Bristol SU - Course Rep Pocket Guide

Education Network

from the Bristol SU Education Officers Welcome and congratulations on being elected as a student representative for the year 2017/18.

This handbook is packed full of useful information to help you represent your students in the best way possible. Make sure you use it!

Course reps are the biggest group of elected student representatives in the whole University.

Every year, course reps make changes that will affect student lives for years to

help, you can email us, give us a ring or pop in and see us whenever you like.

With great power comes great responsibility!

You are your course mates’ representative: your voice carries the weight of their approval. Use it wisely.

There will be some challenges. It’s not all fun and games: sometimes it might be difficult to engage with your peers, or the changes you want might not be possible.

come. Whether that’s increasing study spaces, or hosting a forum for your student community, reps constantly improve student life.

But it’s so rewarding when changes are made because of your efforts! So if you have any problems, come and see us and we’ll do our best to help.

Bristol SU is here to help you. We deliver training for all student representatives online and in person at our Course Rep Conference. We’re always on hand to

Keep your students in the loop. Ask them what they think. Tell them what’s happening. Involve them in campaigns or petitions.

Mason Ammar

Shubham Singh

Undergraduate Education Officer

Postgraduate Education Officer

Now you’re a course rep, we recommend the following steps... □□ Complete the online training (compulsory) □□ Attend the induction Course Rep Conference □□ Pick up your welcome pack and freebies (free stuff) □□ Read through the student rep handbook

□□ Join the ‘All Reps’ Facebook group □□ Introduce yourself to your peers so they know you are their course rep! □□ Meet with the other course reps on your programme – you will be more powerful if you work together and support each other! □□ Find out when your first SSLC meeting is!

You’re part of a network of leaders Student body

course reps

school reps

Students will raise their concerns with you, their course rep

You will attend SSLCs to represent the views of your peers

School reps take these issues to Faculty SSLCs

faculty education officers reps Faculty reps chair the Faculty SSLCs and work closely with Elected Officers

Elected Officers represent students at senior University Committees

Bristol SU Student Council Meeting once a term Attended by: all reps

Bristol SU Annual Members Meeting Meeting once a year Attended by: all students

Staff Student Liaison Committees (SSLCs) Meeting at least once a term Attended by: course reps

Bristol SU Standing Committee Meeting at least once a term Attended by: faculty reps

Faculty Staff Student Liaison Committee (FSSLC) Meeting at least once a term Attended by: all faculty reps and school reps (*in Health Science all course reps are invited)

Student Partnership and Representation Group (SPaRG) Meeting at least once a term Attended by: appointed faculty reps

Faculty Course Reps Meetings Meeting at least once a year Attended by: faculty reps, school reps and course reps

Education Network Meeting at least once a term Attended by: all reps University Level Meetings Meeting at least once a term Attended by: appointed reps

School Rep overview

Faculty Rep overview

take to the Faculty level FSSLC any issues that could not be dealt with at a School level meeting.

- supporting school reps to bring course reps together.

School reps collect and collate the information from their School level SSLC to

Faculty reps develop a community of student representatives across the faculty

Terms of Office: one academic year School reps exist at the discretion of Faculty Admins – not all Faculties have them.

Terms of Office: one academic year Elected: locally only at the first SSLC of the year. School reps have already been elected as course reps.

Core responsibilities • See responsibility of a course rep • Chair/Co Chair Staff Student Liaison Committee

Elected: online Core responsibilities • To keep abreast of student issues in the faculty, and actively seek out the opinion of peers • Work with Education Officer (UG/PG), Students’ Union and University staff to deliver manifesto objectives • Attend and assist with course rep training

• Sit on the Faculty Staff Student Liaison Committee

• To attend and chair faculty student staff liaison committees

• Act as lead course representative

• Work with school reps to host facultycourse reps meetings

• Be a communication link between faculty reps and course reps

• Act as point of contact for staff in Faculty management positions • Lead on academic campaigning and community organising • Participate in the Students’ Union Democratic Forums; Education Network, Standing Committee and Student Council

Part of the role of the Students’ Union is to lobby the University on a wide range of issues, both academic and nonacademic.

When acting as a course rep, rather than an individual student, you are there to represent your cohort in the diversity of their opinion.

When course reps raise academic issues that are very important or affect a large number of students, it’s important to contact the Bristol SU Education Officers so we can be a powerful student voice.

