UNIVERSITY OF ESSEX
SENATE
13 JUNE 2001
(2.15 pm – 3.25 pm)
MINUTES
Unreserved Business
Present: Vice-Chancellor (in the Chair), Professor Baker, Dr Burnett, Mr Butler, Dr Canessa, Professor Chambers, Dr Cox, Professor Crossick, Dr Davies, Professor Downton, Mr Fielding, Professor Fernandez, Professor Gilbert, Professor Glucksmann, Ms Greaves, Ms Heath, Mr Henson, Professor Holt, Dr Hu, Professor Lahiri, Ms Lambert, Professor Lubbock, Mr Lyons, Mr Mack, Mr Manson, Professor Massara, Professor Meddis, Professor Muthoo, Dr Norval, Ms Oldham, Mr Ong, Mr Powers, Mrs Robertson, Dr Rowlands, Dr Samson, Professor Sanders, Professor Schürer, Professor Scott, Professor Sherer, Professor S Smith, Professor South, Dr Steel, Mr Sylvester, Professor Tsang, Professor Turner, Mrs Turton, Dr Venn, Mrs Wright
In attendance: Registrar & Secretary, Academic Registrar, Planning Officer, Ms Tallentire
Apologies: Professor Alder, Ms Fazal, Professor Gershuny, Dr Li, Professor McCormack, Mr Naqvi, Ms Palmer, Mr Phillips, Dr Sellens, Professor Sikka, Mr Watt, Professor Weale
MINUTES
97/01
The Minutes of the meeting held on 21 March 2001 were approved as a correct record.
BUSINESS TAKEN WITHOUT DISCUSSION
98/01
(a) In accordance with Standing Orders, para 7, the Senate noted the following items starred for discussion:
Agenda item 6 (6)(i) Academic Standards Committee
Minutes of meeting on 5 March 2001
M.84/01 Availability of SAT results to Subject Reviews
Code of Practice for Student Representation
Academic Offences Procedures
Agenda item 12 (a) Abolition of Academic Policy Committee
99/01
(b) The remaining items were then deemed to have been approved without discussion.
FORMAL BUSINESS (S/01/17)
100/01
RESOLVED: that items of Formal Business be approved as set out in Appendix A attached.
VICE-CHANCELLOR’S STATEMENT
101/01
The Vice-Chancellor reported on the following matters:
(a) Student recruitment;
(b) Finance matters;
(c) Capital Building Programme
102/01
The full text of the Vice-Chancellor’s statement is attached as Appendix B.
103/01
The Head of the Department of Economics questioned the University’s current strategy for expansion in student numbers, fearing that this would have a negative impact both on the quality of the student intake and on the teaching which could be provided. The Vice-Chancellor indicated that, in spite of recent growth in student numbers, the average A level points score of those admitted was increasing. In addition to this, there was little evidence that A level results were a good indicator of the final degree result students would attain, since there was a substantial element of value added by the University’s provision. Departments were at liberty to request slower growth in student numbers than currently planned, but this would have a direct impact on the staffing level which could be funded.
104/01
The Vice-Chancellor reminded the Senate that Government policy was imposing an ever-growing overhead on universities and that smaller institutions would suffer disproportionately because they were unable to make economies of scale. The University’s strategy was therefore to continue to grow at a steady rate for a further four to five years in order to ensure that central costs could be met without jeopardising the quality of teaching.
105/01
It was noted that the University was expecting the award of an additional £1m from a formula-allocated teaching fund, for expenditure on teaching infrastructure. A number of possible projects had been identified, e.g. phase 2 of the Multimedia Centre or the conversion of the Hexagon, but these funds would be allocated in accordance with the highest priority and where best value-for-money could be attained, once they became available.
REPORT OF ACADEMIC POLICY COMMITTEE (23.5.01) (S/01/18)
Report of the Board of the Graduate School
Introduction of New Degree Schemes
106/01
RESOLVED: that the following new degree schemes be approved for introduction in October 2001
Diploma Acting for the Media
MA/Diploma Researching History in Britain
MA/Diploma Linguistic Studies
MA Art History and Theory
MA Film and Literature
MSc Infection Control
MSc International Finance
Doctorate in Nursing
Amendment to Scheme Title
107/01
RESOLVED: that the following degree scheme title be changed with effect from October 2001:
from: MSc Advanced Nursing Practice (ANP)
to: MSc Advanced Clinical Practice (ACP)
New Regulations and Amendments to Existing Regulations
108/01
(a) Professional Doctorates
RESOLVED: that the following new Higher Degree regulation be approved with effect from October 2001:
“PROFESSIONAL DOCTORATES
For all purposes of higher degree regulations, Professional Doctorates shall be treated as degrees of Doctor of Philosophy unless excluded by the existence of a specific rule relating to Professional Doctorates.
