MINUTE of the SCHOOL MANAGEMENT GROUP
held in Room 407, 1 University Gardens on 22nd January 2014
PRESENT:
Roibeard O Maolalaigh (Chair), Ian Ruffell, Ann Gow, Thomas Clancy, Lynn Abrams, Adam
Rieger, Stuart Airlie, Michael Murray, Catriona MacDonald. Nyree Finlay, Sheila Kidd
APOLOGIES:
Jeremy Huggett
ATTENDING:
Pauline McLachlan
Table of Contents
Minute of the meeting held 8th January 2014 ............................................................................................. 1
Matters Arising .......................................................................................................................................... 1
Head of School Update .............................................................................................................................. 1
HoSub Update ............................................................................................................................................ 2
Administration/Finance Update ................................................................................................................. 2
School Committees .................................................................................................................................... 2
AOB
................................................................................................................................................... 4
Action:
1.
Minute of the meeting held 8th January 2014
The minutes were approved subject to ROM amendments.
circulate to all School colleagues.
2.
PMcL will correct and
PMcL
Matters Arising
2.1 Wifi Provision – MM is awaiting costs from Arts IT Support, but it had been suggested
that installation would be approximately £2500 per building. Once accurate installation
costs are received a discussion will be held on how it could be funded.
2.2 Erasmus – ROM offered thanks to HoSubs for their feedback and a copy of the School
return was tabled. It had been agreed to cancel 8 programmes, retain 4 and cases for
borderline retentions were not accepted.
2.3 Staff Profile/Webpages – ROM queried with HoSubs whether the request for staff
profile updates had been communicated to colleagues within Subjects. LA queried who in
the School Administration team could assist with this task. MM suggested that the selfservice option is used.
2.4 Convenor Job Descriptions – ROM had asked the College HR Manager and awaits
feedback.
2.5 TSSA – Ms Ruth Burke will commence in early March 2014 joining Glasgow from
Strathclyde University. A two day handover is planned prior to KH’s departure in midFebruary.
2.6 College Marketing Officer – Karen Fyfe will commence on 10th March, joining
Glasgow from Sheffield University.
3.
Head of School Update
3.1 CMG Update
ROM provided an update from the most recent CMG meeting:

Investment Cases – All four cases had been approved at CMG on 21 st January 2014:
two MPA (Grade 5 and Grade 3) cases and two academic cases (Lectureships in
Moral/Political Philosophy and Global History/Conflict Studies (non-western)).
Thanks were offered to MM and HoSubs for their input. It was hoped the MPA
posts would commence from April and the academic posts from September.

PDR – ROM suggested a follow-up meeting with reviewers in order to obtain
feedback on the processes. He intended to devote time to P&DR reflections at the
next School Forum. The College also intends to hold a lessons learned with a
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selection of reviewers.
HATII – An internal review of HATII will be held and AG commented that she and
her colleagues saw this as a positive opportunity.

Admissions – ROM reported that Glasgow University had been heavily fined for
overshooting in past years, with targets for 2014/15 reduced. Conversion would be
crucial and the tariff may have to be increased. Humanities may need to identify two
or three bands in the gathered field and differentials for Joint Honours may have to
be clarified. SA reported that this issue had been discussed at College Learning &
Teaching Committee, where the importance of conversion was also stressed.
3.2 Promotions – ROM, having reviewed the new HR guidance, flagged some of the more
important changes to colleagues: introduction of a standard CV template; publication
list to be generated from Enlighten; reference to best 3-4 publications within the
application; a separate Readership application form; applications forms contain
information not detailed within the policy and the need to provide information on
grants applications in your current post. ROM suggested that colleagues considering
applying should read the documentation carefully.
3.3 Ancestral Studies – ROM tabled two documents, the course outline and comments
provided by the Head of College and Dean of Research (Karen Lury). It was agreed to
discuss it in more detail at the next ScMG meeting.
3.4 Estates – ROM reported that David Moore had attended CMG and presented on the
proposed Western Infirmary site. MM will update the feedback gathered from
Humanities and forward to DM.
3.5 HoSubs extended leave – ROM suggested that cases should be made by incoming
HoSubs to allow a second semester of leave to outgoing HoSubs. HoS/ScMG would
have to be certain that elements such as teaching were covered and budgets could
support additional leave.
3.6 Summer Graduation – ROM reported that a request had been received from MVLS to
switch graduation dates with Arts moving to 3rd 4th July or for Humanities to switch
from 28th June to 4th July. Following discussion it was agreed to remain with 28th June
2014.
3.7 New Awards – ROM reported on recent grant success: Chris Dalglish – Marie Curie
Fellowship; Dauvit Broun – AHRC; Matthew Fox and Samuel Cohn – Leverhulme
MRF.
3.8 ECDP Objectives –Draft objectives for new staff beginning 1st January 2014 should be
set within the first month.
3.9 School Forum 12 February 2014 – ROM sought topics for discussion. Suggestions
included PDR, Focus Groups, Incentivisation and Moodle 2. It was agreed to limit
discussion to PDR and Focus Groups.
3.10 REF: Lessons learned – ROM reminded colleagues of our intention to hold a lessons
learned sessions on the REF processes. It was agreed that the research convenor with
research champions should take this forward.

