QA48Form1 UG SSLC Annual Report
STAFF / STUDENT LIAISON COMMITTEE
ANNUAL REPORT FOR UNDERGRADUATE SSLCs in 2012/13
It is the responsibility of the Chair to ensure that a SSLC Annual Report is completed, in consultation with
student and staff members of the Committee (QA48 Section 7.1), by Friday 2 August 2013.
Please type this Annual Report and return electronically via email:
To: Advice and Representation Centre, Students’ Union, academicreps@bath.ac.uk
CC: Learning and Teaching Enhancement Office, learningandteaching@bath.ac.uk
1. Which degree programmes are covered by this Staff / Student Liaison Committee?
MPharm
USPAAFM03
USPAAFB02
USPAAKB02
USPAAKM02
BSc (hons) Pharmacology (Full-time)
BSc (hons) Pharmacology (Thick Sandwich)
MPharmacology (hons) (Thick Sandwich)
(Delete as applicable)
No
Yes
Is this SSLC for:
Undergraduate programmes only?
Undergraduate and postgraduate programmes?
2. Membership
Name
Chair
Secretary
Dr Jane Sutton
Ms Yuvika Rampal
Jo Davis
Online Election Process Contact
Dr Philip Rogers
(i.e. the member of staff within the
academic department responsible for
liaising with the SU over the annual
online election process)
Number of staff members:
10
Number of UG student members:
9
Number of PG student members:
1
Student?
Staff?
(Delete as applicable)
No
Yes
(Delete as applicable)
Yes
No
(N/A; should be a
member of staff)
Yes
(No; must be a
member of staff)
Yes
Invited to attend?
Receives Minutes?
(Delete as applicable)
Yes
(Delete as applicable)
Yes
Faculty Reps, Students’ Union, on the Board of Studies
Yes
Yes
Education Officer, Students’ Union
No
Yes*
(Not routinely invited to
attend)
(Not routinely invited to
attend)
(Not routinely invited to
attend)
Yes*
Subject Librarian
(SUeducation@bath.ac.uk)
Secretary to the Board of Studies
Secretary to the Faculty / School Learning, Teaching and
Quality Committee
Representation and Research Manager, Students’ Union
(academicreps@bath.ac.uk)
* Should routinely receive minutes of SSLC meetings
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Yes*
Yes*
3. Meetings
How many times has the SSLC met during this academic year?
4 standard meetings and 1 open meeting
If there were fewer than 4 meetings this year, please indicate why
N/A
4. Items, Issues and Good Practice
This table is to record key issues and topics. These will be used to inform an institutional-wide report from the
Students’ Union detailing items that both the University and Students’ Union should consider in 2013/14.
Example areas (this is not a
comprehensive list of topics
covered; feel free to add
details of others issues
covered by your SSLC)
Last year’s SSLC Annual
Report
Programme content and
delivery (but not individual
lecturers), changes to existing
units / programmes and
proposals for new units /
programmes
Record key items
discussed
Made available for
students to comment on
via Moodle
Meeting 1.
QA48 and requirements of
SSLC.
Election of Chair.
Any example(s) of
Good Practice
Encourage
understanding of
University role and
student participation
Students encouraged to
elect a Chair from their
membership
Any action taken
Members signposted to copy
of QA48
Lucy Kerr (MPharm 3) Chair,
Dr Paul de Bank – vice chair.
Approved
Minutes of meeting on
17/03/2013 agreed
Consultation of students
An SSLC Open Meeting to
be held in December
Speed of lectures/use of
microphones
Listening to students’
concerns
Meeting 2
Concluded discussion at
higher level would be
necessary as usual protocol
for recording is restricted to
those students with a
disability.
Approved
Response to student
needs
Dr Rogers to take these
ideas forward with a view to
incorporating them in unit
evaluation in the future.
Involving students in
Dr Rogers to ask staff in
Three unit changes
discussed
Good Practice Discussion.
Student Reps asked for
ideas for student
involvement in QA and
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enhancement. One idea
had been put forward for
PG students to design the
questions that are included
in unit evaluations. This
could be adapted for UG
use.
decisions about
programme content
Involving students in
decisions about
evaluation. Making
evaluation of units more
student-focussed.
Meeting 3
each of the disciplines to
communicate deadlines
amongst themselves to
ensure that the burden of
coursework is spread.
Dr Rogers to discuss with
individual staff whether the
hand writing of essays is still
appropriate
Students commented on
deadlines for coursework
asking for these to be
spread out across the
semester where possible
Meeting student’s needs.
