Minutes of the meeting held on Friday 14 December 2012
Present: Keir Bailey, Dr C Baumann, Dr C Beale, Dr G Blanco, Boris Bongalev, Dr
S Chawla, Dr J Edwards, Dr G Evans, Dr J Ferrari, Dr F Frame,
Ross Gurden, Dr A Hodge, Dr H Isaacs , Alex Kalebka, Ms J Knox, Ms
J Lee, Sian Lomax, Dr P Mayhew, Dr O Missa, Dr J Moir, Dr A Mountford,
Dr J Pillmoor, Dr M Plevin, Prof J Potts , Dr M E Pownall, Sophie Quick, Ms
E Rand, Dr K Redeker, Mr D Spillett, Dr S Sweeney , Dr G Thomas,
Dr R Waites (Chair), Ms C Wales, Ms J E White, Prof P Young.
Apologies for absence: Gareth Ashworth, Dr D Barilla, Prof M Brockhurst, Ms
N Charlton, Dr J Chong, Dr M Coles, Dr D Coverley, Dr C Dytham, Dr
C Elliott, Dr D Franks, Dr P Genever , Dr A Harrison, Dr T Helgason, Prof
J Hill , Dr L Jones, Ms J Lord, Dr J Pitchford, Dr M Schultze, Prof D Smith,
Prof R Twarock, Dr D Ungar , Mr M Wilkinson, Katie Wilson, Dr J Wood, Dr
M van der Woude.
12/047 Minutes of the previous Board of Studies meeting
The Board approved the minutes of the meeting held on 24 October 2012.
12/048 Matters arising from Board of Studies a) “Journal clubs” for final year students (arising from BoS 12/034)
Dr Moir confirmed that each student should present a paper once, resulting in 4-5 sessions for the group, and agreed to make this amendment to the module synopsis.
12/049 Report from the Chair of the Board of Studies a) Annual Programme Review
Dr Waites reported that the Department had recently submitted its
APR, which is a University requirement for maintaining quality and reporting issues and good practice in teaching. The Board thanked all contributors, particularly Dr Moir who had collated reports and Dr
Isaacs who responded to issues relating to examinations. The Board recognised the importance of keeping the external examiners informed of changes made. b) Assessment and feedback
Dr Waites reported that he had responded on the Board’s behalf to an 8-question memo from the Pro Vice Chancellor for teaching, commenting that the Department felt restricted by the constriction on the timing of assessment in the summer term, which limited time for marking and administration. Dr Waites also stressed the need for coordination of policies and procedures across undergraduate and taught Masters programmes, which was highlighted in the
Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey. c) Recording of lectures (arising from BoS *12/046)
Dr Waites reminded the Board that lecturers may opt to have lectures given in B002, B006 or V045 recorded and made available to
Biology Board of Studies, 14 December 2012 Page 1

