UNIVERSITY OF WARWICK
BOARD OF UNDERGRADUATE STUDIES
Minutes of the meeting of the Board of Undergraduate Studies held on Wednesday 22nd
February 2012.
Present:
Professor R Leng (in the Chair), Professor S Gilson, Dr C Hoerl, Dr C
Jenainati, Professor N Johnson, Dr J Kidd, Mr P Krishnamurthy, Dr G Martin,
Dr F McKay, Dr R Moseley, Mr S Ruston.
Apologies:
Professor T Bugg, Dr J Robinson
In Attendance: Mr R Sherville, Dr J Taylor
11/11-12
Minutes
RESOLVED:
That the minutes of the meeting held on 24th November 2011, be approved.
12/11-12
Matters Arising on the Minutes
(a) Wireless Access in the Humanities Building (minute 4a/11-12 refers)
RECEIVED:
The extract from the minutes of the Information Policy and Strategy
Committee (IPSC) meeting on 19th November 2011.
RESOLVED:
That it be noted that the Director of IT Services would consider the
recommendation further and would report to a future meeting of the IPSC;
(b) Students’ Union data and guidance on course costs (minute 22(b)/10-11
refers)
REPORTED (by Mr Ruston):
That the report would be presented to the next meeting of the Board once
complete data was available.
13/11-12
Chair’s Action
REPORTED:
14/11-12
(a)
That the Chair, acting on behalf of the Board, had agreed on the
grounds of personal mitigating circumstances that a named student be
assessed 100% by examination in two modules;
(b)
That the Chair, acting on behalf of the Board, had approved a new
CPD course in Optimising Glycaemic Control for introduction in April
2012 (paper M&CPD SC09/11-12 (revised 1).
Institutional Review
CONSIDERED:
(a)
the recommendation referred to the Board from the Institutional
Review (paper BUGS 12/11-12);
(b)
the thematic reports from the Institutional Review (papers TLR 7387/11-12);
(c)
information regarding the Committee process following the first phase
of Institutional Review (paper BUGS 13/11-12).
RESOLVED:
15/11-12
(a)
that the Chair be asked to clarify the role of the Board in relation to the
recommendations arising from the Institutional Review, with a view to
coordinating procedure with the Board of Graduate Studies and the
Academic Quality and Standards Committee;
(b)
that following this clarification, the Chair should invite appropriate
members of the Board to join a sub-group to consider those issues
that the Board should keep under review;
(c)
the Language Centre be encouraged to bring forward proposals for
new modules as recommended in paper BUGS 12/11-12.
New Courses of Study
CONSIDERED:
(a)
a proposal from the Department of English and Comparative Literary
Studies for a new course BA English and Theatre Studies with
Intercalated Year for introduction in October 2013 (paper BUGS 14/1112);
(b)
a proposal from the Department of English and Comparative Literary
Studies for a new course BA English Literature and Creative Writing
with Intercalated Year for introduction in October 2013 (paper BUGS
15/11-12);
(c)
a proposal from the Department of Computer Science for a new
course BSc Discrete Mathematics with Intercalated Year for
introduction in September 2012 (paper SFS.5/11-12);
(d)
a proposal from the Institute of Education for a new course BA
Childhood, Education and Society for introduction in October 2012
(papers UFSS 19/11-12, UFSS 20/11-12, UFSS 21/11-12, UFSS
22/11-12, UFSS 23/11-12 and UFSS 24/11-12);
(e)
a proposal from the Centre for Lifelong Learning for a new course
Open Studies Certificate in the Lifelong Learning Sector for
introduction in September 2012 (paper UFSS.26/11-12)
(f)
a proposal from Warwick Business School for a new course BSc
Management (Undergraduate Partnership Programme) for introduction
in October 2012 (papers UFSS 52/11-12 and UFSS 53/11-12);
(g)
a proposal from the School of Law for a new course BA Law with
Humanities for introduction in October 2013 (papers UFSS 55/11-12
and UFSS 56/11-12);
(h)
a proposal from the School of Law for a new course BA Law with
Social Sciences for introduction in October 2013 (papers UFSS 57/1112 and UFSS 58/11-12, attached);
(i)
a proposal from the Department of Philosophy for a new course BA
Philosophy and Literature with Intercalated Year for introduction in
October 2012 (paper AUSC.09/11-12 (2)).
