8 March Issue
Academic restructure.
By Dean Valler & Louise Harvey
ACADEMIC RESTRUCTURE
The University has recently made improvements to the way that its academic departments are organised. While this won’t mean any dramatic changes for students, the new flatter structure has been created to provide you with the best possible student experience.
changes and improvements in the future. We also
where we can make improvements for the future. When
appreciate that the course level-based staff will remain
you see Heads of Schools around campus, introduce
relatively unchanged so there shouldn’t be any negative
yourself and let them know about your experience at
From the start of March, the two faculties of Society & Health and Design, Media and Management, which comprised 15 departments, have been replaced with seven Schools. The new heads of each School, who report directly to Professor Nick Braisby, Deputy ViceChancellor, are:
impact on the current student experience.”
Bucks. They’re ready to listen to your feedback.”
Professor Nick Braisby, Deputy Vice-Chancellor,
Students can also make their views known via the
added: “I’m looking forward to working with the new
Module Evaluation process, to their course and
academic leadership team as we continue to transform
personal tutors, and by emailling the University directly:
our students’ lives by securing the very best outcomes.
speaktous@bucks.ac.uk. Other options include
Feedback is really important to the University, from the
speaking to your course reps and the Students’ Union’s
• • • • • • •
Sri-Kartini Leet: Art, Design and Performance Phillip Wood: Aviation and Security Kevin Maher: Business, Law and Computing Lynn Viatge: Health Care and Social Work Paul Morgan: Human and Social Sciences Stephen Partridge: Media and Creative Industries Karen Buckwell-Nutt: Nursing and Allied Health
moment that students begin their lives at Bucks. We want sabbatical officers, as well as submitting feedback via: to hear from students about what’s going well and also
bucksstudentsunion.org/union/feedback.
The Associate Heads of Schools are: • • • •
David Warnock-Smith: Aviation and Security; Sinclair Coward: Health Care and Social Work Ciaran O’Keeffe: Human and Social Sciences Karen Harrison-White: Nursing and Allied Health
There are still some vacancies for Associate Heads of Schools and the University will look to fill these positions in the coming weeks. Vice-Chancellor, Professor Rebecca Bunting, explains the thinking behind the new academic structure: “We serve our students best when we are agile and quick to respond. The new structure will enable our academic teams to work more closely together, sharing best practice to ensure that students on all courses are intellectually challenged, and receive high-quality teaching that is tied to the real-world and backed by excellent academic support.” Ben Parmar, President of Bucks Students’ Union, gave his thoughts on the announcement: “The positives of a flatter management structure should mean faster
Back row (left to right): Sinclair Coward; Sri-Kartini Leet; David Warnock-Smith; Lynn Viatge; Karen Harrison-White; Stephen Partridge; Kevin Maher Front row (left to right): Phillip Wood; Finance Director Rod Mercer; Pro Vice-Chancellor Sean Mackney; ViceChancellor Rebecca Bunting; Deputy Vice-Chancellor Nick Braisby; Karen Buckwell-Nutt