The Exams Business Continuity Group (EBCG) was established on March 4th 2020 to ensure continuity of all assessment related activities in the event of a full or partial closure of the university. The EBCG was made an executive subcommittees of Academic Council in response to the pandemic. EBCG was renamed the Teaching and Assessment Continuity Planning Group (TACG). Its terms of reference was extended to include all matters related to delivery of teaching and assessment to offer a forum for high level operational issues to be highlighted and resolved in advance of the 2021/2022 academic year. The group will also maintain an oversight role to ensure an appropriate level of operational stability is achieved as soon as possible after the start of the new academic year.

Terms of reference

TACG will be responsible for identifying the high level operational critical path to ensure the university is operationally ready to receive new and ongoing

1. The group will specify and agree high level operational readiness criteria to help focus preparations and give formal assurance to the University when readiness has been achieved or flag if it is at risk.
2. The group will provide a forum for high level issues impeding the critical path and operational readiness to be assigned, tracked and resolved.
3. The group will closely monitor operations with a view to stabilizing these as early as possible in the Academic Year.
4. The group will have a dedicated communications officer (voluntary role) to ensure effective internal and external communication.
5. Membership will be expanded to include staff with relevant expertise. Current membership of the EBCG provided in Appendix 1.
6. The group will meet fortnightly from May until October 31, 2021 when the group will disband.
7. The group will continue to report to Academic Council as an Executive Committee and inform the Academic Leadership Forum of actions and progress.
8. The group will have two co-chairs: Mr John McNulty, Director of Academic Services, will chair for matters related to assessment and Mr Tom O’Mara,  Head of Digital Education, OVPLT, will chair for matters related to teaching.

Membership

1. O’Mara, Tom (Co-Chair)
2. McNulty, John (Co-Chair)
3. Wolfgang, Helnwein (Secretary)
4. Arnold, Mags
5. Bennett, Deirdre
6. Blackshields, Daniel
7. Bradley, Kathy
8. Buckley, Joan (Management and Marketing)
9. Burke, Francis
10. Byrne, Danielle
11. Byrne, Olive
12. Byrne, Stephen
13. Calnan, Veronica
14. Carbery, Alan
15. Clune, Yvonne
16. Costello, Mary
17. Crowley, Claire
18. Culley, Gerard
19. Culloty, Sarah
20. Cusack, Siobhan
21. Deady, Noirin
22. Doran, Linda
23. Feller, Joseph
24. Fouhy, Eleanor
25. Gannon, Anne
26. Good, Breda
27. Griffin, Brendan
28. Hahessy, Eoin
29. Haynes, Jane
30. Hegarty, Josephine
31. Hill, Margo
32. Kilkelly, Ursula
33. Lee, Felicity
34. McAllen, Rob
35. McCreary, Christine
36. McGettrick, Niamh
37. McSweeney, Paul
38. McVeigh, Joseph
39. Moriarty, Paul
40. Muller, Nicole
41. Murphy, Jennifer
42. Murphy, Mary C.
43. Murphy, Orla
44. Nelson, Michelle
45. Neville, Kathryn
46. Noonan, Brendan
47. O'Brien, Kate
48. O'Brien, William
49. O'Callaghan, Cliodhna
50. O'Donovan, Helen
51. O'Donovan, Paul
52. O'Donovan, Tim
53. O'Driscoll, Donna
54. O'Mahony, Catherine
55. O'Neill, Siobhan
56. O'Rourke, Veronica
57. O'Shaughnessy, Mary
58. O'Sullivan, Majella
59. Otway, Dave
60. Quain, Colman
61. Ramsay, Ruth (O'Riordan)
62. Roche, Sinead Michelle (Students Union Education)
63. Ryder, Maurice
64. Sweeney, Niamh
65. Toner, Anna
66. Twomey, Denis
67. Whelton, Helen
68. Williams, Chris
69. Wallace, Anne
70. Coyne, Frances

TACG Approved by Academic Council 07-05-2021