Terms of Reference for Department Committees

Education Committee

Membership:

• Physics: Director of Education (chair); Head of Discipline; Senior Tutor 4 × Stage Coordinators; 2 × Students nominated by the SSLC.

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

Notes: Stage Coordinators have 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 College 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 on the effective deployment of the Department's resources in learning and teaching activities

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
• Terms of Reference:
  • To enable students and staff jointly to participate in the composition, management and review of physics provision with a view to improving the quality of teaching and learning.
  • To facilitate greater communication between students and staff within physics.
  • 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 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.
• Frequency / Timing of Meetings:
  • At least twice per academic year.

Note: See also section in Student Representation.

Examination Boards

Note: see also [University] Code of Good Practice: Boards of Examiners for Taught Programmes of Study

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 (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)

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 Education Support 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.

---

University of Exeter	Handbook (Physics)	Questions/Comments	Department (Physics)

---