Deans meetings - semester 1 (2013/14)

Student Representative meetings with Deans of Faculty - Session 2013/14 Summary of University-wide themes 1

Overview

All Student Representatives are invited to meet with their respective Dean of Faculty during Semester One. Over 85 students attended; of particular note is the improved engagement from Faculty of Health and Social Care representatives, encouraged by Student Faculty Officers.

Meetings provide an informal opportunity for Deans to hear first-hand about students’ experiences at RGU; and are an opportunity for representatives to convey any opinions their classmates may have. Attendees are reminded that the purpose of the meetings is largely to discuss institutional-level issues and that Student Liaison structures are in place which aim to resolve module/course/school issues as close to source as possible.

The following provides a summary of positive aspects as well as areas raised for further development.

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Positive Aspects

Generally students were satisfied with their experiences of the university. Particularly positive aspects were reported to be: Garthdee Campus

Pre-enrolment

Staff Course Content Placement

Generally students who had transferred from Schoolhill to Gathdee Campus over the summer were positive about the move. Although there were a number of snagging issues, they appreciated that they were being addressed as feasible.

The Riverside East building was considered student friendly, spacious, light and relaxed. The provision of social space was welcomed and there was a more professional and modern atmosphere than previously.

A number of students indicated that direct, and efficient, contact with staff during the application process had influenced their decision to choose RGU. Those who had attended Visit Afternoons and Open Days reported that they had been instrumental in leading to their decision and they had benefitted from seeing the services available, campus environment and interactions from staff.

Students were overwhelmingly positive about their interactions with both academic and support staff; who were approachable, supportive, responsive and engaging. Students were generally content with course content and links with industry.

Students were generally content with course content and links with industry.

The opportunity to undertake placements was seen as a unique selling point, as was RGUs record for employability.

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Areas for Future Enhancement

Experiences of teaching, learning and assessment Theme

Commentary

Response

Placement Liaison

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It was noted that some students [from Computing and Engineering] hadn’t received the level of contact expected from academic staff whilst on placement.

Those in attendance had actually had positive experiences; however there was concern that if this hadn’t been the case they wouldn’t have been aware of how to resolve issues.

ABS representatives indicated that they would appreciate earlier identification and notification of placement arrangements, and improved on-going communication whilst they were on placement. This related to both work placements and study abroad.

Also, greater promotion of the ERASMUS exchange programme would be welcomed as many students were interested but the availability of information was limited. It was suggested that consideration be given to providing those students undertaking study abroad modules with access to non-study abroad module material whilst they were away.

Refer to relevant Heads of School/Placement Offices

A number of students reported bunching of assessment deadlines, particularly around 13 December. This then added to the stress of completing coursework, and impacted on the usefulness of feedback. o An example was given where an optional formative assessment could be completed for a particular module - and the majority of students choose to undertake this as they recognised the value of the feedback they would receive.

There was a perception that students didn’t receive detailed enough feedback which meant they were not necessarily able to build upon what they received.

There was awareness that students could contact staff for more detailed comments, however the consensus was that more detailed initial feedback on each of the grid sections would be beneficial.

It was highlighted that students who had received good

Refer to Schools/Teaching, Learning and Assessment Subcommittee

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Timings of Assessments

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Feedback

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Refer to Schools/Teaching, Learning and Assessment Subcommittee

marks still also wanted to know what they could do to improve further.

• Gray’s representatives in particular highlighted a lack of clarity with regard to what was expected, and at what level, before receipt of final grades. There was awareness that lecturers didn’t want to “spoon-feed” students, but it was felt that this had an impact on the confidence of students.

Campus Moodle The availability of lecture slides in advance was considered helpful, however practice still varied, and students would appreciate more info on if, and when, they would be posted.

Referencing It was discussed that mechanisms of referencing could usefully be reinforced as there were inconsistencies across marking by staff. It was noted that the Style Manual in Health Sciences was helpful in this regard.

Timetabling It was evident that experiences varied across courses, with some representatives’ content and others aggrieved at either long gaps, or one hour days.

