29 November 2017 Minutes
Meeting minutes from the Informatics Board of Studies meeting held at 2.00pm on Wednesday, 29th November 2017 in Appleton Tower, Room 7.14.
Present - Alan Smaill (BoS Convenor/Academic Secretary), Mary Cryan, Christophe Dubache, Michael Fourman, Steve Renals, Don Sannella, Amos Storkey, Elisabeth Bell (Student Rep), Vicky Mactaggart (Secretary).
Chair gave apologies from - Stuart Anderson (BoS Convenor), Les Haworth, James Kirby, George Kinnear, Simon Tomlinson, Paul Anderson, Myrto Arapinis, Julian Bradfield, Sharon Goldwater, Alex Lascarides, Iain Murray, Kami Vaniea, Barbara Webb, Neil Heatley, Alexandra Welsh (Secretary),
Minutes of Previous Meeting - 18th October 2017
The minutes were read and approved. It was noted that the following points still need to be actioned;
04102017 Updates: ITO to create new distance learning courses and send to College for approval (Performance Modelling / Image and Vision Computing).
ACTION: ITO to create the two new distance learning courses for 2018/19.
UPDATE: Alex to create new courses on EUCLID and send for Level 1 approval.
Item 1) Proposed Course Update – Changes to DRPS entry for Machine Learning Practical – Steve Renals
The Course Lecturer provided an updated course summary for the 2018/19 DRPS page for MLP, with updates to the course description, reading list, key words, and assessment. There had been suggestions that MLP should change its course title to the more relevant ‘Deep Learning’, however as this would require the creation of an entirely new course and course code, deep learning was added to the keywords and descriptor.
The course assessment for will also change – from 4 items of assessment worth 10% and 25% in Semester 1, and 25% and 40% in Semester, to 3 items of assessed coursework and 1 item of formative, split into 10% and 40% in Semester 1, and formative (non-assessed) and 50% in Semester 2.
OUTCOME: Course descriptor changes and assessment changes were approved for 2018/19.
ACTION: Steve to provide updated course descriptor following BoS feedback, then ITO to update DRPS for 2018/19.
UPDATE: General details updated for 2017/18, assessment details to be updated for 2018/19, after course rollover early 2018.
Item 2) New Programme Update - Informatics with Study Abroad (MInf) – Don Sannella
Following feedback the programme title was changed from MInf with International Relations, to MInf with Study Abroad. The programme proposal is due to be presented by Don Sannella (Director of Internationalisation) at the College programme approval board today (29th November 2017).
OUTCOME: Awaiting College approval.
ACTION: Note College decision as an Information Item to next BoS agenda.
It was noted that the papers on the BoS webpages were not the final versions submitted to College – these have now been updated.
UPDATE: Not approved. College currently investigating CMA compliance implications of having ‘Study Abroad’ in the programme title. Don looking at potentially setting up Informatics-owned exchange programmes.
Item 3) Proposal - Creation of Curriculum Working Group - Neil Heatley
The Board queried the aim of this group in light of the recent Curriculum Review Committee lead by Sharon Goldwater, but appreciated that it had a more process driven, short-term goal to maximise resources. The Board approved the creation of the working group, but recommended bringing a proposal to the next BoS with a clearer remit, and explanation of how this group will align with the more academic subject-orientated plans steered by the Curriculum Review.
OUTCOME: The Board approved the creation of a short term Curriculum Working Group to look at degree programme structures.
ACTION: Neil to set up group and bring a working group proposal to the next BoS.
UPDATE: Neil advised action closed as the curriculum is being led by Sharon and recommendations are being considered.
Item 4) Information Only - Degree Programme Closures - APPROVED with effect from 2018/19 entry
The following degrees have been approved by College to be closed to new entries with effect from September 2018. College Admissions are contacting applicants and offer holders to advise of alternative options. School to provide written confirmation of the closures, then online publication of the degrees will be removed by CAM.
• Artificial Intelligence with Management (BEng Hons) (UTAIMNG)
• Computer Science with Management (BEng Hons) (UTCMPWM)
• Software Engineering with Management (BEng Hons) (UTSWENM)
OUTCOME: All 3 with management degrees now closed to applications from September 2018 entry.
ACTION: ITO/Comms to obtain written confirmation from DoT or DoPs, ensure School website is updated, and amend DPT annually until the last student(s) graduate.
UPDATE: Confirmation sent to admissions/CAM and all 3 programmes removed from degree finder and School website. Closure complete 18/12/17.
Item 5) Information Only - Degree Programme Closures - PROPOSED with effect from 2019/20 entry
The following degrees will be reviewed at the College programme approval board today (29th November 2017). Dependant on the outcome, these degrees will either be closed for 2018/19 entry, or 2019/20 entry.
• Artificial Intelligence and Software Engineering (BEng Hons) (UTAISEN)
• Artificial Intelligence and Mathematics (BSc Hons) (UTAIMAT)
OUTCOME: Awaiting College approval.
ACTION: Follow procedure as in Item 4 above and note College decision as an Information Item to next BoS agenda.
UPDATE: College approved closure. College admissions and CAM have confirmed programme closed to entrants from September 2019/20.
Item 6) Information Only - List of Distance Learning Courses and Codes 2017/18
Following previous BoS discussion regarding confusion over the number of distance learning course variations, and following a number of course closures, the final comprehensive list of campus vs distance learning courses was provided to staff for information.
AOCB
There was no other business and the meeting was concluded.
Date of Next Meeting
7th February 2018, Room 714, Appleton Tower (rescheduled from January).