Student Handbook 2011-12

Introduction

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History and Constitution

Cambridge is a University of medieval origin, and has continually adapted herself to changing circumstances since. In the middle ages, Colleges began to be established within the University, as educational centres, and in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries a structure of faculties and departments for scientific and other disciplines was created. Important developments continue. New disciplines have been introduced into the University in recent decades: computer science, veterinary medicine and clinical medicine, for example. New University institutions for teaching and research have been established: for example the Judge Business School. New Colleges have been formed: Murray Edwards College, Lucy Cavendish, Wolfson, Darwin, Clare Hall and Robinson. And new qualifications have been developed, notably the one or two year postgraduate degree of Master of Philosophy, the new degrees of Master of Engineering and Master of Natural Sciences, and a new part-time postgraduate degree of Master of Studies.

The University has a large teaching staff of professors, readers, and lecturers, and more than 11,000 undergraduates working for the B.A. Degree in many different subjects. It is also an international centre for advanced study and research, providing facilities for about 5,000 graduate students.

It is not possible to become a junior member of the University except by admission to a College. Admission procedures for undergraduates are organized by the Colleges and for graduate students by the Board of Graduate Studies. Minimum entrance requirements are laid down by the University. Lectures, practical classes, and examinations are organized by the University, and it is the University that awards degrees.

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The Colleges

The Colleges are virtually autonomous corporate bodies. Each has its own Statutes, which cannot be changed except with the consent of the Queen in Council. Each has its Governing Body, consisting of the Head of the College and the Fellows. Many Colleges delegate their day-to-day business to a College Council.

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The University's Government

The University is a common-law corporation consisting of the Chancellor, Masters, and Scholars. Amendment of the University Statutes, like those of the Colleges, requires the consent of the Queen in Council. The principal University Ordinances, which regulate the detailed administration of University affairs, may be amended by the Regent House, which consists of all University Officers, together with certain other persons of similar standing. The Regent House has the power of final decision on many University matters; it has important electoral, legislative and deliberative functions.

The Vice-Chancellor for seven years from 1 October 2010 is Professor Sir Leszek Borysiewicz. He is the Chairman of the principal University committees, the chief of these being the Council, the General Board and the Finance Committee. The Vice-Chancellor is supported by a team of five Pro-Vice-Chancellors, each with a particular area of responsibility: Professor Stephen Young (Planning and Resources); Professor John Rallison (Education); Professor Lyn Gladden (Research); Professor Ian White (Institutional Affairs); and Dr Jennifer Barnes (International Strategy).

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Quality Assurance and Enhancement

Purpose of the University's quality assurance procedures

The University's mission is "to contribute to society through the pursuit of education, learning, and research at the highest international levels of excellence". This is reflected in the University's Learning and Teaching Strategy http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/offices/education/strategy/index.html. The University's quality assurance procedures provide a framework within which its institutions can examine, reflect on and enhance their teaching activities to ensure that they achieve this aspiration of excellence.

The University's procedures for assuring quality in teaching and learning are designed to reflect:

  • the mission of the University;
  • the complexity, diversity and federal structure of the University;
  • the University's nature as a community of scholars;
  • the conviction that academic staff and students are most effective in an environment that is supportive and participative rather than directive and managerial;
  • the collegiate nature of the University;
  • the significant delegated responsibility given to faculties and departments for developing and overseeing their own quality assurance procedures;
  • the operation of centrally-defined assurance systems at local level in proportion to potential risk to learning and teaching provision.

The General Board sets out the minimum requirements it expects Faculties and Departments to meet (see http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/offices/education/intro/index.html) but Faculties and Departments have significant delegated responsibility for deciding exactly how these expectations are met. However, it is expected that Faculties and Departments will have a body such as a Teaching Committee which will be responsible for reviewing teaching and learning in the institution; a student-staff joint body for discussing any matters of interest to students; adequate representation of students on appropriate bodies in the institution; means for gathering regular student feedback on teaching and learning and reporting back to students on actions taken in response to their feedback; and means for co-ordinating College and University teaching and learning activities. In addition the Faculty Degree Committee or similar committee is expected to review teaching and learning activities of graduate courses. Faculties and Departments commonly produce documentation which sets out basic information concerning their management of quality assurance. Student handbooks, course descriptions, marking and classing criteria, and transferable skills policies should all be available from the Faculty/Department or on the website.

Many Faculties and Departments also have officers whose remit includes quality issues: for example, course organisers, undergraduate or graduate advisers, Chairs of Teaching Committees or Secretaries of Faculty Boards.

