LONDON’S GLOBAL UNIVERSITY
JOINT FACULTY TEACHING COMMITTEE FOR ARTS AND HUMANITIES
AND SOCIAL AND HISTORICAL SCIENCES
15 December 2015
SUMMARY OF ACTIONS ARISING FROM THE MINUTES
Minute
18
19A
19B
22
Action required
Contact UCLU re comments on the
StARs appointment process from IQR.
Take account of ASER deadlines when
setting dating dates for 2016/17.
PGT ASER reports to Faculty office.
Any suggestions on how to improve
Personal Tutoring at UCL to be emailed
to Dr Arne Hofmann.
Responsible
HM
Due Date
ASAP
All
All Depts with PGT programmes.
All departments
15/2/16
ASAP
LONDON’S GLOBAL UNIVERSITY
JOINT FACULTY TEACHING COMMITTEE IN
ARTS AND HUMANITIES & SOCIAL
AND HISTORICAL SCIENCES
15 December 2015
MINUTES
PRESENT:
Prof Jonathan Wolff
Dr Arne Hofmann
Dean, A&H (Chair of meeting)
Faculty Tutor (Chair of JFTC)
Dr Kristin Bakke
Mr Michael Barbieri
Dr Stephanie Bird
Dr Jenny Bryan
Mr Andy Dawson
Ms Juliette Devillard
Dr Par Engstrom
Prof Mary Fulbrook
Dr Caroline Garaway
Mr Carl Gombrich
Dr Angus Gowland
Dr Valerie Lechene
Dr Maria Loh
Miss Lisa Milroy
Dr Helen Matthews
Mr Tony McNeill
Dr Christine Reh
Dr Benet Salway
Dr Hugh Stevens
Dr Julian R Thompson
Dr Karen Wright
Prof Anne White
Miss Lisa Milroy
ESPS
Student Representative (PGT SHS)
CMII
Greek and Latin
Information Studies
Student Representative (UG AH)
Institute of the Americas
Dean, SHS
Anthropology
BASc
History
Economics
History of Art
Slade
Deputy Faculty Tutor
SELCS
Political Science
Faculty Graduate Tutor, SHS
English
Geography
Institute of Archaeology
SSEES
Slade
In attendance: Ms. Makeba Adero (Secretary to the Joint Faculty Teaching
Committee), Dr Enrico Palandri (for minute 20)
Apologies for absence: Prof Andrew M Barry (Vice-Dean Interdisciplinarity, SHS,
Dr Luke Fenton-Glynn (Philosophy), Dr Nick Grindle (CALT), Prof Neill Lochery
(Hebrew & Jewish Studies), Dr Alex Samson (Vice-Dean Education and Planning,
A&H), Dr Joy Sleeman (Faculty Graduate Tutor, A&H), Dr Alex Standen (CALT)
JOINT FACULTY TEACHING COMMITTEE IN
ARTS AND HUMANITIES & SOCIAL
AND HISTORICAL SCIENCES Minutes 15 December 2015
Key to abbreviations:
ASER
Annual Student Experience Review
BASc
Arts and Sciences programmes
BME
Black and Minority Ethnic
CALT
Centre for Advancing Learning and Teaching
CLIE
Centre for Languages &International Education
CMII
Centre for Multidisciplinary & Intercultural Inquiry
CIQ
Course Initiation Questionnaire
CPD
Continuing Professional Development
DTC
Departmental Teaching Committee
ESPS
European Social & Political Studies
PGT
Postgraduate Taught
PMASG
Programme and Module Approval Sub Group
PTES
Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey
PRES
Postgraduate Research Experience Survey
QRSC
Quality Review Sub-Committee
SELCS
School of European Languages, Culture & Society
SSEES
School of Slavonic and East European Studies
STARS
Student Academic Representative
UG
Undergraduate
Preliminary business
16. MINUTES OF MEETING HELD ON 27 October 2015
Approved - Minutes of the meeting held on 27 October 2015.
17. MATTERS ARISING FROM THE MINUTES
Minute 4 List of accessible teaching rooms.
Prof Jonathan Wolff had raised this matter at the SLASH Estates Board in November. Sian Minett
of Estates had confirmed that Estates was reviewing the list.
Minute 7 Engagement Monitoring, Absence Recording, Attendance Monitoring
It was confirmed that the Authorised Absence procedure only applied to students on taught
programmes.
Separate
arrangements
applied
to
Research
Students:
http://www.ucl.ac.uk/srs/academic-manual/c1/research-registration/attendance#top
Helen Matthews reported that four departments had missed the reporting deadline for
undergraduate engagement point 3 in the previous week. Departments were reminded of the
importance of completing engagement monitoring.
