MINUTE of the SCHOOL MANAGEMENT GROUP
held in Room 407, 1 University Gardens on 17 th September 2014
PRESENT:
Jeremy Huggett, Michael Murray, Lynn Abrams, Thomas Clancy, Karin Bowie,
Pauline McLachlan, Ann Gow, Nyree Finlay, Ian Ruffell, Peter Jackson.
APOLOGIES:
Fiona Macpherson, Steve Marritt
ATTENDING:
Pauline McLachlan
Table of Contents
Minute of the meeting held 18th June 2014 .................................................................................................................... 1
Matters Arising .............................................................................................................................................................. 1
Head of School Update .................................................................................................................................................. 1
Process Improvement .................................................................................................................................................... 2
Strategy Consultation Meeting. ..................................................................................................................................... 2
HoSub UPdate ............................................................................................................................................................... 2
Administration/Finance Update ..................................................................................................................................... 2
School Committees ........................................................................................................................................................ 3
Any Other Business ....................................................................................................................................................... 4
Action:
1.
Minute of the meeting held 18th June 2014
The minutes were approved, subject to corrections.
colleagues.
2.
PMcL will circulate to all School
PMcL
Matters Arising
2.1
Ancestral Studies
Ongoing. MM and JWH met with Jim Hamill in August. JWH will update at end of
September.
2.2
Estates
ROM respond and ongoing.
JWH
2.3
Budget meetings
Meetings had been held with HoSubs.
3.
Head of School Update
3.1
Staff Survey
JWH reported that there would be a briefing at CMG on 17 th September from the HR
Director, Christine Barr. Humanities had the highest response rate.
3.2
Subject meetings
JWH asked to be invited to meet and greet colleagues at subject staff meetings. HoSubs to
forward dates and details to JWH.
HoSubs
3.3
Leadership Management
JWH is completing the Leadership Management Programme and will nominate observers to
complete a 360 questionnaire. JWH invited colleagues on ScMG to be involved.
3.4
HATII Review
A draft report had been circulated to colleagues in HATII for fact-checking. There is a strong
sense of support for HATII and a strong case for strategic investment.
3.5
Honorary Appointments
JWH proposed that the School produce a policy on Honorary appointments, covering areas
such as accommodation, facilities and expectations. HoSubs to send comments to MM.
MM will produce a draft policy/guidance for discussion.
HoSubs
MM
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4.
Estates
JWH proposed that the process is re-started and progressed by arranging small, ad-hoc
working groups to deal with and action specific issues rather than devolve to the L&T
Committee. A plan of action will be developed for discussion at the next ScMG.
MM
LA queried Turnitin and the need for a sample of student work to be submitted. MM
confirmed that this was not what was agreed at SMG last session. This was discussed further
under L&T agenda item.
AG & MM reported on the piloting of Yammer as a communication tool in HATII. The
rationale for the trial is to look at tools which may help to improve communication and reduce
email volume.
5.
Strategy Consultation Meeting
Neal Juster’s report on the strategy discussions held with Schools and Colleges was circulated
in advance of the meeting. NJ raises some questions at the end of the report, which
colleagues may wish to consider for future discussion at a ScMG meeting. It was agreed that
the document could be shared with colleagues in subjects and for HoSA and HoSubs to bring
feedback back to the group.
6.
HoSubs
HoSub Update
Archaeology is in the processing of appointing one R&T and two UT appointments and
Classics two UT appointments. The lateness of these appointments will have a huge impact
on Semester 1 teaching. Frustration was expressed with HR system, processes and
bottlenecks and hold-ups. It was agreed to highlight these issues as an example to Graham
Fisher (Director of Process Improvement). TC queried maternity leave replacements. MM
and JWH confirmed that salary savings can be utilised for cover.
7.
Administration/Finance Update
7.1 Finance update 13-14
MM provided an update on 2013-14 activity and the School financial year end position. MM
reported on the 2014-15 budget allocation and the detail on which it is based, including home
and overseas fee income and research income.
7.2 Induction
MM reported that based on feedback received on the induction process from recently
appointed colleagues earlier this year, Humanities aim to introduce a School induction
process, including an induction/welcome session/event; a School induction checklist and
guidance for colleagues. MM will discuss in more detail a future next meeting.
