UNIVERSITY OF WARWICK
BOARD OF UNDERGRADUATE STUDIES
AGENDA
There will be a meeting of the Board of Undergraduate Studies at 2.00pm on Thursday 22nd
November 2012 in the Council Chamber, University House.
Ken Sloan
Registrar
Note: Questions on agenda items or apologies for this meeting should be directed to the
Secretary to the Board, Dr J A Taylor, email J.A.Taylor@warwick.ac.uk / telephone extension
22633, or to the Assistant Secretary to the Board, Dr T Bell, email Tom.Bell@warwick.ac.uk
/telephone extension 24335.
____________________________________________________________________________
1.
Terms of Reference
TO REPORT:
That Senate, at its meeting on 3rd October 2012, approved Terms of Reference of the
Board as follows:
(a) To consider and make recommendations to the Academic Quality Standards
Committee on issues relating to the assurance and enhancement of the quality of
learning and teaching across all undergraduate provision.
(b) To make recommendations to the Senate, after consultation with academic
departments and the Boards of the Faculties, on all matters affecting
undergraduate study in the University including strategic considerations.
(c) To scrutinise all new undergraduate course proposals and report to the
Academic Quality and Standards Committee on consideration of such proposals.
(d) To consider the Faculty Summary Reports of the Annual Course Review
reports, teaching and learning-related sections of Strategic Departmental
Reviews (together with relevant departmental responses) and the Undergraduate
Student-Staff Liaison Committee Annual Report and liaise with departments
regarding any issues of concern.
(e) To advise the Academic Quality and Standards Committee on matters
relating to examinations in undergraduate courses.
(f) To advise the Academic Quality and Standards Committee on the role of
internal and external examiners for undergraduate degrees.
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(g) To report to the Academic Quality and Standards Committee annually on the
issues raised in reports by external examiners.
(h) To consider submissions from the Boards of the Faculties for non-standard
examination methods, including seen papers, open-book examinations and
reading times, and to make recommendations to the Academic Quality and
Standards Committee.
(i) To exercise delegated powers on behalf of the Academic Quality and
Standards Committee in approving, on personal grounds, minor variations in the
arrangements for the sitting of undergraduate examinations by individual
students.
(j) To consider all matters affecting admissions practices and policy and make
recommendations to the Academic Quality and Standards Committee where
appropriate.
(k) To consider requests for variations to the University's Accreditation of Prior
Learning (APL) policy for individual students,
2.
Freedom of Information
TO REPORT:
3.
(a)
That the Steering Committee at its meeting on 29 October 2007
considered a paper outlining how the Freedom of Information Act 2000
applies to the publication of minutes of University bodies together with the
University Publication Scheme adopted by the Steering Committee in
December 2003, paper SC 60/07-08, and resolved that a standard item
be included on the agenda of the first meeting of each University
Committee at the start of each academic year to inform new members
and to remind continuing members of the University policy on the
publication of minutes.
(b)
That all non-reserved agenda and minutes of the Board are published on
the University’s Governance website at:
http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/gov/atoz/bugs/minutes/
(c)
That copies of paper SC 60/07-08 are available from the Steering
Committee Secretary on request.
Membership 2012/13
TO REPORT:
That the Senate, at its meeting on 3rd October 2012, resolved that the membership of the
Board of Undergraduate Studies for the academic year 2012/13 be as follows:
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Chair
Professor R Leng
Two full-time members of the academic
Staff from each of the Faculties of Arts,
Science and Social Sciences appointed
by the Senate:
Arts
Medicine
Science
Social Sciences
One member of the Board of
Graduate Studies appointed by
the Senate
The Chairs of the Undergraduate
Studies Committees of the Boards
of the Faculties of Arts and Social
Sciences and the Chair of the
Sub-Faculty of Science
Arts
Science
Social Sciences
4.
Dr R Moseley
Dr T White
Dr C Melville
Professor N Johnson
Dr G Martin
Dr T Bugg
Dr T Sinclair
Dr C Hoerl
Dr J Vickery
Dr C Jenainati
Dr D Wood
Dr C Wright
One member of staff appointed by
and from the Centre for Lifelong
Learning
Dr F McKay
Two members nominated by the
Union of Students
Mr J Entwhistle
tba
Minutes
TO CONSIDER:
The minutes of the meeting held on 6th June 2012 (copy attached).
5.
