Minutes of the Mathematics Departmental Staff Student Committee

Wednesday 14 March 2007 at 1pm

Room 807, 25 Gordon Street

 

Chair

Frankie

Lampl

Student Representative (Year 1)

Secretary

Anthony

Moore

Student Representative (Year 3)

Present

Talat

Baig

Student Representative (Year 1)

 

Maliha

Khan

Student Representative (Year 1)

 

Dulani

Mendis

Student Representative (Year 1)

 

George

Oduro

Student Representative (Year 2)

 

Kishan

Patel

Student Representative (Year 2)

 

Louise

Jottrand

Student Representative (Year 3)

 

Mark

Roberts

Staff Representative

 

Robert

Bowles

Staff Representative

Apologies

Sehar

Naqvi

Student Representative (Year 1)

 

Shakil

Motala

Student Representative (Year 3)

 

Sergei

Timoshin

Staff Representative

 

1                                  Apologies for Absence

Apologies were received from SN, SM and ST.

 

2/1                               Approval of Minutes of Previous Meeting

The minutes were APPROVED pending the correction of the names of Jason Ramdany and Talat Baig on the attendance list.

 

2/2                              Report of Dr Roberts

MR stated that all comments that he had been actioned to pass on had been passed on.

 

MR reported back on the concerns raised by third year representatives regarding the provision of information on choice of options.  MR stated that he is hoping to organise meetings regarding choice of options for next week.  He stated that there are few opportunities for such meetings between the end of exams and the start of the next academic year, and that meetings before exams are too early for many.  FL stated that it would be useful to be informed of course options before exams.  MR stated that it had been intended for students to make provisional choices soon, but this is not possible due to difficulties with the transition of College IT systems.

 

MR tabled the Course Assessment information for Autumn  2006-07.  FL queried whether lecturers receive detailed breakdowns of this information.  MR stated that they do.  AM asked whether poor feedback had any consequences.  MR stated that HoD will see the lecturer concerned, and the lecturer may switch the course that they teach.

2/3                              Matters Arising

                                    These were covered under 2/2.

 

3                                 Matters brought up by student representatives

 

3/1                              First Years

FL requested that MR wear a microphone when lecturing.   MR agreed to do so.

 

FL stated that there were problems with noise in the lectures of Professor Vassiliev, and that he had been dismissive of complaints regarding this.

 

ACTION:  MR to advise DV of this.

 

FL stated that the link from the teaching materials page to DV’s website is not working.

 

ACTION:  MR to ensure that this link is fixed.

 

DM requested problem sheet solutions.  Currently no solutions are given out in Methods 2.  Earlier in the term, no solutions were given out in Analysis 2, but this has now changed.  MR stated that in future years, solutions will be given in Analysis 2, but there were problems at the start of this year with the course.

 

FL requested that all problem sheets are put online.

 

ACTION:  MR to suggest to staff that they put problem sheets online.

 

TB stated that Analysis 2 marks often take some time to be returned.

 

MK stated that insufficient time is given for students to understand in the 1402 lectures, and that Dr Jansons is dismissive of questions.  MK stated that methods are not explained in lectures, and that KJ often provides only examples without explanation.  MK further stated that KJ is often dismissive of enquiries during lectures.

 

MR enquired how the applied course was going.  TB asked for more examples.  FL stated that many people are no longer attending the lectures. FL queried how the lecturer’s confidence could be improved.

 

MK asked whether it would be possible to finish the first term one week later, and thereby gain one week off at Easter.  MR stated that this decision is beyond the control of the Department.  AM queried whether this matter could be referred to a more senior committee.  RB stated that any referral would not change anything. 

 

MK requested that extra problem classes are held in the final week of the spring term.  MR highlighted logistical difficulties with this.

 

MK stated that it would be useful if exams started two weeks later.  RB agreed.

 

ACTION:  MR to refer this request to College.

 

FL stated that people should be better informed of the fact that failing to complete 50% of problem sheets can lead to failing a course.  MR stated that people should be well-informed of this fact already.  AM queried whether all rules regarding assessed problem sheets should be clarified at the start of each course.  LJ and MR stated that this would not be desirable.

