 33907, l.underhill@ucl.ac.uk
28th May 2015
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