Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering
Staff/Student Meeting
7 November 2007
Room 508 Electrical and Electronic Engineering Department
Minutes
Present:Peter Cheung (Director of Undergraduate Studies), Christos Papavassiliou (Senior Tutor), George Constantinides (ISE Course Director), Andrew Holmes (2nd year organiser), Clare Drysdale and Christine Allwright (Undergraduate Administrators)
Mireno Rossi (ISE) and Tomasz Koprowski (EE) (Dep Reps), Ravi Mittal (ISE) and Alexander Yong (EEE) (4th year repsIris Kariotelli (EEE), Stephen McKeague (ISE), Roger Rouhana (EEE) (3rd year reps), Yujia Yang (EEE), Miguel Sarabia Del Castillo (ISE) (2nd year reps), Manuel Tragut (EEE) Reuben Raveedran (ISE) (1st year reps)
James Yip (EESOC)
Apologies:Eric Yeatman (1st year organiser), Tim Green (3rd year organiser), Mike Brookes (4th year organiser), Azafarul Islam (1st year rep)
Agenda Item
1.EE1Maths lectures – too abstract and fast
Students are finding maths lectures too abstract and fast.
PYKC told the meeting that it was a conscious decision to have Maths taught by mathematicians. He reassured students that the lecturer was experienced with a good track record with regards to examination results. The problem was due to students coming from different educational systems and there needing to be a period of mutual adaptation. CP explained that the lectures were needed to bridge the gap in knowledge between 1st year and the courses in 2nd and 3rd years.
Need for extra maths tutorials.
Students are asking for further remedial maths support.
PYKC explained that remedial maths lessons were only for students who were weak in maths – ability is assessed at the beginning of the Autumn Term. The groups might change after the Christmas Test has been marked More students might be offered support after the Christmas Test. Remedial maths is taught in small groups and judging level could be a problem if there is a broader range of ability.
1stYear Lab
There had been a criticism that one of the Lab Assistants had not been helpful and that logbook markers were too harsh. TT explained that a new marking system had been introduced the previous year. It meant that a lab assistant would be allocated a random selection of students to assess and the assessment would be on a one-to-one basis and carried out in the lab. Every student is marked against a checklist which was available to view on Labweb. To ensure consistency of interpretation, TT looks at the marks later and normalises grades. The system is fair and fast.
There was also a criticism of the chairs in the 1st year lab but as these were standard laboratory stools they would not be changed.
ISE 1 ARM Lectures – timetabling problem
The 1st year ARM lectures are timetabled to be back-to-back. This means that students don’t have time to catch up between lectures if they haven’t understood the first one.
Action: PYKC was sympathetic and would request that this would not happen again.
EE2
Room 304
Students complained that the airconditioning in Room 304 was too cold and that one printer was inadequate.
Action: PYKC agreed to contact estates about the air conditioning and ICT to request a faster printer.
Room 408 – inadequate for Power Study Group
Action: PYKC to ask JO to find a different room to accommodate the Power Study Groups.
ISE 2
Students are unhappy with their maths lecturer – particularly the lecturing style. This had been raised as a concern last year. Students also need more teaching staff in maths tutorials to support the study group leader.
PYKC will contact the Maths Department (copy to ISE 2 Rep – Miguel Sarabia Del Castillo) to express these concerns and to request a topic list.
EE3
Some furniture is broken in room 509. PYKC reminded students to report all breakages and damage to the Premises Manager, Andy Paice- office Level 2 by the goods lift.
ISE 3
Students would like answers to Department of Computing exam papers. PYKC said we could do nothing to change DOC’s policy on this.
Students would like equal swipe card access to DOC as computing students.
Action: PYKC will take this up with Prof. Eisenbach and to request that EEE students taking DOC courses also have access if DOC software is needed for particular coursework. PYKC will also find out if EEE can join Microsoft’s Academic Alliance and provide students with equal access to software needed for courses e.g. Graphics
EEE4 and ISE 4
Problems with clashing courses. PYKC explained that this was due to maximum flexibility offered in 3rd and 4th years.
Students felt that allocation of final year projects had been slow. PYKC explained that the process of ranking students to staff whilst satisfying students’ preferences was a complicated process. Projects have since been allocated.
Dep Reps
Wednesday afternoon lectures:
Students involved in sports activities have to leave the college by 12.30. When lectures are timetabled for 12.00 – 1.00 pm this means that students either miss lectures or miss out on their sporting activities. This is also against College policy which requests that lectures finish at 12.00 noon on Wednesdays to allow students to take part in extra-curricular activities.
Action: PYKC will make sure that lectures do not occur after 12.00 noon on Wednesdays - This has been now been actioned for the Spring term.
Electronic Register
Students believe that the introduction of an Electronic Register like CATE, which is used in DOC, would improve coursework assessment and feedback. PYKC agreed.
AOB
Level 1 café
Some students had been asked to leave the Level 1 café. PYKC explained that the café was intended for teaching staff and research students. Undergraduates had their own community spaces and could sit at the tables on the patio.
Action: PYKCwill send an email to students to clarify this.
EE/ISE Options Scheme
There has always been a disparity between EEE and ISE when ISE students cannot gain bonus marks if they take extra courses in the 3rd and 4th years. GAC had discussed this at CODE and at the Engineering Studies Committee and obtained College approval to allow ISE and EEE to take options up to a maximum of 8 in the final years of BEng and MEng and 9 in the 3rd year MEng. The EEE and ISE revised assessment scheme for 2008/9 will be published shortly.
EESoc
The EESoc Christmas Ball is due to take place at the Marriott Hotel on 7 December.
CP advised EESoc to plan their annual Revue early this year.
EESoc would allow lecturers access to the EESoc Forum