Course Rep Handbook
Welcome The Stude Union!
from ents’ Congratulations! Good luck with your year ahead and don’t hesitate to contact us if you need any support.
Hello! I’m Lizzy, and I am your President Falmouth welcoming you on behalf of The Students’ Union (SU). Elected into this role by Falmouth students, it is my responsibility to be your representative regarding all things academic - including the Falmouth Course Rep System! I take your course rep feedback to senior management meetings, so the student voice is at the heart of all decision making.
Your Student’s Union is here to support you with all your academic, social and support needs.
We Have Three Teams: 1.
Student Voice – for Representation and Democracy
2.
Student Opportunities – for Sports, Societies, Volunteering and Fundraising
3.
Student Advice – for free impartial and confidential
service on housing, finance, academic appeals etc.
We don’t run your Stannary events, but we support you as a student. We (the SU) are a membership-led charity; run by students, for students and your role as a Course Rep is a key part of our Student Voice Team in collaboration with Falmouth University. So, thank you for nominating yourself, Lewis (Representative and Democracy Co-ordinator) and I (President Falmouth) look forward to working with you! Let’s better the future of Falmouth University through your student voice.
Contents Your Role & Training
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How Your Role Works
10
Step 1: You & Your Cohort
12
Step 2: Ways Of Collecting Feedback
14
Step 3: ROS
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Step 4: Preparing For Your SSLG
18
Step 5: Added Extras
21
Step 6: Conclusion
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Your Role A course reps’ role within the Student Voice team is to gather the feedback from students within your course so we can all work together to address it. You are vital in helping change the future of Falmouth University’s decision making, which is why we value you and your work. You give the students their chance to have a say, whilst also making those changes happen. If you would like to read more into your role click here!
Your Train You need to attend mandatory training to do this role, because we want to support you and equip you with the best tools possible to help. Your training will teach you everything you need to know, but this handbook will also be a guide for you to constantly reference. Department level training will be delivered this year, creating a Rep community, and sharing tips on being a Rep. There are training resources available for all these sessions on the SU website.
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Your Role & Training
e
ning Your Role & Training
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How Your Role Work Your role is to help gather feedback from students so that Student Voice sits at the heart of changes and decisions made within your course, your department and Falmouth University. The diagram on the right shows how the feedback loop processes the feedback you collect. When collecting feedback the first step is to put it into ROS, this way the feedback can be split and directed to the correct feedback loops. So, on the right we have: All academic feedback. This gets taken by you to your SSLG meeting. Use ROS to print an agenda of all the things you need to discuss. Once discussed at your SSLG, your feedback gets put into a ‘SSLG tracker’, so you can check up on how your feedback is being addressed. Once completed, you can feedback to your cohort on the changes you’ve made. On the left we have: All other feedback. This gets sent to the Student Voice team within the SU and gets directed out to the correct president (or if emergency to the correct university team). The president will then address it at meetings and feedback to you via email how your feedback is being addressed by the university. Along the bottom of the diagram we have you department committee. These are used when common themes arise throughout the year from all feedback that affects a particular department. They look into why that feedback keeps arising as an theme.
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How Your Role Works
r ks
How Your Role Works
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Step 1: You & Your Cohort First things first – Introduce yourself to your course mates and get to know who you’re representing! It’s good to try and understand the dynamic of your course group. This can include: •
Is there a higher percentage than usual of International Students?
•
Have you ensured that you are catering for all needs in your cohort so
that you are fully inclusive (being aware and sensitive in your approach)?
•
Is there a higher percentage than usual of mature students?
This will shape and guide the questions you need to ask and the feedback that you receive. For example: If your cohort has a significant International student population, then there may be more interest in academic videos uploaded by tutors having subtitles attached. This may also be relevant for students with hearing impairments. This research will pay off further down the line and will make future Rep meetings far easier, as you will have that bank of knowledge.
