Terms of Reference for Physics/Radiography Committees

The minutes of all meetings, excluding reserved and/or confidential business, are available for inspection in the Student Services office. Chairs of the committees will present reports to each Department Meeting, indicating the areas of business covered in the preceding period and any upcoming items of general significance.

At the last Department meeting of the academic year, new memberships for the next academic year will be proposed to the Department Meeting and considered under reserved business. The Management Committee member who is not pre-defined will be proposed to the Department meeting by the Head of Department on the basis of existing workloads and experience. Membership of Education and Research Committees will be proposed by the Management Committee to the Department Meeting.

See also: [University] Department Committees: Guidance on Procedures

Categories of Business

Open

The culture within the Departments is one of openness and shared-ownership of policy and information, therefore the majority of business conducted at meetings is open and fully recorded in the published minutes to which any member of the University may have access.

Reserved

Student representatives must leave the meeting during discussion of reserved business. It normally involves discussions about academic matters that identify individuals. For example, the performance of individual students or staff members, or external examiners' reports. Reserved business is minuted separately and access to the minutes is restricted to members of the academic staff of the Department and others approved by the meeting or Head of Physics/Radiography.

Confidential

Confidential business is normally dealt with directly by the Head of Physics/Radiography and the individuals affected. If it is essential that a meeting discuss confidential business all people not directly required for the discussion should leave. The fact that there was confidential business discussed will be noted on the published minutes, but further details (e.g. the subject or conclusions) are at the discretion of the acting Chair. There will be one copy of the minutes of confidential business made, and access to this will be under the direct care of the Head of Physics/Radiography. Breaches of confidentiality will be considered a serious disciplinary offence.

Circulation of Minutes

The minutes of meetings should be promptly checked by the Chair and then circulated by email, identified as 'Draft' or 'Unconfirmed', normally within one week of the meeting.

Department Meeting

Membership: Head of Physics/Radiography (chair), all academic and academic-related staff, technical staff representative, support staff representative, student chair of SSLC, UG student representative (also on Education Committee), PG student representative (also on Research Committee), Department Administrator (Secretary).

Meets: three times year, plus plus extra meetings as necessitated by significant events.

Reports to: Head of Physics/Radiography

Minutes to: Department Academic Staff

Remit

The job description for Heads of Departments approved by Senate and Council establishes their main duties. Included among them is the requirement 'to secure whole-Department commitment to objectives through effective communication and a collaborative approach to decision-making.' The description goes on to state: 'The Head should hold regular (at least termly) Department meetings and should take full account of any recommendations which arise but need not be bound by them.'

• Facilitate the management of the Department through the Head of Physics/Radiography
• Undertake those policy, procedural and academic matters delegated to them by the Head of Physics/Radiography
• Inform, advise and support the Head of Physics/Radiography
• Provide a formal channel for reporting significant activities and initiatives within, and affecting, the Department
• Inform and advise members of the Department of matters
• Receive and reflect upon reports from subcommittees

Management Committee

Membership: Head of Physics/Radiography (chair), chairs of Education and Research Committees, one other. Department Administrator (Secretary).

Meets: on a weekly basis plus extra meetings as necessitated by University demands

Reports to: Department Meeting

Minutes to: Department Academic Staff

Remit

To advise and assist the Head of Physics/Radiography in the following areas, to liaise with and receive minutes from Education and Research Committees and to report to Department Meeting.

1. Financial overview:
   • Receiving University allocation
   • Annual Department budget - distribution of available recurrent and equipment resources
   • Overview of financial decisions/policy
   • Drafting Annual Financial Plan and strategy for negotiations with Academic Planning Committee (APC)
2. Staffing (RESERVED or CONFIDENTIAL as appropriate):
   • Promotions and increments in response to requests from University
   • Reallocation of Department duties in the light of existing workloads and expertise
   • Staff development
   • Drafting of the Annual Staffing Plan
   • Head of Physics/Radiography will continue to meet individuals on a confidential basis, as required
3. Strategy :
   • Long-term strategy development in all areas
   • Co-ordination of Teaching and Learning, Staffing, Financial and Research Plans within the framework of the Department Business Plan
   • Co-ordination with appropriate Committee of initiatives and special events (e.g. Subject Review, Research Assessment Exercise)
   • Overview of the implications of decisions of Research and Education Committees in the context of the overall operation of the Department and total workload of the staff.
4. Any other management matters as arise through the year

Education Committee

Membership:

• Physics: Director of Education (chair); Head of Discipline; Senior Tutor 4 × Stage Coordinators; 2 × Students nominated by the SSLC.
• Medical Imaging: Director of Education (co-chair); Head of Discipline; Senior Tutor Assistant Director of Education; Clinical Placement Co-ordinator; 3 × Stage Coordinators; 2 × Students nominated by the SSLC.
• CEMPS: Assistant College Manager (Education); Associate Dean for Education; Education Enhancement Unit representative; Senior Administrator.

