FS&N School Staff Meeting February, 2016

Agenda 1.Apologies 2.Minutes of Last Meeting 3.Matters Arising 4.HoS’s Statement 5.Safety (AS) 6.Items from Student Education Committee (PK) 7.Items from Research Committee (CO) 8.Items from Postgraduate Committee (RE) - Admissions Processes (SR) 9. Admissions and Widening Participation (CE) 10. Finance (CR) 11. HR Issues (CR) 12. Athena Swan (CO) 13. AOB 14. Date of Next Meeting – 4 th May, 2016.

HoS’s Statement Entrepreneurial University of the Year (Times Higher Education Awards Duke of York Award for University Entrepreneurship at the Lloyds Bank National Business Awards In the new QS Graduate Employability Rankings 2016, Leeds was behind only Oxford and Cambridge in the UK Leeds was also placed in the world’s top 20. Leeds was ranked in the top 30 in the world for the quality of its partnerships with employers.

New Academic Posts - Update Bernadette – here! Yun Yun Gong – coming in July Arwen Tyler – coming in September Elena Simone – coming shortly(?) Chair of Biopolymers & Colloid Chemistry – interviews were yesterday; the DVC is talking to the candidates Lecturer in Biochemistry – short-listed 2 x Lecturers in Obesity – short-listed

Future New Academic Posts Space is the limitation to the agreed plans The 2 Chair posts will be advertised in September Other posts will follow Post-applicant Open Days

Other Matters Teaching Committees IPE

Brent has been appointed Research Group Leader for Colloids & Food Processing for 5 years

5. Health & Safety (AS)

 Ordering of 18 fire safety metal cabinets is ongoing.  Complywise online training system has now been replaced by Britsafe  Ordering of 18 fire safety metal cabinets is ongoing.  Complywise online training system has now been replaced by Britsafe H&S Britsafe Fire training should be completed annually Britsafe DSE assessment should be completed every two years Britsafe Manual handling every three years Lab managers – please fill in and send DSEAR forms for respective labs to H&S coordinator Britsafe Fire training should be completed annually Britsafe DSE assessment should be completed every two years Britsafe Manual handling every three years Lab managers – please fill in and send DSEAR forms for respective labs to H&S coordinator /

6. Items from the SEC (PK)

7. Items from R&IC (CO)

8. Items from PGRC (RE)

The Graduate School Faculty of Mathematics & Physical Sciences Admissions Briefing School of Food Science and Nutrition Sameera Rafiq Student Education Service Officer MaPS Faculty Graduate School

Admissions Enquiries Most enquiries will be by , either directly to academics or to the generic admissions mailbox. If you don’t want to answer it yourself (e.g. if it’s speculative rather than specific), forward it to the Admissions Team – If you DO respond, copy in the Admissions Team so they can follow it up with the general information. Information provided by the Admissions Team covers scholarship deadlines, English language requirements, and directs enquirers to the School website: - Research areas and projects- funding opportunities- entry requirements - guidance for international applicants- how to apply

Admissions Applications Applications are processed by the Graduate School Admissions Team, including collecting references and transcripts. Weekly s are sent to PGRT’s listing all the applications received that week. – These are not ‘complete’ and therefore no formal decision can be made. But academics are encouraged to contact and even interview if they feel it is appropriate. When applications are ‘complete’ the PGRT filters and recommends that the candidates details are circulated by to specific academics via a link to the pdf. Academics have 5 days to express interest by to the School PGR Officer. Note: No interest = declined application. All applicants who pass this stage must be interviewed. – This can be as much as a formal ‘interview’ or a discussion, either in person or via Skype, telephone or . An Interview Record should be completed and decision agreed by the panel: - Recommend for Offer- Decline

APPLICANT ACTION APPLICANT Applies on-line ACADEMICS Recommend for Academic Offer Complete Supervisor Recommendation on reverse of Interview form Include any funding information if appropriate Return form to SES PGR ADMIN (signed hard copy and/or electronically). After PGRT approval, SES PGR ADMIN formally declines application Faculty of Mathematics and Physical Sciences Graduate School PGR Applications Process Prior contact & discussion with academic ACADEMICS Are you interested in this applicant? You have 5 DAYS to decide if you want to take this application further. Decision to Accept Reject NO ACADEMICS 1.Inform SES PGR Admin by Cc your Group/Section Head or PGR Admissions Tutor 2.Interview An interview or discussion, either in person, via Skype, telephone or should be held before any final decision is made. YES SES PGR ADMIN After PGRT approval: Process recommendation and offer Inform Applicant of decision (cc Supervisor) Applicant Accepts ACADEMICS Funding Ensure that all details of funding are given to SES PGR ADMIN (account numbers, etc.) Arrival Keep in contact with student before arrival Negotiate with student on an arrival date and inform SES PGR ADMIN at least a week beforehand Bring to SES PGR ADMIN for Induction and Registration Week 1 Week 2 Weeks Position Confirmed ACADEMIC ACTION SES PGR ADMIN ACTION ACTION OUTCOME COLOUR CODING ACADEMICS Complete Interview Record Decide on outcome of interview ACADEMICS Return Interview Record to SES PGR ADMIN Application processed transcripts and references requested PDF completed Released to PGRT for circulation to academics FRIDAY PM Weekly sent via PGRTs with details of all applications received that week

