Department of Psychological Sciences
Staff Meeting
Monday 2nd July 2012, Room 101, 30 Russell Square
Minutes
Present: Mike Oaksford (Chair), Naomi Adams (minutes) , Ted Barker, Jacqueline Barnes, ,
Rabinder Bery, Jacqueline Barnes, Geoff Bird, Rick Cooper, Suraj Durbar, ,Francesca
Gumbs, Rick Cooper, Eddy Davelaar, Naz Derakhshan, Virge Eatough, Martin Eimer , Simon
Green, Annette Karmiloff Smith , Anna Lewin , Matthew Longo, Jen Mackay, , Becky Morris,
Anne Miles, Mahen Padayachee, Harish Patel, Clare Press, Angelica Ronald, Kirsty Rowan,
Alex Shepherd, , Tim Smith, Fiona Tasker, Michael Thomas, Richard Throup, James
Vallerine, Amy Valentine, Magnus Vaughan, Ruben Zamora.
ALL STAFF:
1.
Introduction
1.1 Welcome to new staff
MO welcomed new members of staff, Clare Press, Suraj Durbar and Amy
Valentine.
2.
Matters Arising
2.1 School status: progress to date.
MO reported that although the Master had said that the department should be a
school in all but name, there had been no visible change, and he had met with
him last week to discuss this. Lines of communication are still going through the
Executive Dean’s office although promises had been made to amend that.
Regarding budgets, the department had been shown as running a deficit for two
years but that was down to estates charges being wrongly calculated on FTE
rather than on square footage.
3.
Grants (FROM RES COMMITTEE Minutes)
Royal Society
British Academy
Innovative Medicines Initiative
Dr E Meaburn
Prof Naz Derakshan
Prof Mark Johnson
14,160
9,546
651,800
MO said that the current IDM showed a drop in grant income but as new grants
were coming on stream regularly this was not accurate. He also congratulated
Angelica Ronald on winning the Spearman Medal.
4.
Staffing Issues
4.1 No plans for further recruitment.
After the rapid expansion of the last few years there are no plans for further
recruitment of staff as the introduction of higher fees mean that student numbers
are likely to fall substantially. MO noted that the traditional BBK students seem to
be the most affected (50% down currently on last year) , with UCAS holding up
well compared to last year. 2011 had been the largest intake yet, however, so the
drop leaves us with what looks like a more traditional intake in terms of numbers.
There is a recruitment event on 18th July.
5.
Accommodation and Planning
5.1 Lab development – via generating surpluses.
The plan is still to expand into the basement for additional lab space. Mark
Johnson et al are preparing a bid to the Wohl Foundation for an expansion to 32
Torrington – the college has agreed to match funding.
6.
Recruitment and Budgets
MO reported that we are aiming for a similar income to last year – the BSc 4th
year cohort is large so this should be achievable even with a drop in year 1. Next
year’s recruitment will be crucial although the College has large reserves.
ACADEMIC STAFF:
7.
Minutes of the Previous Meeting
The minutes of the previous meeting were approved.
8.
Matters arising
8.1 Final year projects
MO noted that with a large final year cohort the pressure on project supervisors
was increased. He recommended group supervision and online projects as a way
to ease this. SG suggested using prepared proposals, and on behalf of Jonathan
Smith reminded staff that students were not meant to be preparing before 1st
October as this gave an unfair advantage to some.
9.
Items from the Chair
9.1 International Programme
MO updated on the International Programme - we are in a consortium with RHUL
and Goldsmiths and hope to go into profit within 5 years. The University of
London is paying all upfront costs and Roz Dixon has been seconded to work on
the programme. There had been some issues with RHUL wishing to withdraw but
top down pressure form their senior management had resulted in them remaining
in the consortium. The delays caused by this mean the roll out date will probably
now be October 2013 rather than January, which will of course have a knock on
delay on realising any profits.
10.
Report from the Chair of the Dept’al Research Committee (MO)
MO reported that there had been a problem with appointing additional GTAs and
at the IDM meeting, it had been said that they could not be appointed before
student numbers were known, and would be revisited in January. As REF is only
counting doctorates awarded in the period, not numbers on the books, they would
not count. This raises the issue of determining prospective funding using a
retrospective measure.
ME reported on REF. The staff census date is 30th September 2013, and we will
do another dry run in the autumn of this year. The impact case studies are being
prepared and will be refined over the next six months. The return will be more
selective as 2* research will not be funded. Last time BBK submitted 90% of staff,
there will be a substantial drop in this figure, and only staff with an overall profile
of 11*/16* will be submitted.
11.
Report from the Chair of the Learning and Teaching Committee (SG)
SG noted that the PG Taught Committee needed to meet more regularly and to
have a representative on the Learning and Teaching Committee.
A curriculum review group (headed by SG) has been set up to look at duplication
across courses.
SG stressed the importance of retention with recruitment down, and said that
there would be a new job spec for personal tutors, who would need to be more
proactive, particularly in the first term.
The issue of year one essays and the rate of panic among students was raised.
Making them optional was suggested but they will still need to get the first essay
out of the way at some point. SG and KR are coming up with solutions.
12.
Report from the Chair of the Resources Committee (AS)
AS reported that BBK is to get a Matlab site licence, and that additional bubble
forms had been ordered for the multiple choice exams. There had been a small
surplus left on the equipment budget, and various suggestions had been made as
to how to spend it. It was agreed that buying things that benefited the most
people was the way to go and AS will send round the suggestions to the
committee.
13.
AOB
The non-professorial rep on the SPG was discussed and it was agreed to keep
FD for one year, then vote again as he would have been on the group for three
years.