Feedback, concerns and queries 1 Feedback

Students will receive regular feedback from their supervisor through the Graduate Supervision System (GSS) termly reports. Students are expected to also write a report on how they feel their research progress has gone over the term. Please see appendix E for further information on the Graduate supervision system. Students are also expected to make a self-assessment of their progress over each academic year including any problems that they might be experiencing in their academic work or with supervision. Students will need to complete a Training Needs Assessment form and return to the Graduate Studies Coordinator towards the end of the academic year. The form will be seen by the students’ supervisor who will discuss issues or concerns with the student and will take follow-up action as required, thus ensuring that the student receives appropriate help and support and will be used to alert the Graduate Studies Committee and the student’s college to any issues that need to be addressed.

DPhil students will also have an annual meeting with the Director of Graduate Studies to review their progress and are encouraged to consult the Director of Graduate Studies, at any time during the year, to address particular needs or problems.

The Director of Graduate Studies will also arrange a termly meeting (usually in week 8) with all DPhil students for general feedback & for raising any concerns; this meeting will normally be chaired by the MSc Programme Director or the Director of Graduate Studies. Notes will be taken by the Graduate Studies Coordinator who will note the main outcomes. The notes will be

39 circulated to the students for approval after the meeting and these will be formally submitted and monitored by the GSC.

6.2 Course Evaluation

The OII is concerned that students also have the opportunity to comment on the structure, teaching and content of the programme and courses. Feedback will thus be sought through the use of student evaluation forms at the end of each lecture or seminar series. Further information about this will be given by course providers.

6.3 Student Representation

Students have the opportunity to elect representatives amongst their DPhil cohort during

Michaelmas term. Two DPhil representatives will be elected to sit on the OII Research Committee and two DPhil representatives will be elected to sit on the Graduate Studies Committee (please see appendix B on GSC/ Research membership). One student cannot sit on both committees. MSc students are eligible to vote for the student representatives but cannot sit on the committees. The DPhil representatives will represent the views of the MSc students.

The student representatives will serve on the committees from 1 January to 31 December each year. The nominated representatives shall be entitled to attend meetings and contribute to discussion may only attend items of open business. The student representatives are responsible for sending a brief report to all students after each meeting listing the issues discussed and request any feedback if required. The student representatives must not circulate all the

committee papers around to all the students but may consult with their peers on the broad issues to be discussed.

The committees will normally meet once during term time. The Research Committee meets in weeks 6 and the Graduate Studies Committee meets in week 3.

The Research Committee discusses all relevant academic and research issues with a view to promoting and coordinating those activities within the OII.

The Graduate Studies Committee is responsible for the oversight and evaluation of all courses and provision for graduates, as well as the admissions process, and the implementation of teaching policy.

Please see appendix Bfor descriptions of the Graduate Studies Committee and Academic Committee responsibilities and membership.

At divisional level, there is a PGR Discussion Forum, made up of student representatives from each department/faculty of the division. Issues raised by this body are reported to the division’s Graduate Studies Committee. One of the DPhil representatives who sits on the OII’s Graduate Studies Committee is normally expected to attend this forum.

6.4 Sources of advice, help and counselling

If a student has concerns, academic or administrative, and they are uncertain of the proper way to go about solving them then they have several possible courses of action open to them.

For academic issues:

• Within the OII, students can consult their supervisor, the DPhil Programme Director, the Director of Graduate Studies, or the Head of Department, who will if necessary; consult the appropriate authorities on the student’s behalf.

• At the student’s college, they can consult the Senior Tutor, the Tutor for Graduates or their own College Advisor, who will give similar help.

• Consult the OII’s Graduate Studies Coordinator or the Graduate Office at the Social Science Division, who will advise on the obtaining of necessary forms, submission of applications, dates and deadlines, deposit of theses, etc.

40 For careers advice:

• The Careers Service of the University at 56 Banbury Road can help students evaluate their career prospects.

