Hello Academic Reps!

Welcome to the 3rd Newsletter for this academic year (and the last for this semester)!

This has been an amazing semester and we have definitely achieved a lot. Departments should be looking to

timetable their Personal Tutor meetings where possible, they should encourage the use of feedback sheets and

marking schemes; we are cracking down on where the staff interpretations of "feedback" differ from the students'

perception, attendance at Academic Council has increased by approximately 15% on last year's figures, and much

more. On top of all this, you have all been helping to improve the course delivery in each of your own departments -

we've truly had an incredibly successful semester! You have all earned a break, so I hope you all enjoy your winter

holidays and find some time to relax.

On that note, I'd like to wish all of you that have exams in January the best of luck! Merry Christmas (to all of you

that celebrate) and Happy New Year - looking forward to seeing you all again in the year to come.

May it bring us even more successes and wins than this past year has!

Ciao/Baci

Peter Hachfeld – SU Education Officer

Remember any comments or developments that you would like other Reps to know about can be included in any

newsletter. Email academicreps@bath.ac.uk

Taught Academic Council

The last Academic Council was held on Wednesday 27th November. I was so impressed to see so many of you there, all wearing your Academic Rep hoodies! Pro Vice Chancellor (Learning and Teaching), Bernie Morley, and Director of Learning and Teaching Gwen van Der Velden attended for a rigorous Q&A session with you all. Bernie and Gwen were really put under pressure with some of the questions, I think you all did a brilliant job and raised some important issues.

Bernie really enjoyed it too, and was happy to meet

you all. Bernie could be back at Academic Council in

the very near future, or at a stand-alone meeting

(Donuts included) so watch this space!

Minutes, and my SSLC Annual Report Overview

2012/13 Prezi can be found at;

http://www.bathstudent.com/your-

union/meetings/academic_council/ug_academic_co

uncil/minutes/

More photos on Facebook!

Library Space

Since Academic Council I have met with library staff to

discuss the issue surrounding the lack of library space

and how this can be resolved. They have suggested

setting up a focus group to generate ideas. If you have

some ideas you’d like to contribute, and would like to

be involved in this focus group, drop me an email at

sueducation@bath.ac.uk.

Timetabling

I also wanted to make you aware that changes to

lecture times can be made during the semester if

needed. Issues should be raised at SSLC’s if a lecture

time is not suitable for a large number of students. If

you have a general consensus of an alternative slot,

then please mention this.

Faculty Academic Council The next Academic Council for all TAUGHT students

will be held on Wednesday 4th February. It will be

Faculty specific, and times of each Faculty meeting

will be circulated in January.

We will be discussing the proposed change to the

January exams, so you will need to come prepared to

contribute. Between now and the Council in February,

you need to all be thinking about the ways in which

you are assessed on your course, throughout your

degree; e.g. exams/assignments/reports etc.

Chat to your peers, and gather thoughts on how the

type of assessment helps you to learn, and whether

it allows you to get what you want out of your first

semester.

If you are unable to attend, please email

academicreps@bath.ac.uk to have your apologies

officially noted.

Research Academic Council

The most recent Research Academic Council took

place on 28th November. There was a lot of great

discussions happening. One of the stand-out topics

was ‘Peer Mentoring’, and how this could work for

postgraduates. Those of you who did not attend the

council, please view the minutes and send your

thoughts to me, I’d be really interested to hear them.

Postgraduate Research Experience Survey (PRES)

results were discussed.

PGR students will be able to view their department’s

results at their SSLC where they will be used to make

action plans for next year.

The next Academic Council for research students will

take place on Tuesday 14th January. Please do send

your apologies to academicreps@bath.ac.uk if you are

unable to attend.

Snow The University is still finalising the policy, for any

exams cancelled due to poor weather conditions.

Expect information to be circulated by reading week.

Personal Tutors

I would like to ask you all to send me your thoughts

on Personal Tutors and the Personal Tutor System.

Good points, bad points, everything. Do you know

what your personal tutor can help with? How often do

you have contact with them? Email me at

sueducation@bath.ac.uk

‘Spotlight on…’ Do you have an example of good practice you’d like to

share? Perhaps you’ve already made a change or have

some great ideas you are working on?

We’d like to include a ‘Spotlight’ section in each

newsletter, giving reps the opportunity to speak out

and let others know about their experience in the

role, and what they have been working on. Email

sueducation@bath.ac.uk if you would like your story

to be included in the next newsletter!

Other Notices Departmental feedback policies are now

online;http://www.bathstudent.com/educati

on/mydepartment/

Simply click on your department’s page to find

the link. We are still waiting for some

departments to send theirs to us for

uploading, so keep checking back if yours is

not there.

Not yet a member of the Academic Reps

Facebook group? Follow the link here:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/2941634

40726754/?fref=ts

Tweet us!

@BathAcReps

Students’ Union Officer Elections There are many reasons to become an SU

Officer; SU Officers are responsible for leading

a million pound organisation representing

14,000 members and are involved with

developing the strategic direction of the

Students’ Union. As an SU Officer you would

have an unforgettable and exciting year,

improve your employability, make a

difference, develop invaluable life and work

skills, and network with a national

organisation. To find out more go to:

http://www.bathstudent.com/ELECTIONS/

This week’s Spotlight is on…

Katharine Agg - Physics Year 3 Rep

“PHYSICS IS AWESOME…

At the academic rep conference this November I was chatting with some other reps and realised happy I was with

the way the Physics department organises the Academic Reps, SSLC etc. When we were asked to come up with

things we would change I could list very few, and the issues others brought forward regarding their department I felt

Physics had sorted.

Our SSLC has 16 undergrads, 2 postgrads and 4 department staff members on the committee. This means that the

meetings are very student orientated. Along with another undergrad, I was voted to Chair the meetings, having

student chairs provides the meetings with a more welcoming environment to bring issues and opinions of peers to

the departments notice. It also means that any votes taken reflect the students’ opinions, not what the staff believe

students think.

Each year the Physoc chair sits on the SSLC. This is a good

way of organising whole department socials, not just ones

for the close friends of the committee. This year saw the

return of the Physics Welcome Evening, this saw

department members, undergrads, postgrads and staff

enjoy a subsidised meal in the Claverton rooms, followed

by Karaoke and dancing. This joined up approach helps

Physoc organise the COSMOS lectures, casual events

hosted at a pub in town where one of the department’s

lecturers talks about their research.

The department has taken to the PAL scheme very well; a

few of the PAL leaders were elected as reps, this inspired

‘PAL update’ to be a regular agenda point. This year’s

Physoc chair is also the senior peer mentor, another area

it is useful to have as a regular point in our meetings.

In Physics square there is a poster, this has all the SSLC

members pictures; the minutes from the last meeting;

the date, time and place of the next meeting; a flow chart

showing my peers the steps to get a problem solved; and

a list of what the SSLC achieved last year.

The annual department Christmas afternoon is underway

next week. This involves the open forum (organised by the SSLC), Christmas lecture (Lecturers) and Christmas meal

(Physoc). The open forum is one of the many ways students are invited to provide input on a widely brought up

topic. Last year we looked at feedback, this year it will be the use of contact hours. The student opinions are

collected and at the next SSLC we will go through and take the appropriate action when needed.”