Associate Tutor Meeting Wednesday 8 February 2012, 10.00 – 11.30 Mantell 3b3 Notes 1 Department and teaching issues The AHoD of Business and Management requested feedback on the ATs experience of teaching for the School, particularly the relationship with the Course Convenors. The responses from the ATs were positive in terms of having a good relationship with Convenors and feeling that they were informed about teaching requirements. There were no specific issues requiring further discussion. 2 Teaching and Learning, Teaching Handbook Peer Observation of Teaching The DTL outlined the School’s system of Peer Observation of Teaching, which was part of the training and support offered by the School. AT Support Discussion took place on the possibility of setting up an AT Buddy System, to support ATs new to teaching. It was suggested that this system could be made more formal, as there already existed an informal network. Current ATs, attending the meeting, felt they would be willing to volunteer to buddy a colleague. Marking and assessment The DTL reminded the ATs that there was a formal procedure for marking in each Department. It was suggested that the processes should be standardised and produced as a guideline. An AT reported that it was felt that the marking load for the BAM programme (Information Systems) was uneven, she appeared to have a heavier workload that fellow ATs. Action: AHoD, BAM, to investigate The ATs felt it would be useful to have a list of the submissions for each term. Action: SA to organise for next academic year 3 Student support, attendance monitoring, student reps Those present were reminded of the importance of recording student attendance for seminars. It was explained that the purpose for the monitoring was to identify students who are struggling with their study and assist them with getting back on an academic track. The Student Life Centre (SLC) support the students wellbeing. An AT enquired as to whether Postgraduate Taught students were monitoring. It was explained that this had not been the case in the School, but from 2013 attendance monitoring will be taking place. It was hoped that students struggling would be picked up in the first teaching block, to enable the School and SLC to offer assistance. The DTL requested assistance from the ATs present with encouraging students to participate in the National Student Survey (NSS). 4 Contracts and payments The SA provided copies of the AT Role Profiles grades 5/6/7. It was explained that these were job description. When a Convenor was employing an ATs a discussion should take place on what was level of work being expected, based on the role profiles. The grade was then defined by the level of work. ATs were reminded that there was a useful AT University web page: http://www.sussex.ac.uk/tldu/associatetutors/ Also, that all payments added to the AT payment system could be accessed by ATs through Sussex Direct>Personal>Financial. 5 Training and Staff Development Those present were reminded that they were able to book on to the Staff Development Unit (SDU) courses on offer to all staff by either referring to the following link or Sussex Direct. http://www.sussex.ac.uk/staffdevelopment/ 6 Any other business A discussion took place on the provision of Undergraduate crash courses: Introduction to Economics; calculus training for students; English language (written). It was agreed that students required basic skill sets, that these would be non-credit bearing. Attendees: BMEC Associate Tutors (ATs) Professor David Storey, Acting Head of Department, Business and Management (AHoD) Professor Andy McKay, Head of Department, Economics (HoD) Dr Fiona Marshall, Director of Student Support (DoSS) Mike Barrow, Director of Teaching and Learning (DTL) Trudy Robinson, School Administrator (SA)