students for revision (staff should contact Paul Waites to make arrangements). The policy would be reviewed at the end of the year to evaluate take-up and decide whether it would be better for staff to opt-in or opt-out of the system. Dr Waites agreed to find out for how long the recorded material would be available. d) National Student Survey
Dr Waites reminded the Board that the survey would run from week 3 to the end of April, and all students should be encouraged to interact with this survey, as its results were very important to the University. e) VLE access
Dr Waites reported that a new application to give access to the VLE via electronic devices was available, and invited feedback on its usefulness to Christine
O’Dea. f) Student representatives
Dr Waites welcomed new student representatives, noting that elections were currently under way for a vacant position (stage 2 representative).
12/050 Report from the Student Representatives a) Students commented on the increased price of printing (from 3p to 5p per page) and software problems, and noted that, following a meeting with IT technicians, software revisions would be put in place and a third printer provided. b) The Board supported the request from students that VLE pages be made live before the start of term, and noted that all students will now be able to see all modules (not just those in which they were registered). c) Students informed the Board that they were facilitating the sale of second hand textbooks from one cohort to another. d) The Board commended the students on the introduction of a newsletter informing their peers of the activity of the Staff Student
Liaison Group. e) Students requested that, where possible, more places might be made available for private study within the Department (in addition to the concourse and common room), and extra powerpoints provided; this was referred to Ms Cartwright.
12/051 Minutes of Biology Undergraduate Studies Board
The Board noted the minutes of the meeting held on 30 November 2012
12/052 Annual planning for 2013-14 (arising from Biology Undergraduate Studies
Board 12/18)
Dr Moir introduced the proposed revisions to the course for 2013-14.
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a) Stage one:
The Board noted revised synopses for 06C Scientific and transferable skills and 04C Molecular biology and biochemistry. b) Stage two:
The Board noted the revision to create a 30-credit module
Scientific skills (including tutorials), which would allow students to take one additional 10-credit module and provide a more rounded scientific education in preparation for transition to specialist final year modules. .
The Board noted that the previous 20-credit module on cell biology was divided to form two 10-credit modules, namely Cell biology, and Metabolism in health and disease.
The Board noted that the module previous offered on Human
Genetics will move into the final year from 2015/16; it could not be offered in 2013/14 (as students will have taken a similar module in stage 2) or 2014/15 (as students returning from year away would have taken a similar module in stage 2).
The Board then considered the synopsis for the new 10-credit module Genetics III, prepared by Dr Schultze. There was concern that the module would not prepare students sufficiently for a final year module in human genetics, and staff agreed to consider incorporating some genetic material into other modules eg
Molecular biotechnology (Dr Jones) or Evolutionary and population genetics (Dr Ferrari). The Board noted that newly appointed members of staff, particularly those considering offering final year modules in future, may wish to contribute to this module. The
Board also noted that this module will be optional for Biochemistry students (although they do not take Genetics II), and may be suitable for Biomedical Science students in 2014/15 onwards. The
Board agreed that Genetics III should run for 2013/14 as outlined in the synopsis, and be reviewed in the Autumn term 2013 prior to agreement of the plan for 2014/15.
The Board noted that modules in Neuroscience and Evolutionary and population genetics will be offered in the spring/summer terms.
The Board noted the synopsis for the 10-credit module 18I Post genomic biotechnology (prepared by Prof Potts on behalf of Dr
James Chong).
The Board noted the new synopsis for Year in Industry.
The Board noted that students specialising in Ecology have only one compulsory module in Stage two (Animal and plant ecology); if students were unable to attend the Millport field course (held at the end of Stage 1), there were few choices in the autumn term.
The Board asked Ecology Subject Committee to consider this for
Stage 2 in 2014/15. c) Stage three:
The Board noted that Cell and tissue engineering moved to the autumn term, and Epigenetics in development and disease moved to the spring term.
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The Board noted that Biorenewables will be renamed Biofuels and biotechnology, and moved to the spring term.
The Board noted the cancellation of Advanced topics in developmental genetics and revision of 01H Advanced topics in developmental biology, with a revised synopsis.
The Board approved the synopsis for a new 10-credit autumn term module Environmental microbiology organised by Dr
Helgason and suitable for Genetics, Ecology and BTM students.
In response to a query from a student studying Ecology, Dr Waites asked Ecology Subject Committee to consider whether final year students might be guided to take any elective modules offered by
Environment Department.
The Board noted that with 27 modules offered in Stage 3, the administrative workload was high and the assessment timetable was congested, and Subject Committees were encouraged to streamline modules. Dr Waites reminded the Board that if fewer than 15 students selected a module, it would be cancelled.
12/053 Biochemistry Executive Committee
The Board noted that minutes from the meeting held on 13 December 2012 will be circulated in the Spring term.
Dr Baumann informed the Board that a workshop on essay questions in exams offered to Stage 2 Biochemistry students had been well received, and would be offered to Biology students in the next academic year.
12/054 Biology Graduate School Board
The Board noted that minutes from the meeting held on 13 December 2012 will be circulated in the Spring term.
12/055 Biology Masters Board
The Board noted the minutes of the meeting held on 29 November 2012.
Arising from minute 12/33 Dr Waites agreed to look into the funding of printer credit for Masters students, since students were currently required to hand in hard copies of assessments. Student representatives agreed to find out the situation in other departments. The Board noted that Dr
Baumann and Ms Rand were exploring the possibility of accepting electronic copies of assessments, which would shift the cost of printing, where required, to marking staff (not to office staff). There were no objections to this proposal from those present at the meeting.
12/056 Library matters
Although unable to attend the meeting, Mr Wilkinson reminded Board members, especially student representatives, to participate in the consultation on returning items to the library.
12/057 Date of next meeting
The next meeting of the Board of Studies will take place on Friday Week 10 of the spring term, 15 March 2013
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12/058 Timetabling, 2013/14 onwards
Ms Wales informed the Board that the autumn term will start a week earlier than usual. It would not be possible for the Masters programmes to start a week earlier, so their teaching would continue into week 11 of the autumn term.
The Board also noted that lectures will be timetabled on the hour on
Heslington West (to start at 5 minutes past and finish at five minutes to the hour) to allow transfer time for students moving between the west and east campuses.
12/059 Natural Sciences development group
Dr Moir informed the Board that he was the departmental contact for this interdisciplinary programme (Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Maths,
Archaeology, Environment, and Philosophy) which will commence 2015.
Student representatives left the meeting at this point, before discussion of starred items.
*12/060 Student changes, Autumn term 2012
The Board noted the student changes.
*12/061 Starred minutes of Biology Masters Board
The Board noted the revisions to the courses for EEM and Bioscience
Technology, resulting from comments made by the External Examiners.
JEW/RW
11/1/12
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Action points arising from Biology Board of Studies, 14 December2012
All staff

To make proposals on general stage 1 textbooks to JM (BoS 12/034f)

To note revised deadlines for preparation of exam papers (BoS 12/036d)
Chair/Secretary BoS

To make amendment to the minutes (BoS 12/033)

To seek students views on library matters (BoS 12/041) and recording of
 lectures (12/046)
Chair BUSB

To amend details of scientific skills in stage 2 (BoS 12/036g)
Dr Set Chong

To provide module synopsis for project for visiting students (BoS 12/037)
Bring forward

Arrangements for visiting students on year away out of the UK (arising from
BoS 12/018a)
– JM/MS
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