Matters Arising on the Minutes
(a) Amendments to University Regulations
TO REPORT:
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That the Senate, at its meeting on 4 July 2012, approved the Board’s
recommendations for amendments to University regulations under the following
Board minutes:
28/11-12 Amendments to Regulation 12: Absence for Medical Reasons from a
University Examination for First Degrees
29/11-12 Amendments to Regulation 11: Regulation Governing Procedure to be
Adopted in the Event of Suspected Cheating in a University Test
30/11-12 Amendment to Regulation 8.1: Regulation for First Degrees
42/11-12 Reinstatement to Honours for BSc degrees: Regulation 8.1
(b) Feedback to students (minute 24/11-12 refers)
TO REPORT:
That the Academic Quality and Standards Committee, at its meeting on 20 June
2012, considered guidance for departments on timing of feedback on assessment
(paper AQSC.98/11-12) and resolved:
(i)
That a working group be established to review the Good Practice Guide on
Providing Feedback to Students on Assessment.
(ii)
That, in the context of this work, the group would also consider guidance and
policy development on feedback on examinations and maximum timescales
for provision of feedback on assessed course work, taking into consideration
local practice.
(iii)
That the principle that all departments be required to communicate clearly to
students the timescales for provision of marks and feedback on course work
in advance be approved.
(iv)
That the principle that all departments be required to take into consideration
the timing of the provision of feedback when setting deadlines for submission
of assignments be approved.
(AQSC 117(a)/11-12)
(c) Changes to Withdrawal Policies for Undergraduate Students from 2012/13 (minute
27/11-12 refers)
TO REPORT:
That the Academic Quality and Standards Committee, at its meeting on 20 June
2012, considered the proposed changes to withdrawal policies for undergraduate
students from 2012/13, and resolved that further guidance be requested on the
circumstances in which fees might be waived if a student temporarily withdraws, and
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how the costs of the fee waiver might be met, noting the concerns of the Committee
regarding the potential implications for vulnerable students (AQSC 135/11-12).
TO RECEIVE:
An oral report from the Student Finance Manager.
(d) Regulation 11: Cheating in University Tests (minute 32/11-12 refers)
TO RECEIVE:
Revised summary data from departments regarding cases of cheating in University
tests dealt with by Heads of Department under Regulation 11 (B) (2) (b) in the
academic year 2010/11 as set out in paper BUGS 28/11-12 (revised) (copy
attached).
(e) Good Practice Guide on information available to students (minute 37/11-12 refers)
TO RECEIVE:
An updated Good Practice Guide on Information for Students Paper (paper AQSC
107/11-12, attached),noting that the Guide was approved by the Senate at its
meeting on 4 July 2012.
(f) Institutional Review (minute 34/11-12 refers)
TO REPORT:
That the Senate, at its meeting on 4 July 2012, approved the final recommendations
of the Institutional Review Steering Group for the onward referral of the
recommendations in the Faculty Engagements to appropriate bodies for further
consideration, set out in paper TLR101 11-12 (revised 3), attached.
(g) Undergraduate External Examiners’ Reports for 2010/11 (minute 38/11-12 refers)
TO RECEIVE:
(A) An oral report from the Chair concerning the reports for 2010/11 of
External Examiners for undergraduate courses, and pro-forma
responses from departments to External Examiners’ reports for
2010/11, received since the meeting of the Board on 22 February
2012 (these reports and responses were circulated for the meeting of
6 June 2012 as papers BUGS 32/11-12 and BUGS 33/11-12);
(B) Pro-forma responses to External Examiners’ reports for 2010-11
received from departments since the last meeting of the Board (paper
BUGS 1/12-13, attached).
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(h) Multi-speed undergraduate courses (minute 31/11-12 refers)
TO RECEIVE:
An oral report from the Chair on progress.
6.
Chair’s Action
TO REPORT:
a) Course proposals for Hispanic Studies
In order for degree courses in the new Department of Hispanic Studies to be publicised
on the UCAS website in time for the 2013/14 UCAS recruitment round, the Chair, acting
on behalf of the Board (and following circulation of documentation by email to Board
members inviting comments), has taken action to approve proposals from the
Department of Hispanic Studies for new degree courses as set out below:
Hispanic Studies Single Honours;
Hispanic Studies and French Studies;
Hispanic Studies and German Studies;
Hispanic Studies and Italian Studies;
Hispanic Studies with French;
Hispanic Studies with German;
Hispanic Studies with Italian.
French with Spanish
German with Spanish
Italian with Spanish
b) Approval of special examination arrangements for named students
That the Chair, acting on behalf of the Board, has approved:
(i) a request from the School of Life Sciences that, on the grounds of severe
disability, a named student be permitted to sit her examinations in 2013 away
from the University, on condition that she is subject to appropriate invigilation
arrangements;
(ii) a request from the School of Law that, on medical grounds, a named student
be permitted to be assessed by 48 hour take-home examinations (instead of
unseen exams) in two 15 credit modules.
c) Revisions to course proposal form (CA1)
That the Chair, acting on behalf of the Board, has approved minor changes to the course
proposal form (CA1).
d) Text on extenuating circumstances for departmental handbooks
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That the Chair, acting on behalf of the Board, has approved text drawn up by the Board
of Graduate Studies providing guidance to students on extenuating circumstances, for
inclusion in departmental handbooks.
