MINUTE of the SCHOOL MANAGEMENT GROUP
held in Room 407, 1 University Gardens on 5 th February 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, Ann Gow, Nyree Finlay
ATTENDING:
Pauline McLachlan
Table of Contents
1. Minute of the meeting held 22nd January 2014........................................................................................................... 1
2. Matters Arising .......................................................................................................................................................... 1
3. Head of School Update .............................................................................................................................................. 1
4. HoSub Update ........................................................................................................................................................... 2
5. Administration/Finance Update ................................................................................................................................. 2
6. School Committees .................................................................................................................................................... 3
7. AOB ..................................................................................................................................................................... 4
Action:
1.
Minute of the meeting held 22nd January 2014
The minutes were approved. PMcL will correct and circulate to all School colleagues.
2.
PMcL
Matters Arising
2.1 Ancestral Studies - to be discussed at the next ScMG meeting.
2.2 SAMs - still at draft stage. SA and MM speaking further with Chris Lindsay.
2.3 Wi-Fi Provision – MM will discuss under Admin/Finance update agenda item.
MM
2.4 Plagiarism Policy - AR queried in relation to the University calendar. SA confirmed
what he reported at the last ScMG was what had been reported by Helen Clegg. SA will
clarify with AJ.
3.
SA
Head of School Update
3.1 College of Arts Estates Group
ROM reported that to encourage blue sky thinking on Estates issues, the College of Arts
has set up a Group; however, there is no School of Humanities representative on it. There
is also a group looking at the Kelvin Hall/Hunterian proposal, and again there is no School
of Humanities representative on it. SA suggested someone from Archaeology be
nominated and LA suggested History or HATII also. ROM will approach NF/Ian
Anderson.
ROM
3.2 P&DR
ROM reported that it is planned to move from 3 to 5 assessment grades for the next review
process. The next review period will cover May 2013 – April 2014. It is further proposed
that the process will involve the cascading of objectives from Senior Management Group
downwards. Humanities are organising a P&DR follow-up sessions.
3.3 GU Strategic Plan – ROM reported that the University strategic plan is due to expire in
June 2015. Neal Juster is keen to meet all Schools and Research Institutes. ROM
suggested that we consider how to use that session and who should attend. It was
suggested that we have some preparatory sessions or consultations, perhaps during a
School Forum. It was agreed to have a consultation to obtain a sense of thinking from the
wider School. SA suggested including a variety of colleagues in the meeting, including
recently appointed colleagues.
3.4 Academic Promotion
The School deadline for academic promotion and professorial re-zoning is 7th February
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2014. ROM requested comments/feedback from relevant Heads of Subject for applicants
within their subject areas. ROM will confirm to Heads of Subject those who have
expressed an interest in applying.
ROM
3.5 School Focus Group: Follow-up.
ROM circulated Laurence Clarke’s summary of discussions held at the last School Focus
Group meeting. From this summary Karin Bowie (KB) and ROM had produced a
proposed action plan which was tabled for comment. ROM offered thanks to KB for her
considerable input to this activity to date. It had been agreed to focus on five themes.
ROM suggested that a champion be allocated to each theme. SA was very keen to pursue
the teaching theme. SA cannot attend the next School Forum meeting on 12 th February
2014, but suggested KB could be invited, following on from a session on different teaching
methods being held on the 5th February (LEAF). The SAMs also details information on
teaching practices. It was agreed to approach Chris Lindsay also.
SA
ROM suggested that Karin Bowie be appointed as School Organisational Development
Officer.
3.6 3.6 Conference Charges/Room Hire
3.7
3.8 ROM has taken this issue forward and had discussed with the Head of College (HoC)
recently. He suggested that if we can highlight conferences which are of strategic
importance, then a reduction of 10% could be requested in addition to the internal price.
There are various large conferences forthcoming including the European Associate of
Archaeologists (EAA) and International Congress of Celtic Studies (ICCS).
4.
HoSub Update
4.1 ECDP Objectives Setting
IR queried previous accomplishments and whether they should be included. ROM
confirmed that they should be included. IR queried concerns in other Schools over
forms/objectives being withheld due to lack of clarity. ROM confirmed that the signing of
ECDP forms had been delayed in some cases subject to further clarity of the ECDP
programme.
LA queried ECDP for temporary appointments, for example, 3 rd year Leverhulme
appointments for Sam Cohn and Matthew Fox and the impact on wider colleagues. Staff
on ECDP/Probation have a 50% teaching workload reduction in their first year. AR
queried whether a University Teacher (UT) could be appointed. ROM had discussed this
option with IR and confirmed that the option of employing a UT is available.
5.
Administration/Finance Update
5.1 Wi-Fi Provision
MM provided an update, including costs. The proposed total costs for full School
provision is £27,000, less than £5 per square metre. MM queried whether full
implementation would benefit or create PG spaces or students given current space
constraints and the lack of capacity to create new common space. A suggestion was to
implement partial Wi-Fi access in the School meeting; conference and library rooms at a
cost of £4,900 where students/staff could benefit most. The estimated cost of this would be
approx. £10,000. Students could also access this. ROM suggested that the rooms in
question should be surveyed further. MM suggested that a portion of the equipment
allocation be used to fund partial implementation in common areas across each subject
area. Including meeting rooms, would cost a further £2,000.