(a) Candidates for the award of a Professional Doctorate shall follow a scheme of study approved by the Senate on the recommendation of the Board of the Graduate School. The regulations for each scheme shall prescribe the period of study, whether in or outside the University, and the form of assessment required of candidates.
(b) In addition to satisfying the admissions criteria for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, candidates must also have appropriate professional qualifications and experience.
(c) Candidates who have completed the minimum period of study prescribed by the Board of the Graduate School and who have not yet presented themselves for examination will be required on registration to pay an appropriate ‘continuation’ fee as determined from time to time by the University. Such candidates shall be entitled to be examined (but not re-examined), to obtain any supervision required and to use University facilities including the Library. They shall be subject to the Charter, Statutes, Ordinances and Regulations of the University at any time they are present in the University.
(d) The Board of the School shall, after receiving a report from the Research Students’ Progress Committee of the relevant department on the assessment of courses during the taught stage of the Professional Doctorate, either
(i) permit a student to proceed to the preparation of the thesis
(ii) require a student to discontinue the Professional Doctorate.”
(b) Amendments to Higher Degree Regulations
109/01
RESOLVED: (i) that the following clause should be added to regulation 4.19.
“An exception will apply in the case of candidates admitted under the terms of the joint agreement between the University of Essex and Moscow School of Social and Economic Sciences.”
110/01
(ii) that regulation 4.25 be amended as follows (new text underlined).
“The examiners shall recommend to the Board of the Graduate School that the result of an examination for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy be ‘pass’, ‘referred’, ‘MPhil’ or ‘fail’.”
111/01
(iii) that 4.25(d) be changed as follows (text to be omitted in brackets, new text underlined).
“AWARD OF MPHIL
(d) [If the result is ‘fail’,] The Board of the Graduate School may, on the recommendation of the examiners, either permit the candidate to re-submit the thesis and be re-examined for the degree of Master of Philosophy within three terms, or, if the criteria for the award of an MPhil have already been satisfied, determine that the candidate is immediately eligible for conferment of the degree of Master of Philosophy.”
Report of the Board of the School of Humanities and Comparative Studies
Introduction of New Degree Scheme
112/01
RESOLVED: that the following degree scheme be approved for introduction in October 2001:
BA History with Human Rights
Report of the Board of the School of Law
Discontinuation of Degree Scheme
113/01
RESOLVED: that the LLB European Law and Sociology be discontinued with effect from
July 2002.
Report of the Board of the School of Science and Engineering
Introduction of New Degree Schemes
114/01
RESOLVED: that the following degree schemes be approved for introduction in October 2001:
BSc Biomedical Sciences
BEng Optoelectronics and Communications
Report of the Board of the School of Social Sciences
Introduction of New Degree Schemes
115/01
RESOLVED: (a) that the BA Economics with Modern Languages be approved for introduction in October 2001.
116/01
(b) that the HSSI ‘Preparing Educators and Mentors in Practice Environments’ course be approved for introduction with immediate effect.
Discontinuation of Degree Schemes
117/01
RESOLVED: that the BA Sociology and Global Change be discontinued with effect from
October 2001.
Report of the IS Strategy Committee
118/01
RESOLVED: (a) that revised Guidelines for the Use of IT Facilities be approved as set out in Appendix F of the report of Academic Policy Committee (23.5.01).
119/01
(b) that the following new regulation be included in the Miscellaneous section of the General Regulations from October 2001:
'All users of IT facilities at the University must comply with the Guidelines for the Use of IT Facilities.'
120/01
(c) that the Disciplinary Regulations be amended as follows (deleted text in square brackets, new text bold and underlined):
13.1.
A breach of discipline by a student is defined as:
a. - e. ……
f. any of the following:
1. - 10. …..
[11. misuse of University computing facilities,* including:
i. unauthorised access to , and use of, any University computing facilities;
ii. unauthorised access to computer material;
iii. unauthorised modification of computer material;
iv. failure to comply with the University’s Guidelines for the Operation of World Wide Web Servers;
v. unauthorised use of Local Area Network or Wide Area Network;
* The definitions under 13.1 (f)(11.) should be read in conjunction with the document ‘Guidelines for Use of IT Facilities’
· by printing or displaying within the University or
· by publishing or distributing to any visitor, officer, member or employee of the University.
