StARs Guide for Staff 2014/15 - Students' Union UCL...Lukmaan Kolia Education & Campaigns Officer...
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StARs Guide for Staff 2014/15
Transcript of StARs Guide for Staff 2014/15 - Students' Union UCL...Lukmaan Kolia Education & Campaigns Officer...
StARs Guide for Staff2014/15
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Introduction The Student Academic Representatives (StARs) scheme is a partnership between UCL and UCLU. The StARs scheme helps to ensure that every student at UCL is effectively represented in their department, faculty, the University and UCLU. We believe that through effective representation students become partners in their education, allowing them to play an active role in shaping their learning. We also believe that student feedback on their experience is integral to high quality learning and teaching. UCL and UCLU are committed to providing effective mechanisms for quality student feedback and representation. UCL and UCLU will work jointly to ensure that the StARs scheme provides for the assurance and enhancement of quality. The StARs scheme is overseen by a joint Steering Group which include staff from faculties and departments as well as students. The Steering Group has adopted a three year development plan which aims to develop a system that will be the key student feedback mechanism at UCL. This will be achieved by: 1. developing a robust scheme which commands the confidence of UCL
and its students. 2. ensuring the development of the StARs scheme is driven by a strong
partnership between UCL and UCLU. 3. establishing a scheme where StARs play a key role in enhancing the
quality of the student experience at the departmental and faculty level. This guide has been produced as part of this development work to ensure that we have a robust representation system in place across all areas of UCL. Professor Anthony Smith Lukmaan Kolia Vice Provost (Education & Student Affairs) Education & Campaigns Officer UCL , UCLU
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Contents 1. Staff roles at a glance
This section gives a summary of the StARs scheme and a breakdown of staff roles at a glance.
Page 3
2. Useful resources and contacts
This section contains links to further online resources and helpful contact details.
Page 5
3. Student representation at UCL
This section outlines the wider student representation system at UCL and UCLU. It also contains information on the UCL Governance Structure.
Page 7
4. Appointment of StARs
This section explains when StARs should be elected, how elections should take place and how long StARs will remain in office. It also includes information the communication strategy between UCL and UCLU.
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5. The Department
This section breaks down in detail what is expected of staff and committees at the departmental level.
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6. The Faculty
This section breaks down in detail what is expected of staff and committees at the faculty level.
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7. The StAR
This section explains exactly what the role of being a StAR involves and some of the benefits that come with the position.
Page 18
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1 Staff roles at a glance
The Head of Department (HoD) has overall responsibility for ensuring that all SSCCs have student representation for relevant years and programmes of study. The HoD must therefore:
Communicate information and publicity about the StARs scheme to relevant members of departmental staff.
Ensure that the department submits StARs contact details in accordance with the agreed appointment schedule.
Departmental Tutors/Chairs of SSCC are responsible for providing effective student representation within their department/SSCC and should ensure that all students are offered the opportunity to become a representative. Tutors and Chairs must therefore:
Ensure that student representatives are invited to and able to participate in SSCC meetings.
Raise any issues about the StARs scheme with their Faculty Contact.
Departmental Administrators/Secretary of SSCC are required to ensure the timely appointment of all StARs and to liaise with them to gather their contact details. Administrators and Secretaries must therefore:
Publicise the appointment of StARs throughout the department.
Appoint more StARs in line with the appointment schedule as set out in section 5.
Oversee a fair and democratic appointment process for StARs.
Collate and forward StARs contact details to the relevant Faculty contact using the “StARs contact details template”.
The Faculty Tutor has overall responsibility of ensuring that all departments within their Faculty have student representation for relevant years and programmes of study. Tutors must therefore:
Ensure that all faculty-level committees have sufficient student representation.
Ensure that all departments have sufficient student representation across all of their SSCCs
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Faculty Contacts are the main point of contact both for departments and UCLU for everything relating to the StARs scheme. The Faculty Contact is responsible for ensuring that all departments in their faculty have appointed StARs within the agreed timeframe and submitted their details to the faculty. Faculty Contacts must therefore:
Follow-up with departments to ensure that there is comprehensive coverage throughout the Faculty.
Communicate information and publicity about the StARs scheme to relevant members of departmental staff.
Ensure that all departments submit StARs contact details in accordance with the agreed appointment schedule.
The Faculty Contact is also asked to provide information and guidance to departments on the StARs scheme as and when queries arise and to forward correspondence as requested by UCLU. The Faculty Contact will be in regular contact with UCLU for on going support. The first point of contact for Faculty Contacts is Mary Mazzilli who can be contacted at [email protected].