We can then ensure that the issue is taken through the most appropriate and effective channels.

If you feel strongly about an issue in the University and you want to build a campaign around it, you need to be clear that the issue falls within the course rep role and that you have the support of your cohort. You need to gather the views of your fellow students and represent these views through appropriate channels.

As engaged and active students, course reps may wish to raise non-academic issues that they feel strongly about. The Students’ Union will offer guidance about how to take forward wider issues in a way that takes account of your role as a course rep.

Need a hand?

The Representation Team is here to help!

You can pop in to see us on the 3rd floor of the Richmond Building, or contact us on: 0117 331 8660 bristolsu-representation@bristol.ac.uk

Now you’re a course rep, we recommend the following steps...

Aside from the enormous sense of satisfaction and improving your course for the better, you may be wondering what you get in return for all your hard work.

Rewards - FREEBIES At the course rep conference, all reps will be eligible to collect FREE: • Course Rep T-Shirts • Union tote bag • Union Lanyard • USB Memory Stick

Representation It is your role to ensure that, as effectively as possible, your peers’ voices are heard. A good course rep is able to present these views passionately and fairly at meetings without bias towards their own experiences.

Equality and Diversity Promoting equal treatment and diverse understanding should be at the heart of everything a course rep does.

Collaboration Whether you work with other course reps, your academic society or the staff in your school, collaborating will be a more rewarding experiences and should yield far better outcomes.

Sustainability Sustainability isn’t just about the environment, it’s important to think about social and economic sustainability too. How about setting up a book sale for your course, or creating a student study group so you can share ideas?

Fun Being a course rep should be a fun and rewarding experience; if you are finding that it isn’t, come and speak to us and we’ll do all we can to help!

Issue Does it affect more than one person?

yes Does the issue affect your course or the entire faculty?

course

faculty

Is it about a specific member of staff?

Does it affect your faculty or the whole university?

yes Raise it in a private meeting with the Head of School

yes Raise it with your programme director

yes Speak to a member of staff / the Bristol SU Rep team

no Is it urgent?

no Could the issue be solved informally?

no Raise it at your next SSLC

faculty

university

Is it urgent?

Contact the Bristol SU Education Officer

yes

no

Raise it with your Faculty Rep & Faculty Education Officer

Could the issue be resolved informally?

yes

no

Speak to a member of staff / the Bristol SU Rep team

Ask your School Rep to raise it at the next FSSLC

no What is the issue about?

academic

disciplinary

Is it extenuating circumstances, plagiarism, appeals?

Speak to JustAsk for any kind of disciplinary

yes

no

They should speak to Just Ask and their personal tutor

Tell them to speak to their personal tutor

personal Students can talk to Just Ask about ANY of the following issue, however there are other services that can help too.

hEALTH & WELLBEING

They can speak to the Student Health Centre.

OTHER

HOUSING

INTERNATIONAL

Signpost them to the Accomodation Office or the Lettings service

Recommend they speak to the International Office

EMPLOYMENT Signpost them to the Career Services

disability Point them in the direction of Disability Services

Loneliness? Bullying? Worried about a friend? Signpost them to Just Ask

Academic calendar 2017/18 2017 September October November December

January

February

Marc

1 Fr

1 Su

1 We

1 Fr

1 Mo New

1 Th

1 Th

2 Sa

2 Mo

2 Th

2 Sa

2 Tu

2 Fr

2 Fr

3 Su

3 Tu

3 Fr

3 Su

3 We

3 Sa

3 Sa

4 Mo

4 We

4 Sa

4 Mo

4 Th

4 Su

4 Su

5 Tu

5 Th

5 Su

5 Tu

5 Fr

5 Mo

5 Mo

6 We

6 Fr

6 Mo

6 We

6 Sa

6 Tu

6 Tu

7 Th

7 Sa

7 Tu

7 Th

7 Su

7 We

7 We

8 Fr

8 Su

8 We

8 Fr

8 Mo

8 Th

8 Th

Year’s D.