11. Failure to comply with the Guidelines for the Use of IT Facilities.
Report of the Centres Review Committee
RECOMMENDED TO COUNCIL
121/01
that the following centres be closed with effect from September 2001:
Centre for European and Commercial Law
Centre for Network Research
Update to Strategic Plan 2000/01 to 2004/05
RECOMMENDED TO COUNCIL:
122/01
that the Update to the Strategic Plan 2000/01 to 2004/05 be approved subject to the revision of home/EU PGT targets, as set out in paper APC/01/17 (23.5.01).
Proposed Amendments to University Calendar
(a) Communication with Students
123/01
RESOLVED: that the following new regulation be included in the 2001/02 University Calendar:
‘Students are required to acquaint themselves with formal communications from academic departments and administrative sections of the University. These may take the form of written correspondence, sent by internal or external mail, notices posted on official noticeboards, and messages sent by electronic mail. Students are expected to access their University e-mail at least once per week during term-time.’
(b) References to Full-time Staff in Ordinances
RECOMMENDED TO COUNCIL:
124/01
that Ordinances be amended as set out in Appendix C attached (deleted text in square brackets).
(c) General Revision of Ordinances
RECOMMENDED TO COUNCIL:
125/01
that the language of all University ordinances be revised to be made gender neutral.
(d) Regulation on Minimum Age of Entry
126/01
RESOLVED that the following be added as a General Regulation to the 2001/02 University Calendar:
No person who would be less than seventeen years of age on initial registration may be admitted to any scheme of study leading to a qualification of the University.
(e) Revised Regulations for Schemes of Study
127/01
RESOLVED: that the Regulations for Schemes of Study be revised to include all academic provision at East 15 Acting School and all degree schemes validated by the University, as set out in Appendix G to the report of Academic Policy Committee (23.5.01).
(f) Bowden Studentships
128/01
RESOLVED: that the following amendments be approved for inclusion in the 2001/02 University Calendar (new wording underlined, old wording in square brackets):
Bowden Studentships
8.2.1.
[Two] The Bowden Studentships were instituted in 1983 to commemorate the contribution to the Department of Computer Science and the University of the late Professor Keith F. Bowden.
8.2.2.
[One] Two studentships will be tenable by [a] two full-time registered undergraduate students of the University of Essex following a second-year specialist scheme of study composed principally of courses given by the Department of Computer Science and will be awarded on the results of the [student's] students’ first-year examinations in [Computing] Computer Science.
8.2.3.
[The second] Two studentships will be tenable by [a] two full-time registered undergraduate students of the University of Essex following a third-year specialist scheme of study composed principally of courses given by the Department of Computer Science and will be awarded on the results of the [student's] students’ second-year examinations.
8.2.4.
The Studentships will be awarded by the [Senate] Board of the School of Science and Engineering on the recommendation of the [Head of the Department of Computer Science] First Year Examinations Committee of the School of Science and Engineering and the Board of Examiners for the BSc degree schemes in Computer Science respectively.
REPORT OF ACADEMIC STANDARDS COMMITTEE (5.3.01, 18.5.01) (S/01/19, S/01/20)
Minutes of the Academic Standards Committee Meeting on 5 March 2001
129/01
In response to a question from the Head of the Department of Economics, it was noted that the second meeting of Academic Standards Committee in each term routinely reported to the Senate in the following term for scheduling reasons. However, in exceptional cases, items considered by the second meeting of Academic Standards Committee were reported or recommended to the Senate in the same term, where they were deemed to be sufficiently urgent and/or important.
Student Assessment of Courses and Teaching (SAC/T)
(a) Confidentiality of SAC/T Results
130/01
The Head of the Department of Literature expressed concern about the proposal to made anonymised SAT results available to Subject Reviewers, since Literature courses were typically taught by a single member of staff and it would therefore be possible to identify the teacher concerned without difficulty. It was noted that Subject Reviewers usually confined their consideration of SAT and SAC to a discussion with the Head of Department about their role in quality management and enhancement in the department. Although anonymised SAT results had been made available to Subject Reviewers in the past, there had only been one instance when the reviewers had requested to see the detailed reports.
131/01
RESOLVED: (i) that, subject to consultation with and the agreement of the Essex branch of the AUT, detailed SAT results should be made available to individual teachers and their Heads of Department or equivalent;