7.
Chair’s Business
Lunch meetings with Directors of Undergraduate Studies
8.
New Courses of Study
TO CONSIDER:
A proposal from the Warwick Medical School for a new course, BSc (Hons) in
International Clinical Obstetrics and Leadership (paper BUGS 2/12-13, attached).
9.
Review of the Course Approval Process
TO CONSIDER:
A paper from the Assistant Registrar |(Teaching Quality) and Senior Assistant Registrar
(Teaching Quality) on the on-going review of course approval processes (paper
AQSC.24/12-13), attached).
10.
Draft Self-Evaluation Document (SED)
TO CONSIDER:
The draft Self-Evaluation Document (SED) for the forthcoming QAA Review, which has
been previously circulated to members of this Board with a request that their comments
be sent directly to the Senior Assistant Registrar (Teaching Quality) (paper
AQSC.13/12-13, previously circulated by email 12/11/12).
11. Blanket Accreditation of Prior Learning Exemption for BSc in Accounting & Finance
TO REPORT:
That the Undergraduate Studies Committee of the Faculty of Social Sciences, at its
meeting on
TO CONSIDER:
A paper from the Warwick Business School proposing blanket accreditation of prior
learning exemption for the BSc in Accounting & Finance (paper
UFSS43/12/13(revised), attached), together with an oral report from Professor Peter
Corvi of the Warwick Business School).
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12.
Ramadan from 2015
TO CONSIDER:
A paper from the Secretary concerning Ramadan and the Summer Term examinations
period from 2015 (paper BUGS 3/12-13, attached).
13.
OIA Annual Letter
TO RECEIVE:
The Annual Letter to the University (relating to 2011) from the Office of the Independent
Adjudicator (paper BUGS 4/12-13, attached).
14.
Regulation 8.12: scope of preliminary review panels
TO CONSIDER:
A proposed amendment to Regulation 8.12, in the light of the interpretation of paragraph
(3) of the Regulation made by the Office of the Independent Adjudicator (paper
BUGS 10/12-13, attached).
15.
Regulation 8: 4-year Integrated Undergraduate Masters’ Degrees
TO CONSIDER:
An oral report from the Chair and/or a paper concerning the award of bachelor degrees
to students in the fourth and final year of integrated undergraduate masters’ degrees
(paper BUGS 11/12-13, to follow).
16.
Pre-sessional Course for Undergraduate Students
TO CONSIDER:
A paper from the Centre for Applied Linguistics regarding an undergraduate presessional plaaned for Summer 2013 (paper to follow).
17.
Consultation on Postgraduate Students as Teachers
TO RECEIVE:
An oral report from the Chair.
18.
First-year Boards of Examiners’ Conventions
TO RECEIVE:
An oral report from the Chair.
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19.
Student Assignment Management:Electronic Plagiarism Declaration
TO CONSIDER:
A proposed Electronic Plagiarism Declaration for student assignment management
(paper BUGS 12/12-13, attached).
20.
Revised Undergraduate Admissions Statement /Complaints Procedure
TO CONSIDER:
A paper from the Director of the Student Admissions and Recruitment Office setting out
a revised Undergraduate Admissions Statement and undergraduate admissions
complaints procedure (paper BUGS 13/12-13, attached), together with an oral report
from the Director.
21.
Undergraduate External Examiners’ Reports for 2011/12
TO RECEIVE:
The procedure for the consideration of External Examiner reports by the Board of
Undergraduate Studies (paper BUGS 5/12-13, attached)
TO CONSIDER:
(a) The reports of External Examiners for Undergraduate courses for 2011/12 (paper
BUGS 6/12-13), available to members of the Board before the meeting on request
from the Examinations Section, Academic Office; copies will also be available for
consultation in the meeting;
(b) Pro-forma responses to the External Examiners’ reports for 2011/12 received from
departments by the time of the meetings of the Board Sub-group held on 7th and 9th
November 2012 (paper BUGS 7/12-13), available to members of the Board before
the meeting on request from the Examinations Section, Academic Office; copies will
also be available for consultation in the meeting;
(c) A report from the Board Sub-group established to consider the reports of the
External Examiners summarising key points in the reports for 2011-12 and making
recommendations to the Board for further action (paper BUGS 8/12-13, to follow)
(d) Pro-forma responses to the External Examiners’ reports for 2011/12 received from
departments since the meetings of the Board Sub-group (paper BUGS 9/12-13,
attached)
22.
Any Other Business
JT 08.11.12
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