AQSC 14\P14 ACADEMIC QUALITY and STANDARDS COMMITTEE Minutes of the second meeting of the Academic Quality and Standards Committee in the 2014-15 academic session, held on Wednesday 22nd October 2014 in Blake 028, Medway Campus Present: S. Jarvis (Chair) S. Naylor (Officer) W. Cealey Harrison C. Ierotheou Z. Pettit J. Cullinane V. Habgood R. Blackburn S. Walker S. Ragab Apologies M. de Dominici D. Page S. Greer S. Woodhead O. Chisty A. Brooks AQSC/14/2.1 Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic Development) QA Manager Academic Quality Unit Head of Academic Quality Unit Faculty Representative, Architecture, Computing and Humanities Faculty Representative, Architecture, Computing and Humanities Faculty Representative, Business Faculty Representative, Education and Health Faculty Representative, Engineering and Science Head of Educational Development Unit Head of Student Finance Items from the Chair None this meeting AQSC/14/2.2 Minutes of the AQSC meeting of 24th September 2014 The minutes of the meeting of 24th September were agreed as accurate subject to one change: to indicate under 14/1.1, it was proposed that the International Partnership Manager become a formal member of the Committee under its terms of reference and that the four Faculty Directors of Learning and Teaching become permanent members with the Heads of Department serving two year terms. AQSC/14/2.3 Actions Arising from the meeting of 24th September 2014 13/8.3 refers AQSC noted that institutional oversight of the tutorial system and records of tutor-tutee links will now be undertaken by the University Student Experience Committee periodically. 13/8.4 refers The AQU has held a meeting with HR to determine the scope for Panel Chair Training and the manner in which to update and use existing training materials. One session is proposed for 2014-15 and a set of 9 staff who have participated in panels as members have volunteered for training as Chairs. Further meetings with HR are planned. Academic Quality and Standards Committee 14-M1 September 24th 2014 Page 1 AQSC 14\P14 13/8.5 refers University Sustainability: AQSC noted this to be ongoing and expected to receive a report later in the academic session. Annual Monitoring Report Writing: AQSC noted that action on report writing training has not commenced. The AQU and EDU, were requested to provide sessions for specific groups of staff on a campus basis using the same broad outline and involving ILS to demonstrate the use of Greweb. AQSC noted that Greweb will require additional work to ensure the monitoring cycle can be better managed, developing, for example, a mechanism whereby completed reports can be downloaded en masse for Faculty review. Secure Assessment Management: AQSC noted this to be ongoing and requested OSA to complete by December 2014. AQSC noted that Departments in FACH have piloted secure systems for assessment management for overseas partners and FBUS have been using Sharepoint as its secure base for some time. It was suggested that ILS be also contacted to provide professional guidance in this area. Action Contact Head of ILS and seek ILS guidance on use of secure systems for assessment transfer. AQSC Officer Due Diligence checks on Placements: This item is ongoing and was considered under item AQSC /14/2.6 Quality code B10. 14/1.3 refers The Chair noted that he has held a discussion over the flow of papers with the Director of Student Affairs 14/1.7 refers Partnership Division Credit rating activities: Listing has been supplied to the AQU and built into the Collaborative Register 14/1.8 refers GOC response by ESO. See item AQSC 14/2.7. AQSC/14/2.4 Revised Terms of Reference for AQSC and ARG AQSC received and discussed revised terms of reference to put to Academic Council. It agreed to amend, prior to submission, as follows: a) To include the International Partnerships Manager as a full member b) To include the four Faculty Directors of Learning and Teaching as permanent members. AQSC welcomed Sara Ragab as the new representative for the Office of Student Affairs. AQSC also received and discussed the revised terms of reference for the Approvals and Review Group. Subject to the following changes these were agreed: Academic Quality and Standards Committee 14-M1 September 24th 2014 Page 2 AQSC 14\P14 Removal of proposal to include a Director of Student Experience as a permanent member. Removal of “normally” from the membership’s terms for each member as it was felt to be unnecessarily repetitious. AQSC/14/2.5 Assessment and Feedback Policy: Faculty Operational Plans AQSC received the four Faculty Operational Plans for the 2014-15 academic session. The committee acknowledged that the 2013 Business Faculty FOP continues to be relevant under University restructuring and noted that the contents of all four plans (including revised Business update) will be considered by a small working group tasked with the design of a University Operational Plan for 2015-16 as the University moves to increasing convergence and consistency of Faculty practice. The group will be meeting during the year and will present its proposals in due course. An