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.
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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:
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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
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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
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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
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