SCHOOL OF ORIENTAL AND AFRICAN STUDIES LEARNING & TEACHING POLICY COMMITTEE MINUTES. Wednesday 9 November 2005

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1 These minutes are for information only and are not a formal record of the meeting. A copy of the official record is held by the Secretary to this Committee SCHOOL OF ORIENTAL AND AFRICAN STUDIES LEARNING & TEACHING POLICY COMMITTEE MINUTES Wednesday 9 November 2005 Professor P G Robb (Chair) Professor D Appleyard* Professor R Ash* Dr M Bentham Dr K Crosby Mr T Daranijo (Taught PG Representative) Dr B Fuehrer Mr T Harvey Professor G Hewitt* Professor P Jaggar Dr D Martinez Mr N Martland Professor W Menski Professor M Palmer* Dr T Proferes Ms S Ruehl Mr D Wierzbowski (UG Student Representative) Mrs S Yates In attendance: Mrs J Airey Ms C Berry Mr M Humphreys Those whose names are marked with an asterisk were unable to be present. 1. Membership & Terms of Reference The membership and terms of reference of the Committee (Appendix A) were noted. The Chair welcomed new members to the Committee. 2. Minutes The minutes of the meeting held on 13 May 2005 were approved, subject to the amendment of minute 68 to refer to Quantitative Methods for Business and Economics. 3. Matters Arising (i) Director & Principal's Teaching Prize (Minute 59 (iv)) The Head of Learning & Teaching Strategy had discussed this with the Director & Principal. It had been agreed that the Learning & Teaching Unit would take over the administration of the Prize which would be relaunched during the session. It had been agreed with the Director & Principal that a separate Prize would be available to IFCELS staff, and the Head of Learning & Teaching Strategy would discuss the details of this with the Head of IFCELS. (ii) MA Taiwan Studies The Committee noted the approval of this Programme by Chair's action. In order to make the documentation clearer, the last sentence of the first section would need to be amended to read: Students from other programmes should be limited to maximum of 2 half courses from list A. 1

2 4. MA Differentiation (Study of Religions) The Department of the Study of Religions had been asked by the Committee to propose a way of differentiating between the various MA programmes offered within the Department. The proposal was outlined in Appendix C. It involved ensuring that (i) (ii) no course was listed as a major option or more than one MA programme, and the subject matter of the dissertation was closely linked to the subject matter of the major course. It was pointed out to the Committee that transcripts did not differentiate between major and minor courses. Thus, two students would appear to have completed the same programme of study even though one had completed a major course in a subject in which the other had completed a minor course. After discussion, the Committee agreed that the major subject and dissertation should define each Programme and that the dissertation linked to each Programme should be given a different course code. This could be applied to programmes other than those in Religious Studies, with the appropriate approval. The Committee raised concerns about the effect of this decision on the Area Studies Programmes, and the Associate Deans agreed to investigate whether there would be knock-on effects. 5. Recording of Examiners' Comments A letter to the Committee from the Quality Audit & Assurance Committee (Appendix D) raised the issue of the availability of examiners' comments to students. After weighing up the arguments set out in the letter, the Committee agreed that all examiners' comments should be destroyed immediately after the publication of examination results, and approved this as School policy. Details of the policy would need to be clearly set out, and the Academic Registrar would produce a document which would be sent to Faculty Offices. He would also contact the Data Management Officer to discuss the timescale for destruction of documentation in relation to the Data Protection Act. The Committee also confirmed that it was currently School policy that all examiners were required to write comments on a separate form, not on the script or coursework itself. Associate Deans were asked to ensure that this was being done. 6. Examination Offences During the 2003/4 session the Committee had agreed that the School should adopt its own procedures in relation to examination offences. The paper at Appendix E set out regulations relating to this. These regulations would not apply to LLM, distance learning, or MPhil/PhD students. The regulations were approved for recommendation to Academic Board subject to the following amendments: (i) (ii) (iii) the Academic Registrar was listed as involved in both the first and second stages of the process. The Deputy Registrar should be involved in the first stage as representative of the Registry the document should state clearly that it referred to working days paragraphs 7 and 8 appeared to allow the student no time to respond to documentary evidence sent to him/her. Time would need to be allowed for this. Discussion then moved to the difficult topic of suspected plagiarism. The Committee agreed that this was a very important issue. The Head of Learning & Teaching strategy was asked to lead a group which would review how this is currently dealt with. 2

