ULC 32 MINUTES 13 February 2013

UNIVERSITY OF LONDON UNDERGRADUATE LAWS COMMITTEE MINUTES ULC32

Undergraduate Laws Committee MINUTES (confirmed)
The thirty second meeting of the Undergraduate Laws Committee was held on Wednesday 13 February 2013 MEMBERS: Prof K Malleson, Prof W Morrison, Prof R Chambers, Prof J Penner, Mr Ian Yeats, Ms Catharine Macmillan, Prof M Craven, Ms A Marks, Prof A Dignam, Dr G Webber, Ms P McKellar, Prof J Hamilton, Mr P Dale Prof P Tuitt, Dr Stephanie Wilson IN ATTENDANCE: Ms C Ramshaw, Mr M Davis, Mr S Barnes APOLOGIES: Prof W Wilson, Mrs V Kunova, Dr M Diamantides, Prof F Macmillan, Dr J Murkens, Mr P Kohler

ANNOUNCEMENTS
1093 There were no announcements

Minutes of the last meeting of ULC

Received 1094 The minutes of the last meeting of the ULC held on 14 November 2012 were received and discussed as reserved business.

Agreed 1094.3 The Committee approved the minutes, subject to minor amendments as discussed.

Minutes of the Teaching and Learning Environment Panel

Received and approved 1095 The unconfirmed minutes of the 19th meeting of the Examinations Panel held on 21 November 2012

Matters Arising Online Marking

ULC 32 MINUTES 13 February 2013 Received and noted 1096 An oral report from the last meeting of the QASL, where it was reported that following further evaluation, it is not deemed appropriate to move the project forward with the current tender, for reasons of cost and system viability in an HE environment. The International Academy will continue to establish if there is an alternative methodology, which may need to be a bespoke solution. However, for the time being, the project is in an exploration phase only. It might be the case that there is no sufficient product in the market place for the International Programmes needs. In respect of online mark entry, it was reported that this will no longer be available for May June but will instead should be available for trialling during the resit examination session.

Laws review group and 5 year plan 1097 Further to the agreement at the previous meeting to establish a small review group to look at future plans for the laws programme, and subsequent to a meeting between the VC and

the Chair of the ULC, it had been agreed to postpone the agreed Review until the VCs own review was completed. It is therefore not yet known when this work will be able to commence. However the ULC received a short report on the appointments of panel members for the Vice Chancellors Review, and noted that no further information on timescales process or method were as yet available. The ULC expressed its hope that Programme Directors would be consulted as part of the process and that any paper going to Collegiate Council should also be made available in advance.
MATTERS FOR DISCUSSION Student Petition Received 1098 ULC 32/3, regarding an online petition advocating Openness and Transparency for Law Students at the University of London International Programmes

Noted 1098.1 The Committee noted that the petition was created by a current final year student and also noted the Programme Directors response. In discussion of the matter it was noted that certain of the issues raised resonate with matters arising in relation to Periodic Review, the JASB and QAA Quality Codes and were worthy of further consideration at the Chief Examiners Away Day Regulations Received and approved 1099 ULC 32/4, Old, Revised, Pathway F and Diploma in Common Law Regulations for 2013-14.

Syllabus changes Received and approved 1100 ULC 32/5, Syllabus changes for Common Law Reasoning and Institutions, Criminal Law, EU Law, Family Law, Land Law, Law of Tort, Public Law, Succession, Criminology, and Labour Law. The ULC also approved the outline syllabuses for the three new perspectival courses in Philosophy of Law and Legal Theory, Theory of Law, Politics and the State and Law and Social Theory

Noted:

ULC 32 MINUTES 13 February 2013 1100.1 In relation to the course Common Law Reasoning and Institutions, changes to assessment were noted and discussed, whereby students would no longer be required to complete a Research Essay. The research component of the exam will however be retained and students will be required to locate a specific case in an archive/online database and to make relevant notes on it. Comprehension of the case will be one of the areas that part A now directly examines. Part A will also focus on a students ability to comprehend and comment upon judicial reasoning. Law Skills Pathway Received: 1101 ULC 32/6, a paper relating to the two Law Skills Pathways and some possible shortcomings identified in the guidance provided in respect of the Dissertation option.

Approved: 1101.1 It was agreed that following consultation with, and the approval of, the Chief Examiner, Professor Morrison will be mandated to track the distribution of Dissertations this year, will review the situation and report back to the ULC in November. Directors Report Received and noted: 1102 An oral report was received from the Director regarding the pilot of formative assessment in November for which broadly positive feedback had been received. It was reported that the intended second phase of the pilot in February had been abandoned while issues encountered with the first phase could be addressed. The Director also noted delays in material production due to late receipt of guides and noted that any additional costs met by the ULP in resolving such problems would be born by Colleges as previously agreed.

1102.1 In relation to the Subject Convenors, a range of minor issues relating to payments and subcontracting and copyright were noted and it was reported that the Subject Convenor arrangements will be reviewed to ensure that they appropriately reflect any updated arrangements at the Central University, and are fit for purpose. 1102.2 The Director reported on regulatory issues being encountered in Kenya, Ghana, the US and Canada, and Nigeria. The Director also provided an update on Malaysia, where the authorities are looking into replacing the CLP with an open bar course. Periodic Review 2012 Received and noted: 1103 The Committee was pleased to receive a final version of the Periodic Review report and welcomed the changes made, although it was noted that the report had incorrectly omitted Patricia Tuitt from the list of those who met with the Panel, a correction which the CPQ representative agreed would be made.

Payments to individuals Received and noted: 1104 The Committees attention was drawn to a change in approach within the Central University which entailed changes in the way payments were made to individual suppliers and has subsequently caused a delay in the processing of payments to certain authors and Subject Convenors.

Noted:

ULC 32 MINUTES 13 February 2013 1104.1 It was reported to the Committee that discussions with Central University finance are ongoing in order to determine whether a solution to the issue may be found for those individuals who are unable or unwilling to provide a Unique Tax Reference, and a further report will come to the ULC in due course. VLE Usage Statistics Received and noted: 1105 ULC 32/11, a report on VLE usage analytics.