Experiences of facilities and services

Refer to Schools/Teaching Learning and Assessment Subcommittee Refer to Library Service

Refer to Stuart McPherson/David Briggs

It should be noted that a number of areas for further enhancement in relation to facilities and services raised were already “known” to the University and had been raised formally at a meeting of the Learning Infrastructure Sub-Committee (LISC). Members had agreed tha t the

detailed feedback imparted to the Sub-committee by relevant staff on steps being taken to address issues could usefully be shared more widely; this would be taken forward in a student communication by the Dean of Students. Initial feedback is provided below: Transport

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Students reported that the Firstbus services to Garthdee Campus were highly congested at peak times, and this had been particularly prevalent at the start of term. There was acknowledgment that traffic and breakdowns had a significant knock on effect, however long queues at Woolmanhill, Union Street and Holburn Street were reported.

Concerns with the pricing structure were also reported and there was a feeling that tickets were not value for money due to the quality of service.

Specific issues with reductions in the frequency of Stagecoach services to both Stonehaven and Alford were noted.

It was also reported that buses leaving the campus at peak times in the evening were often full before reaching 3

To be confirmed by Bill Somerville: • It was reported that there had been a 33% increase in the number of services this Session, with 16 buses per hour operating at peak times in both the AM and PM. • In response to the significant increase in volume of users, and queuing times, both First Bus and Estates had introduced monitoring at certain stops and ‘people on the ground’ to facilitate boarding. In addition reserve buses had been used as required.

• It was noted that three services left from Woolmanhill, but this was not an express service and was required to stop on route.

• An additional route via College Street had been investigated but wasn’t considered viable.

• It was evident that there had been a considerable amount

Gray’s/Scotts.

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Catering

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ATMs

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of activity to address the issues and there was on-going, daily liaison with FirstBus. Future plans would include further development of the strong relationship and investigation into provision of timetables to FirstBus.

Student appreciated the greater level of choice in Riverside East (RSE) however there was a perception that prices were high compared to other buildings; at approximately £4-5 for a meal.

At peak times queues were problematic and it was suggested that vending machines could be installed to alleviate queues.

Greater availability outwith the lunch period would be welcomed.

In addition it would be useful to be aware of menus/specials etc available across campus, on a daily basis, if possible.

Scott Sutherland students indicated that the Basement had a particularly poor selection of cold food in comparison to elsewhere on campus. This was compacted in that time available between classes meant that students were unlikely to walk to ABS or RSE. It was noted that the hot food offer had improved but still wasn’t available after 2pm.

The social space had recently been reconfigured with seating taken away and there was still an issue with the temperature being too cold.

It was noted that a group of Gray’s students had recently met with the catering manager to look at possible improvements including vending machines stocking noodles and sandwiches.

Additional water fountains within Aberdeen Business School were requested.

Microwaves for use by students would be welcomed however it was explained that there were health and safety issues which prohibited their use in the buildings.

To be confirmed by Bill Somerville: • The food offer in RSE differs from that in other buildings, as it includes bespoke branded outlets (e.g. Superbox) however the price of coffee was confirmed to be the same in all Costa outlets.

• All three units in RSE have been trading above expected levels and as a result the onsite Aramark Managers would be reviewing staffing levels, options to relieve queues (such as express services or vending machines) and effective methods of communicating daily options.

Feedback indicated that the current ATMs didn’t support the population at the Garthdee campus, and downtime was problematic.

It was acknowledged that generally students needed money

To be confirmed by Bill Somerville: • It was reported that technical issues were still affecting the service, however once installation was complete there would be three ATMs across campus.

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for catering, and once chip and pin was rolled out this should alleviate the requirement on cash machines.

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IT

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Library Service

Concerns were raised about the intermittent WiFi availability, and lack of instruction on how to access services.

This was augmented by the need to use laptops as desktop computers were in high demand.

Provision of computers was problematic and it was suggested that information could be posted indicating how many terminals were available at any time.

Members were reminded that a cashless card option was available however it was clear that it wasn’t well utilised at this stage.

The roll out of ‘Chip and Pin’ facilities in all catering outlets was imminent and it was hoped this would also alleviate demand on ATMs.

