Staff Handbook: 1 Introduction

Other important documents relating to the School are archived at http://www.cs.bham.ac.uk/internal/staff/archive.

Contents

1. Purpose
2. Organization of the School (including Load Model, demonstrator allocations)
   2.1 The School and the University
   2.2 Management Structures
   2.3 Officers and Committees
   2.4 Management of Teaching and Learning
   2.5 Policy and Procedures for Sabbaticals
   2.6 Health and Safety
3. Teaching and Learning
   3.1 Introduction to Teaching and Learning
   3.2 Curriculum Design, Content and Organization
      3.2.1 Programme Quality Assurance Procedures
      3.2.2 Module Quality Assurance Procedures
      3.2.3 Annual Review
   3.3 Teaching, Learning and Assessment
      3.3.1 Assessment Procedures
      3.3.2 Project Assessment
      3.3.3 Tutoring and Demonstrating
      3.3.4 Teaching by Research Staff
   3.4 Monitoring Student Progression and Achievement
   3.5 Student Support and Guidance
   3.6 Learning Resources
   3.7 Quality Assurance and Enhancement
4. Research
5. Index

1. Purpose

The Staff Handbook is intended to provide a concise and practical overview of what staff need to know, mainly in relation to teaching and learning. In particular it sets out School policies, as well as giving pointers to other authoritative references.

An outline of the contents of the rest of the handbook follows.

2. Organization of the School

2.1 The School and the University
Explains the relationship between the School and the University.
2.2 Management Structures
Defines the committees and officers of the School and their duties. Use to find out "what" people do.
2.3 Officers and Committees
Lists the names of all Officers of the School and the members of all Committees. Use to find out "who" does what.
2.4 Management of Teaching and Learning
Summarizes the management structure as it applies to teaching and learning.
2.5 Policy and Procedures for Sabbaticals
Sets out the School's policy on sabbaticals and procedures followed to approve them.
2.6 Health and Safety
Sets out the School's Health and Safety Policy and lists relevant officers.

See also these online resources:

  • The School Calendar, which lists events for the current year.
  • The Load Model, which gives the current teaching loads of staff (and a link to next year's allocations when appropriate).
  • Allocation of Tutors/Demonstrators, which lists the current allocation of tutors and demonstrators to modules.

3. Teaching and Learning

3.1 Introduction to Teaching and Learning
Gives an over-view of teaching and learning within the School.

See also:

3.2 Curriculum Design, Content and Organization

3.2.1 Programme Quality Assurance Procedures
Describes programme quality assurance procedures, e.g. how a new programme gains approval and how a programmes are documented and reviewed.
3.2.2 Module Quality Assurance Procedures
Describes module quality assurance procedures, including all the documentation a module provider must create or maintain, together with all the actions required each academic year.

See also:

3.3 Teaching, Learning and Assessment

3.3.1 Assessment Procedures
Describes the examination process, from setting papers to the conduct of Examination Boards. It also describes the procedures for setting and marking continuous assessment (excluding projects).
3.3.2 Project Assessment
Describes the School's procedures for assessing undergraduate and MSc projects.
3.3.3 Tutoring and Demonstrating
Describes the duties of student tutors and demonstrators.
3.3.4 Teaching by Research Staff
Describes the School's policy regarding teaching by research staff.
3.4 Monitoring Student Progression and Achievement
Describes the School's procedures for monitoring the progress and achievement of students, including the role of the Academic Advisor.
3.5 Student Support and Guidance
Gives an over-view of the School's student support system and of the role of the Welfare Team.
3.6 Learning Resources
Gives a brief over-view of learning resources available to lecturers, provided either centrally or by the School.
3.7 Quality Assurance and Enhancement
Very briefly summarizes the structures and procedures within the School which contribute to quality assurance and enhancement.

4. Research

Sections 1-3 of the Staff Handbook only cover research as regards the organization and management of the School.

For internal information on the organization of research (travel grants, journal rewards, sabbaticals, etc.), see the Research Committee Information web page.

An external presentation of the School's research activities is available via the 'Research' link on the School's home page (http://www.cs.bham.ac.uk/research/).