3 7. National Student Survey The Committee considered the report at Appendix F. The first national survey had been carried out in Spring 2005, with a 64% response rate from SOAS students, which was slightly higher than the national average of 60%. The Committee was pleased to see high scores relating to teaching, but noted lower scores in other areas, which would need to be addressed. The Head of Learning & Teaching Strategy had met with Associate Deans to discuss the scores and would be making recommendations to the next meeting of the Committee. 8. AHRC Research Student Funds At a previous meeting the Committee had approved the proposal that the AHRC and External Language Fund budgets be combined to provide support for research student across the School. It had asked for detailed proposals on the allocation of this combined fund. The proposals, presented at Appendix G, were approved. The guidelines included at the end of Appendix G were approved subject to an amendment to the third guideline. The Committee agreed that money could be provided for students who were giving a paper at a conference, rather than conference attendance. The Committee Secretary would inform the Head of Finance of this decision and Associate Deans were asked to inform relevant members of their Faculty. 9. Memoranda of Understanding (MA Cinemas of Asia and Africa) The Memoranda of Understanding at Appendix H were approved. The Committee felt that these were a good model for use elsewhere in the School The Committee noted that the documents had already been signed and were in place. It reminded the Faculty that there was a formal approval process by which Faculty Board should have been asked to recommend them for approval to Learning & Teaching Policy Committee. While these agreements were cost neutral, the resource implications would need to be approved by Resources Committee, as Learning & Teaching Policy Committee s terms of reference did not give it the power to approve these. The Committee noted that the Faculty would need to complete course approval forms for these new courses. 10. Distance Learning Degree in Media & Film Studies The paper at Appendix I set out a proposal for the establishment of a Distance Learning Degree in Media & Film Studies through the development of blended learning. The Committee welcomed and approved this proposal. 11. ICC at Tsinghua University, Beijing The Learning & Teaching Policy Committee was the equivalent of a Faculty Board for IFCELS, and was therefore being asked to approve the ICC Programme at Tsinghua University as well as its quality assurance procedures (Appendix J). The Programme had been running at SOAS for some time and an experienced member of SOAS staff was currently in Beijing overseeing the programme which was running in Beijing for the first time this session. The Committee noted that Dr Myriam Blin was the subject convener for Economics. The Programme and quality assurance procedures were approved. The Head of IFCELS was asked to ensure that the Deputy Secretary received a copy of the paperwork that had been provided to the Committee. 3

4 12. Report to Academic Board (2004/5 session) The annual report to Academic Board (Appendix K) was approved. 13. Term Dates for 2007/8 The term dates for 2007/8 (Appendix L) had been recommended for approval by Executive Board. They took into account the fact that Easter would be early in 2007, which meant that terms would not be their normal length. There were implications for the teaching of some languages in term 3, and agreement had been reached for particular languages in relation to the start of examination period. Heads of Department would need to discuss this with the Assistant Registrar (Examinations). The appropriate Associate Dean would raise the issue with Heads of Department. 14. Learning & Teaching Strategy The current Learning & Teaching Strategy had been submitted to HEFCE in July This had resulted in the release of funds for the period 2002 to These funds were intended to be used to contribute towards the cost of implementing the strategy. HEFCE had subsequently allocated additional funding to support implementation of the Strategy for an additional year. Appendix M gave details of this funding. The Head of Learning & Teaching Strategy had attended a conference at which it had been suggested that funding would be available for academic initiatives which linked learning and teaching to research. The Head of Learning & Teaching Strategy and the Associate Deans would be meeting to begin the review process, and would report back to a future meeting of the Committee. 15. QAAC Report on the Department of the Languages & Cultures of Japan and Korea The Committee received the report at Appendix N. 16. Faculty Learning & Teaching Committee Reports for 2004/5 The Committee received the report from the Languages & Cultures Faculty at Appendix O. The Committee noted that the reports from the other two Faculties had not been made available to the Committee, and the relevant Associate Deans were asked to obtain these reports for the next meeting of the Committee. 17. PhD Logbook The Committee noted that minor drafting improvements to the PhD logbook had been approved by Chair's action. 18. TOEFL Requirements / New Recruitment and Admissions Procedures The Committee noted the approval by Chair s action of revised TOEFL requirements (Appendix P). The Committee confirmed that academic staff needed to refer queries about English language requirements to IFCELS. It was important that academic staff were aware of the issues and the Head of IFCELS offered to attend Faculty Learning & Teaching Committees or to run information sessions within Faculties. The Head of IFCELS and Associate Deans would liaise further on this. The sessions would also be an opportunity to outline the recruitment and admissions procedures. 19. ISP and Extend Essays Deadline (Arts & Humanities Faculty) The Committee noted the revised deadline in the Arts & Humanities Faculty (Appendix Q). The Committee confirmed that course amendment forms would need to be completed to ensure that the Registry held up-to-date details. 4

