HoDoMS 
Heads of Department of Mathematical Sciences 

Committee Meeting held at 11.00 on 28 May 1996 in the Mathematics 
Department, University College London

MINUTES 

Present:Mike Atkinson (St Andrews), Donald Davison (Queen's), Martin 
Everett (Greenwich), Ken Houston (Ulster), Ekkehard Kopp (Hull), 
Adrian Lepper (IMA), Alan Norcliffe (Sheffield Hallam), Alan Ryley 
(Glamorgan), Stephen Ryrie (West of England), Graham Wilks (Keele), 
Chris Wright (Middlesex), Alan Zinober (Sheffield).

1.   The Chairman welcomed as visitors Chris Robson (Leeds 
University, Chairman of JMC) and Neil Gordon (Hull).

2.	Minutes of the Committee Meeting 12 February 1996
Accepted.

3.	Matters arising:
	4.1.	This item had been dealt with.	 

	6.4.	Also dealt with.

	8.	Amended:  Stephen Ryrie had given a written report.

	9.	Allan Norcliffe tabled a report on the SCAA seminar 'A' level 
mental 		mathematics'.

	3.	Ekkehard Kopp pointed out that his cooption at the 12 February 
meeting 		was unconstitutional. This would be looked at. CCW

4.	Chairman's report

4.1	Graham Wilks reported on the arrangements he had made for 
speakers at the Annual Conference.  

4.2	The MATHSKILLS award had been confirmed.  

4.3	He also drew attention to the LMS leaflet describing careers for 
mathematicians (attached).

5.	Treasurer's report

Martin Everett proposed to roll forward the 1995-96 accounts to the 
September AGM.

6.	MATHSKILLS update

Ekkehard Kopp reported progress with the MATHSKILLS project.   He 
had contacted Pam Bishop of CTI and they would continue to liaise.

7.	AGM and Conference 1997

Graham Wilks had written to the government Chief Scientific Advisor, 
Sir Robert May, (attached) inviting him to speak at the proposed 
conference at Keele on 24-25 March 1997.  He had accepted.  The 
Conference theme would be drawing together the various parties 
representing the somewhat fragmented mathematics community.  

8.	News from representatives

(i)	Chris Robson had prepared a note discussing the JMC's paper on 
CPD for school teachers.

(ii)	MMaths and MPhys regulations:  Chris Robson tabled a paper 
drawing attention to the Department for Education and Employment's 
repudiation of the 4th year of a MMaths/MPhys degree as an add-on to 
a 3 year programme (attached).  A discussion followed in which it 
was recognised that the integrity of the MMaths degree must be 
maintained in the face of financial pressures and increasing tension 
with credit accumulation and modular frameworks.  He would draft a 
joint letter to members from the three leading bodies concerned.  
The matter would be raised again at a future committee meeting to 
develop recommendations or advice to member institutions for framing 
their regulations to be compatible with Department for Education and 
Employment requirements.CCW

(iii)	Chris Robson was a member of a Royal Society Working Group.

9.	World Wide Web - advertising

This item was deferred to the next committee meeting so that members 
would have an opportunity to put together ideas.CCW

10.	UCAS booklet for mathematics applicants

UCAS had asked individual members of the HoDoMS committee to 
participate in the design.

11.	Datasets for mathematics and computer science

This item was deferred to the next meeting.

12.	Any other business

Martin Everett reported concerns with the RAE grading process.  This 
would be put on the agenda for the next committee meeting.CCW

13.	Date of next meeting

16 September 1996 at 11 a.m. 
Venue:  Library, Mathematics Department at UCL.