Minutes of meeting held at Gateshead College
14th February 2000

Present

Helen Ashton, Bishop Auckland College, Jen Black, Gateshead College, Pam Carruthers, Gateshead College, Deborah Duffy, Newcastle College, Pat Gannon-Leary, University of Northumbria, Richard Harvey, New College Durham, Paula Kilburn, Middlesbrough College, Jane Lenton, Hartlepool College, Fiona Middlemist, Northumberland College, Chris Rogers, Hartlepool College, Gillian Rutherford, North Tyneside College, Jane Spellman, QEVI Form, Darlington, Wendy Tasker, East Durham and Houghall Community College

(1) Apologies: Carol Allison, Redcar and Cleveland College, Alison Butler, City of Sunderland College, Scott Gibbens, University of Teesside, Christine Goult, Cleveland College of Art and Design, Annette Knowlson, City of Sunderland College, Cath Proud, Middlesbrough College, Paula Short, City of Sunderland College

(2) Minutes of the last meeting held at Bishop Auckland College on 22nd November, 1999 were agreed as a true record with the addition of a statement under matters arising:

The meeting agreed that Jane Lenton, as Treasurer, would continue to hold CoFHE North-East money due to difficulties in setting up an account.

(3) Matters arising

None

(4) Web site – to be deferred to next meeting

(5) CoFHE National committee feedback

·         HA – Assis. Sec on National Committee.

·         Cardiff conference April 2000

·         Nottingham ( Jubilee campus) 2001: a spatial experience

·         2002 – joint conference with U C & R

·         CoFHE National to write to LA Council re grading of posts in Vacancies Supplement. Disclaimer already in Bulletin but it should be more visible.

·         Roddie Shepherd leaving LA to go to Anglia University

·         Guidelines launched at Cardiff conference

·         Web pages must be up-to-date

·         U C & R rep. feedback

(6) UC&R rep feedback

Paula Kilburn reported back on the last U C&R group meeting in January. It was suggested that the next CoFHE meeting would be a joint meeting with UC&R on May 17th at Durham University. Confirmation is needed. The theme of the meeting would be the SKIP project, which investigated the impact that IT has on information professionals. A summer visit is also planned with the first choice being Edinburgh National Library. Provisional date is 12th July and CoFHE members would be welcome. PK will find out more details about both events before the next meeting.

(7) Internet use – discussion

The use of the Internet in the colleges represented took up the main part of the meeting. It was clear that there were common problems. Colleges have different access arrangements but the problems were the same – how to manage the use of Internet and chatlines. The overriding problem seems to be lack of support from higher management and lack of policy re discipline of individuals found breaking local agreements. Houghall College uses "Tutor Alert" forms for all issues of discipline with both the Tutor and the students having to comments about incidents. Other options discussed included Web Op – a software monitoring system, which Middlesbrough College may be implementing. There was even discussion as to whether we should be spending so much time policing the use of Internet especially as staff time was at a premium.

(8) AOB

Next meeting to discuss CoLRiC peer accreditation scheme.

(9) The meeting ended with a tour of Gateshead College’s "on-line" facility and the Library. Next meeting provisionally booked for May 17th at Durham University with U C & R.