MM/PMcL
7.3 Admin Staffing
MM provided an update on newly appointed School Administrators:
 Eilidh Kane
 Natalie Wheatley
 Cara Graham
A maternity leave replacement post is currently advertised to provide cover for Kirsti-Ann
Mullen.
7.4 Admin Projects
7.4.1 Evasys
The scanner/reader had been confirmed in the College equipment allocation. This will allow
questionnaires to be scanned and analysed.
7.4.2 Attendance monitoring.
An attendance monitoring scheme is being piloting in History level 2 and Philosophy non
honours teaching.
Alongside making this process more efficient and saving
academic/administrative staff time, the integration with Campus would allow further gains in
relation to further understanding retention issues. Thanks were offered to Barry McCluckie
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(Planning) for his assistance in this project
TC queried the inclusion of attendance criteria in course outlines and handbooks
discuss with Jane Neil regarding Board of Studies. MM confirmed that School
monitoring is purely related to retention and for seminar contribution attendance.
the benefits in increasing the efficiency of existing practice, there may be wider
regards to retention as outlined previously.
and would
attendance
Alongside
benefits in
7.5 Enrolment
MM provided an update on enrolment and registration. The number of students completing
full registration has increased annually, with the number of supportworks calls significantly
decreased. There had been some local issues, for example in Philosophy/History Level 1 and
History level 2. MM confirmed that the Chief Advisers office is being kept updated with
developments.
IR reported on issues with CTT room allocations, for example, the same class held over 3
locations, some quite a distance apart which makes getting there on time very difficult. MM
outlined that these issues should continue to be reported. MM had met with colleagues in
CTT to discuss the process of room allocation, which is mainly based on class numbers.
MM suggested the addition of a specific question or questions regarding room allocations for
courses in the student course questionnaires. It was agreed to adopt this.
8.
HoSubs/Ruth
Burke
School Committees
8.1 Graduate Studies
JWH reported on recent Graduate Studies activity.
8.1.1
PTES (SM not in attendance)
JWH’s draft response was circulated and thanks offered to AG, LA, and NF, and to CMacD
who had represented the School at the recent College PG Strategy Day. SM is considering how
to progress and action the issues raised and would produce an action plan. Some changes may
require Board of Studies approval. JWH will forward a copy of PTES to IR.
8.1.2
JWH
PG Induction sessions
SM is planning to hold a School induction session for PGT’s and PGR’s. TC suggested that it
is held after 1st October, the start date for PGR’s.
8.2 Research Committee
PJ reported on recent Research activity.
8.2.1
Research Incentivisation
JWH, MM & PJ had met to discuss and progress the implementation of School policy as this
was agreed at the last SMG meeting in 2013-14 session. An updated version of the policy,
outlining the mechanism for bids, would be circulated, which includes funding calls for
research support. The deadlines would dovetail with CoA SRA deadlines. PJ explained the
aim to support ‘grassroot’ funding, for example, partnerships and workshops leading to further
activity and possible research grant applications. Encouraging collaborative activity and to
develop and enhance the number of staff holding grants. LA queried how School and College
approaches would dovetail, with, for example, SRA only offering funding if Schools matched
their allocation. JWH will report back following discussion at CMG.
JWH
PMcL
PMCL will circulate the research Incentivisation paper.
8.3 Learning & Teaching Committee
KB reported on recent Learning and Teaching activity.
8.3.1
Online Submission
It was agreed previously to move to online submission, though not necessarily Turnitin. It was
noted that the School guidance notes were necessary to assist colleagues given the suspended
integration of Turinitn with Moodle assessment. MM wished to express thanks to Michael
Given (Archaeology), who had worked closely with Ruth Burke in the development of School
guidance. Despite the delays from the integration process outlined above, it was agreed to
implement full online submission across the School (with some exceptions relating to
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Archaeology portfolios and Gaelic language). MM outlined that the School Administrative
Office would offer support and guidance to course Convenors to set up assessments on Moodle.
This information will also be circulated.
MM
KB reported that School and College L&T meetings had yet to be held.
9.
Any Other Business
9.1 Action Reporting – actions agreed
9.2 PG Scholarships
MM reported that £80k of PG Scholarships had been allocated and students were due to
commence.
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