9 Sa

9 Mo

9 Th

9 Sa

9 Tu

9 Fr

9 Fr

10Su

10 Tu

10 Fr

10Su

10We

10Sa

10Sa

11 Mo

11 We

11Sa

11 Mo

11Th

11Su

11Su

12 Tu

12 Th

12Su

12 Tu

12Fr

12 Mo

12 Mo

13 We

13 Fr

13 Mo

13 We

13Sa

13 Tu

13 Tu

14 Th

14Sa

14 Tu

14 Th

14Su

14 We

14 We

15 Fr

15Su

15 We

15 Fr

15Mo

15 Th

15 Th

16Sa

16 Mo

16 Th

16Sa

16Tu

16 Fr

16 Fr

17Su

17 Tu

17 Fr

17Su

17We

17Sa

17Sa

18 Mo

18 We

18Sa

18 Mo

18Th

18Su

18Su

19 Tu

19 Th

19Su

19 Tu

19Fr

19 Mo

19 Mo

20 We

20 Fr

20 Mo

20 We

20Sa

20 Tu

20 Tu

21 Th

21Sa

21 Tu

21 Th

21Su

21 We

21 We

22 Fr

22Su

22 We

22 Fr

22Mo

22 Th

22 Th

23Sa

23 Mo

23 Th

23Sa

23Tu

23 Fr

23 Fr

24Su

24 Tu

24 Fr

24Su

24We

24Sa

24Sa

25 Mo

25 We

25Sa

25Mo Christmas

25Th

25Su

25Su

26 Tu

26 Th

26Su

26Tu

26Fr

26 Mo

26 Mo

27 We

27 Fr

27 Mo

27 We

27Sa

27 Tu

27 Tu

28 Th

28Sa

28 Tu

28 Th

28Su

28 We

28 We

29 Fr

29Su

29 We

29 Fr

29Mo

29 Th

30Sa

30 Mo

30 Th

30Sa

30Tu

30Fr

31Su

31We

31Sa

31 Tu

Day

Boxing Day

Good

bruary

o

e

o

e

o

e

o

e

March

April

1 Th

1 Su

2 Fr

2018

May

June

July

August

1 Tu

1 Fr

1 Su

1 We

2 Mo Easter

2 We

2 Sa

2 Mo

2 Th

3 Sa

3 Tu

3 Th

3 Su

3 Tu

3 Fr

4 Su

4 We

4 Fr

4 Mo

4 We

4 Sa

5 Mo

5 Th

5 Sa

5 Tu

5 Th

5 Su

6 Tu

6 Fr

6 Su

6 We

6 Fr

6 Mo

7 We

7 Sa

7 Mo Early

7 Th

7 Sa

7 Tu

8 Th

8 Su

8 Tu

8 Fr

8 Su

8 We

Monday

May BH

9 Fr

9 Mo

9 We

9 Sa

9 Mo

9 Th

10Sa

10 Tu

10 Th

10Su

10 Tu

10 Fr

11Su

11 We

11 Fr

11 Mo

11 We

11Sa

12 Mo

12 Th

12Sa

12 Tu

12 Th

12Su

13 Tu

13 Fr

13Su

13 We

13 Fr

13 Mo

14 We

14Sa

14 Mo

14 Th

14Sa

14 Tu

15 Th

15Su

15 Tu

15 Fr

15Su

15 We

16 Fr

16 Mo

16 We

16Sa

16 Mo

16 Th

17Sa

17 Tu

17 Th

17Su

17 Tu

17 Fr

18Su

18 We

18 Fr

18 Mo

18 We

18Sa

19 Mo

19 Th

19Sa

19 Tu

19 Th

19Su

20 Tu

20 Fr

20Su

20 We

20 Fr

20 Mo

21 We

21Sa

21 Mo

21 Th

21Sa

21 Tu

22 Th

22Su

22 Tu

22 Fr

22Su

22 We

23 Fr

23 Mo

23 We

23Sa

23 Mo

23 Th

24Sa

24 Tu

24 Th

24Su

24 Tu

24 Fr

25Su

25 We

25 Fr

25 Mo

25 We

25Sa

26 Mo

26 Th

26Sa

26 Tu

26 Th

26Su

27 Tu

27 Fr

27Su

27 We

27 Fr

27Mo August

28Sa

28Mo Spring Bank H.

28 Th

28Sa

28 Tu

29Su

29 Tu

29 Fr

29Su

29 We

30 Mo

30 We

30Sa

30 Mo

30 Th

31 Tu

31 Fr

28 We 29 Th 30Fr 31Sa

Good Friday

31 Th

Bank H.

Education Network