Alec Cockram Outreach Coordinator UPSU COURSE REP 101 Alec Cockram Outreach Coordinator

By the end of this session… You will be able to: Identify the key requirements of your role as a Course Rep. Understand the structure of UPSU and how you fit into it. Confidently approach your peers and start representing their view and voice.

being a rep The basics

The role of a course rep You Will: Represent the views of students on your course to your lecturers & programme leaders. This Will: Make changes to benefit students on your course. Raise issues with other course reps and the Student Union, so common issues can be raised at a higher level. Improve College, University and Union procedures to the benefit all students. Facilitate communication between the student body, the College and the Students’ Union Provide a flow of communication about both academic issues and other engagement opportunities

The A,B,C,D of Representation How to represent Accurate Balanced Constructive Depersonalised The A,B,C,D of Representation For each issue or topic raised, try to apply the ‘ABCD’ of representation... Issues which fit into the ‘middle’ of the diagram tend to achieve the most positive outcomes. Accurate = get the facts, know the full story, try and be as accurate as you can (dates / times / frequency of problem etc.) Balanced = does this issue affect the whole group? Are there two sides to the story? Constructive = come up with some suggestions for resolution... Use times like the cross-college rep forum, or online resources like the Virtual Voice site to share ideas and problems with other student reps on other courses... There may be some suggestions for improvement. Depersonalised = don’t name names or point fingers. Don’t criticise individual lecturing staff. If an issue only affects one student, they maybe it’s a personal problem, and that student needs to find some help individually.

Your tasks Attend various meetings as required Attend Course Rep Training Feedback the outcomes and actions from meetings Complete any actions from meetings Publicise yourself and what you can do for your fellow students Gather student views and gauge if they need to be raised at programme committee / rep forum meetings Publicise campaigns and opportunities from UPSU Sign-post students to UPSU / University Services

WHAT ISSUES CAN YOU HANDLE? A lecture theatre that is not suitable A student has not received their student loan A field trip is too expensive but there is no alternative There is too little contact time for a module Coursework deadlines are too close together There have been complaints about a lecturers teaching style The fire alarm in a shared house keeps going off and is keeping students awake at night A Course Mates coursework marks were lower than they thought they deserved The timetabling is unsuitable for a course mate as they have difficulties with child care Which issues should you take on as course rep?

Who should you talk to? How many people does the issue affect? 1 person Advise them to seek help from UPSU: Advice or their personal tutor. Just my course Speak to your Course Leader or the member of staff involved in the issue. Appropriate meeting: Programme Committee Meeting, Course Rep Meetings The Entire College / Institution Speak to the VP International & Outreach Appropriate meeting: Joint Board of Studies

Being successful How to be the best

What makes a good course rep? This is what your fellow students have said they want from their Course Rep: ‘I want my rep to be fair and honest when representing my views.’ ‘It’s a hard job, I think the rep should be strong and confident when dealing with conflict.’ ‘Integrity is the most important thing for me.’ ‘Easy to talk to and approachable. I want to be happy to go to my rep with any problems.’ ‘My rep should be able to feedback my views on life at college as well as tell us what is happening higher up.’ ‘Communication, communication, communication – talking fixes so many problems!’ Question – followed by answers?!

COLLECTING STUDENT OPINION GOAT – Go Out and Talk! Use NSS and SPQ Data Noticeboard Group Text Create a course Facebook page – send out messages Suggestion Box Twitter Post it Notes Ask your lecturer for some time at the start of a lecture Surveys – Survey monkey Get students to think of ideas in pairs – idea that they have to come up with something that no-one else will! Send around a group email to your course

Three stages to meeting prep Before meetings During meetings After meetings Be prepared Be polite Share feedback on your points raised Research - Gather & record Speak clearly Follow up anything you have agreed to Represent the views of your group the student views Share best practice across the network Go through the ‘ABCD of representation Listen & make notes of what’s been said Read Agenda – notes any points of interest Don’t interrupt others Be Confident Don’t be scared to ask questions!