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JOINT FACULTY TEACHING COMMITTEE IN
ARTS AND HUMANITIES & SOCIAL
AND HISTORICAL SCIENCES Minutes 15 December 2015
Matters for discussion
18. STUDENT ACADEMIC REPRESENTATIVES (StARS)
18A New Faculty StARs
Juliette Devillard (UG A&H) and Michael Barbieri (PGT SHS) were welcomed to their first
meeting.
18B Appointment of Departmental StARs
Noted
The Committee was reminded that according to the StARs appointment schedule PGT StARs
should be appointed in October and UG and PGR StARs in late January.
It was noted that where the appointment schedule was not adhered to, StARs were likely to
miss the training and support provided by UCLU. However, Anne White commented that the
Panel at the recent IQR of SSEES had suggested that it was not good practice to appoint first
year StARs only in the second term. Helen Matthews agreed to follow this up with UCLU.
UCLU had circulated a survey for staff who supported SSCCs and StARS, in order to examine
the effectiveness of processes and arrangements around StARs. To date the response rate
had been poor across UCL, but good for the Joint Faculty. Any departments which had not yet
responded were encouraged to do so at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/BVBHLSK.
19. ANNUAL STUDENT EXPERIENCE REVIEW (ASER)
19A Undergraduate
Reported:
Owing to the tight timescales, the final ASER reports had been circulated to the Committee for
comments by email. These were now available on the Joint Faculty Intranet at
www.ucl.ac.uk/ah-shs-office/quality_assurance/aser.
Dr Matthews reported on the QRSC discussion of the ASER process The clarity of template
would be revised for future ASER rounds. Progression data had not been provided – it was
hoped that Portico would provide this information in the future. Timescales were short because
of the need to respond to issues raised by the NSS. It was envisaged that the timescales
would probably remain for the foreseeable future and that this would need to be taken into
account when scheduling DTC and FTC meetings for the following year. Departments were
expected to liaise with the teaching department concerned where student feedback raised
matters concerning modules outside of their parent department.
19B Postgraduate taught
Reported:
The Committee was informed that data for the PGT ASER had been circulated by Academic
Services and that departmental reports were due to be considered by JFTC in February. The
mandated actions were employability and preparation for the PTES.
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JOINT FACULTY TEACHING COMMITTEE IN
ARTS AND HUMANITIES & SOCIAL
AND HISTORICAL SCIENCES Minutes 15 December 2015
ACTION: ASER reports to be submitted to the Faculty by 15th February 2016
20. PROGRAMME PROPOSALS
20A BA Comparative Literature with a Year Abroad [JFTC 15/02/01]
Noted: that the three-year version of the BA Comparative Literature was due to start in
September 2016. The proposal was for a four-year version which would include a year abroad.
The programme diet was similar to the existing programme but with some additional
requirements in relation to language modules.
Approved: The BA Comparative Literature with a Year Abroad
20B BA UCL-Venice Double Degree in Italian Studies (Italian/Italian and History of Art)
[JFTC 15/02/02]
Noted: the proposal was for a double degree programme offered in partnership with Ca’
Foscari, University of Venice, in which students would spend the first two years in Venice and
the third and fourth years at UCL, graduating with a degree from each institution. The
programme would have two routes: Italian single honours and Italian and History of Art.
Approved: The BA UCL-Venice Double Degree in Italian Studies and the Academic
Partnership with Ca’ Foscari, University of Venice were approved in principle, subject to
amendments to the documentation.
20C Protocol for new programme developments [JFTC 15/02/03]
Noted: In view of the need to ensure that the Faculty was aware of potential new programme
proposals at an early stage so that they could be taken into account during the planning process
a new light touch notification process was proposed. As soon as a new programme idea was
mooted, the proposer should submit a copy of the market analysis request form
(www.ucl.ac.uk/cam/activities/market-research) to the Deputy Faculty Tutor (at the same time as
submitting it to the UCL Communications and Marketing Team for market research). The
proposal would then be considered at the monthly Dean’s Team.
21. ANNUAL ACADEMIC REVIEW
Reported: Student Registry Services were seeking to work collaboratively with departments
and faculties to improve the Annual Academic Review process. Process mapping workshops
had taken place and the registry team would be going out to departments to offer one to one
support in term two.
The deadline for the Academic Review process, including the approval of new modules, would
be 31 March 2016. This date would be strictly enforced. Departments were requested to
submit proposal forms to the Deputy Faculty Tutor no later than 17 March to allow time for
Faculty approval.
22. LIFE LEARNING AND CPD [JFTC 15/02/04]
Reported: that a new process had been created in Portico for the approval of new non-creditbearing short courses or Continuing Professional Development (CPD) where a fee was
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JOINT FACULTY TEACHING COMMITTEE IN
ARTS AND HUMANITIES & SOCIAL
AND HISTORICAL SCIENCES Minutes 15 December 2015
payable or UCL certificate of participation was issued. The Course Initiation Questionnaire
(CIQ) process would require a 4-week lead-time.
