COLLEGE COMMITTEE STUDENT MEMBER HANDBOOK 2016-17
CONTENTS 01// WHAT IS MY ROLE? 02// WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE ON A COMMITTEE? 03// ABOUT THE COLLEGE COMMITTEES 05// UNIVERSITY GOVERNANCE 06// KEY ABBREVIATIONS 07// KEY CONTACTS
WHAT IS MY ROLE? College Committee Student Members are ambassadors who represent students within their respective College. They attend College-level committees in order to provide a student perspective on various issues, which may be academic, welfare or pastoral concerns depending on the remit of the committee.
Remember: although you may not be able to contribute to every issue raised, your presence is important in shaping the way the university is run, and in ensuring that the needs of students are central to decision making. Your voice is just as significant as the voices of everyone else in the committee, so you should feel free to speak up.
These committees are responsible for implementing policies applicable to all Schools within that College (you can find a list of which Schools are in which College at the end of this guide). They also act as a forum for Schools to share examples of solutions to common problems that they may face, so it is also valuable for student committee members to provide examples of good practice that they may have come across in their own student experience.
You will be supported in your role by the Committee Convenor and Secretary, as well as by staff at the Students' Association.
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WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE ON A COMMITTEE? It is important to prepare for each meeting by reading the papers that have been circulated, and it helps to scan for anything related to students or teaching. If you are unsure about something, make sure to email someone about it beforehand (such as the committee secretary or chair or Megan.Brown@eusa.ed.ac.uk at the Students’ Association), or bring it up at the meeting. Make sure that you collaborate with other students involved in College and School-level representation at the University — you can find a list of School Reps on page 7 of this guide and will be emailed a list of your fellow College Committee Members' contact details. Most committees have at least two student members, so try to meet with each other before the committee meeting if possible. This way you can collaborate on giving feedback on issues. Remember that many committees have one undergraduate and one postgraduate member. You will usually be from different Schools so your fellow College Committee Member will be able to provide an alternative perspective to your own. You should also work alongside School Convenors and Vice-Convenors within your College. They have been elected to represent students in their School and, where possible, you should gather their opinions on committee agenda items. This is the best way to find out what is going on in your College, and to ensure that you are doing your best to represent a cross-section of students within your College.
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It is important to note that the contents of certain papers submitted to and discussed in the various committees may be confidential within the university. Therefore, although it is appropriate and important to seek comments and guidance from other student representatives, wider discussion or dissemination of information may sometimes be inappropriate. If you are in doubt about the sharing of information, ask the committee chair or secretary for advice. Committee meetings are usually held two or three times a semester, but this might vary depending on the committee. Dates are set at the beginning of the academic year. If you are unable to attend a meeting, you must send apologies to the secretary of the committee. In addition, the Students’ Association, working in partnership with the Colleges, usually holds a ‘Meet the Deans’ event, which acts as a platform for engagement between College Deans, other staff members and students.
ABOUT THE COLLEGE COMMITTEES There are multiple committees at the University which have student members. The Students’ Association assigns eligible students and supports them on the following committees:
COLLEGE OF ARTS, HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES College Undergraduate Learning and Teaching Committee Remit: To oversee development and implementation of the College Learning and Teaching Strategy, with a particular focus on the undergraduate student experience in relation to learning, teaching and assessment.
CAHSS Quality Assurance Committee Remit: To promote and ensure quality assurance in the delivery of Schools’ plans for learning and teaching, through the application of University of Edinburgh Quality Assurance policies and procedures.
College Postgraduate Studies Committee Remit: To be responsible for the governance of postgraduate activities in the College.
Library and Information Strategy Committee
COLLEGE OF MEDICINE AND VETERINARY MEDICINE College Undergraduate Learning and Teaching Committee Remit: to provide direction and oversee the development and implementation of the College and University Learning and Teaching Strategy.
College Postgraduate Learning and Teaching Committee Remit: A strategic and operational committee, working closely with the College and University Committees on all matters relating to the development and implementation of the College’s Learning & Teaching strategy.
College Quality Assurance & Enhancement Committee Remit: To assure and actively promote the quality of all learning and teaching provision (undergraduate and postgraduate, taught and research, credit-bearing and non-credit-bearing) in the College; overseeing the development and implementation of CQAE policies and procedures, and the application of University policies. It encourages quality enhancement through the recognition, dissemination and encouragement of good practice.
Remit: To enhance and monitor the resources underpinning the delivery of learning, teaching, scholarship and research in the College.
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COLLEGE OF SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING CSE Learning and Teaching Committee To formulate and drive forward policy and strategy relating to learning and teaching in line with College and University strategic planning.
CSE Quality Assurance Committee To develop the application of University of Edinburgh Quality Assurance policies and procedures for courses and programmes in Science and Engineering.
CSE College Library Committee To discuss all matters concerning the College of Science and Engineering Libraries.
CSE College Research Training Committee To develop and implement the College strategy for Research, Innovation and Knowledge Exchange. Please see your separate handout for more detailed information about the specific committee you are sitting on. You can find the minutes of previous meetings, as well as further information, at:
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ed.ac.uk/humanities-soc-sci/committees
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ed.ac.uk/science-engineering/staff/ committees
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ed.ac.uk/medicine-vet-medicine/staffand-current-students/committees
UNIVERSITY GOVERNANCE Some College Rep positions have an automatic place on a University Committee. For those of you who are on one of these committees (and for those of you who are just interested!) here is a brief explanation of the three major governing bodies at the University:
THE UNIVERSITY COURT The Court is the University’s governing body and is the legal persona of the University.