5 20. BA Korean/BA Korean and Another Subject The Committee noted the addition of a compulsory course (Elementary Korean II) in the first year. 21. ICC The Committee noted the change to a unit on ICC (Appendix R) which had been approved by Chair's action. The Committee asked for some detail on the assessment methods to be used, and the rationale for these. The Head of IFCELS would provide this to a future meeting of the Committee for information. 22. Courses (i) The Committee noted the following new, amended and withdrawn courses from the Arts & Humanities Faculty (Appendices S & T). June 2005 Department Course Title New /Amended/ Study of Religions Representations of the Holocaust (UG) New Study of Religions The role and representation of Women in Judaism (UG) New Study of Religions Judaism and Gender (PG) New Study of Religions The Holocaust in Theology, Literature and Art (PG) New Study of Religions Family, Work and Leisure in Ancient Judaism (PG) New Locating China I: China and Other Worldviews before New Westernization (PG) Locating China II: Missionaries and Misfits in the New British Construction of China (PG) Society and Politics in Late Colonial South East Asia New (PG) Anthropology and Issues in the Anthropology of Food A (PG) New Anthropology and Issues in the Anthropology of Food B (PG) New Anthropology and Issues in the Anthropology of Food C (PG) New Music Music of the Middle East and North Africa New (Masters) (PG Religion, State and Society in Mughal North New India I (UG) Religion, State and Society in Mughal North New India II (UG) Indigenous Warfare and Society in Early Modern New South East Asia, (UG) Study of Religions The Daily Life of Jews in Antiquity (UG) New Anthropology and The Other in Horror and Science Fiction Films New (UG) Anthropology and Anthropology of Food A (UG) New Anthropology and Anthropology of Food B (UG) New Anthropology and Anthropology of Food C (UG) New Music Extended Essay in Music 1 (UG) New Music Extended Essay in Music 2 (UG) New Music Music of the Middle East and North Africa (UG) New Anthropology and Perspectives on Development (PG) Amendment Community and Religion in South East Asian Nationalism, : 15PHIC016 H232 Early modern India H251 of South East Asia from the 5

6 middle of the 14th century to the early 19th century (code: ) Music An essay on a selected topic in music 2 ( ) Music An essay on a selected topic in music 1 ( ) Music Music of the Middle East ( ) Music Music of the Arab World ( ) Music Music of the Near and Middle East (15PMUC029) Anthropology and Anthroplogy of Food A ( ) Anthropology and Anthropology of Food B Anthropology and Issues in the Anthropology of Food (15PANH023) Oct 2005 Department Course Title New /Amended/ Media Mediated Culture in the Middle East: Politics and New Communication (P/G) Media Japanese Post-war Film Genres and the Avant-garde Amended (Code) (P/G) Media Japanese Cinema Studies: An Historical Overview Amended (Code) (P/G) Art/Arch Art and Architecture of Egypt and Syria 13 th to 16 th Amended (title) Centuries (P/G) Power, Authority, and Political Thought in East and New Central Africa, (P/G) Anthropology Critical Approaches to Neoliberalism (P/G) New Anthropology Culture and Society of Eastern Africa (P/G) New Religions Readings in Derrida on Religion (P/G) New Religions Readings in French Feminism and Religion (P/G) New Kings, Saints and Pagans: the rise and fall of the New Medieval Ethiopian Empire I (U/G) Kings, Saints and Pagans: the rise and fall of the New Medieval Ethiopian Empire II (U/G) Religions Hindu Rituals: Theory and Practice (U/G) New Religions Derrida on Religion (U/G) New Religions French Feminists on Religion (U/G) New Anthropolo Ethnography of East Africa (U/G) New gy Media Cinema and Nation: Critical Approaches (P/G) Amendment Music The Music Business (Masters) (P/G) Amendment Japanese Modernity (P/G) Amendment Music The Music Business (U/G) Amendment Music Music, Shamanism and Healing (U/G) Amendment Music Music in Africa (U/G) Amendment Religions Judaism: Foundation (U/G) Amendment Religions Syriac for Beginners (U/G) Amendment Religions Religious Practice in Japan (P/G) Amendment Religions The Holocaust and Theology, Literature, and Art New (P/G) Religions Judaism and Gender (P/G) New Anthropolo Approaches to the Other in Horror and Science New gy Fiction Films (P/G) Art/Arch Dynastic Arts of India (P/G) New Religions The Role and Representation of Women in New Judaism (U/G) Religions Representations of the Holocaust (U/G) New 6