 

FL stated that there are problems in the Applied 2 course.  She stated that the lecturer often makes mistakes in copying notes onto the board, and that he will correct these in the following lecture without being clear about precisely where in the notes the correction should be made.

 

3/2                              Second Years

KP requested that Dr Eckhoff is more assertive in lectures to ensure that people are quieter.  GO highlighted difficulties in changing lecturer styles.   AM questioned whether there is sufficient support provided when lecturers are experiencing difficulties.  MR stated that courses are available to them, and that in some cases it is recommended that a lecturer attends such a course.  MR further stated that changing a lecturer’s style is difficult.  MK stated that Professor FEA Johnson’s method of controlling a group should be recommended.  RB questioned whether it was always the same group of students who are disruptive in lectures.  FL and MK stated that it was.  RB requested that names of those involved be forwarded to him.  There was general support for naming disruptive students in lectures.

 

MK requested that DSSCs are held two weeks into the term.  MR agreed that holding DSSCs earlier in the term is desirable.

 

KP requested that double lectures are timetabled as rarely as possible.  MR stated that there is a trend within College toward two-hour lectures.  AM queried the reason for this.  MR stated that this is for logistical reasons, such as introducing a central timetable for the College.  AM queried whether logistics are taking precedence over education.  RB stated that there are both advantages and disadvantages of this system.  AM further stated that it would be desirable for students to be consulted on this change.  MR agreed, and stated that it would be desirable for staff to be consulted.

 

KP requested that lecturers write on boards instead of using projection.  MR highlighted that the converse request has been made in previous years.

 

KP stated that a specimen exam paper would be useful for new courses, such as the second year economics course this term.  MR clarified that the third year economics courses would not be new.

 

GO requested that a maths football team be formed.  LJ suggested that his could be done through the ADM Society.  AM clarified that the ADM society has been affiliated to UCL Union, and that this would make running this easier next year.

 

LJ stated that there is still no link from the Departmental website to the ADM website.

 

ACTION:  MR to ensure that this is rectified.

 

3/3                              Third and Fourth Years

LJ requested that assessed problem sheets are provided in a wider range of third year courses, although she did understand the benefits to third years of not having to worry about handing several assessed sheets in each week.

 

AM stated that the hand dryer in the 5th floor men’s toilets is not working.

 

ACTION:  MR to report this.

 

AM requested that Roamnet be extended to the department.  He stated that there is a very weak connection, but this often drops out.

 

ACTION:  RB to consult with Professor Vassiliev and Helen Higgins regarding this.

 

AM highlighted difficulties experienced by the lecturer in Maths in Biology 2.  MR stated that these had in part been caused by the illness of the member of staff due to lecture the course, and the fact that the replacement lecturer had not taught undergraduates previously.  MR stated that he had already spoken to the lecturer concerned, in response to queries raised by students on the course.  LJ stated that the lecturer often assumed material that had not been covered in previous courses.  AM and LJ both stated that the lecturer was open to questions and suggestions, and had changed his lecture style in response to suggestions.

 

3/4                              Postgraduate

                                    No postgraduate representative was present.

 

4                                 Matters brought up by staff representatives

MR stated that the Faculty has resurrected a teaching award, and asked whether representatives had any suggestions of who should be nominated.  AM suggested Professor FEA Johnson.  Staff and students agreed with this suggestion.  MR stated that we can send more than one nomination.  MR requested that a representative write a paragraph for the nomination of FEAJ.  AM volunteered.

 

ACTION:  AM to write paragraph for nomination of FEAJ.

 

MR asked for views on what information should be provided to students regarding options.  MK asked for more information regarding the courses which underlie the later courses.  KP asked for third year students to discuss options with.  FL stated that she believes students should be facilitated in visiting lectures of courses that they are considering.  MR agreed with this.  GO stated that he likes the booklet that is currently provided.  AM suggested that there are both staff and students available for consultation at the relevant meetings.

 

GO highlighted that the website should be designed to make it easier to access the material for which one is looking.

 

5                                 Date of next meeting

The next meeting is to be held at 1pm on the Wednesday immediately preceding reading week in the Autumn term.

 

ACTION:  MR to confirm date and venue with next year’s student representatives.

6                                 Any other business

                                    There was none.

                                   

Meeting closed at 2:30pm.