FEEDBACK Q - Why is it important to feedback from meetings? Ways of feeding back… Ask your lecturer for some time at the beginning of a lecture to present findings to your class Twitter Create a course Facebook page – send out messages Post it Notes Send around a group email to your course Suggestion Box

ANONYMITY AND CONFIDENTIALITY Remember: You should not refer to students by name Assure students that matters are kept anonymous If a student comes to you with a personal issue you must keep this confidential (& you should refer them to SU advice). As a course rep you are trusted to be responsible with information.

Bigger picture How and why your role is important

THE REPRESENTATION STRUCTURE Student Representative Representing Meetings Attended UPSU President All Plymouth University Students University Board of Governors UPSU Trustee Board UPSU Union Executive Committee VP International and Outreach All Plymouth University Students on Academic Issues Joint Board of Studies Forum Chair Partner Institutions Forum Lead College Representatives Your College within the Academic Partnership Student Staff Liaison Meetings Course Representatives Representing the views of your specific class or group Programme Committee You are part of a much bigger representation structure... You can see at each stage, different representatives represent the views of a wider and wider collective of students Ask second year reps... Has anyone attended these type of meetings last year? What were the like??? Programme Committee Meetings: These meetings happen for every programme and are usually held once a term. Your programme leader, or Higher Education Office should be able to tell you when the dates of these meetings are. There is an expectation that there should be at least one student rep present at these meetings. One of the agenda items is ‘Items Raised by Student Representatives’ and this is where programme specific issues can be raised. Try to apply the ‘ABCD of representation’ to your points. These issues could vary from the way a module has been delivered to the way feedback is received from a piece of work.   College Rep Forums: These meetings have a variety of names, such as Student Rep meetings, Course Rep meetings, Cross-college forums etc... They are run in most colleges, and have a much more student-led focus. The meetings tend to be less formal but more regular than the programme committee meetings. The purpose of these meetings is to discuss primarily cross-college issues, such as resources, facilities, and access problems. Joint Board of Studies Meetings: These are quite formal meetings which occur twice per year in your college. The Deputy President of UPSU and a few students from your college normally attend. If you attend JBS meetings, you will be raising the views of all students studying Plymouth University programmes at your college. One of the agenda items is ‘Items Raised by Student Representatives’ and this is where good practice, success stories, and issues which are affecting all students at your college should be raised. Try to apply the ‘ABCD of representation’ to your points. To help to gather cross-college student views, we encourage all course reps to register and record your views and feedback on the Virtual Voice Moodle site. Faculty Board: This is a formal meeting that normally only the Deputy President of UPSU attends. The Deputy President will have listened to student views raised through formal and informal channels, and will represent the views of all UPC students studying at all colleges sites. Other meetings: Course Reps are asked occasionally to sit on other meetings to ensure the student voice is heard. These could be your local Students’ Union forums, college Health and Safety meetings or library user groups, or other college management meetings where student input would be useful. At the University of Plymouth Students’ Union we have a monthly Union Executive Committee meeting which students are elected to sit on, although any student is welcome to attend. Have a look at www.upsu.com and click on the ‘your union’, ‘parliament’ tab.

Rewarding your hard work Student Voice Recognition Scheme UPSU are dedicated in making sure you are rewarded for all the time and effort you put into your role of Course Rep. So much so, a special award scheme has been created to acknowledge your work! There are three levels of certificate to work towards... Bronze, Silver, Gold with corresponding rewards! Remember to log your hours via upsu.com and email the Outreach Team when you have reached a milestone! SSTAR Awards The Student & Staff Teaching and Representation Awards take place in April each year. This is your chance to say thank you to all those people who have made a real difference to you throughout the year! As a rep, it would be great if you could be part of the promotion of this event – you may even get nominated yourself!

After today Read and use the Course Rep Handbook Join the Partner Institution Facebook Page Find out when your first Course Rep Meeting is. Don’t just wait for ‘big meetings’... start making the most of your role... communicate with fellow students, speak to staff and gather feedback. Keep in touch & contact us if you have any questions.

MAKING A DIFFERENCE

Q & A

contacts Who you gonna call…?! Dave Bertelli VP International & Outreach davide.bertelli@su.plymouth.ac.uk @UPSUintOut Alec Cockram Outreach Coordinator partnershipstudents@upsu.com @UPSU_Partners