BOARD OF UNDERGRADUATE STUDIES
AGENDA
There will be a meeting of the Board of Undergraduate Studies at 09:00 a.m. on Monday 15 February 2016
in room CMR 1.0, University House.
Ken Sloan
Registrar and Chief Operating Officer
Note: Questions on agenda items for this meeting should be directed to the Secretary to the Board, Dr J A
Taylor, email J.A.Taylor@warwick.ac.uk or telephone extension 22633.
Apologies for this meeting should be directed to the Assistant Secretary to the Board, Mr D W Brandist,
email D.Brandist@warwick.ac.uk or telephone extension 74049.
______________________________________________________________________________
The following items and reports are for consideration at the meeting.
1.
Minutes
TO CONSIDER:
The minutes of the meeting held on 20 November 2015.
(available at https://files.warwick.ac.uk/bugs/browse#2015-16/BUGS+2016-02-15)
2.
Matters Arising on the Minutes
(a)
Institutional Teaching and Learning Review (minute 2(d)/15-16 refers)
TO CONSIDER:
The role of the Board in the forthcoming institutional review of Teaching and Learning.
(b)
Working Group on Scaling (minute 7(b)/15-16 refers)
TO RECEIVE:
An oral report from the Chair on the business of the Working Group on scaling.
1
(c)
QAA Consultation on Degree Characteristics (minute 7(c)(ii)/15-16 refers)
TO REPORT:
(d)
(a)
That the QAA have published degree characteristics statements for Masters and
Foundation degrees, following a sector consultation in 2015.
(b)
That committees and departments should ensure that:
(i) All integrated Masters degrees align to the Masters Degree Characteristics
Statement, as set out in paper QAWG 4_15-16
(ii) All foundation degrees align to the Foundation Degree Characteristics Statement as
set out in paper QAWG 5_15-16
(available at https://files.warwick.ac.uk/bugs/browse#2015-16/BUGS+2016-02-15)
HEAR – Section 6.1 Additional Information (minute 10(d)/15-16 refers)
TO REPORT:
That the Chair has informed the School of Law of the Board’s concerns over the proposal for
the inclusion of a Law Personal Development Certificate in Section 6.1 of the HEAR (BUGS
5/15-16 refers.)
(available at https://files.warwick.ac.uk/bugs/browse#2015-16/BUGS+2015-11-20)
(e)
SSLC Undergraduate Annual Report (minute 11/15-16 refers)
TO RECEIVE:
An oral report from the Chair outlining developments and responses from the relevant offices
within the University.
A report from the Capital, Space and Amenities Group, from its meeting on 27 January 2016,
considering space and timetabling issues raised by the SSLC. (Paper BUGS 13/15-16 refers.)
(available at https://files.warwick.ac.uk/bugs/browse#2015-16/BUGS+2016-02-15)
(f)
Amendment to Regulation 11 of the Procedure to be adopted in the Event of Suspected
Cheating in a University Test (minute 12/15-16 refers)
TO REPORT:
That the Senate, at its meeting on 27 January 2016, approved the recommendation made by
the Academic Quality and Standards Committee, at its meeting on 2 December 2015 (AQSC
minute 39/15-16 refers).
(a) That at its meeting on 29 October 2015 the Committee considered a recommendation
from the Board of Graduate Studies that the proposed amendment to regulation 11 on the
Procedure to be adopted in the event of suspected cheating in a University Test as set out
in paper BGS.11/15-16 and recommended the proposal to Senate for approval.
2
(b) That at its meeting on 20 November 2015 the Board of Undergraduate Studies considered
the proposed amendment to regulation 11 on the Procedure to be adopted in the event of
suspected cheating in a University Test as set out in paper BGS.11/15-16 and
recommended that the proposal be approved.
(Senate minutes unavailable)
(g)
Undergraduate External Examiner Reports 2014-15 (minute 13/15-16 refers)
TO RECEIVE:
3.
(i)
A report from the Warwick Medical School on points raised by External Examiners for
the MBChB degree. (13(i))
(ii)
An oral report from the Chair concerning ongoing consideration of new External
Examiner reports received from D. Herd, N. Hewitt-Dundas, J. Holford, K. Hollingsworth,
J. Lamb and M. Peyerimhoff, as set out in paper BUGS 11/15-16.
(available at https://files.warwick.ac.uk/bugs/browse#2015-16/BUGS+2016-02-15)
(iii)
An oral report from the Chair on the business of the Working Group on the 17-point
marking scale (13(g))
Chair’s Action
TO REPORT:
That the Chair, acting on behalf of the Board has approved the following requests:-
4.
(a)
A variation of assessment, on the grounds of disability, for a named student in the Department
of History, in that the three-hour examination in modules HI32G and HI323 be reduced to twohours, together with a 2000-word assessed essay for each module; module HI33Q be assessed
by a two-hour exam and a 4500-word essay (standard deadline applies); and, module HI32J be
assessed by a 9000-word dissertation (standard deadline applies).
(b)
A variation of assessment, on the grounds of disability, for a named student in the Department
of History, in that the three-hour examination in modules HI323 and AM421 be reduced to
two-hours, together with a 2000-word assessed essay for each module (deadline being 1 April
2016 for both modules).
New Courses of Study
TO CONSIDER:
(a)
Centre for Lifelong Learning
Foundation Degree/BA Early Childhood
A proposal to introduce the above named revised course, including an exit qualification of a
Certificate in Early Childhood, as set out in papers UFSS 39a-h/15/16.