7 Learning and Teaching Policy Committee noted the deletion of the following courses (Faculty Board on 27/10/2005): UG Chinese Ceramics from the 10 th to 17 th Century (Song-Ming), H356 Rural Rebellion in 20 th Century South East Asia, H272 The of Africa from 1800, Ethnomusicology II: Current Issues and Concepts, Buddhism and Society in Southeast Asia, Sri Lanka and the Himalayas, PG Seminar in East Asian Art II: Aspects of Chinese Painting, 15PARC021 Advanced Vedic Sanskrit, 15PSRC058 Buddhism and Society in Southeast Asia, Sri Lanka and the Himalayas, 15PSRC061 Studies in the of Japanese Art I, 15PARC015 Directed Readings in Buddhism, 15PSRH002 The colonial state in South East Asia ; expansion & impact, 15PHIC007 Colonialism and Development in East and Central Africa, 15PHIC035 Issues in the Anthropology of Music and Culture, 15PANH025 Faculty Board approved the following course for inclusion in the MA Medical Anthropology programme (June 2005): Mystical Traditions (15PSRC068) (ii) The Committee noted the following new and amended courses from the Languages & Cultures Faculty (Appendix U). June 2005 Department Course Title New/Amended/ Linguistics Language Acquisition (MA) New (PG) Africa Practical Translation from and into Swahili New (PG) Africa / NYU-L Black Urban Studies (NYU-L course) New (UG) Africa / NYU-L Introduction to Pan-Africanism (NYU-L course) New (UG) Japan and Korea Issues in post war Japanese society New (UG) Africa The Structure of Bantu Languages New (UG) NME The Muslim World: Unity in Diversity New (UG) Africa Theory and Practice of Swahili Translation New (UG) Linguistics Intermediate Phonology Amended (UG) Linguistics Intermediate Syntax Amended (UG) Linguistics Morphology Amended (UG) (i) The Committee noted the following new and amended courses from the Law & Social Sciences Faculty (Appendices V & W). June 2005 Department Course Title New/Amended/ Economics PG Marxist Political Economy and World Development New Law PG Multinational Enterprises and the Law (LLM) New 7

8 Oct 2005 Department Course Title New/Amended/ Devp Studies PG War to Peace Transitions New Law PG Law, Development and Globalisation (LLM 100) Course Title change Law PG Multinational Enterprises and the Law (MA) New Law PG Procedural Principles and Ethical Standards (MA New and LLM) Law UG Introduction to Law and Legal Method Amendment Politics PG Comparative Politics of the Middle East Course Title change Politics PG International Politics of the Middle East Course Title change Politics UG The State and Politics in Africa Course Title change 23. Any Other Business (i) Student Representation The Committee acknowledged the importance of its student representatives. It encouraged these members to work with the students they represented in order to bring informed views to the Committee's discussions. (ii) Library Opening Hours The Committee had previously expressed its support for the idea of extending Library opening hours. However, there were financial problems relating to the cost of security, given that the Library could not be separated from the rest of the building. There was a question of whether the demand was for extended library opening hours, or increased computer facilities and it was hoped that the increased number of computers at Vernon Square would go some way towards helping the situation. 8