Science, Society and Management Union School Committee Meeting
Wednesday 23rd November 2011
Attendance: Reps; David Glover, Sarah Teale, Alka Desai, Holly Clarke, Joe Maddison, Ewan
Gibson, Laura Pittard, Megan Russell, Ryan Hickmott, Neal Patel, Martha Skinner, Anes Jyotindra,
Patsy Blackburn, Jennifer Morris, Emma Greenwell, Alex Hyde, Charlotte Treharne, Head of
Department: Business and Management Cathy Leng, Head of Department: Social Science Dr Mark
McGuinness, Head of Department: Science Dr David Watson; Students’ Union President Richard
Bidgood, Membership Services Assistant Simon Antrobus
Matters Arising
Union School Committee Meeting
DW: How is this meeting and the Staff Student meetings different and how do they relate to each
other?
RB: This is a forum to discuss issues relating to courses and timetabling etc The Staff Student
meetings are more in-depth than this meeting.
Seating
Alex: Newton NE.2.03 – The study chairs in this room are ok for lectures, but not for seminars. Could
these chairs be replaced with tables and chairs?
The study chairs in this room are there to increase the way the room can be used. With the study
chairs the room can be configured for group work and be used for lectures. The rooms in Dairy block
were the same and we asked for them to be replaced and now the rooms have tables and chairs. We
found that half like the study chairs and half dislike them.
Action RB: Will bring this up with Carolyn Puddicombe
Elective Modules & Second Subjects
Point raised about electives and second award and whether the second subject could be optional not
compulsory.
Could the optional module be within the degree that they are doing? The elective module in first year
is confusing for first years. Could we be able to choose a module even if it doesn’t fit our timetable?
Only 50% of modules available because they conflict with timetables. Choice of second module taken
away from you. The University is saying you can take any module, but some students are unable to
take them.
Do second subjects benefit the students? It is only when you do it that it becomes relevant. If it is
viable we have put extra staff on for students who want to do a real mix of subjects.
MR: Sociology choices are so big. Students have been moved from a Thurs seminar to a Friday
seminar, which for some is their day off because there are so many people in the groups. Sometimes
it is those people who have put it as their first choice and those who picked it as their second choice
weren’t moved. This doesn’t seem to be fair. Could they not prioritise the first choice students?
MM: suggested that this is something they need to look at.
Printing
Is it possible to get a printer at the Newton Building end of site? Is there a way of topping up print
credits online? In the resources room in Twinhow there is a printer that doesn’t work and there are 8
computers in this room.
RB: From a meeting he has had with Head of Library and Information Services Alison Baud, they are
currently looking into this.
Lockers
JenM: Is it possible to have lockers somewhere on campus? When cycling to University it can be
difficult. Students are prepared to hire them, or leave a deposit.
JenM: Even if they were located outside? Say Stanton, Newton, Newton Annex or SU. And property
left at own risk.
Action RB: It has been looked at in previous years. The Estates department have said there is not
enough space. Will re-raise this issue with the University.
Timetabling
AD: Is it possible for Undergraduates to start on Week 1 and not Week 6, as it is very confusing.
Week 1 is when the PGCE students start. This complaint has been brought up. Students are given
confusing documents at the start of term. As a first year it is not easy. It is made confusing for
thousands, just for a few hundred PGCE students. It needs to be better advertised so it is not so
confusing. It is confusing having an A and B Week. Could we have a two week timetable? Could it be
mentioned in the Module Handbook? They are currently changing the template of the Module
Handbook, may be we could get involved in that.
Action RB: Will bring this up at a meeting with Deputy Registrar Kate Davies and feedback.
Inter Library Loans
Charlotte: 10 loans a year, 30 over 3 years. However, students use more in their third year.
Matt Durant says that you can have more, but it comes out of the Department budget. Students don’t
mind paying. Can we look into that? Suggested 10 loans a year, but any left over from first and
second years of study rollover to your third year. May be allocations could be attached to the
departments. Suggested all unused Inter Library Loans from the previous year be rolled over into a
Department pool to be allocated to students who need them.
Action RB: Rollover of unused Inter Library Loans into Departments from previous years. More
awareness of this service needs to be advertised across all years. Will find out and feedback.
Dirty Students’ Union
JenM: The toilets and the tables within the SU are very dirty. Who is responsible for clearing the
tables?
Action RB: Talk to the Students’ Union Bars Manager Diane Starling.
Text Messaging
JenM: Is it possible to have text messaging to inform students that lectures have been cancelled?
Some travel in from far away sometimes 30 minutes or an hour and some have paid for childcare.
RB: This was mentioned at the E-learning Committee. It was put forward, but was seen as not viable.
From a department point of view would it work?
CL: What is a reasonable amount of time to inform a student that a lecture is cancelled?
Action RB: Will re-raise it at the E-learning Committee. We have a new Communications Manager at
the University. May be this is something he could look into.
Drinking Fountain
JenM: Drinks fountain mains feed to fill drinks bottles.
Action RB: Will talk to the University estates department.
Buses
PB: the SPA2 stops before the bus station in the car park around the corner, not a good stop when it’s
dark and late.
RB: Having a meeting with the Regional Executive for the South West. Will raise issues of capacity,
timetabling and why at certain times the bendy buses are not used. It takes a long time to trickle down
from meetings. Encourage the students to fill in the Student Survey so we can be aware of Peak
times etc so things can be improved. Also encourage students to fill in complaints forms, so we can
then feed these back to the Bath Depot Manager. We are currently working together towards a
service level agreement. This contract would have targeted capacity for certain higher demand times.
This way we can hold them to account using the contract. The service will come up for renewal and
companies will be tendering for the route. We are in a good position.
Sociology Workshops
MR: Why are there workshops after seminars? It would be better if it was every 3 weeks and not 2
hours long. We have done referencing times.
MM: Team must deliver these study skills. 2 hours is better than coming in twice for just one hour
JoeM: Last year I had duplicate workshops
CL: Duplicated because of second subjects. The study skills have been embedded in the course.
Looking forward to 2012, this will be more important, as students will be paying higher amounts.
Facebook Schools and Department Groups
RB: Facebook groups set up for schools and departments. This hopefully will increase the information
to the meetings and feedback to the reps the answers. Minutes for meetings will be on Minerva and
feedback from points ACTIONED. Comments posted at the bottom of the page with feedback and
answers. Reps can also look at different course and Departments, and Schools.