DRAFT
The UNIVERSITY of GREENWICH
SCHOOL OF HUMANITIES
Minutes of the School Board,
Wednesday 7 December 2005, 14.15, Room QM 063
Present:
Jane Longmore (Chair)
Christine Morgan
Noel Campbell
Peter Humm
Maria Kaspersson
Stefan Manz
Gauti Sigthorsson
Sid Jayakumar
Louise Bell
Edward Phillips
Lucy Yeatman
Amanda Kneller (Secretary)
Alev Adil
Harry Derbyshire
Rebecca Harrison
Stephen Kennedy
Mairead McClean
Silvia Stanton
Sue Edwards
Carolyn Brown
Stephanie Polski
Michael Zell
Lorraine Lacey
Alessandro Benati
John Dunne
Gareth Jenkins
Michael Langan
Craig Morris
Douglas Stuart
Suzanne Healey
Fiona Devlin
John Williams
June Ernstzen
Mick Bowles
Sue Golding
Peter Jones
Denise Leggett
Xose Rosales
Ros Davies
Dev Moodley
Pippa Guard
Paul Wingrove
Apologies:
Richard Wild
Sasha Ricketts
Selina Goulbourne
Nandini Dasgupta
Susan Rowland
Sally Alsford
Ian Thompson
Caroline Smith
Steve Peacock
Andrew Dawson
Alisa Corfield
Corinne Palmer-Brown
Angela Laycock
Bob Tsukada Bright
Simon Dye
Thomas Acton
June Balshaw
Caroline Searchfield
Terry Cannon
Jim Urpeth
Cecile Laval
Sandra Clarke
Bridget Leach
Zoe Pettit
Vicki Joyce
Jenny Bavidge
Zoe Pettit
Mavis James
1.
Chair’s Announcements:
Welcome back to Sid Jayakumar and in absentia - Mavis James.
Welcome to Stephanie Polski – Lecturer in Film Studies.
Thanks to Noemi Almeida and Val Osborne for their assistance in the Admin Team.
2.
Minutes of Meeting 26/10/05:
Agreed as a correct record with one amendment:
DL requested addition to paragraph 4 of the Vice Chancellor’s Visit: “The VC acknowledged
good teaching is as essential to the work of the university as research.”
3.
Matters Arising:
None.
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4.
Approval of External Examiners:
The Chair emphasized the role of External Examiners as vital to the work of the school and
asked for negotiations with examiners to be given the highest priority. Colleagues must take
responsibility for providing the Learning and Quality Office with the relevant documentation.
Approval was granted for the following appointments:
Dr Ian Waters -
BA Hons Criminology
BSC Criminal Justice Studies
Mr Darren Royston -
BA Hons Dance and Theatre Performance
Professor Jonathan Ree - MA Philosophy
Mr Stephen Parrott -
MSc Criminal Justice Studies
MA International Criminology
Additional responsibilities for existing external examiners:
Mr Anthony Corcoran - Foundation Degree Performing Arts WKC
Foundation Degree Music Production WKC
5.
Dr Edmund Cusick -
MA by Research
Dr John Rees-Smith -
Chief Undergraduate External
Minutes of UG Staff/Student Committee 30/11/05
University constitution encourages attendance of student reps at school boards. However,
students are reluctant to attend. The Chair proposed to supply School Board minutes to
subsequent Staff/Student Committees as a compromise. Debate ensued on the best way to
proceed.
ACTION: Chair to ask UG and PG senior tutors to arrange the attendance of student
representatives at the next School Board.
Student Conduct: The new students’ disciplinary procedure has had approval and is
available from the intranet and at School Reception. A panel will meet weekly to address
submissions.
Changing Fees: The Chair requested board members to remain abreast of available
information to ensure we pass on the most accurate information to students. Prof SG
requested an increase in the amount of instalments available. SE clarified restrictions as due
to credit licence legislation rather than university bureaucracy. The Chair confirmed a
tougher line is being taken towards chronic debtors this year and while financial hardship
cannot warrant submission of an extenuating circumstances claim, in genuine cases of need,
support and help including financial advice and Access to Learning Fund are available. With
overseas students, a requirement of their entry visas is agreement they have enough funds to
complete their course of study.
Self-service hand-in of coursework: Business and CMS have pilot schemes in place to test
the validity of this process.
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ACTION: The Chair to inform the next UG S/S meeting the situation is still under
discussion.
6.
Minutes of PG Staff/Student Committee 14/11/05
While students had difficulties with administrative areas of the university, they praised the
quality of teaching and course content. EP acknowledged the huge task carried out by
registry staff and queried whether the school could supply a person to welcome students
during induction week rather than having security personnel standing guard.
ACTION: JD and JW to draft a response to the Postgraduates Staff-Student
Committee.
ACTION: JL to convene a group to improve students’ induction experience.
7.
Learning and Quality Committee 23/11/05
Last LQC requested discussion Of the first National Student Survey. As a public survey
with the results widely available, this will be highly influential to the public’s perception of
us. The board agreed action needs to be taken by departments in explaining the purpose and
significance of the survey to students.
8.
School Assessment Working Group
The Code of Practice is being revised to align our assessment procedures with the university
regulations. The Chair confirmed working groups will continue to develop the Code and the
final draft will be considered by School Board before the ultimate version is published.
The Board discussed the following:

Advice to give students on late coursework: should students abandon the work or be
encouraged to complete it for possible submission later in the year?

Extenuating Circumstances: Where students do not submit an EC form, should staff
still provide feedback?

Plagiarism: The three points from the paper will be discussed further.
PJ requested all items for next SAWG be delivered by Tuesday, 13 December.
9.
Research Committee
No matters for approval or further discussion.
10.
Health and Safety
To prevent users suffering frost bite, The Chair advised Prof. SG to contact Facilities
Management to stop the air conditioning coming on in the performance space, each evening
at 7.30.
LY: Overcrowding continues to be a problem but is shifting from being an issue of H&S to
one of retention.
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SE: encouraged new, returning or relocating staff to have a DSE assessment of their work
space.
11.
AOB:
The Chair paid tribute to everyone’s hard work this term.
Date of next meeting: Wednesday, 8th February 2006 at 2.15 in QA063
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