To be confirmed by Richard Lynch: • It was noted that poor signal affected apps and IT were responding to issues as they arose.

• The roll out of the new Eduroam system was close to completion and instructions were available online.

• It would be important once Eduroam was complete to ensure that communication and support is available to enable access.

Printing Facilities It was noted that there were a number of issues with printing including: • Finding printers, and in turn ones that worked. A map of printing locations would be beneficial.

• Students could be charged without receiving printing if there was a fault.

• There were no A3 printing facilities and students had to supply their own paper if this was required.

Refer to Richard Lynch

Library induction sessions were commented on favourably and staff were considered to be very helpful, however a number of points were raised: • There was a lack of clarity surrounding the silent study areas in the Library and in the ‘old’ library. Students anticipated that in the run up to the assessment periods the Library would be very busy, and there was a perception that there was less study space available.

There was an awareness of the space available in the old Library however noted that it hadn’t yet been fully promoted. o Students in Computing and Engineering indicated that they were likely to use RSE Labs as a result.

Whilst students in Gray’s and Scott Sutherland

Refer to Michelle Anderson

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indicated that they would be more likely to use their own studio space rather than the SLC. The positioning of the lift meant that its working sounds travelled and disrupted the study space in the vicinity.

Poor availability of texts in support of dissertations/projects was highlighted and it was noted that these texts were not subject specific and were applicable to most courses and so demand was high.

Issues with online texts and journals, for example the volume of users can decrease the speed of accessing texts and there were also limitations to the number of users who could access a text at any one time.

Campus Environment: Smoking Area

It was reported that the only covered smoking area was outside ABS. There was an understanding that this was the currently designated area, and that entrances to buildings weren’t appropriate, however it was highlighted that there were possible areas at RSE which were out of sight and preferable to walking to the far side of the ABS building.

Refer to Bill Somerville

Accommodation

A number of students indicated that there expectations of halls/flats had not been met: • Specific issues were reported with regard to certain halls/flats (e.g. related to hot water, fire alarms, availability of washing machines).

These had already been communicated to on-site staff, and would be forwarded to Estates and Property Services to ensure resolution.

• 14/15 week leases were problematic for PG students as it meant that they were required to find alternative accommodation for the end of courses.

The following points were also noted: • Links on the webpage for recommended private accommodation providers were out of date.

• There was awareness of specific cases were individuals were still looking for accommodation; and it was advised that the Accommodation Welfare Manager be contacted to provide information, advice and guidance.

This was particularly problematic for PG students given their course length. It was suggested that a Facebook page could be established to engage students early and to allow them to

Refer to Bill Somerville

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share information on how to find accommodation.

It was discussed that although most students would prefer to live in the city centre, there was still likely to be demand for on-campus accommodation.

RUK students had less choice, if any, due to their later confirmation of results.

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APPENDIX Student Representative meetings with Deans of Faculty - Session 2013/14: Faculty/School/Course Level Issues The following issues raised specific to particular Schools/Departments and courses, are provided for consideration and action as appropriate. Please note students were requested to contact Schools/Departments directly to provide further information and context: School/Dept Pharmacy and Life Sciences

Issue • There was also a specific issue with regard to lockers, and storage options for lab coats, which had health and safety implications, and would be addressed by the School of Pharmacy and Life Sciences and Estates directly. There was an interesting discussion which clarified that while feedback was around lack of locker space in reality the solution might include better communication of locker availability and alternative solutions for lab coats. It was agreed that any health and safety issues relating to lab coat transportation must be addressed as a priority.

• It was harder to meet with academic staff now that they didn’t have their own offices, and meeting rooms for this purpose were often booked.

Applied Social Studies

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Computing Science and Digital Media

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Aberdeen Business School

The timetable now only had module names and numbers, previously an indication of content was provided and this was considered useful.

It was reported that the timing of resits/results could affect re-enrolment, SAAS funding and ability to undertake placement modules.

BSc (Hons) Computer Science/BSc Computing for Internet and Multimedia – It was reported that students had expected to have a choice of electives, however this had been removed due to timetabling issues. As a result some students were studying modules which they found more challenging (e.g. programming based).