Improving
communication.
Meeting 4 (OPEN)
The HoD brought the
students up-to-date and will
ensure that any
developments are
communicated to students
as soon as they happen
The hand writing of year 1
essays was discussed with
reasons for and against.
Tier-5 visas for
international students are
likely to cause challenges
to some e.g. financial
Ensuring that the
programme is kept up-todate
Answering students’
concerns
Information to support
students in making
informed Unit choices
Meeting 1
Procedure outlined
Unit evaluation forms to be
uploaded to Moodle. Reps
asked to look at these and
provide feedback.
Pharmacology students
asked for more choice in
UG research projects
Meeting 2
Discussion re maternity
leave of a member of staff
who runs a fourth year
option and how students’
choices might be
accommodated in other
units.
Meeting 3
Option choices and
allocation processes.
Meeting 4
Meeting students’ needs
Ensuring, where
possible, that students
are able to take the unit
options of their choice.
Discussion on how
process could be
changed – from first
come first served to a
ranking order.
Open Meeting
No matters raised
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Reliant on availability of staff
but Dr Rogers to investigate
for next academic year
Students offered other
options.
Speak with Samis team
about changing the selection
process to a 1-3 preference
system.
Timetabling
Meeting 1
Students informed by Chair
and staff that timetable had
been reviewed during
summer by student and
staff members.
Meeting 1
Reflection that timetables
better organised in
comparison to last year.
Meeting 2
Meeting 1
Situation recognised by
students and staff.
No issues raised
Meeting 3
Students raised issue of no
lunch breaks in timetable.
Meeting 4
No issues raised.
Group work
Staff members asked to
appreciate the disruption
of eating during
lunchtime workshops or
to offer a short break to
facilitate comfort breaks.
Meeting 1
(see student support)
Meeting 2
No matters raised
Meeting 3
No matters raised
Meeting 4
No matters raised
Open meeting
No matters raised
Assessment and
Feedback, including
examinations (if applicable)
Meeting 1
Student representation on
DTLQC
Participation encouraged
but Chair and DoT
expressed a wish that
students do not take on
too many responsibilities.
Suggested a different
student attend each
DTLQC to minimise
burden
1 student SSLC member to
attend DTLQC
Unit report forms will be
uploaded to Moodle for
students’ comments
Transparency in unit
reporting
Reports uploaded and no
comments received
Usage of moodle
Discussion on possible
reasons for lack of
engagement in unit
feedback and evaluation
surveys.
Students asked to guide
fellow students to the new
evaluation links on Moodle
site and to encourage
constructive engagement.
Student participation in
innovatio
Dr Rogers to email staff
asking that key points be
provided to students in
some form. This was done.
Ensuring that MPharm
students are fully aware
of patient safety
concerns with regards to
pharmacy practice.
Students would be fully
briefed on the new
procedure prior to the exam
period. This was done.
Meeting 2
Student reps asked to
remind their fellow
students of the Computer
mobile online survey
Meeting 3
A new system for
assessment of clinical
exams for MPharm
students had been put in
place to ensure patient
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safety. This was discussed
with all present.
Meeting 4
(see next section on
‘Feedback Policy’)
Feedback Policy
Survey results (e.g. NSS,
Unit & Programme
Evaluations)
External Examiners
Reports and University
response
Skills development and
training
At meeting 4 Dr Rogers
asked students to visit the
feedback policy page on
Moodle and page 70 of the
student handbook and feed
back to him by the first
week of June. He
requested that they assess
it in terms of a statement of
policy and not on unit
issues, as these should be
in their own pages on
Moodle
Meeting 3
The process of Unit
evaluations was discussed.
Ensuring that students
are fully involved in
consultation and
feedback processes.
Volunteer student scrutiny of
the draft PA-timetable will
take place in 2013-14 as a
trial
Unit evaluation results
and action plans were
placed on Moodle for
SSLC reps to
disseminate with
colleagues.
These are placed on the
SSLC page on Moodle and
students are notified that
they are there. They are
invited to comment to Dr
Rogers.
Meeting 1
No matters discussed
Meeting 2
No matters raised
Meeting 3
No matters raised
Meeting 4
No matters raised
Meeting 5 (OPEN)
No matters raised
Student support (including
progress monitoring and the
Personal Tutor system)
Meeting 1
Support services outlined
Meeting 2
Due to staff changes some
students would be
allocated a new personal
tutor. Students involved
would be notified as soon
as possible
Ensuring students’ are
aware of support network
to ensure their own and
each other’s wellbeing
Continuity of student
support
Meeting 3
Meeting 4
No matters raised
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Students reassigned.