Admissions Recommendations and Offers If recommending for an offer, complete the Supervisor Recommendation Form on the reverse of the Interview Record. Return the form to the SES PGR office, as (as a word doc) and/or signed hard copy. From this the office can process the recommendation for an offer If a School scholarship is offered, a letter giving the details is sent by the PGR Admin. The candidate must respond within 2 weeks. If the recommendation to the Centre is accepted, an offer letter is sent to the candidate by post and . The candidate needs to formally accept this place to be eligible to register. If the candidates informs you that they are declining the place you should let the SES PGR office know straight away so that the place can be offered elsewhere if appropriate.

Admissions Some Words of Caution! 1.REMEMBER: you must assess an applicant on ACADEMIC grounds only. Don’t let questions on funding delay offering an academic place. You may not be aware if a candidate is applying for a non-University of Leeds scholarship and needs an academic place to do so. 2.DON’T TELL A CANDIDATE THAT YOU’RE OFFERING THEM A PLACE! – Only the central team can make an ‘Offer/decline’, and only after checking qualification eligibility. – The School can only ‘recommend’ a candidate for an academic place, not offer. 3.Only candidates who have put in an application can be recommended for a place, regardless of where they’re from, so encourage them to formally apply as early as possible. 4.No funding is not grounds for a rejection of application. Applicants can only be declined on the grounds of academic qualifications or no matching supervisor/project. 5.A declined candidate has the right to request feedback on their interview. The Admissions PGRT would be able to do this only if the information on the Interview Record is clear. 6.KEEP IN CONTACT WITH THE CANDIDATE. Don’t assume that once an offer is made the candidate will arrive. If you don’t keep up that communication they may feel neglected and go elsewhere.

9. Admissions & Widening Participation (CE)

10. Finance Income/Expenditure on track Spending – 5 months left! Planned refurbishment 15/16

11. HR New Staff/Leavers On-Going School-funded Recruitment Mentoring New Academic Promotions Procedure New Support, Professional & Managerial Staff Promotions Procedure

People Management Framework Survey Results Thank you to all who completed the survey. 27 colleagues completed the survey, a response rate of 56% which was a 59% increase in responses from the 2013/2014 survey (17 colleagues took part in 2013/2014) The survey consisted of 44 statements plus the opportunity to provide free text responses which I have not included as we are a small School and it may be possible to identify individuals however these comments have been taken into account by the SMG.

People Management Framework Survey Results The survey asked for colleague opinion on six key areas : Wellbeing Work, Training & Development Values & Engagement Planning, Objectives & Progress Leadership, Performance & Change The University

People Management Framework Survey Results Calculating scores: Green6+ Green/Amber Amber 0 – 2.99 Amber/Red Red -3.1 and below

People Management Framework Survey Results The first 3 themes are  Poor Performance ‘I feel that poor performance is dealt with effectively in my School’ Amber disagree  Training and Development ‘Training and development activities have helped me to improve my performance and develop my potential’ Green/Amber 5.00 and disagree ( The survey shows that there is good access to training opportunities which has improved staff developing their potential (although worse score than last survey) but has not helped to improve their development).  Mentoring. ‘I have benefitted from access to mentoring opportunities in the last 3 years’ Amber /Red disagree

People Management Framework Survey Results These will be followed by:  Promotions ‘I understand the University promotion process and associated criteria – (new processes just been put in place) Amber disagree  Secondments, leadership roles or admin roles ‘ I have the opportunity to apply for roles that will support my development (e.g. secondments, leadership roles or administration roles) Amber disagree  University values ‘My School Management team has discussed with staff what the University values mean’ Amber disagree

People Management Framework Survey Results How change is communicated ‘When change is required, my School leaders/managers communicate clearly why change is needed’ Green/Amber disagree/neutral Wellbeing – ‘My life allows an appropriate work-life balance’ Green/Amber 4.44 – 6 disagree

People Management Framework Survey - Next Steps All staff will be invited to each Focus Group to discuss and draw up a School Action Plan for each theme. There will be 3 Focus Groups in March after teaching has finished:- Poor Performance – Catherine/ Nik Williams (Faculty HR) Training and Development – Caroline/Catherine Mentoring – Catherine/Nik Williams (Faculty HR) All will be held in the School Common Room with tea/coffee/biscuits!! There will 5 future Focus groups on the remaining 5 themes in due course. I hope you will all at least try and attend one session if not more, as your input is really important. This will also inform the Athena SWAN action plan going forward.

12. Athena Swan (CO)

13. AOB 14. Date of next meeting – 4 th May, 2016