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Course Rep Training 2014/15Ellen-Rose Jones – VP Pontypridd
Your role as Course Rep
• Gather student feedback about your course• Attend meetings and feed back any issues raised by
students• Feed back to students what has been said at the
meetings• Provide a link between staff and students• Coordinate with SVRs for issues that cut across
courses• Direct students in need of support to the right service
Communications
• Make sure students on your course know who you are (social media, email, face-to-face interactions)
• Make sure you know what services are available to students in case they need you to signpost them in the right direction
• Report back to students on your course on what you have been doing and what is being done about the queries they raised
What you can do• Coordinate with Student Voice Reps• Work with Academics by mentioning good practice as well as issues
with the course• Look into a specific issue and campaign for change by using available
data such as:- National Student Survey, - Key Information Set (KIS),- UniStats,- University-wide surveys, - Organise focus groups, - Create a survey,- Come up with solutions- Become a Change Agent(you can ask for help from your SU)
How you can have an impact on your course and enhance your skills?
• Attend training events organised by the SU• Attend staff/student liaison committees: • Attend Course Boards: you can be present for part of the meetings
which covers one or more courses; review of the major issues that have emerged throughout the year and previous years; forms a critical review of courses; issues are identified by students, staff and employers; leads to a Course Report setting out a specific action plan
• Complete and return Module Evaluation Forms and encourage your course mates to do so.
• Attend Course Rep Assembly (more information to come)• Attend the Annual General Meeting (AGM): have a direct say on the
direction of the Students’ Union and get involved in the SU• Attend the National Course Rep Conference: aims: facilitate networking,
provide skills and development workshops, campaign ideas, and debate. You will receive further training sessions (more info on NUS website)
Who do I go to for support?
• Academic staff or Course Leaders for issues specific to your course
• Student Voice Representatives for issues that affect the entire Faculty
• Students’ Union for support or advice on campaigning
• Sabbatical Officers for extra support in your role
Who are the other student representatives?
• SVRs: - Next level up from Course Reps- Appointed by the SU- Deal with cross-Faculty issuesFind out who they are.• Sabbatical officers- Help students with complaints and appeals procedures- Help campaign- Represent student views- Give academic and welfare advice to students- Attend University meetings
Sabbaticals
• SU President: Carys [email protected] • SU Vice-President Pontypridd: Ellen Rose [email protected] • SU Vice-President Cardiff: Rozalind [email protected]• SU Vice-President Newport: Drew [email protected]
• What qualifies as a poor student experience?
• What can be disruptive to students’ learning?
Student experience
Course issues
Specialised equipment
IT and library
Assessment and feedback
Academic support
Student engagement
Quality of teaching
Communications
Student essentials• Course Issues (timetable, assessment deadline ‘bunching’, work
placements or field trips)• Specialised equipment (accessible, quality of software, up-to-date)• IT and library (sufficient books, journals and computers, easily
accessible)• Assessment and feedback (clear marking criteria, constructive and
timely feedback)• Academic and personal support (sufficient one-to-one time with
tutors, easily accessible; careers advice)• Student engagement (possibility to give feedback on your course
and get involved in the course review process)• Quality of teaching (innovative, stimulating and engaging)• Communications (staff absences, changes in the University
structure)
Academic Board
Quality Assurance Agency
Ethics Sub-group
Partnerships Quality Sub-Committee
Regulations and Examiners Sub-
Committee
Faculty Quality Assurance
Committees
College Quality Assurance Committee
Learning & Teaching
Enhancement Committee
Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol
Branch Committee
Partnership Forum
Learning & Teaching
Professional Standards Group
Faculty Learning & Teaching
Enhancement Committees
College Learning & Teaching
Enhancement Committees
Research Committee
Research Programmes Sub-
Committee
Higher Academic Awards
CommitteeAppeal Board
Assessment Infringement Committee
Committee on Fitness to Practice
Academic Board Committee Structure
-SVRs attend FQAC meetings; Faculty Forums; FLTECs, etc.
-VPs attend Course Review and Revalidation meetings; bring issues to the attention of specific committees; sit on a rotational basis on Academic Board; etc.
-SU President is a member of the Regulations and Examiners Sub-Committee; QAC; Academic Board; etc.
Students’ Union Representation Structure
• Trustee Board – Officers, external trustees, Student trustees, Alumni trustees
• Union Exec – Student Council Chairs & Sabbatical officers
• Student Council x3 – All elected Student council officers for that region
• AGM (Annual General Meeting)- All students
Student Council
SU President
Chair Student Council Cardiff
SU Vice president Cardiff
Black Students Officer
International Students Officer
LGBTQ Officer
Mature Students Officer
Post-Graduate and Part-Time Students Officer
Societies Officer
Sports Officer
Supported Activities Officer
Students with disabilities Officer
Welsh Language Officer
Women’s Officer
Chair Student Council Pontypridd
SU Vice President Pontypridd
Black Students Officer
International Students Officer
LGBTQ Officer
Mature Students Officer
Post-Graduate and Part-Time Students Officer
Societies Officer
Sports Officer
Supported Activities Officer
Students with disabilities Officer
Welsh Language Officer
Women’s Officer
Chair Student Council Newport
SU Vice President Newport
Black Students Officer
International Students Officer
LGBTQ Officer
Mature Students Officer
Post-Graduate and Part-Time Students Officer
Societies Officer
Sports Officer
Supported Activities Officer
Students with disabilities Officer
Welsh Language Officer
Women’s Officer
Support Services• Advice Centres (guidance on personal or academic difficulties)• Accommodation Services• Immigration & International Student Advice• Careers & Employability Service• Resident Tutors in Halls• Chaplaincy• Student Mentoring• Disability and Dyslexia Service• Student Money Advice Team• GradEdge – Developing Employability• Study Skills Service• Health Service• The Wellbeing Service
Changes to your University
• What has improved since the merger?• What remains to be done?• Do students feel they have been consulted
and informed enough on the changes happening to the University and their courses? How could their views be sought?
What next?
• Find out dates of your course meetings with staff• Find out if there are any other forums to discuss
academic issues with staff i.e. at school level• Find out who your SVR is and make contact• Carry out your first piece of research. Ask your
students what is working and what isn’t.• Always report back to your students on what you
have been doing.
Upcoming Events
• Course Rep Awards• Student Led Teaching Awards (nominate
staff/students who make a difference)
• Keep an eye out on the SU website and get involved
QAA Review
• 2014/15: Institutional Review by the Quality Assurance Agency
• Student Written Submission• You can get involved: focus groups, surveys, raise
issues with SU staff.• You can attend the review visit (03/14 and 04/14)
Email: [email protected] More info: http://www.uswsu.com/campaigns/2014-2015/institutional-review
