Minutes of Postgraduate Staff-Student Liaison Committee
Meeting
Friday 5th May 2006 at 12.30pm in room P523
Those Present
Students:
Emma Barney, Ben Parkinson, John Thornby, Jennifer Wooldridge,
Caroline Shenton-Taylor, Ian Hughes, Andrew Edmonds, James Smith.
Staff: Malcolm Cooper, David Leadley, Geetha Balakrishnan, Valery Nakariakov.
Apologies
Received from Pam Thomas, Diane Holland, Nicola Wilson and Robin Orman.
Approval of Minutes and Matters Arising
The minutes were approved as an accurate record of the last meeting.
Academic Matters
Emma Barney stated that she had collected a number of emails from the
postgraduates in the Department giving their views and opinions on the topic of
postgraduate lectures. The majority of the respondents (approximately 22) were in
favour of some kind of lecture/training, with only three people being strongly
opposed to the idea. It was also highlighted that IT skills training on various
software applications was available and better publicised by ITS.
Malcolm Cooper revealed that a considerable amount of thought and planning is
being put into accounting for formal training for postgraduates in the Department. It
was thought that assessment would be the most effective way of gauging the
understanding of courses. Training would cover both more extensive work on
various physics topics as well as more general skills/research training and that this
may be undertaken with two other universities in the form of a Graduate School.
More discussion on this matter amongst the members of staff within the Department
is needed and this is currently underway.
David Leadley confirmed that more training was needed in the Department and that
lectures would be more flexible than those given in the Physics undergraduate
lectures. It was added that more accountability was needed in the Department for
students to show what that they were: a) going on training courses, and b) what
these courses were – whether they be at the University, other institutions, etc.
Caroline Shenton-Talyor, Jennifer Wooldridge and Geetha Balakrishnan brought
attention to the external training courses on neutron diffraction, magnetism, etc.
that are successfully held and attended outside of the University.
On the subject of current postgraduate assessment, all of the 1st Year vivas have
now been completed with feedback forms to be handed back in the next week. The
poster assessment for the 2nd Year PhD students is being held on Tuesday 23rd
May, with a member of academic staff with an interest in the poster topic being
involved with assessing the work.
Safety Issues
Malcolm Cooper asked whether other postgraduate students had noted the presence
of undergraduates in the building outside of normal hours. He personally had
noticed an undergraduate in the building (studying) on Sunday of the Easter bank
holiday weekend and perhaps access to the building had accidentally been given to
all undergraduates. Roger Buckle was to be informed about this.
Social Events
The departmental summer BBQ has been arranged for the 28th June, with Ben
Parkinson volunteering to organise some kind of activity for the attendees.
Date of Next Meeting
The next meeting will be held on Friday 16th June.
Any Other Business
Emma enquired why the vending machines on the Concourse were empty. Malcolm
explained that the vending machines were going to be removed and this decision had
been made at one of the recent staff meetings. With the introduction of computer
terminals (primarily for accessing emails), the use of the 3rd floor Concourse is
hoped to be more of study area for Physics students.
Ben Parkinson asked whether a water dispenser, similar to the kind already held at
Stores, could be put in the ground floor main entrance to the Department. This
would be of benefit to visitors of the Department as well as staff/students at that end
of the building. Malcolm Cooper had no objection to this and said he would
investigate further.
The development of the entrance hall was briefly discussed, with work planned to go
ahead in the summer.
Ben Parkinson
Secretary