On a more personal level:

• Students can consult one of the OII’s harassment officers (see the Induction Pack)

• The University Counselling Service at 11 Wellington Square (which acts strictly in confidence) is experienced not only in general psychological problems but also in the special problems and hindrances associated with academic work. See:

http://www.admin.ox.ac.uk/shw/counserv.shtml, phone: (2)70300, or email

[email protected].

• ‘Nightline’ is a confidential listening and information service run for students by students and is open from 8pm until 8am from nought to ninth week each term. Students can phone (2)70270 or visit Nightline at 16 Wellington Square.

• The student’s college nurse or the local doctor with whom they are registered may be able to help.

6.5 Complaints and academic appeals within the department

The University, the Social Science Division and the OII faculty/department all hope that provision made for students at all stages of their programme of study will make the need for complaints (about that provision) or appeals (against the outcomes of any form of assessment) infrequent. However, all those concerned believe that it is important for students to be clear about how to raise a concern or make a complaint, and how to appeal against the outcome of assessment. The following guidance attempts to provide such information.

Nothing in this guidance precludes an informal discussion with the person immediately responsible for the issue that you wish to complain about (and who may not be one of the individuals identified below). This is often the simplest way to achieve a satisfactory resolution. Many sources of advice are available within colleges, within faculties/departments and from bodies like OUSU or the Counselling Service, which have extensive experience in advising students. Students may wish to take advice from one of these sources before pursuing their complaint.

General areas of concern about provision affecting students as a whole should, of course, continue to be raised through the student feedback sessions or via student representation on the faculty/department’s committees.

Complaints

1. If a student’s concern or complaint relates to teaching or other provision made by the faculty/department,then they should raise it with the chairman of the Social Science Division Teaching Audit Committee or with the Director of Graduate Studies as appropriate. Within the faculty/department the officer concerned will attempt to resolve the students’ concern/complaint informally.

2. If a student is dissatisfied with the outcome, then they may take their concern further by making a formal complaint to the University Proctors. A complaint may cover aspects of teaching and learning (e.g. teaching facilities, supervision arrangements, etc.), and non- academic issues (e.g. support services, library services, university accommodation, university clubs and societies, etc.). A complaint to the Proctors should be made only if attempts at informal resolution have been unsuccessful. The procedures adopted by the Proctors for the consideration of complaints and appeals are described in the Proctors and Assessor’s

Memorandum [http://www.admin.ox.ac.uk/proctors/pam/] and the relevant Council regulations [http://www.admin.ox.ac.uk/statutes/regulations/]

3. If the students concern or complaint relates to teaching or other provision made by their college, then they should raise it either with their tutor or with one of the college officers,

41 Senior Tutor, Tutor for Graduates (as appropriate). The student’s college will also be able to explain how to take their complaint further if they are dissatisfied with the outcome of its consideration.

Academic appeals

4. An appeal is defined as a formal questioning of a decision on an academic matter made by the responsible academic body.

5. For undergraduate or taught graduate courses, a concern which might lead to an appeal should be raised with the student’s college authorities and the individual responsible for overseeing their work. It must not be raised directly with examiners or assessors. If it is not possible to clear up their concern in this way, the Student may put their concern in writing and submit it to the Proctors via the Senior Tutor of their college. As noted above, the

procedures adopted by the Proctors in relation to complaints and appeals are on the web [http://www.admin.ox.ac.uk/statutes/regulations/].

6. For the examination of research degrees, or in relation to transfer or confirmation of status, the students concern should be raised initially with the Director of Graduate Studies. Where a concern is not satisfactorily settled by that means, then the student, their supervisor, or their college authority may put the students appeal directly to the Proctors.

7. Please remember in connection with all the cases in paragraphs 5 - 7 that:

(a) The Proctors are not empowered to challenge the academic judgement of examiners or academic bodies.

(b) The Proctors can consider whether the procedures for reaching an academic decision were properly followed; i.e. whether there was a significant procedural administrative error; whether there is evidence of bias or inadequate assessment; whether the examiners failed to take into account special factors affecting a candidate’s performance.

(c) On no account should the Student contact their examiners or assessors directly. 8. The Proctors will indicate what further action the student can take if they are dissatisfied with

the outcome of a complaint or appeal considered by them.