Meets: twice per term with extra meetings as required by special circumstances (e.g. Programme Review).

Reports to: Department Meeting and Management Committee

Minutes to: Department Academic Staff

Notes: Stage Coordinator is a dual role, they act as both Assistant Senior Tutor and Assistant Director of Education for a Stage.

Remit

1. Monitor and review the Department's ability to attain it educational aims and intended learning outcomes and inform Management Committee of resources needed to sustain and develop the infrastructure of teaching and learning.
2. Implement and monitor the applicable parts of the College's current Education Plan
3. Encourage innovation in teaching and learning and related staff development activity.
4. Initiate, consider and approve plans covering all aspects of the teaching and learning programmes.
5. Develop responses to individual, local, national and international initiatives.
6. Implement and monitor mechanisms for ensuring the maintenance of the quality of teaching and learning.
7. Review all aspects of teaching in the light of reports from examiners, students and from internal and external appraisals.
8. Coordinate the Department's response to any external appraisal.
9. Oversee recruitment of undergraduate students.
10. Implement the aims, policies and procedures of the University as they apply to learning and teaching
11. Monitor, maintain and enhance academic standards in the Department
12. Monitor, maintain and enhance the scope and coherence of the curricula of the Department's programmes
13. Monitor teaching quality by a range of indicators, and formulate and disseminate policy that will assure and enhance the quality of learning and teaching activities in the Department
14. Develop and maintain mechanisms for the support of students in learning
15. Consult students formally about learning and teaching matters in the Department, and ensure that, wherever appropriate, students participate in decisions about learning and teaching
16. Co-ordinate the development of expertise in teaching and learning pedagogy by the Department's staff
17. Advise the Head of Physics/Radiography on the effective deployment of the Department's resources in learning and teaching activities

Research Committee

Membership: chair, six members including: one PG representative, one representative of the technical staff, PG admissions officer, one representative from each of the major research groups. Department Administrator (Secretary).

Reports to: Department Meeting and Management Committee

Meets: twice per term and extra meetings as required by special circumstances (e.g. Research Assessment Exercise).

Remit

Monitors all aspects of research planning, reporting to Department Meeting and liaising with Management Committee and Education Committee, as necessary.

1. To encourage innovation and activity in research.
2. To implement initiatives to enhance the research of the Department and its external profile.
3. To oversee the recruitment and recruitment policy of postgraduate research students.
4. To consider research proposals and final reports prior to external submission.
5. To oversee the structure and delivery of the Research Student Training Programme.
6. To monitor the progress of postgraduate research students and the effectiveness of their supervision. (RESERVED)
7. To develop responses to local, national and international initiatives.
8. To inform the Management Committee on the resources required to sustain the infrastructure of research, specifically including space needs.
9. To monitor the level of research activity and the outcomes of grants.

Student/Staff Liaison Committee

• Membership:
  • A minimum of one undergraduate student from each year
  • One PGT representative per programme
  • Director of Education
  • Assistant Director of Education (if applicable)
  • Members of academic staff by DoE invite (a minimum of 1 for disciplines with an Assistant DoE and a minimum of 2 for disciplines with no Assistant DoE)
  • Other staff or students by invitation
  • Subject Chair appointed from the Guild
  • Secretary provided from the College
• Terms of Reference:
  • To enable students and staff jointly to participate in the composition, management and review of physics/radiography provision with a view to improving the quality of teaching and learning.
  • To facilitate greater communication between students and staff within physics/radiography.
  • To identify and address areas of concern to students and staff.
  • To assist a student contribution at all levels of decision-making concerning unreserved business within physics/radiography and the University.
  • To disseminate examples of good practice.
  • To provide documentary evidence of the participation of students in the quality assurance and development of the programmes delivered by the physics/radiography.
• Frequency / Timing of Meetings:
  • At least twice per academic year.
  • For physics/radiography, normally in T1:05, T1:11, T2:05 and T2:11.
• Minutes to:
  • Dean of Faculty of Taught Programmes,
  • Physics/Radiography SSLC Module in ELE.
• Reports to:
  • Education Committee,
  • Management Committee,
  • Department Meeting.