5. Index

Academic Advisor: 3.5 §2, 3.5 §4-§6
Academic Management Team: 2.2 §13.1
Academic Manager: the duties attached to the former post of Academic Manager are now mainly undertaken by the Head of Academic Programmes and the Head of Quality Assurance & Enhancement; see also the links at the bottom of web pages for the current maintainer.
Academic Office (now called Academic Services): 2.1 §4
Academic staff, definition: 2.2 §0
Accreditation Committee: 2.2 §11
Admissions Officers: 2.3 §1
Allocation, of teaching: LoadModel.php
Annual Review: 3.2.3
Appeals: 3.4
Appeals Panel: 3.3.1 §7
Archive of School documents, index: /resources/staff/archive/
ASMG: replaced by the QAEC
Assessment procedures: 3.3.1
Assessment standards: 3.3.1 §9
Assessment Standards Monitoring Group: replaced by the Quality Assurance & Enhancement Committee
Assessment, of projects: 3.3.2
Availability to students: 3.5 §5
BCS accreditation, committee: 2.2 §11
Careers Tutor: 2.2 §13.2
Cheating: see Plagiarism
Committees, current members: 2.3
Committees, structure: 2.2 §1
Computing Facilities Strategy & Policy Committee: replaced by the User Forum
Computing facilities: 3.6 §2
Continuous assessment: 3.3.1 §1, Summary
Copyright: 3.6 §6
Coursework: see Continuous Assessment
Curriculum Review Meetings 2.2 §9.3, 3.3.1 §3.3
Data Protection Officer: 2.2 §13.8
Definitions (relevant to modules and programmes): 3.2.2 §1
Demonstrating, by research staff: 3.3.4
Demonstrating, by research students: 3.3.3
Demonstration, project: 3.3.2
Demonstrators, duties: 3.3.3 §3
Deputy Welfare Tutor: 2.2 §13.2
Director of Computing Facilities: 2.2 §13.4
Director of Learning & Teaching: see Head of Quality Assurance & Enhancement
Director of Postgraduate Studies: 2.2 §13.1
Director of Research: 2.2 §13.3
Director of Undergraduate Studies: 2.2 §13.1
Examination Boards: 3.3.1 §6
Examination Boards, Terms of Reference: Undergraduate, MSc [PDF]
Examination paper templates: please consult the Examinations Secretary or Examinations Officer for templates for examination papers.
Examinations Officers: 2.2 §13.1
Examinations, setting and marking: 3.3.1 §2, §3
Examiner, definition: 3.3.1 §0
Exchanges Tutor: 2.2 §13.1
Extensions: 3.3.1 §1
External Liaison Committee: 2.2 §12.4
Facilities Committee: replaced by the User Forum
Faculty: 2.1 §1
Feedback, on assessed work: 3.3.1 §1
Fire Wardens: 2.3 §1, 2.6
First Aiders: 2.3 §1, 2.6
Forms, for Module QA: see Module Change Request Form, Module Preparation Report Form, Module Completion Report Form, Module Box Contents Form, Teaching Observation Report Form
Head of Academic Programmes: 2.2 §13.1
Head of Quality Assurance & Enhancement: 2.2 §13.1
Head of School, appointment: 2.1 §1, 2.1 §5
Head of Student Support & Development: : 2.2 §13.2
Health and Safety: 2.6
Health and Safety (University): 2.1
Health and Safety Officers: 2.3 §1, 2.6
IET accreditation, committee: 2.2 §11
Industrial Advisory Board: 2.2 §12
Industrial Liaison Panel: see External Liaison Committee
Industrial Placements Tutor: 2.2 §13.1
Information Services: 3.6 §2
Information Systems Officer: 2.2 §13.5
Inspection, project: 3.3.2
International Partnerships Officer: 2.2 §13.3
International Students Tutor: 2.2 §13.2
LDU: 3.6 §4
Learning Development Unit: 3.6 §4
Learning resources: 3.6
Lecture observation: see Teaching observation.
Learning Outcomes: 3.2.2 §2.2
Lecture rooms: 3.6 §1
Level: 3.2.2 §1
Library Officer: 2.2 §13.6
Library: 3.6 §3
Linked modules: 3.2.2 §1
LO: see Learning Outcomes
Load model, current: LoadModel.php
LRAT: 3.6 §1
Management of teaching and learning: 2.4
Management structures: 2.2
Mitigation, at Exam Boards: 3.3.1 §5, 3.3.1 §6