(available at https://files.warwick.ac.uk/bugs/browse#2015-16/BUGS+2016-02-15)
3
(b)
Centre for Applied Linguistics
BA Linguistics and English Language
A proposal to introduce the above named new degree, as outlined in papers UFSS 40/15-16,
noting that modules relevant to these programmes are set out in papers UFSS 41a-j/15-16.
(available at https://files.warwick.ac.uk/bugs/browse#2015-16/BUGS+2016-02-15)
(c)
Psychology
BSc Psychology with Linguistics
A proposal to introduce the above named course as set out in paper SUGS 21/15-16
(available at https://files.warwick.ac.uk/bugs/browse#2015-16/BUGS+2016-02-15)
5.
Annual Course Review Summary Reports
TO CONSIDER:
6.
(a)
The Faculty-level summaries of the annual course review reports for the Faculties of Arts
(AUSC 29/15-16 refers), Science (SUGS 16/15-16 refers) and Social Sciences (UFSS 36/15-16
refers).
(available at https://files.warwick.ac.uk/bugs/browse#2015-16/BUGS+2016-02-15)
(b)
The annual course reviews for MBChB (MUSC 25/15-16 refers) and the Diploma in Orthodontic
Therapy (MUSC 26/15-16 refers).
(available at https://files.warwick.ac.uk/bugs/browse#2015-16/BUGS+2016-02-15)
First Year Board of Examiners Conventions
TO CONSIDER:
A written report from the Chair and Secretary to the Board, in response to a recommendation of the
Undergraduate Appeals Committee of the Board of the Faculty of Science, from its meeting on 10
November 2015;
‘That the Board of Undergraduate Studies consider further clarification to sections 9 and 10 of the
first Year Board of Examiners Conventions to ensure the clear communication of requirements for
both first attempt and resit examinations.’
Paper BUGS 12/15-16 refers.
(available at https://files.warwick.ac.uk/bugs/browse#2015-16/BUGS+2016-02-15)
7.
Student Discipline Framework Review
TO CONSIDER:
A paper from the Director of Delivery Assurance and Resolution, seeking the views of members of
the Board on the provisional statement of Expected Behaviour for students and its supplemental
information. (Paper BUGS 14/15-16 refers)
(available at https://files.warwick.ac.uk/bugs/browse#2015-16/BUGS+2016-02-15)
4
8.
Role and remit of the Collaborative, Flexible and Distributed Learning Sub-Committee
TO REPORT:
9.
(a)
That at its meeting on 12 November 2015, the Collaborative, Flexible and Distributed Learning
Sub-Committee recommended that how best (and where) to both approve and monitor
courses involving (accredited and non-accredited) placements, be considered as part of the
wider review of Academic Governance, to commence in the Spring Term. (CFDLSC minute
8(j)/15-16.)
(available at https://files.warwick.ac.uk/bugs/browse#2015-16/BUGS+2016-02-15)
(b)
That at its meeting on 12 November 2015, the Collaborative, Flexible and Distributed Learning
Sub-Committee resolved:
(i)
That a proportionate process and policy for monitoring quality frameworks for
placements should be developed, that should take in to account:
 the extent to which the host organisation is involved in assessments contributing to
the qualification(s) awarded by the University;
 whether students supply or secure their own placement or professional practice and
whether the professional or industrial practice is being undertaken specifically for the
purposes of following a course of study;
 requirements and obligations of professional, statutory and regulatory bodies
relevant to the placement itself and/or the partner organisation as a placement
provider;
(ii)
That the Chair of the Committee and the Teaching Quality Office consider the matter
further and report the Committee’s resolutions as relevant, to the Boards of
Undergraduate and Graduate Studies and both groups reviewing course approval and
annual course review processes;
Revision to University Regulation 8.10
TO CONSIDER:
A recommendation from the Faculty of Medicine Undergraduate Studies Committee for revisions to
University Regulation 8.10, as set out in paper MUSC 23/15-16.
(available at https://files.warwick.ac.uk/bugs/browse#2015-16/BUGS+2016-02-15)
10.
Criteria and Approval Process for Undergraduate International Exchange Programmes
TO RECEIVE:
A paper from the Office of Global Engagement outlining the new criteria and approval process for
Undergraduate International Exchange Programmes. (Paper SUGS 18/15-16 refers.)
(available at https://files.warwick.ac.uk/bugs/browse#2015-16/BUGS+2016-02-15)
5
11.
Institutional response to the TEF Green Paper
TO RECEIVE:
The University of Warwick response to the TEF Green Paper. (Paper BFS 18/15-16 refers.)
(available at https://files.warwick.ac.uk/bugs/browse#2015-16/BUGS+2016-02-15)
12.
University of Warwick Policy on the Use of Contextual Data in the Admission Process
TO CONSIDER:
A proposal from the University Working Group on Admissions and Contextual Data to use contextual
data in the admissions process, as outlined in paper BUGS 15/15-16.
(available at https://files.warwick.ac.uk/bugs/browse#2015-16/BUGS+2016-02-15)
13.
Directors of Undergraduate Studies lunch - Spring Term
TO REPORT:
That the Directors of Undergraduate Studies spring term lunch will take place on Monday 14 March
2016, from 12 noon to 2 pm, in room CMR 1.0, University House.
14.
Any other business
6