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

2. 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.

3. being a rep
The basics

4. 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

5. 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.

6. 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

7. 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?

8. 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

9. Being successful
How to be the best

10. 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?!

11. 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 to your course

12. 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!

13. 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 to your course
Suggestion Box

14. 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.

15. Bigger picture
How and why your role is important

16. 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 and click on the ‘your union’, ‘parliament’ tab.

17. 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 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!

18. 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.

19. MAKING A DIFFERENCE

20. Q & A

21. contacts Who you gonna call…?! Dave Bertelli
VP International & Outreach
@UPSUintOut
Alec Cockram
Outreach Coordinator
@UPSU_Partners