Mitigation, for coursework: 3.3.1 §1
Mitigation Panel: 3.3.1 §5
Module Box: 3.2.2 §7
Module Change Request Form: ModuleChangeForm.pdf
Module Completion Report Form: ModuleCompletionForm.pdf
Module Completion: 3.2.2 §8
Module description: 3.2.2 §2
Module documentation, timetable: 3.2.2 §9.2
Module documentation: 3.2.2 §2
Module Preparation Report Form: ModulePrepForm.pdf
Module preparation: 3.2.2 §4
Module quality assurance: 3.2.2
Module questionnaires: 3.2.2
Module Reviewer: 3.2.2 §8, 3.2.2 §9.2
Module, changes during delivery: 3.2.2 §5
Module, proposing new: 3.2.2 §3
Observation, of teaching: see Teaching observation.
Office hours: 3.5 §5
Officers, current: 2.3
Officers, functions: 2.2 §13
Overseas Students Tutor: see International Students Tutor
Pastoral matters: 3.5 §2
Plagiarism, avoiding: 3.3.1 §1
Plagiarism, dealing with: 3.3.1 §8
Plagiarism, in project: 3.3.2 §6
Postgraduate Admissions Tutor: 2.2 §13.3
Posts, current holders: 2.3
Prizes Coordinator: task performed by the Head of Student Development & Support
Professor, appointment: 2.1 §5
Programme approval: 3.2.1 §1
Programme Director: 2.2 §13.1
Programme review: 3.2.1 §3
Programme specification: 3.2.1 §2
Progression, student: 3.4
Project assessment: 3.3.2
Project assessment, grade descriptors: Descriptors for Use in Project Marking
Project Co-ordinators: 2.2 §13.1
Project demonstration: 3.3.2
Publicity Officer: 2.2 §13.3
Quality assurance, modules: 3.2.2
Quality Assurance & Enhancement Committee (QAEC): 2.2 §10
Quality Assurance & Enhancement Committee (QAEC), role in assessment: 3.3.1 §4
Quality assurance and enhancement: 3.7
Questionnaires, module: 3.2.2
Research Committee: 2.2 §5
Research Staff, teaching by: 3.3.4
Research Students Admissions Tutor: 2.2 §13.3
Research Students Monitoring Group: 2.2 §6
Research Students Tutor: 2.2 §13.2
Research Students, tutoring/demonstrating: 3.3.3 §2
Resources, for teaching and learning: 3.6
Returning continuous assessment: 3.3.1 §1
Returning Officers: 2.3 §1
Rooms, teaching/resources: 3.6 §1
RSMG: 2.2 §6
Sabbaticals: 2.5
Safety: 2.6
School Committee: 2.2 §2
School library: 3.6 §3
Schools, within University: 2.1 §1
Schools Liaison Officer: 2.2 §13.3
Seminar Organizer: 2.3 §1
Senate: 2.1 §3
Senior Tutor: 2.2 §13.2
SPRC: 2.1 §5
Staff Student Consultative Committee (SSCC): 2.2 §8
Staffing Committee (School): 2.2 §4
Staffing Committee (University): 2.1 §5
Stage: 3.2.2 §1
Standards, of assessment: 3.3.1 §9
Strategy Committee: 2.2 §3b
Strategy, Planning and Resources Committee: 2.1 §5
Student Recruitment Officer: 2.2 §13.3
Student Recruitment Team: 2.2 §13.3
Student Development & Support Team: 2.2 §13.2
Study Leave: 2.5
Support, MSc students: 3.5 §3
Support, student: 3.5
Support, undergraduates: 3.5 §2
Syllabus page: 3.2.2 §2
TAs: 3.3.3 §1
Teaching and learning, introduction: 3.1
Teaching and learning, management: 2.4
Teaching Assistants: 3.3.3 §1
Teaching Committee: 2.2 §9
Teaching observation: 3.2.2 §6, TeachingObs.php
Teaching Observation Report Form: TeachingObsForm.pdf
Teaching rooms: 3.6 §1
Teaching, by research staff: 3.3.4
Teaching, general: 3.1 §2
Templates for exam papers: please consult the Examinations Secretary or Examinations Officer for templates for examination papers.
Terms of Reference for Examination Boards: see Examination Boards
Timetable, showing availability: 3.5 §5
Tutoring/demonstrating, by research staff: 3.3.4
Tutoring/demonstrating, by research students: 3.3.3
Tutors, duties: 3.3.3 §3
Undergraduate Admissions Tutor: 2.2 §13.3
University, organization: 2.1 §5
Welfare Team: 2.2 §13.2, 3.5 §2, §6
Welfare Tutor: 2.2 §13.2
XML module description: 3.2.2 §2, Notes on XML Module Descriptions