A University Tutor is a member of the teaching staff who will act as your Personal Tutor for the duration of your course. Your University Tutor has a number of functions designed to support and assist you.
Your University Tutor will observe strict confidentiality about your personal affairs and will help and represent you in the event of any difficulties, but can only do this effectively if you keep in touch:
To contact your University Tutor, visit their office, e-mail or telephone. If they are not immediately available, leave a note or contact the secretary in the School Office(see 4.5 below). If, for any reason, you urgently need but cannot contact your University Tutor, then your Stage Manager or Degree Programme Director (see Tables 3.1 and 3.2), the Head of School or the School Administrator will be happy to help.
In very rare cases, there may be some reason why the Student-University Tutor relationship does not work satisfactorily. In this case you should approach the School Administrator about changing your Tutor.
Female students may have problems that they would have difficulty in discussing with a male Tutor. In this event they should talk to:
Dr Jack Hale (jack.hale@ncl.ac.uk) is the Degree Programme Director for all undergraduate degrees and Dr David Swailes (david.swailes@ncl.ac.uk) is the Degree Programme Director for all MSc degrees offered by the School. You can consult them (in addition to your own University Tutor) about a number of things including, for example:
Two members of staff support the Degree Programme Director in this last role:
The Industrial Liaison Officer is able to offer advice to any student on sponsorship, vacation work experience, industrially-sponsored projects and intercalatory years.
A "Stage" is a level within the undergraduate Degree Programme, usually equivalent to two semesters (i.e. an academic year's work) so that Stage 1 = Year 1, and so on. Each Year Group has a Stage Manager (see Table 3.1) who acts as a general tutor and advisor. You can consult them about:
Stage Managers can be contacted at any time in their office, by e-mail, telephone or through the School Office (see 4.5 below).
3.4 Head of School and Academic Management
The general affairs of the School are the responsibility of the Head of School:
Any student is welcome at any time to make an appointment with the HoS to discuss any aspect of the School or their Degree Programme. The HoS is supported in this role at both Faculty and School level:
Our Chairman of Board of Studies also acts as Chairman of the School Undergraduate Appeals Committee. If you are not satisfied by any aspect of your assessment and/or progression, you may appeal first in the School by setting out your case in writing (with supporting evidence) and sending it to the School Administrator, your Tutor, the HoS or the Chairman of Board of Studies. If you are not satisfied by this, then you have the right to turn to the University Appeals Procedure by following the guidelines at http://www.ncl.ac.uk/students/progress/student-resources/regulations/appeals.htm.
3.5 Project Supervisors and Electronics Support (MSc and Undergraduate Stages 3 and 4)
At MSc or Undergraduate Stages 3 and 4 you will carry out a major project under the guidance of a Project Supervisor. You are required to see your Project Supervisor weekly for the duration of the project. The Project Supervisor is there primarily for academic support, but usually builds up a close relationship with you through your work so that he can also support the University Tutor function (e.g. in providing references, etc.).
General enquiries about allocation and administration of Projects and their assessment may be answered by the Project Module Leaders:
MSc Projects:
Dr DC Swailes, Stephenson Room T7, Tel Ext 8538, e-mail david.swailes@ncl.ac.uk
Dr R Bicker, Stephenson Room M41, Tel Ext 6219, e-mail robert.bicker@ncl.ac.uk
Dr J Hedley, Stephenson Room M41A, Tel Ext 6002, e-mail john.hedley@ncl.ac.uk
M.Eng Stage 4 Team Projects:
Dr A Anderson, Stephenson Room F4B, Tel Ext 6216
e-mail: sandy.anderson@ncl.ac.uk
M.Eng/B.Eng Stage 3 Individual Projects:
Dr JM Hale, Stephenson Room M39, Tel Ext 6208
e-mail: Jack.Hale@ncl.ac.uk
Electronics Support for Students
If you require any help or guidance with electronics or instrumentation for your project you should contact one of the following MSE staff:
Your Supervisor should be able to advise you who is best able to provide you with technical support. Students MUST NOT contact technical staff from other Schools, in particular EECE, to seek help with their projects.
Student representatives on the Student-Staff Committee are elected by the students at General Stage Meetings held about halfway through the first term. Their names and the Minutes of Committee Meetings are posted on the Student-Staff Committee notice-board in the Stephenson Building. The Chairman is one of the student members and the Secretary is a member of staff:
The Student-Staff Committee exists to promote both formal and informal exchange of views, comments and information relevant to the School. Student representatives from the Student-Staff Committee also sit on Boards of Studies which consider all course developments and modifications to existing Degree Programmes.
There is also a University Student-Staff Committee through which matters about all aspects of university life and policy may be considered through the President of the Union Society. (Tel: Union Reception, 0191 239 3900).
| Table 3.1 Stage Managers | ||
|---|---|---|
| Stage | Stage Manager | Office, Tel No, e-mail Address |
| 0 | Mr I E J Evans | Stephenson M31, X 6245 iain.evans@ncl.ac.uk |
| 1 | Dr T J Joyce | Stephenson M19, X 6214 thomas.joyce@ncl.ac.uk |
| 2 | Dr J M Hale | Stephenson M39, X 6208 jack.hale@ncl.ac.uk |
| 3 | Dr B. Gallacher | Stephenson M42, X6221 barry.gallacher@ncl.ac.uk |
| 4 | Dr F J Franklin | Stephenson T8A, X 3494 francis.franklin@ncl.ac.uk |
| MSc | Dr D C Swailes | Stephenson T7, X 8538 david.swailes@ncl.ac.uk |