Note: See also section in Student Representation.

Standard agenda items are specified in the University Code of Good Practice.

Safety Committee

Membership: Head of Physics/Radiography, Department's Safety Officer, two representatives from recognised unions, University Representative.

Meets: twice a year and each meeting is preceded by a safety tour of the Department.

Reports to: Head of Physics/Radiography, Management Committee, Department Meeting

Minutes to: University Safety Committee

Minutes to: University Safety Committee (???)

Remit

1. To provide and maintain safe and healthy working conditions
2. To ensure that both research and teaching equipment are adequately maintained and that safe systems of work are followed by staff and students.
3. To provide training, instruction or supervision as and when required.

Ethics Committee

The discussions and records of the Ethics Committee shall be confidential.

Membership: Ethics Officer, Chair, and two others. May enlist the help of outside expertise as and when necessary.

Meets: on an ad hoc basis. The Designated Ethics Officer will call a meeting within one month of submission of a research or project proposal. Should the number of submissions increase, the Committee may decide to hold meetings on fixed dates during the year.

Reports to: University Ethics Committee

Remit

1. To consider consider all research proposals (from both the Department's staff and its students) involving the participation of members of the general public.
2. To eithergive written approval of such proposals or to provide written information on why approval has been refused.
3. To consider revised submissions.
4. To refer to the University Ethics committee cases which cannot be resolved or about which there is uncertainty.
5. To operate procedures which are no less rigourous than those suggested or required by relevant professional bodies.

Examination Boards

Examination Boards are appointed each year by the University Senate on the recommendation of the Faculty Board concerned; they do not report to Department Meetings.

Membership: As appointed by the relevant Faculty. External Examiner(s), Head of Physics/Radiography (chair), members of academic staff involved in the examinations.

Quorum: half the appointed internal members, rounded up, plus an external examiner.

Meets: as business requires, normally:

• Undergraduate (Physics): Wk T3:07 (Summer) and Wk T1:−2 (Referred)
• Undergraduate (Radiography): Wk T3:06 (Summer) and Wk T1:−3 (Referred)

Reports to: relevant Faculty

Remit

1. members are jointly responsible for the setting and marking of papers in their own subject or subjects
2. make recommendations relating to the making and classification of awards
3. Receipt of University and Department assessment conventions
4. External examiners' reports and associated correspondence/action from the previous year
5. Pass and classification lists, with appropriate medical evidence
6. Progression lists, referrals/deferrals, with appropriate medical evidence
7. Delegation of powers
8. Oral review by the external examiner(s)

Department Mitigation Committee

Note: see also [University] Late Submission of Coursework: Procedures and [University] Guidelines for Mitigation Committees

Membership: At least three members of staff representing the range of programmes, both undergraduate and postgraduate with the Academic Student Services Manager in attendance.

The discussions of, and evidence considered by, the Department Mitigation Committee are confidential business. The conclusions and recommendations are reserved business. External examiners will have access to the full minutes.

Quorum: Two members.

Meets: A few days in advance of Examination Boards

Reports to: Examination Boards

Remit

1. Consider in the light of relevant supporting evidence claims for granting extension of the submission date for assessed work or reduction in the University penalty;
2. Evaluate claims of Mitigating Circumstances received by the Department and make appropriate adjustments to marks for assessments;
3. consider applications for deferral.

Medical Imaging Placement Travel Committee

Note: see also [NHS] Student Bursaries website for full information about claiming practice placement expenses.

Membership: Two members of medical Imaging staff with the Academic and Student Services Manager in attendance.

Quorum: Two members.

Meets: Two weeks prior to the commencement of each clinical placement period.

Reports to: Clinical Placement Coordinator, NHS bursaries office (upon request).

Remit

1. Check the applicable guidelines (these currently state that public transport fares must be claimed for the use of private transport if these are lower unless public transport is unavailable or unsuitable.
2. Consider in the light of relevant supporting evidence:
   1. whether or not public transport is available for a student to use to commute to their placement site, and if it is available, whether or not it is suitable for use;
   2. whether or not applicants may claim public transport fares or the costs of mileage when using a privately owned vehicle to travel to their clinical placement site.