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Step 1: You And Your Cohort
Step 2: Ways Of Collecting Feedback The first step is to think about how you are going to get feedback from the students you represent. You’ll likely need to experiment and try a few different methods to make sure you’re giving all your students good opportunities to express their opinions. Our tips are: •
Just asking if anyone has any feedback won’t usually give you
much useful information. You can try asking questions about specific
topics, which should help students reflect on their experience.
•
People aren’t good at predicting the future- that’s what
you’re asking them to do. Rather, assess how it’s working.
•
Be specific- how would you develop a strong sense of community on the course?
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Step 2: Ways Of Collecting Feedback
The way that you ask questions is important as well. See the table for ideas:
With the current climate being heavily digital, you could try online polls, e-drop boxes (Padlet is a good option), MS forms. The most popular way is setting up or using Facebook groups, as most students use this platform. If you’re finding it difficult to engage your cohort, then get in touch with Lizzy or Lewis and they can give you some ideas.
Step 2: Ways Of Collecting Feedback
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Step 3: ROS (Representation Online System) Once you’ve gathered students’ feedback this is where ROS becomes a part of it. ROS is our Rep Online System that you have a unique login code for.
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Step 3: ROS
You input your feedback into ROS, (you can ask your course mates to also do this if you wish, but you primarily responsible for collecting feedback).
Once the feedback is within ROS, it can be split accordingly. We process feedback within two categories – Academic and All other.
Academic feedback, this is where
All other University feedback will
you will meet for your SSLG once
come to the SU and then we will
a term to discuss academic topics
pass it on to the most relevant
that are course specific including the
University service. We value this
successes, what needs to improve and
feedback and use it to influence
*SSLG: Student Staff Liaison Group:
decisions at senior meetings before
this is all the reps in each level of
the Presidents report back.
your course and your course leader meet to discuss academic feedback.
The final and most important step is to close the feedback loop. You should report back to your course mates what changes have been addressed.
Step 3: ROS
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Step 4: Preparing For Your SSLG You take your cohort’s academic feedback to termly SSLG meetings, which are meetings that are attended by: •
The Head of Subject – who will chair the meeting
•
Course reps – that’s you!
•
Department Admin
•
Occasionally a technical facilities manager/Stores staff/Ed Tech/library Service
When preparing for these meetings you need to make sure you have three top priorities for: 1.
What’s going well,
2.
What could be better
3.
New ideas
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Step 4: Preparing For Your SSLG
You’ll need to input these priorities into the SSLG Report which will be sent out to you by your course teams. These will then become the agenda items for the SSLG meeting. Once you’ve been to the SSLG and priorities have been discussed and decisions made, you’ll be informed of show the course team are actioning thee agenda items. As your priorities get addressed it is important to feedback to your cohort the changes that have happened. Successful changes should be celebrated with your cohort and you are closing that feedback loop! Following your SSLG and sharing the successes, it is worth checking up on the open actions and ensuring they are continuing to progress. Remember to keep up that informal but solution focussed discussions with your course teams about these agenda items.
Step 4: Preparing For Your SSLG
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Step 5: Added Extras Big Rep Meeting There will be one Big Rep Meeting to attend once a study block. This is a great chance to gather feedback and share it with senior staff for Falmouth. You’ll be able to facilitate collaborative conversations with staff from: •
Vice Chancellors staff
•
Student support services
•
Facilities staff
•
Digital Learning staff
•
Library service staff
•
FXPlus staff (They run the Stannary, Koofi and all the hospitality services)
•
Timetabling staff
Plus many more.
Step 5: Added Extras
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Step 6: Conclusion We hope that you enjoy your role as a rep because we value your importance a lot here at the SU. We know that Falmouth University will greatly benefit from the changes you bring to its future. If you ever need any help or more information, please contact: Your SU Contacts Lewis: Representation and Democracy Coordinator lewis.nurton@thesu.org.uk Lizzy: SU President Falmouth lizzy.marshall@thesu.org.uk
Have fun with the role! You are in a position of change making!
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Step 6: Conclusion
We would like to wish you all a final good luck and we hope you enjoy your year ahead!