RESOLVED:
(a)
that the proposal from the Department of English and Comparative
Literary Studies for a new course BA English and Theatre Studies with
Intercalated Year as set out in paper BUGS 14/11-12 be approved,
subject to the correction of the degree title on page 1 to include “…with
Intercalated Year”;
(b)
that the proposal from the Department of English and Comparative
Literary Studies for a new course BA English Literature and Creative
Writing with Intercalated Year as set out in paper BUGS 15/11-12 be
approved, subject to the correction of the degree title on page 1 to
include “...with Intercalated Year”;
(c)
that the proposal from the Department of Computer Science for a new
course BSc Discrete Mathematics with Intercalated Year as set out in
(paper SFS.5/11-12) be approved;
(d)
that the proposal from the Institute of Education for a new course BA
Childhood, Education and Society as set out in papers UFSS 19/1112, UFSS 20/11-12, UFSS 21/11-12, UFSS 22/11-12, UFSS 23/11-12
and UFSS 24/11-12 be approved, subject to clarification of the
examination weightings given in section 7 of paper UFSS 19/11-12;
(e)
that the proposal from the Centre for Lifelong Learning for a new
course Open Studies Certificate in the Lifelong Learning Sector as set
out in paper UFSS.26/11-12) be approved subject to the following:
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
16/11-12
it was noted that 36 CATS is not an approved module
weight;
it was noted that a weight of 36 CATS was necessary in
order to meet the requirements of the Further Education
Teachers Qualification Regulations 2007;
that the proposal subsequently be referred to the
Academic Quality and Standards Committee for approval
of the 36 CATS weighting as an exceptional arrangement
for this type of Open Studies Certificate;
(f)
that the proposal from Warwick Business School for a new course
BSc Management (Undergraduate Partnership Programme) as set out
in papers UFSS 52/11-12 and UFSS 53/11-12 be approved;
(g)
that the proposal from the School of Law for a new course BA Law
with Humanities as set out in papers UFSS 55/11-12 and UFSS 56/1112 be approved, it being noted that the School of Law might consider
the provision of Philosophy modules on this degree;
(h)
that the proposal from the School of Law for a new course BA Law
with Social Sciences as set out in papers UFSS 57/11-12 and UFSS
58/11-12, attached be approved;
(i)
That the proposal from the Department of Philosophy for a new course
BA Philosophy and Literature with Intercalated Year as set out in
paper AUSC.09/11-12 (2) , be approved;
(j)
that the Board noted the particular difficulties in finding
accommodation faced by students returning from intercalated years,
and requested that the Chair should write to the Academic Registrar
concerning the possibility that such students be given priority in the
allocation of University accommodation.
MBChB Curriculum Review
CONSIDERED:
The Faculty of Medicine’s progress with the MBChB curriculum review as set
out in papers MUSC 20/11-12, MUSC 20a/11-12, MUSC 21/11-12 and MUSC
30/11-12 attached)
RESOLVED:
That the placement learning arrangement outlined in paper MUSC 21/11-12.
be approved.
17/11-12
Memorandum of Understanding – Warwick Business School and Separate
Papers
CONSIDERED:
A paper from Warwick Business School seeking to change the terms of the
previously-agreed Memorandum of Understanding regarding the scheduling
of the School’s undergraduate examinations which were subject to the Senate
Separate Papers Rule (paper BUGS 16/11-12).
RESOLVED:
18/11-12
(a)
that Warwick Business School’s increased use of the space obtained
for its examinations in week 4 of the Summer Term be welcomed;
(b)
that the principle that the normal examination scheduling parameters
should be applied as even-handedly as possible to all academic
departments, be endorsed (the Board noting that for Summer 2012
onwards the Academic Registrar had negotiated the provision of an
additional large venue in the first week of the examination period;
(c)
that in the light of the above, no amendment be made currently to the
Memorandum of Understanding, while noting that the Examinations
Office would take into account as far as possible the School’s wish for
the papers nominated under the Memorandum to be scheduled as
early as possible in the third week of the examination period;
(d)
that Warwick Business School be asked to ensure that its Student
Staff Liaison Committee(s) are consulted when proposing any
significant changes in normal examination weeks.
Undergraduate External Examiners’ Reports for 2010/11
RESOLVED:
That the Board’s External Examiner reports sub-groups be reconstituted to
consider (via email):
(a)
The reports of External Examiners for Undergraduate courses for
2010/11 received since the last meeting of the Board (paper BUGS
17/11-12);
(b)
Pro-forma responses to the External Examiners’ reports received from
departments since the last meeting of the Board (paper BUGS 18/1112)
and to report subsequently to the Board.
19/11-12
External Examining
CONSIDERED:
(a)
The following extract from the Minutes of the Academic Quality and
Standards Committee meeting on 2nd February 2012:
(i)
That, at its meeting on 1 November 2011, it was reported to
the Committee that the final version of Chapter B7: External
Examining of the UK Quality Code, had been published on
28 October 2011 and a mapping of the University’s current
practice against the updated indicators would be undertaken
and reported to the next meeting of the Committee (minute
4/11-12 (c) referred).
(ii)
That, at its meeting on 7 December 2011, it was resolved
that consideration of a mapping of the University’s current
practices against the updated indicators (paper AQSC.26/1112) be deferred to the next meeting of the Committee.
(iii)
That the Committee considered a mapping of the University’s
current practices against the updated indicators (paper
AQSC.26/11-12) and resolved:
(A) That the names, positions and institutions of
external examiners be published by the University,
noting that it would be preferable to publish the
information centrally to ensure that it was kept up to
date, with links provided from course information.
(B) That the External Examiners’ form and the
Guidance Notes for External Examiners be updated
in line with discussions in the meeting to ensure
that procedures and guidance are aligned to the UK
Quality Code.
(C) That further consideration be given to the
publication of External Examiners’ reports, noting
the Committee’s concerns that the need for
transparency be balanced with recognition of the
impact that such a move may have on the
openness of external examiners’ comments and the
administrative implications.
(D) That the University recognised the value of external
examining both in terms of the input of external staff
and the contribution made by its own staff to other
institutions and recognised that external examining
was an element of the professional responsibilities
of academic staff.
(E) That any agreement on the part of Warwick staff to
undertake external examining duties was between
the staff and the external institution but staff should
ensure that, in taking on such responsibilities, they
had the capacity and expertise to do so;
(b)
a paper from the Senior Assistant Registrar (Teaching Quality)
proposing amendments to University documentation relating to
External Examiners (paper BUGS 19/11-12).
RECOMMENDED:
That the amendments set out in paper BUGS 19/11-12, be approved.
JAT/RS 05.03.12