It was highlighted that those students on the one year placement would benefit from an optional refresher course on programming before recommencing studies.

It was reported that Multimedia equipment couldn’t be pre-booked, and could only be collected at specific times; this could be problematic for students making arrangements to use it.

Additional H:drive space had been requested for certain courses however hadn’t been completed.

Key: OGL – MSc Oil and Gas Law OGA – MSc Oil and Gas Accounting PM – MSc Project Management PSCM – MSc Purchasing and Supply Chain Management IMM – BSc (Hons) International Marketing Management BAAF – BA (Hons) Accounting and Finance

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LAM – BA (Hons) Law and Management CPR – BA (Hons) Communication with Public Relations MS – BA (Hons) Media MM – BA (Hons) Management with Marketing ITM – BA (HOns) International Tourism Management

Inconsistent levels of dissertation supervision and (associated with this) variations in response times to emails. (LAM) 8

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The Dean explained the importance of students alerting their Course Leaders to any such issues as and when they arose.

Provision of additional underpinning for direct entrants for example in HR and economics. It was noted that once the students had made staff aware of the shortfall in knowledge additional sessions were provided for the direct entrant students. Linked to this it was suggested that access could be provided to materials in earlier years for direct entrant students to provide them with background information and allow improved pre-entry preparation. (LAM) Student experience in IT and subject specific software was variable and there was insufficient numbers of academic staff to meet the needs of the students in this area. (HRM) There had been an issue with the examination for the Business Ethics module, i.e. lecture the day before exam, numbering of examination paper inaccurate. Students were advised to refer this issue to the Module Coordinator and Course Leader Absence of lecturer for Management Concepts and the subsequent impact on the students’ studies.

Mixed feedback from Media students in relation to course content. Some favoured more hands-on, practical experience in Stage 4 as well as subject specific modules whilst others indicated they were satisfied with the current structure.

(PR) Variable practice in relation to the identification/allocation of research topics at undergraduate level. LAM students were allocated supervisors by the end of Stage 3. Others favoured such an approach and believed that they should be encouraged to consider their research topic during the summer with proposals being submitted early in Semester One of Stage 4; this would allow early allocation of supervisors. (EM, PR and Media) Caution was advocated about encroaching upon the summer break due to other commitments students may have.

Focus on oil and gas within MSc Project Management, which was not favoured by all students. (PM) Suggestion that shared modules could be contextualised to the relevant cohorts, for example Project Information, Organisation and Behaviour module within MSc Project Management. (PM) Extend practical IT sessions in relevant software to provide students with transferrable skills to assist them in gaining employment in relevant areas. (PM) Extend the number of finance lectures for MSc Purchasing and Supply Chain Management – the lecturer was excellent but the difficult nature of the finance subject warranted additional lectures. (PSCM) Concerns surrounding the Corporate Financial Management module; the students were advised to refer this to their Course Leader.

The Public Relations Strategy module in Stage 3 was very similar to the Stage 2 module and could be reviewed. (CPR) CPR was accredited by CIPR but there was variable awareness of what this involved. The Dean suggested that the students contact CIPR and ask them to attend the University early in the semester to explain their role, purpose and membership.

The incorporation of an additional finance module into the course was suggested (ITM) Limited oil and gas content within the course and no attendance/visits to industry. (OGA) Provision of a stapling facility in close proximity to the drop boxes would be helpful.

Additional timetabled IT lab space for MSc Project Management students was requested. (PM) Offsite student access to project management software via MyApps was requested. (PM) Currency of texts for some subjects was a concern as was the availability of core texts. (LAM, LLB, BAAF, OGL, IMM) Overall students seemed satisfied with assessment. The different forms of assessments was commented on favourably 9

(BAAF and MS) and feedback was timeous and detailed. (LAM) • More practical assessments, as opposed to solely essays, requested in relation to MSc Oil and Gas Accounting were favoured. (OGA) • Lack of clarity of some lecturers in relation to how much advice they could provide to students in relation to assessments.

• Student access to examination papers. It was clarified students could request such access and were directed to their Course Leader/Module Coordinator.

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