23. PROGRAMME LEADER ROLE [JFTC 15/02/05]
Reported: A role description had recently been emailed to all identified programme leaders.
Training to complement the role was to be designed and delivered by CALT.
Noted: The programme leader should be the individual with responsibility for the coherence and
content of a programme as a whole, which in some cases might be the Departmental Tutor or
Director of Studies.
24. PERSONAL TUTORING
A review of personal tutoring at UCL was taking place. The Vice-Provost (Education and Student
Affairs) had indicated that it was important to focus on effectiveness and outcomes rather than
necessarily committing to a set number or format per year. The arrangements in the Institute of
Archaeology had been highlighted as an example of good practice and Karen Wright explained
that the personal tutor meetings in the Institute focused on discussion of a form on which students
recorded information about their progress.
The student academic representatives supported the suggestion to focus on outcomes. Juliet
Devillard also commented that it was important for students to have a connection with their
personal tutor through a shared disciplinary interest, which was not always the case if personal
tutors were assigned randomly at the start of session.
ACTION: suggestions on how to improve Personal Tutoring at UCL to be emailed to
Dr Arne Hofmann.
25. FACULTY GRADUATE TUTORS’ REPORT
In October 2015 the AHRC consulted on possible changes to the funding model for postgraduate
students. The proposals presented offered no major return to the funding of MA studentships, but
did offer a positive development in the plan to move to a 4-year model for MPhil/PhD
studentships, which mirrors moves by other RCUK bodies. This was good news for those
students lucky to win funding and might help completion rates. However, assuming that no extra
funds were likely to be released for the purpose, the changes to the funding model probably
meant a slight reduction in the number of studentships overall.
26. MATTERS RAISED BY STUDENT ACADEMIC REPRESENTATIVES
26 A Marking policy
The StARs expressed concerns about recent changes to the UCL marking policy, stating that it
might deter second marking. They were encouraged to raise this matter in UCL-level committees.
26 B Teaching space
The StARs expressed concern at the lack of seating available during lectures and in the library
especially during the examination period.
27. FACULTY TUTOR’S REPORT
27 A Regulation Reform
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JOINT FACULTY TEACHING COMMITTEE IN
ARTS AND HUMANITIES & SOCIAL
AND HISTORICAL SCIENCES Minutes 15 December 2015
Dr Arne Hofmann reported that a large-scale consultation on a major reform of UCL’s
assessment regulations would take place next term and outlined some of the proposals that
were expected to be included. The consultation would comprise online surveys, faculty
roundtable discussions, presentations at FTCs, student focus groups, a pop-up stall, general
town hall meetings, and electronic dissemination of information via designated departmental
contacts. Staff were strongly encouraged to take part in the consultation. Lizzie Vinton, the
Assessment and Regulations Manager, would be attending the next meeting of the
Committee.
27 B Students with Disabilities
A future set of regulations on reasonable adjustments were being developed for the 2016-17
academic year.
27 C Support for Students on Interruptions
UCL was developing a checklist for Departmental Tutors to help them advise students
considering an interruption of study on the implications of interrupting their studies, what would
happen towards the end of the interruption period and once the interruption was over.
27 D Teaching Excellence and Promotion
The Vice Provost (Education and Student Affairs) planned to have new a ‘impact framework’
for promotions and rewards in place for the autumn 2016 promotions round. Teaching
excellence would have to go beyond delivery of an individual’s own modules. Heads of
Department had been consulted via the Leadership Forum.
27 E Provost’s Teaching Awards
The deadline for the Provost’s Teaching Awards was 8 January 2016.
27 F UCL Teaching and Learning Conference
The 2016 Teaching and Learning Conference would take place on 19 April 2016. A call for
papers had been circulated with a deadline of 7 January.
Other matters for approval or information
28. IQR REPORT FOR POLITICAL SCIENCE [JFTC 15/02/06]
Received: the report of the Internal Quality Review of Political Science held on 28 May 2015
29. PROGRAMME AND MODULE APPROVALS [JFTC 15/02/07]
Received: Programme amendments and module proposals and amendments approved under
delegated powers since the last meeting.
30. PROGRAMME SPECIFICATIONS [JFTC 15/02/08]
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JOINT FACULTY TEACHING COMMITTEE IN
ARTS AND HUMANITIES & SOCIAL
AND HISTORICAL SCIENCES Minutes 15 December 2015
Received: Programme specifications approved under delegated powers since the last
meeting.
31. ANY OTHER URGENT BUSINESS
None.
32. DATE OF NEXT MEETING
 23 February 2016 at 3.00pm
 24 May 2016 at 3.00pm
Secretary name Makeba Adero
Secretary to the Joint Faculty Teaching Committee In Arts And Humanities & Social And Historical Sciences
Contact details m.adero@ucl.ac.uk
Date 16 February 2016
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