Role and responsibilities of the Pro Deans
Role of Pro Deans
Arts, Medicine and Science have a Pro Dean (Undergraduate); Arts and Science also have a Pro Dean (Advising). Due to its relatively small size, the Divinity Faculty has no separate Pro Dean or Faculty Business Committee. The Arts Faculty Business Committee deals with all Divinity academic and student business, and the Arts Pro Deans are responsible for both Arts and Divinity students.
Selection of Pro Deans
Pro Deans are appointed by the relevant Dean from members of the relevant Faculty.
Responsibilties of the Pro Deans (Undergraduate)
Academic remit
The Pro Dean is responsible to the Dean for oversight of the academic progress of students, including advising, programme changes, status changes, records of progress, termination of studies, handling of requests to review and conditions following successful progress reviews.
Advising
The Pro Dean has oversight of the Advising process and bears responsibility for training Advisers. The Pro Dean (Pro Dean Advising in the Faculty of Arts) is the only person in the faculty authorised to make late changes to students¿ degree intentions and modules, outside the initial Advising Period.
Records of progress and Termination of Studies
The Pro Dean is involved in the decision as to whether or not a student fulfills the University regulations. Those students whose studies do not progress in accordance with the regulations are informed by the ProDean Advising that their Studies are terminated. Students who find themselves in this position can request a review and the Pro Dean Advising prepares the students case for the Faculty Business Committee (FBC).
All the evidence relating to a request for review is collated by the Pro Dean and presented to the Faculty Business Committee. The Pro Dean will be expected to handle communications from students (and sometimes parents in accordance with our confidentiality rules). Liaison with the Assistant Director of Student Services is also often required.
Those students who are permitted to continue their studies will usually be required to fulfil certain conditions during the academic session and the Pro Dean Advising will monitor the students performance during that period. The conditions may involve attendance at Student Services or other support units within the University.
Again, the Pro Dean Advising will monitor progress and take any necessary action in the event of a student failing to fulfil any required condition.
If a student's request to continue their studies is not upheld then that student has the right to Appeal in accordance with the University Appeals procedure.
Transfers and change of status
The Pro Dean, in consultation with relevant Heads of School/Department, advises the Admissions Office on applications from students requesting transfer from other universities into second or later years of study at St Andrews. S/he also deals with requests from non-graduating students to change to graduating status with the aim of completing degrees in St Andrews. In both cases the Pro Dean brings to Faculty Business Committee student requests for transferred credit in respect of work done at other institutions.
The Pro Dean also transmits to FBC requests from the Part-Time Degree Coordinator for transfer of credits on behalf of students admitted to part-time study.
Overview of general degree students
The Pro Dean has responsibility for checking recommendations for the General Degree and for suggesting routes to students who have acquired the requisite credits for these degrees but not for an Honours degree.
Pastoral remit: The Pro Dean will hold surgeries in the Academic Support Office to deal with student difficulties and requests - in particular requests for leave of absence, deletion of semesters, and permanent withdrawal - and will manage related correspondence with students and with LEAs and other external bodies about individual students. Matters specifically related to School or module concerns will be handled at School level. Heads of School may refer students to the Pro Dean where issues relating to the academic programme of the student are concerned. In cases of particular complexity or sensitivity, the Pro Dean may bring the matter to the attention of the Dean of Faculty.
Academic business
The Pro Dean (Pro Dean Undergraduate in Arts) is responsible for bringing matters regarding student progress as affected by personal difficulties to the Faculty Business Committee for attention and approval. In addition, the Pro Dean flags students whose progress needs monitoring, notes the loss of PtPs and follows up requests from the Assistant Director of Student Services concerning individual students. As far as is possible, it is the Pro Dean's responsibility to provide Schools or Departments with an opportunity to advise and comment where appropriate on the cases of students in difficulty.
References
The Pro Dean is responsible for filling in the Dean's reports for students transferring to American Universities. This can usually be done from the record but students may bring a CV and an example of their work. Other brief references are required from UK employers and can be done from the record.
Problem cases
Initially the Pro Dean will handle sensitive student cases, although these may also involve referral.
Committees
The Pro Deans, in addition to ex officio membership of the TLAC, will be on the TLAC sub-committee for Admissions and Exchanges and will be involved in the selection of students for the American Exchange programmes.Responsibilities of the Pro Deans (Postgraduate)
The postgraduate Pro Deans are responsible to the Dean for both oversight of the academic progress of postgraduate students (including induction, annual progress reviews, programme changes and status changes), and the oversight of postgraduate programmes of study in the wider university context.
Routine
- Responding to staff and student enquiries about regulations and procedures and to other concerns relating to academic affairs.
- Ensuring that students and staff adhere to regulations and procedures on enrolment, the curriculum and examinations.
- Presenting postgraduate business to the fortnightly Faculty Business Committee which considers examiners¿ reports, recommendations for the appointment of examining committees, and student requests (e.g. for extensions and leaves of absence, changes of registration and changes of supervisor, or withdrawals).
- Considering recommendations for the introduction of or modifications to modules and programmes.
- Ensuring that the Code of Practice is kept up-to-date and recommending changes to regulations and procedures.
Other duties
- Convening, in alternate years (between the Pro Deans for Arts and Science), the TLAC Postgraduate Sub-Committee, which meets twice per semester.
- Attending meetings of TLAC and reporting to it on issues relating to postgraduate affairs.
- Receiving and acting on the Annual Progression Reports on Postgraduate Students.
- Organising the induction session for new postgraduates in September/October.
- Reviewing postgraduate admissions literature annually in May.