interim report to Academic Council is proposed for December 2014. AQSC/14/2.6 Quality Code: B10 Managing Higher Educations with Others As part of the University’s ongoing review of its policies and procedures relating to QAA Quality Code AQSC received and discussed a survey of University provision in respect of work placement, ERASMUS and course based work activities across all Faculties. AQSC noted that general principles relating to Health and Safety for placements, the definition of various tutor and employer roles and responsibilities and tutor visits were covered by all the provision reviewed. The wealth of support and information available to staff, students and employers was felt to be of a high standard, varied in format and suited to the needs of individual student groups. In terms of the FHEQ it was noted that the Diplomas in Industrial Studies were defined in the University Academic Regulations and those offered in the Faculties all met these base level criteria of 36 weeks in placement. It was noted that these activities remain zero-credit rated in accordance with University policy, thought this does not preclude awarding credit for placement study. AQSC noted that, where a placement year is credited, then documentation should make clear the FHEQ level of the award. Longer term, AQSC advised that all recognition of placement learning and sandwich years might benefit from the formal award of credit. AQSC was reminded of the recent decision to by Academic Council to include ERASMUS grades into student degree classifications. AQSC advised Faculty representatives to share practice on methods of inclusion where one has wider Academic Quality and Standards Committee 14-M1 September 24th 2014 Page 3 AQSC 14\P14 experience (FACH representative agreed to discuss matters with FBUS). Action i. As part of a second phase of this survey develop a set of minimum threshold information set to be included for placement students ii. iii. AQSC/14/2.7 Representatives of FACH and FBUS to discuss methods of incorporating ERASMUS Grading into student degree classification profiles. Faculties to give consideration to amending programme structures to allow for credit of placement activities. DLTs Z. Pettit J. Cullinane DLTs PSRB Accreditation: European School of Osteopathy AQSC received and noted formally that the European School of Osteopathy has successfully completed the conditions placed upon it by the General Council AQSC/14/2.8 External Examiner Appointments Summary details of examiners appointed since September was received and the appointments endorsed. AQSC/14/2.9 QAA Benchmark Statement consultation ASC received and noted QAA consultation for revised benchmark statements for Business and Management, English, Engineering, Osteopathy, Philosophy, and Politics. It was noted that these had been circulated to the relevant Heads of Department with a request to respond by review dates should they wish. AQSC reiterated the requirement for programme teams to consider Benchmark Statements as part of programme documentation, review and approval events. AQSC/14/2.10 AOB RPL for Postgraduate Research Students AQSC confirmed that where PGR students undertaking teaching roles have relevant recognised and up to date teaching qualifications that they need not necessarily take the compulsory course required before PGR students can be involved in teaching activities. Whilst acknowledging that current RPL proformas are not specifically tailored for the PGR student, AQSC agreed they should be used as for any other student and the claim supported by the EDU course co-ordinator, sent to the relevant Faculty based committee which will then oversee and endorse the claim, if appropriate. Development of Banner code for late submissions of marks Following Academic Council’s decision to establish a mark capping for late coursework submissions AQU is seeking development of a Banner code to flag difference between a 40% capped mark and a genuine 40% achievement. Some Academic Quality and Standards Committee 14-M1 September 24th 2014 Page 4 AQSC 14\P14 members felt that the marks awarded in this context were considered to be an agreed rather than capped mark. Academic regulations make it clear however that it is capped and AQU continues to believe that capped marks ought to be distinguished from uncapped marks. Development of a code within the Banner system will take some considerable time, though an ability to flag a course as “late” can be a more rapid, though interim response. Nevertheless, for complete transparency a formal full mark should be recorded and the capped mark flagged. Amendment to Link Tutor role AQSC received a paper requesting a change to the Link Tutor role to place formal responsibility for checking partner promotional materials with the Link Tutor. AQSC did not endorse the proposal, noting that the University employs a variety of avenues for checking partner publicity material including the role of the Link Tutor to scan publicity material during their visits. Officer: Stephen Naylor Tel: 8159 Email: ns01@gre.ac.uk Academic Quality and Standards Committee 14-M1 September 24th 2014 Page 5