Heads of Department of Mathematical Sciences

Annual General Meeting held on 28 May, 1996, in the Department of 
Mathematics, University College London 

MINUTES

The Chair welcomed Prof Chris Robson (Chair of JMC) as a guest of 
the Meeting.

1.	Apologies for absence

Prof D Crighton (Cambridge), Prof R Carter (Warwick), Prof P Smith 
(Glasgow).

2.	Minutes of previous Annual General Meeting held on 14 September 
1995

The Chair apologised for the lack of formal minutes but informal 
notes had been tabled at the meeting.

3.	Matters arising 

	There were no matters arising from the notes.

4.	Chairman's report

Against a background of fragmentation of responsibilities for 
promoting the health of mathematics nationally, Graham Wilks 
stressed the importance of continuing collaboration with the LMS and 
JMC, and he hoped to develop a more effective role for HoDoMS in 
relation to the government Research Assessment Exercise. 

HoDoMS would also promote the MATHSKILLS project, school 
competitions and integration of activities among LMS, IMA and UCAS.   
It was maintaining representation at SCAA and UMTC.

Consultations were continuing with HEQC over the definition of 
'graduateness' and with UCAS on promotional literature.

5.	Treasurer's report

Because of the re-scheduling of the 1996 AGM, Martin Everett had 
based his report on the 1994-95 accounts with the costs of the 1995 
conference added.

The Chairman asked for views on how funds could usefully be spent to 
be passed to Committee members in time for the next meeting.

The remaining items on the agenda were rescheduled to allow some 
important topics to be dealt with explicitly.

6.	MATHSKILLS update

Ekkehard Kopp outlined progress with the MATHSKILLS project, which 
had been funded by the Department for Education and Employment as 
one of 20 network projects in different subject areas that addressed 
the issue of how employees' core skills could be improved.  He 
thanked members for the subvention that they had agreed as 
additional support from HoDoMS.

7.	AGM and Conference 1997

Graham Wilks (Chair) outlined preliminary ideas for a 2-day event on 
24-25 March 1997, one theme of which would be overcoming 
fragmentation in the mathematics community. He was hoping to involve 
some or all of the following bodies:

	Learned Societies	 	

	Royal Society			London Mathematical Society
	Royal Statistical Society		Edinburgh Mathematical Society	
	

	Research Councils	

	Engineering & Physical Sciences Research Council 
	Particle Physics & Astronomy Research Council
	Natural Environment Research Council

	Professional bodies

	Institute of Mathematics and Its Applications
	Committee of Professors of Applied Mathematics
	Committee of Professors of Statistics
	CPHCS 
	Joint Mathematics Council		
	Institute of Physics
	Engineering Council		
	
	Government agencies 

	Higher Education Funding Council for England
	Higher Education Quality Council
	Office for Standards in Education 
	Universities and Colleges Admissions Service
	Department for Education and Employment
	Schools Curriculum Assessment Authority 
 	
					


8.	MMaths and MPhys Regulations

Prof Chris Robson summarised the concerns of the Department for 
Education and Employment about the way regulations were framed and 
interpreted in relation to student transfer between 3 and 4 year 
degrees. Transfers at the end of 3 years effectively defined the 
fourth year as postgraduate, which did not attract mandatory LEA 
funding.

Modular frameworks and CAT added to the difficulty of drafting the 
regulations.

During the ensuing discussion it was pointed out that transfer was 
more about switching weaker students from the 4 year degree to a 3 
year degree than vice versa; the latter were exceptional cases.

9.	Research Assessment Excercise

Martin Everett reiterated his concern about the possible use of RAE 
assessments in league tables, and other aspects of the grading 
process, especially where a particular submission went to more than 
one panel.

It was also pointed out that while books were not recognised as 
research output, there were cases where they should be.

Members were disappointed that the government had not made it clear 
which assessment grade represented the minimum level for funding.  A 
straw poll revealed a majority in favour of pressing for recognition 
of research activity at all levels, and for clearer information to 
HEIs beforehand about the rules of the game.  The quality of the 
input software provided was poor.  All these points would be raised 
at the next committee meeting.
CCW
10.	Policy directions for 1996/97

(i) Chris Robson suggested a response to the Dearing report on 16-19 
year olds maths qualifications as a priority item.

(ii) SET 97 was an opportunity for HoDoMS to influence national 
publicity to promote mathematics.

Both these items would be taken up at the next committee meeting.CCW