It was agreed that MM would clarify which rooms are listed as meeting rooms and HoSubs
will liaise with MM to identify one or two rooms per subject area where Wi-Fi could be
installed.
HoSubs
MM
5.2 Process Improvement Update
MM provided an update following a meeting held on 29th January 2014. Progress had been
made in some areas, including assessment, the use of online submission and the use of
Moodle. MM provided an update of progress for the seven areas identified:
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Student feedback: Chris Lindsay, HoSc and SA to review more.
Feedback and evaluation: progress made and moving forward.
Student Absence: mainly administrative; various improvements moving
forward.
Assessment: policy being developed, including coursework submissions.
Workshops for administrative and academic colleagues scheduled.
Records Management: administrative only.
Exam Boards: HoSubs are following up in Subject meetings.
Timetabling: administrative only.
Progress Committees and Exam Boards – HoSubs are reviewing.
MM that areas now regarded as mainly admin only would be implemented with immediate
effect in relation to session 2014-15, thereafter becoming School policy. These areas
would be used to develop and implement further changes/best practice.
6.
School Committees
6.1 Graduate Studies
CMacD reported on recent Graduate Studies activity.
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Rankings – CMacD thanked colleagues. Clarity will be sought regarding the
process next year
Graduate Studies Board – meets on 5th February 2014 and the main topic of
discussion will be the Graduate School review.
Higher Degrees Board of Studies – CMacD offered thanks to colleagues for
PIP documentation in advance of the next meeting.
PTES – The survey is now live and CMacD asked colleagues to encourage
PGT’s to complete. CMacD has extended the deadline for the PTES action
plan/reflections.
Archaeology – possibility of a part-funded scholarship for a PhD (£22k over
3 years).
HATII – The Information Management & Preservation (IMP) programme
10th anniversary is coming up.
Mouseion – CMacD reported issues with non-payment for work completed
by PG students. The Careers Service had followed up with the organisation.
Scholarships – LA suggesting highlighting these on the School website.
Marketing and Development – MM reported that he will be meeting the
College Secretary to discuss marketing.
CMacD
CLeR
6.3 Research
TC reported on recent Research activity.
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College of Arts Research Committee Meeting – a meeting was held last
week. LA attended for TC. Issues discussed included Research Leave and
Karen Lury (KL) agreed to take the concerns over the criteria for applying
for funding to support research leave to the HoC. Forms will also be
reviewed.
Knowledge Exchange - A Sub-Committee is being set up, currently there is
no School of Humanities representative. TC will follow up with KL. TC
reported that other Schools had impact/KE Officers and queried whether
Humanities should consider this.
Incentivisation Policy – this was not discussed at the College meeting.
ROM suggested that consumable (non-pay) budgets and incentivisation is
reviewed to take account of other strategic activities and requests for
funding, for example, staff and student support. TC will discuss at the
School Research Committee.
School Research Committee – a meeting to be held soon.
SRAs – School deadline 30th January 2014. TC requested that details of
subject support be provided e.g. using incentivisation for activity.
Research Leave deadlines: School deadline is 12th May and College deadline
TC
TC
TC
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is 23rd May.
TC suggested more liaison between Research Convenor,
HoSubs and applicants. Perhaps applicants could submit a notice of intent.
ROM, TC and MM to meet to discuss process.
6.3 Learning and Teaching
SA reported on recent Learning & Teaching activity.
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7.
ROM/TC/MM
TSSA - SA offered thanks to Kenny Hutton for his contribution to the School.
School Learning and Teaching meeting - Ann Duff had attended and suggested we
encourage Arts student to value their Degrees.
Careers information – discussion was held on how to best circulate careers
information, with RSS feeds, Twitter and Moodle suggested. A bulletin board
was proposed and a follow-up meeting will be held.
PDP – Vicky Price will attend School Learning and Teaching to discuss PDP and
Graduate attributes.
Progress Committees – The implementation of progress committees was discussed
and although there was enthusiasm amongst some, there was reluctance to
implement, particularly for pre-Honours level. However, concern was expressed
at administrative colleagues being asked to make academic decisions (e.g. good
cause/granting extensions). SA reminded colleagues that the implementation of
process committees had been agreed as an outcome of process improvement
programme. HoSubs were asked to discuss in their subject areas the current and
proposed practices: identify issues, concerns and problems. MM will then provide
current and proposed practices by the end of February/March.
UG Board of Studies – Meeting to be held on 5th March 2014 with considerable
Humanities changes/new course proposals which SA had been surprised to
receive. SA reminded colleagues that Subjects report to School Learning &
Teaching on any proposals. HoSubs agreed to clarify with colleagues.
NSS – The National Student Survey was now live.
SAMs – document is still at draft stage. Circulation in future will include HoSA
and HoSc and the reports must contain accurate information, if it is to feed into
wider actions/practices.
Collaborative Teaching – SA had requested information on collaborative teaching
across the School.
SA
MM
HoSubs
AOB
7.1 Action Points – reported and agreed.
7.2 Inaugural lectures – Forthcoming lecture include:
Fraser MacBride – 27th February 2014.
Callum Brown – 13th March 2014.
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