Academic Board
12 December 2012
Agenda item: 7
Paper: AB/12/34
Working Groups
Academic Board has two Working Parties active in 2012/13:
1. Academic Offences Procedures Review Group
A working party was established in 2008 to review the operation of the Academic Offences
Procedures and Guidelines and to make any necessary recommendations for revisions to the
Undergraduate/ Graduate School Board.
Membership
Dr Karen Hulme, (Chair)
Dean of the Graduate School: Dr Pam Cox
Dean of Humanities and Comparative Studies: Mr Richard Barnard
Dean of Law and Management: Mr Peter Luther
Dean of Science and Engineering: Dr David Pevalin
Dean of Social Sciences: Professor Rob Stones
Head of Registry: Mrs Sara Stock
Academic Officer: Humanities and Comparative Studies, Miss Victoria Poole
Academic Officer: Law and Management, Mr Dan De Sousa
Graduate School Manager: Miss Lydia Crow
Academic Officer: Health Courses, Mrs Kirstie Sceats
Academic Officer: Social Sciences, Ms Heather Tracey, (Secretary)
Senior Academic Officer, Science and Engineering: Mrs Deanna Walker
Terms of Reference
i. To review the Academic Offences Procedures and Guidelines on an ad-hoc basis in response
to any specific issues raised.
ii. To recommend any revisions to the Procedures and Guidelines to the Academic Board and
thereafter to Senate.
2. Working Group on Rules of Assessment
This group is continuing its work from the previous academic year under the Chair of Peter Luther,
Dean of the Faculty of Law & Management with responsibility for undergraduate and taught
postgraduate rules of assessment. A progress report is included elsewhere on the agenda.
Membership
Dean of Law and Management: Mr Peter Luther (Chair)
Associate Dean of Humanities and Comparative Studies: Dr Lisa Wade
Associate Dean of Science and Engineering: Dr Tracy Robinson
Dean of Social Sciences: Professor Rob Stones
Associate Dean of the Graduate School: Dr Aletta Norval
Dean of Academic Partnerships: Dr Ceri Watkins
Acting Academic Registrar: Mr Richard Stock
Deputy Academic Registrar: Ms Wendy Clifton-Sprigg
Head of Registry: Mrs Sara Stock
Senior Academic Officer, Science and Engineering, Mrs Deanna Walker (Secretary)
Graduate School Manager: Miss Lydia Crow
Academic Officer, Law and Management: Mr Dan De Sousa
Academic Officer, Social Sciences: Miss Heather Tracey (Minute Secretary)
Assistant Academic Officer, Science and Engineering, Miss Hannah Lamb
Academic Partnerships Officer: Ms Liz Laws
Terms of Reference
There are no formal terms of reference for the Group; its remit is to respond to and review issues
that have arisen in connection with the application of the Rules of Assessment.
Other Working Groups
The Board is invited to note the following Working Groups of the Quality Assurance and Enhancement
Committee which are active during 2011/12 and for which memberships and terms of reference are
attached at Appendix A:

Task and Finish Group to review the marking policy

Working Group on student course representation systems.
Sara Stock
Head of Registry
Appendix A
Working Groups’ Memberships and Terms of Reference
1. Task and Finish Group to review the Marking Policy
Membership
Dr David Pevalin, Dean of Science and Engineering (Chair)
Dr Peter Luther, Dean of Law and Management
Dr Simon Carmel, Associate Dean of Social Sciences
Dr Karen Hulme, Associate Dean of International Academy
In attendance
Liz Dobson-Mckittrick, Academic Standards and Partnerships Officer (Secretary)
TERMS OF REFERENCE
To review the University’s Marking Policy, with reference to the QAA UK Quality Code
Chapter B6: Assessment of students and accreditation of prior learning and other external
references.
II. To consult with departments and partners about existing practice within the University.
III. To consider how the process aligns with other institutions in the sector.
IV. To make recommendations to QAEC for revisions to the University’s Marking Policy in the
light of this review.
I.
2. Working group on course representative system
Membership
PVC Academic Standards & Partnerships: Jane Wright
Deputy Academic Registrar: Richard Stock
Academic Standards & Partnerships: Claire Nixon
Head of Department: Alison Rowland
Representative of Department Administrators: Denise Green
Students’ Union Vice President (Education): Zain Kukaswadia
Students’ Union Representation & Democracy Coordinator: Callum Morton
Student Course Representative: TBC
Secretary to the group: Elizabeth Dobson-McKittrick.
Terms of Reference:
i.
ii.
To review and enhance the Course Representative System to ensure that students are able
to communicate effectively their views to Academic Departments and the wider University;
To recommend mechanisms that will support partnership working between Academic
Departments and the Students’ Union in delivering the best possible Course Representative
System;
iii.
iv.
v.
vi.
1.
To consider and recommend appropriate mechanisms to ensure the effective promotion of
the Course Representative System among all students at all stages in the student lifecycle;
To review and enhance the training provided to Course Representatives and consider ways in
which the University can provide support;
To consider student views of the existing course representative arrangements, using a range
of sources, including student survey outcomes, Staff-Student Liaison Committees and the
Students’ Union;
To make recommendations to Quality Assurance and Enhancement Committee (QAEC) and
Students’ Union Education Committee as appropriate.
Student Charter Working Group
Membership
Mr Richard Barnard, Dean of Humanities and Comparative Studies, (Chair)
Dr Maria Fasli, Head of the School of Computer Science and Electronic Engineering
Ms Hannah Fletcher, Dignity and Respect Group
Ms Rachel Fletcher, Director of Student Support
Mr Hentley Ignatius, Students’ Union President
Mr Peter Luther, Dean of Law and Management
Mrs Claire Nixon, Deputy Academic Registrar (Academic Standards and Partnerships)
Mr Jak Peake, Lecturer in American Literature, Department of Literature, Film, and Theatre
Studies
Mrs Lindsey Russell, Deputy Director of Communications and External Relations (Marketing and
Student Recruitment)
Mr Craig Stephens, Students’ Union Chief Executive
Miss Camilla Thoresen, Students’ Union Vice-President (Education)
In attendance
Ms Jeanie Armstrong, Academic Standards and Partnerships Officer (Secretary)
Terms of Reference
i. To consider the outcomes and recommendations of the Government Student Charter Final
Report.
ii. To consult with the SU and academic departments and administrative sections and areas
within the University regarding the creation of a Student Charter.
iii. To produce a draft Essex Student Charter for consideration by QAEC and Senate.
2.
External Examiners Working Group
Membership
Professor Jane Wright, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Academic Standards) (Chair)
Mr Charles Hine, Curriculum Manager, Colchester Institute
Mr Peter Luther, Dean of Law and Management
Mrs Claire Nixon, Deputy Academic Registrar (Academic Standards and Partnerships)
Dr Tracy Robinson, Associate Dean of Science and Engineering
Dr Alison Rowlands, Head of Department of History
Miss Camilla Thoresen, Students’ Union Vice-President (Education)
In attendance
Ms Jeanie Armstrong, Academic Standards and Partnerships Officer (Secretary)
Terms of Reference
i. To evaluate recent thinking in relation to the role of external examiners and discuss how these
should influence current practice at the University.
ii. To review existing practice within the University in the light of revisions to the QAA UK
Quality Code with reference to external examiners.
iii. To maintain a watching brief in relation to policy developments within the sector and advise
QAEC accordingly.