The University is subject to external quality audits carried out by the Quality Assurance Agency. These normally take place every six years. The report of the audit carried out in 2008 can be seen at http://www.qaa.ac.uk/reviews/reports/instReports.asp?instID=H-0114

The University makes various forms of information concerning quality and standards publicly available on its CamDATA website: http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/univ/camdata/

More information concerning the University's quality assurance procedures can be seen at: http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/offices/education/.

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Data Protection

Introduction

The Data Protection Act 1998 sets out rules for processing personal information, and it applies to some paper records as well as those held on computer. The Act gives individuals certain rights. It also imposes obligations on those who record and use personal information to be open about how that information is used and requires them to follow the eight data protection principles.

Personal data must be processed following these principles so that data are:

  1. processed fairly and lawfully and only if certain conditions are met
  2. obtained for specified and lawful purposes
  3. adequate, relevant and not excessive
  4. accurate and where necessary kept up-to-date
  5. not kept for longer than necessary
  6. processed in accordance with individual's rights
  7. kept in a secure manner
  8. not transferred outside of the EEA without adequate protection

Your rights

You are entitled to have access to information held about you, where you are the main focus of the document and where it affects your privacy, except where releasing that information would breach another person's privacy. You also have rights to prevent data processing which is likely to cause substantial and unwarranted damage or distress, to prevent processing for the purpose of direct marketing, and to correct inaccurate personal data.

Your responsibilities

Any personal data must be collected, processed and held according to the eight data protection principles, whether this is on your own behalf or as part of your research or studies. The University and Colleges are responsible for the data collected for their own proper purposes, and if you have access to this information you must follow the relevant policies and procedure. If you process data on your own behalf, you are responsible for compliance with the law. Please note that the Colleges are separate legal entities; as such they have separate Data Protection notifications with the Information Commissioner, the independent public body which oversees compliance with the Act. If you require access to data held by a College you must apply to them for that data.

How your data is used by the University and Colleges

Personal information is shared between the University and Colleges, and is used for a full range of services including: education (including internal and external quality assurance): research; support services; statutory returns; alumni relations; accounts; public relations; security and crime prevention. Full details on the University's and Colleges' notifications with the Information Commissioner are available at: http://ico.gov.uk/

The University will make examination results publicly available, and will confirm details of examination results and degrees awarded to enquirers, unless the student concerned can provide evidence of serious unwarranted distress as a result of such publication (please access separate Education Committee procedures through your Senior Tutor). Class lists including names and results are posted on the Senate House notice boards, published in the Reporter and distributed to departments and Colleges.

The University is obliged by law to send data on individual students to the Higher Education Statistics Agency, the Higher Education Funding Council for England, the Training and Development Agency for Schools and the agency that has been contracted to carry out the National Students Survey. Full details are available at http://www.hesa.ac.uk/dataprot/collnotices_middle.htm.

Please note that the University is now required to verify qualifications with the relevant institutions holding records of previous examinations taken by students or prospective students.

The University will also make information available to professional regulatory bodies (e.g. the General Medical Council), to funders or sponsors where appropriate, and to certain other external agencies (e.g. the Student Loans Company). Where appropriate and as permitted under the Act, we will cooperate with the police and other bodies making criminal investigations.

Additionally student details may be made available internally through the online directory of staff and students. In this case you will have the opportunity to opt out. If you choose, your email address can also be published externally in the on-line directory at: http://jackdaw.cam.ac.uk/mailsearch/.

After you graduate some personal information is archived so that details of your academical record can be confirmed and for the purposes of historical research. Information is also shared with the Development Office.

If you have any queries about how your personal data are used, or the application of the Data Protection Act, please refer to the University's Data Protection website at http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/univ/information/dpa/ in the first instance. If you need further assistance please contact your College or the University Data Protection Officer. Alternatively you may e-mail the following address: data.protection@admin.cam.ac.uk.

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Student Societies

All controllers of personal information, including students involved in organising clubs and societies, are obliged to comply with the Data Protection Act 1998. Therefore, students are themselves responsible for the protection of any data that they process outside the control and responsbility of the University. This includes data processed for Student Societies, including CUSU.

The DPA requires those using personal data to notify and register with the Office of the Information Commissioner. However, some student societies may be exempt from the notification provisions as 'not-for-profit organisations' but this is a matter for the society to check directly with the Commissioner. Guidance and further information are available at www.ico.gov.uk.

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Freedom of Information

The Freedom of Information Act gives you the right to obtain information held by public authorities, subject to certain procedures, exemptions and fees. Further information can be found at http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/univ/information/foi.

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The title of this document is: Student Handbook 2011-12: University and Colleges
URL: http://www.cam.ac.uk/staffstudents/studenthandbook/univ/intro.html