FACULTY OF LAWS
STAFF STUDENT CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE
(SSCC)
Ms Joan Small (Acting Chair of the SSCC)
Ms Anna Antipova (Secretary to the Committee)
Wednesday, 10 November 2010, 2.15pm
Tutorial Room 2, Bentham House
MINUTES
Present:
Joan Small (JS) – Acting Chair
Nick Grant (NG) - First Year Representative
Shiva Riahi (SR) – Student Law Society Careers Secretary
Jack Davies (JD) - Student Law Society President
Prince Saprai (PS) - Faculty Careers Tutor
Viktoria Mitsukova (VM) - LLM Students Representative
Claire Higgins (CH) - LLM Students Representative
Mark McMahon (MM) - LLM Society President
Florian Wagner-von Papp (FW) – Lecturer
Alison Diduck (AD) - Director of Research Studies
Marlene Cox (MC) - LLM Programme Administrator
Jenny Young (JY) - Administrative Manager for Undergraduate programmes
Gemma Burridge (GB) - LLB Programme Administrator
Iris H-Y Chiu (IC) - Lecturer
1.
Apologies for Absence:
Rob Chambers (RC) – Vice Dean, Taught Programmes
Michael Hough (MH) – LLB Senior Student Representative
2.
Welcome and Introductions
The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting and asked the group to introduce themselves.
3 Minutes of the previous meeting (held on 26 March 2010)
The minutes of the last meeting were approved by those present.
4.
Matters arising from minutes:
4.1
Study Space Shortage: VM raised the issue of study space. The quiet study area
(Bowling Alley) is inadequate for the purposes of study space, there are no sockets and no tables. Also, the noise levels in the corridor can be very high. VM suggested that Cissy Chu Common Room (the CCC Room) would be more appropriate as there are laptop plugs and tables, and the room is isolated from the main corridors.
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4.2
Cissy Chu Common Room – Noise Levels:

VM and CH explained that they were trying to use the CCC Room for study groups, however, the noise levels became unacceptable. Also, the undergraduate law society set up a football table, so as a result it is sometimes impossible even to have a general conversation because of the noise level and rowdy behaviour of some students.

MC explained that the Graduate Office received a complaint about the noise levels in the CCC Room. An e-mail has been sent out to all LLM and LLB students, asking them to be more conscious about the noise levels.

JS reminded the students that although the CCC Room was intended to provide a congenial space used for difference purposes, it is still university premises, so it is important to respect fellow students and be extra conscious of noise. Also, alternative venues for study space should be considered, booking rooms for study groups on a rotational basis.
5.
Personal Tutoring System
5.1
JS explained that Personal Tutoring System is a university-wide policy, not just a
Faculty one. No issues arose from this.
6.
Penalties for late submission
6.1
JS explained that this is a university-wide policy, which introduced much stricter consequences of late submission. JS also asked the student societies to emphasise the new policy to the students.
7.
Service standards for student feedback
7.1
No matters arose. JS explained that in accordance with the regulations supervisors will be required to provide feedback to students on the draft dissertation (LLM
Students) or research essay (undergraduates) on a minimum of one occasion if it is provided to the supervisor by a deadline specified.
8.
Pay as you go printing
8.1
JS noted that pay as you go printing has been implemented in the Faculty of Laws
(This applies to Cluster Rooms, not Research Student Room).
8.2
JD reported problems with toners in the computer room 2.
8.3
SR explained that perhaps printing for the mooting competitions should be subsidised, as it requires a lot of printing. The Faculty could perhaps provide encouragement and support for the students engaged in such activities
ACTION : Students were asked to report any problems with toners or computers in the cluster rooms to Ian Peel, the Faculty IT Manager. JS to raise the issue of subsidised printing for mooting competitions with the Dean’s Team.
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9.
Student Issues
9.1
Over-crowdness of LLM Classes : CH reported that some LLM classes were overcrowded, in particular, the International Arbitration class, with people sitting on the floor. JS noted that this can have serious Health and Safety implications.
ACTION: JS asked MC to send out an e-mail to all staff, requesting them to report the problems with class size. Student number should match the seats available.
9.2
First year tutorials : NS reported that there are fewer tutorials for first year students, commencing 6 weeks after the start of the academic year, which gives them very little time for preparation. JY explained that rationale for introducing tutorials later in the year was to allow first year students a sufficient time to settle in.
ACTION POINT: JY will raise the issue of first year tutorials with RC.
9.3
K eys to the Law Society Room : JD pointed out that he always has to ask Fahad to provide the keys for him. JS noted a key pad will be installed on the door instead.
9.4
LLM Teaching: VM pointed out that LLM teaching is based primarily on lectures, and it would be better to have more tutorials and discussions. JS explained the LLM
Programme is different from the LLB programme, as it is more self-directed. She also suggested that masters students should form their own tutorial groups for discussions.
9.5
Legal Writing Course for foreign students : VM explained that there are limited spaces that are booked up very quickly. AD will check whether or not the LLM students can go on the Better Legal Writing course run by Jackie Thomas for undergraduate students. Also, VM pointed out that foreign LLM students have no opportunity to practice common-law essay writing until the summative exams, she suggested introducing more practice essays and mock/formative exams.
9.6
Absence due to ill health policy for undergraduate students: : JY explained that if a student fails to produce a self-certificate within one week of returning to their studies, it will be invalid, and s/he would need to see the Faculty Tutor.
10.
Date of next meeting
JS - no date has been set as Olga Thomas (Faculty Tutor) will be back from maternity leave in January.
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