MEETING OF THE BOARD OF SCRUTINY

MINUTES

Thursday, 22 January 2009 at 12.00pm

Garden Room, Robinson College

Present: Professor David Yates (Chair); Dr Catherine Pitt (Secretary); Miss Emma Easterbrook (Support Officer); Dr Paul Beattie; the Revd Jeremy Caddick; Mr Paul ffolkes Davis; Dr Margaret Glendenning; Dr Margaret Guite; Dr Elisabeth Leedham-Green; Mrs Jamie Horsley; Mr Richard Stibbs; and the Revd Lindsay Yates. 

1.

Apologies

The Revd Ian Thompson.

2.

(i)

(ii)

(iii)

Guest: Professor John Rallison, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Education

Recommendarions from Quality Assurance Agency to be considered include:

-       Requirement of Part II as part of BA degree;

-       The need to keep a paper trail;

-       Training for graduate students to carry out supervisions; and

-       Conversion of certificates and diplomas from the Board of Continuing Education into University Awards.

Further items to be considered include:

-       Increasing resources to BOGS;

-       Payment across the board for applications with a discretion to waive;

-       Increasing electronic applications;

-       Reducing delay in applications process by involving Departments at an early stage;

-       and negotiating with Cambridge trusts regarding overseas students;

-       Reviewing level of fees;

-       Reviewing academic standard of MPhils;

-       Adoption of Code of Practice;

-       Undergraduate: constraints of capacity, and co-ordination of admissions between Colleges;

-       Access: Admissions target expected to be achieved; relative performance at Part II differs by less than 1.2% in each class (further data collection to be considered); and

-       Teaching and Learning Review: Future role, access and use of electronic resources to be considered.

Standard of English language amongst students:

Concerns raised by thr Board regarding some students’ level of English.  Professor John Rallison agreed to raise the issue.

3.

Minutes for Meeting of 27 November 2008

Approved.

4.

Matters Arising

None.

5.

Sub-group visit to Mr Andrew Reid, Director of Finance

David Yates, Jamie Horsley, and Paul Beattie attended on 21 January 2009.  Discussions included rising cost of salaries, pensions, and general Accounts.

6.

Sub-group visit to Mr Inderjit Seehra, Director of Human Resources

Catherine Pitt and Jamie Horsley attended.  Discussion included Statute U, and Pay and Grading.

7.

Statute U

White Paper to be considered at the next meeting of the Board.

8.

(i)

Any Other Business

Future members of the Board.

9.

Date of next meeting

12.00pm on Thursday, 5 February 2009

Garden Room, Robinson College

Guest: Mr Nigel Brown, Chairman of the Audit Committee

Emma Easterbrook

Support Officer

5 February 2009