Meeting 5 (Open)
Ms Marlene Bertrand –
University Equality &
Diversity Manager gave a
presentation on the effects
of E&D on teacher/student
behaviour and encouraged
students to take the online
test (all staff have done
this).
Library provision (Was the
Subject Librarian invited to
attend to discuss relevant
issues?)
Ensuring that students
are fully aware of, and
have the opportunity to
discuss, all University
policies that relate to
their experience at the
University of Bath.
Students wish to have a rep
with special responsibilities
for E&D issues. This was
discussed with SU who felt
this was not necessary as all
reps should be aware of
E&D issues.
The subject librarian, Linda
Humphries is a standing
member and is invited to
and attends all meetings.
Meeting 1
Outlined her role as
subject librarian.
The library catalogue had
been updated over the
summer and Linda would
welcome students’
comments.
Last academic year there
had been problems with
students not logging off
from PCs and so others
could not use them. A new
system had been
introduced whereby PCs
automatically log off after
being idle for 20 minutes.
Linda asked for feedback
on this new system.
Use and introduction of
more e-books.
Meeting 2
Use of library space
discussed.
Meeting 3
Some staff use different
referencing styles and
Meeting 4
Following feedback re
referencing guide it had
been decided that the
library should keep copies
of the different referencing
styles and these are
available on request at the
information desk
Responding to students’
needs
Ensuring library
resources match
students’ needs
Ensuring all key books
are available in sufficient
quantities and where
necessary high demand
books be made available
online.
Understanding of where
P&P students value as
main efficient study area:
silent/quiet/group areas.
Meeting student and staff
needs
Meeting 5 (Open)
No issues raised
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Linda was to feedback to
library meeting in order for
students views to be
included in library
development and expansion
plans.
IT and / or e-Learning
provision (Was a member of
Meeting 1
the relevant team invited to
attend to discuss relevant
issues?)
Feedback on freshers
week presentation.
Meeting 2
Departmental IT advisor
invited to all future
meetings and he or his
equivalent to be co-opted
as a standing staff member
of SSLC in the future
Document released on
moodle to ensure student
awareness and
understanding of IT
system is developed.
Meeting 3
No issues raised.
Other academic
resources (teaching
See ‘Timetabling’
No issues raised – covered
in other sections
accommodation, research
facilities and electronic
resources)
Careers provision (Was a
representative of the Careers
Service invited to attend to
discuss relevant issues?)
Other issues or SSLC
initiatives (if the SSLC
covers both UG and PG
students, include, for example,
supervisory arrangements [but
not individual supervisors] and
research training)
No relevant issues.
students kept aware of visa
changes and work permits.
Requests had been made
last year for a water cooler
to be placed in the
Department
Water cooler installed in
foyer.
This has been done
5. Unresolved issues
Which of the issues discussed during this year remain unresolved and what steps are being taken to resolve them?
Timetabling issues remain a problem.
6. Online election process contact for 2013/14
Who will be the Online Election Process Contact for the academic department? (i.e. the member of staff within the academic
department responsible for liaising with the Students’ Union over the annual online election process to promote and to market the
online election process for student representatives)
Name:
Dr Philip Rogers
Ext.:
Email:
P.J.Rogers@bath.ac.uk
7. Authorisation
It is the responsibility of the Chair to ensure that a SSLC Annual Report is completed, in consultation with student and
staff members of the Committee (QA48: Section 7.1).
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Chair of the SSLC
Signature:
Date:26/05/14
L. Kerr
Print Name:
LUCY KERR
In the absence of the Chair, the Annual Report may be signed-off by the Director of Studies or Secretary of the SSLC
Signature:
Print Name:
Date:
When you have completed this form, please return via email by Friday 2 August 2013:
To: Advice and Representation Centre, Students’ Union, academicreps@bath.ac.uk
CC: Learning and Teaching Enhancement Office, learningandteaching@bath.ac.uk
The form should be returned by this deadline even if you have further meetings scheduled in the current
academic year; the draft form should, where possible, be circulated to members of the SSLC for comment by
email.
The Secretary should keep a copy for departmental records AND place on the agenda for the first meeting of
the SSLC in the new academic year.
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