4.
PMcL / NF
MM
HoSubs
ROM/LA/SK
TC
HoSub Update
No issues to report.
5.
Administration/Finance Update
6.
5.1 Process Improvement Update – CMIS
MM had returned comments on behalf of the School to Steve Sutton and will meet with
him to discuss further. MM will circulate the GU policy. Training sessions had been
arranged for admin staff and MM would seek feedback on the quality of the training.
School communication plans to be implemented by 31 st January 2014.
5.2 RUK Marketing
MM had discussed RUK student numbers with Rose Harrison from RIO, particularly those
in some subject areas. Ms Harrison is based in London. RIO agreed to include blurbs from
Humanities into future marketing activity, especially Classics HATII, who are recruiting
RUK students at a proportionally higher rate than their share of the total UG population.
School Committees
6.1 Graduate Studies
CMacD reported on recent Graduate Studies activity.
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6.1.1 PIP – CMacD has been reviewing PIP documentation and providing comments.
6.1.2 Humanities Placement Scheme – CMacD had been to Trossachs National Park to
discuss a PGT placement scheme on cultural heritage.
6.1.3 Ancestral Studies – CMacD had reviewed the documentation and discussed with NF.
6.1.4 Process Improvements – CMacD and MM had held a further meeting.
6.2 Research
TC reported on recent Research activity.
6.2.1 College Research Committee – A meeting will be held on 29th January. TC cannot
attend: LA will deputise. The new Dean of Research will chair (Karen Lury).
6.2.2 SRA – TC reminded colleagues that the School deadline is 30 th January. TC will
discuss SRA and Research Leave with Karen Lury when they meet on 23 rd January. TC
provided an update on discussions concerning proposals to use School incentivisation
funds to part-fund applications which go forward to College. MM will request from other
HoSAs how research support funds are allocated in other Schools within Arts. CMacD
reported that some other Schools offer support to PGs for travel/conference support. MM
reported that Studentships had been created with the School.
MM
6.3 Learning and Teaching
SA reported on recent Learning & Teaching activity.
6.3.1 TSSA – SA thanked KH for his assistance during his time with Humanities.
8.3.2 Careers – Ann Duff will attend School L&T Committee on 22 nd January.
6.3.3 School Annual Monitoring Reports (SAM) – This will be discussed further at School
L&T Committee on 22nd January. Various issues were raised and examples of good
practice highlighted. The SAM will then feed into the College AMR. SA to clarify the
status of and timeline for the report.
SA
6.3.4 Progress Committee – A proposal for the establishment of Progress Committees will
be discussed at School L&T Committee.
6.3.5 College Learning & Teaching Committee – SA reported that College Teaching
Excellence Awards are to be established. A budget of £1000 will be awarded. Two awards
are available and nominations can be self, line management or peer.
6.3.6 Process Briefing: Plagiarism – Paul Bishop (Geography) along with Helen Clegg
(Senate Office) briefed L&T Committee on plagiarism regulations as laid out in the Senate
guidance. Level 1 and 2 issues are dealt with by School, but reported to Senate; Honours
and PGT cases are dealt with by Senate, although School compile the evidence. SA will
clarify and confirm the processes. It has been suggested that a School Plagiarism Officer
role be created but it was agreed that Humanities effectively already had this in the TSSA
role. It was further agreed to retain the system already in use with SA liaising with HoSubs
and reporting to Senate. Issues to be reported to external examiners at examination board
meetings as a ‘conduct issue previously dealt with’. TC queried the procedures for cases
identified by external examiners and SA agreed to clarify.
SA
SA
SA
SA queried workload model and MM suggested that he approach Alice Jenkins for figures
(2011-12). Data had been circulated to HoSubs.
SA reported that the use of dictionaries in examinations would be discussed at the L&T
Committee.
6.3.7 PIP – SA reported that PIP documentation content must match live teaching and all
course specifications are to be checked by May 2014. It was suggested that the relevant
course convenors undertake this and SA will discuss the BoS requirements for changes
identified. It would also be discussed further at the next BoS meeting.
6.3.8 Plan Building and Maintenance – A newly approved College post will be advertised
soon. Thanks were offered to Dr Don Spaeth for his significant contribution to the School
in plan building and maintenance.
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7.
AOB
7.1 Action Points – reported and agreed.
7.2 AHRC Funded PGRs – CMacD reiterated that AHRC funded PGRs can apply for CoA
funding as applications had been low in the past.
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