SENATUS ACADEMICUS The Senatus Academicus (Senate) is the University’s supreme academic body. The core function of the Senate is to regulate and superintend the teaching and discipline of the University and to promote research. The Senate is chaired by the Principal and Vice-Chancellor. Specific duties of the Senate include: •
The approval of the conferment of degrees by the University
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The approval of emeritus status on retiring professors of the University
The present powers of the Court include: •
The administration and management of the whole revenue and property of the University
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The regulation of the salaries of all staff
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The establishment of Committees of its own members or others and the determination of the membership and the quorum of such committees
The Court is chaired by the University Rector.
GENERAL COUNCIL The General Council consists of graduates, academic staff and members of University Court. It has a statutory right to comment on matters which affect the well-being and prosperity of the University, with the aim of ensuring that graduates have a continuing voice in the management of its affairs.
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KEY ABBREVIATIONS Here are some of the key abbreviations which you may come across while attending College Committees:
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NSS — National Student Survey
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ODL — Online Distance Learning
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P&RC — Planning and Resources Committee
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PGT — Postgraduate Taught
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PGR — Postgraduate Research
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CAHSS — College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
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CMVM — College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine
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CPGSC — College Postgraduate Studies Committee
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PRES — Postgraduate Research Experience Survey
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CQAC — College Quality Assurance Committee
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PTES — Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey
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CQAE — College Quality Assurance & Enhancement Committee
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RASC — Recruitment and Admissions Committee
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CSE — College of Science and Engineering
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UG — Undergraduate
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CUGLAT/CULT — College Undergraduate Learning and Teaching Committee
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EERS — External Examiner Reporting System
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ESES — Edinburgh Student Experience Survey
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EvaSys — Software that is used across the college for course questionnaires that informs the course monitoring process
KEY CONTACTS UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH: CAHSS
Undergraduate Email: hssacademicadmin@ed.ac.uk Telephone Number: 0131 651 3900 Postgraduate Email: hsspg@ed.ac.uk Telephone Number: 0131 650 4086
CMVM
Undergraduate Email: Nicola.Crowley@ed.ac.uk Telephone Number: 0131 242 6546 Postgraduate Isabel.Lavers@ed.ac.uk Telephone Number: 0131 242 6480
SCHOOL REPS: Please note that Postgraduate School Convenors will be elected in the October By-Elections and so are not listed here. Once they are elected, you can find their contact details on the School pages of the Students’ Association website: eusa.ed.ac.uk/representation/your_school.
College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences Business School William Lee s1334976@sms.ed.ac.uk
Divinity
CSE
Emma Matthews s1320244@sms.ed.ac.uk Tara Pollak s1522215@sms.ed.ac.uk
Email: DeanQA.sce@ed.ac.uk Telephone Number: 0131 650 5034
Economics
EDINBURGH UNIVERSITY STUDENTS’ ASSOCIATION:
Ioana-Catalin Subasu s1308128@sms.ed.ac.uk Ming Cai s1529239@sms.ed.ac.uk
Megan Brown megan.brown@eusa.ed.ac.uk
Edinburgh College of Art Han Deacon s1559250@sms.ed.ac.uk Andy Leod s1445437@sms.ed.ac.uk
Health in Social Science Claire Ann Banga s1369657@sms.ed.ac.uk
History, Classics and Archaeology Simon Fern s1302182@sms.ed.ac.uk Rosanna Marshall s1425722@sms.ed.ac.uk
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Law
College of Science and Engineering:
Corinne Robinson s1225111@sms.ed.ac.uk
Biological Sciences Nicole Serzhantova s1412645@sms.ed.ac.uk Rachel Grant s1407735@sms.ed.ac.uk
Literatures, Languages and Cultures Gabriel Phillips s1310850@sms.ed.ac.uk Michelle Bolten s1141499@sms.ed.ac.uk
Moray House, School of Education Sue Chapman s1267062@sms.ed.ac.uk Ross Baillie s1441715@sms.ed.ac.uk
Philosophy, Psychology and Language Science Josephine Teng s1263927@sms.ed.ac.uk Karoline Nanfeldt s1452305@sms.ed.ac.uk
Social and Political Science Martyna Napierska s1532691@sms.ed.ac.uk Adela Brianso Junquera s1350025@sms.ed.ac.uk
College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine Biomedical Sciences Baber Rasheed s1120132@sms.ed.ac.uk Lois King s1307896@sms.ed.ac.uk
Medical Schools Eleanor Dow s1204458@sms.ed.ac.uk
Veterinary Sciences: Faolain Barrett s1470903@sms.ed.ac.uk Rosie Herrington s1301550@sms.ed.ac.uk
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Chemistry: Derick Liew s1205344@sms.ed.ac.uk Adelina Ivanova s1510707@sms.ed.ac.uk
Engineering: Julian Vercruysse s1339244@sms.ed.ac.uk Chichi Kabaso s1433677@sms.ed.ac.uk
GeoSciences: Aleksandra Zaforemska s1239280@sms.ed.ac.uk Lucy Victoria Herriot s1326570@sms.ed.ac.uk
Informatics: James Friel s1332298@sms.ed.ac.uk Andrew Smith s1326224@sms.ed.ac.uk
Mathematics: Liam Gordon s1440672@sms.ed.ac.uk Bobi Archer s1305349@sms.ed.ac.uk
Physics and Astronomy: Eline De Weerd s1213344@sms.ed.ac.uk
NOTES/CONTACTS
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Edinburgh University Students’ Association is a charity (SC015800) and a company limited by guarantee (SC429897) registered in Scotland. Registered Office: Potterrow, 5/2 Bristo Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9AL