Associate Tutor Meeting
Wednesday 26 January 2011, 4.00
Mantell 3b3
Notes and actions
1 & 2 Welcome and appointment of Associate Tutors and Tutorial Fellow
Those present were welcomed by the Head of School, Ian Davidson (HoS), and the School
Administrator, Trudy Robinson (SA). After introductions, Ian outlined future developments
including the predicted increases in overseas student numbers; the 104% increase in
demand for Home/EU undergraduate places, the School obtaining approval to appoint 11
new academics with a further 4 later in the year; the new MBA programme, the
undergraduate placement scheme and the new scheme facilitating direct entry into the 2nd
year of Business and Management degree programmes from Study Group International
(SGI) and Bellerbys Diploma students.
He emphasized that Associate Tutors (AT) and Tutorial Fellows (TF) were playing an
important role within the School and we were all very grateful for their continued support.
This meeting was partly to say ‘thank you’ but also to discuss any emergent issues with both
Ian and Trudy and to bring these to the attention of relevant members of staff. For example,
the School was aware that there had been difficulties in the autumn term to recruit enough
tutors to cover the increase number of seminars due to the School’s rapid growth in student
numbers.
3
Teaching and Learning
A new academic staff induction session took place on 20 September 2010, which included:
guidance on teaching and learning; AT Handbook; and details of the mentoring system.
Future induction sessions will be held in September 2011 and January2012. A copy of the
AT Handbook is available from the staff web pages, copies had also been produced for the
meeting.
4
Student Support
It was explained that the Director of Student Support (DoSS) is responsible for the School’s
student support structure. This included: the system for processing mitigating evidence;
student attendance monitoring; and student representative groups.
The importance of recording student attendance, via Sussex Direct, was emphasised. The
system enabled the School to identify students experiencing difficulties, referring them to the
Student Life Centre, and also those needing to consider temporary or permanently
withdrawing from their programme.
5
Contracts and payments
The School Administrator (SA) explained the University’s contract and payment system. The
steps are as follows:

Programme Convenor informs the Programme Coordinator about the agreed
teaching arrangements with the tutor.

Programme Coordinators adds the teaching, office and attendance at lecture hours
to the system.

The hours are authorised by the SA.

The hours are approved by the Finance Office and recorded on a budget sheet.

Approved hours can then be viewed on Sussex Direct by the AT.

If an AT has a query about a missing payment then it’s best to contact the
Programme Coordinator, but if the problem is more serious (eg grading, not being
paid, need for a clear breakdown of hours) then contact SA.
A discussion took place on the grading system at the University. It was explained that the
specific role ATs were being employed to carry out should be compared to the Academic
Role Profiles published on the AT web pages, see:
http://www.sussex.ac.uk/humanresources/1-2-20-16.html
The comparison should be carried out by the Convenor employing the AT. ATs can be
employed on more than one grade, depending on the role they are being requested to carry
out for a specific course.
6
Health and Safety, induction and issues
Those present were given a copy of the School’s Health & Safety Policy and guidelines. A
reminder was given that tutors were responsible for ensuring that the students they were
teaching, when a fire alarm sounded, were evacuated quickly by the fastest route.
7
Resources and facilities
Those present were informed that the School now had the following AT rooms:
2b30
3b34
3a26
AT Office Hour Room
AT Office Hour Room
AT Computer Work Room
The office hour rooms can be booked through School Office, by Rosalie Bostwick. The AT
computer room currently had 2 computers but 4 more machines were on the way and a
network printer has already been installed. The code for the security locks can be obtained
from the School Office.
DPhil student employed as ATs were encouraged not to use their Student workspace to see
tutees. Their workspace was a quiet area to study, that is why the School was increasing
the AT space in Mantell. Freeman Centre has bookable rooms for tutorials.
8
Questions raised
Issues raised by ATs
To be taken by
A difficulty with the English language has been noticeable
this year, mainly among students from East Asia, Group
projects and retaining knowledge, identified as particularly
problematic.
School to review situation and
consider offering workshop
support sessions.
Seek advice from the Sussex
Centre for Language Studies
(SCLS).
Provide an explanatory guide
to the University’s course
jargon.
Student Recruitment – concern expressed in relation to the
increase in student numbers; increasing in scripts to mark;
supporting international students; and induction of new
students.
DTP to form a small working
group to consider all aspects
that will confront the School
due to increased numbers
and workloads.
Recruitment of ATs – there is likely to be a need to recruit a
number of ATs for 2011/12. An even distribution of ATs
was requested, to ensure that DPhils were given the
opportunity to teach.
SA to start the recruitment of
tutors earlier, March,
advertising to DPhil and
externally. An interview
process will be organised to
take place over the Easter
period. SA to keep a pool of
tutors.
AT promotional routes - ATs required a clear promotional
and management structure. The management structure
was already in place, with the HoD responsible for linemanaging ATs and TFs.
School to give consideration
to developing a promotional
structure for ATs and TFs.
Notice board and whiteboards were requested for the AT
workspaces.
SA will arrange to have these
ordered and installed.
Policy on office hours
School to produce a policy on
Office Hours to be approved
by the Senior Management
Team.
Writing cases - A request was made for the School to use
in-house resources for case studies, rather than purchasing
these from external agencies.
HoD
ATs would welcome feedback from students
Course specific questions to
be included in the CEQ and
feedback to ATs by
Convenors.
Circulation:
BMEC Associate Tutors
Professor Ian Davidson, Head of School
Professor Gordon MacKerron, Director of SPRU
Professor Martin Meyer, Head of Department, Business and Management
Professor Andy McKay, Head of Department, Economics
Dr Fiona Marshall, Director of Student Support
John Bateman, Tutorial Fellow
Emmet Hayes, Tutorial Fellow
David Green, Director of Business Engagement
Trudy Robinson, School Administrator