Faculty Contacts:
Faculty Contact Name Email address
Arts & Humanities Helen Matthews [email protected]
Social & Historical Sciences
Brain Sciences Alex Standen and Julie Evans
[email protected] and [email protected]
Life Sciences Hazel Smith [email protected]
Built Environment Brent Pilkey [email protected]
Engineering Marco Federighi [email protected]
Laws Olga Thomas [email protected]
Mathematical & Physical Sciences
Roger Gaywood [email protected]
Medical Sciences Brenda Cross [email protected]
Population Health Sciences Rachel Hall [email protected]
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2 Useful resources and contacts
Here are some useful resources and contacts that can be used to find more out about the StARs scheme. These include useful contact details and additional information on student feedback and representation. Dr Ruth Siddall Chair of JSSC [email protected] x24545
Rob Traynor Quality Assurance Co-ordinator Secretary to JSSC [email protected] x28591
Lukmaan Kolia Education & Campaigns Officer Chair of StARs Steering Group [email protected] x37949
Simon To Representation & Campaigns Manager [email protected] x37707
Mary Mazzilli Representation & Campaigns Co-ordinator (Education) [email protected] x32857
Tom Flynn Representation & Campaigns Co-ordinator (Postgraduate & International) [email protected] x32857
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For more general information on StARs scheme and for additional resources please see the UCLU StARs webpage: http://uclu.org/stars For information on the role of StARs on Staff Student Consultative Committees (SSCCs)* information can be found in the UCL Academic Manual here: http://www.ucl.ac.uk/academic-manual/part-7/sscc For information on the role of StARs on Departmental Teaching Committees (DTCs)* information can be found in the UCL Academic Manual here: http://www.ucl.ac.uk/academic-manual/part-8/dtcs/ For information on the role of StARs on Faculty Teaching Committees (FTCs)* information can be found in the UCL Academic Manual here: http://www.ucl.ac.uk/academic-manual/part-8/ftcs * Please note that references to student members on SSCCs, DTCs and FTCs in the Academic Manual are to be interpreted as StARs
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3 Student representation at UCL UCL has provision for the representation of students across all levels of activity.
Departmental Level
StARs
Staff Student Consultative Committees
Faculty Level
Faculty StARs / Faculty Reps
Faculty Teaching Committees & other faculty committees
Institutional Level
Union Officers
UCL Council, Academic Board & other institutional level committees
Departmental Level Students are represented at the departmental/programme level by Student Academic Representatives (StARs) on the relevant Staff Student Consultative Committee1 and on Departmental Teaching Committees2. Faculty Level Students are represented at the faculty level on the relevant Faculty Teaching Committees3. Students may also be represented on other committees at the departmental and faculty level as determined by the relevant department or faculty. Outside of the faculty structures, the UCL School of Pharmacy, UCL School of Slavonic & Eastern European Studies and the UCL Medical School have an elected student executive who provides further representation in each of the School’s structure.
1 http://www.ucl.ac.uk/academic-manual/part-7/sscc
2 http://www.ucl.ac.uk/academic-manual/part-8/dtcs/
3 http://www.ucl.ac.uk/academic-manual/part-8/ftcs
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Institutional Level UCLU annually appoints students to serve on institutional committees. On the diagram overleaf students are represented on the committees with a black outline. Representation varies across the range of committees, from 15 students on Academic Board to 1 student on the Library Committee.
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4 Appointment of StARs In accordance with the UCL Academic Manual, Student Academic Representatives should be elected from the following categories for each SSCC: At least one undergraduate student from each year of study; At least one taught Master’s student At least one graduate research student At lease one part-time student, where appropriate. The appointment schedule and terms of office for each of these positions is set out below.
Year
Term
Undergraduates PGT PGR
1st & 2nd Year
3rd Year 4th Year Early Years
(1st & 2nd)
Later Years
(3rd & 4th)
1
1 Appoint & Hold Office
2
Appoint & Hold Office
Appoint & Hold Office
3
2
1
2 Appoint Appoint
3
3
1
Hold Office
Hold Office
2 Appoint
3
4
1
Hold Office
2
3
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Appointment process for StARs The following election process is provided to offer guidance to departments, it is acknowledged that the following process will be adapted to fit with departmental structures and practices:
1 Introduction
Presentation to StARs by departmental staff member: 1. Explain what a StAR is and the benefits of the position
which include: Making new friends, meeting like-minded students
and working with other motivated and enthusiastic people.
Learning new skills that are instantly valued and recognised by future employers, including interpersonal, communication, organisational and problem solving skills.
Helping peers resolve course related problems. Getting involved in the wider issues that surround
UCLU and the University. Receiving a certificate of recognition from UCLU
acknowledging the role that they have been involved in.
2. Present the Opportunity Profile, which outlines the requirements for becoming a StAR. This can be found on page 20 of this Guide or here: http://uclu.org/stars
3. Explain how StARs will be elected and how long they will be a StAR for according to the appointment schedule set out above.
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Nominations and speeches
Provide nomination forms to students. Each nominee should fill this out and return it to the member of staff dealing with StARs elections. Nomination forms and other resources can be found here: http://uclu.org/stars Each candidate should be asked to give a short speech stating why they should be elected as a StAR. Where it is not possible for this to be done in person it is possible to circulate speeches by email or through departmental Moodle pages. Should time allow, questions can be taken from students for each candidate.
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Voting
Each student can make only one vote. This can either be done through a show of hands or a secret ballot. This is done by assigning each candidate with a number and asking voting students to write their chosen number on their voting slips. A template voting slip can be found here: http://uclu.org/stars. Again, it is possible to conduct votes via email or Moodle where it is not possible to do this in person.
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Results
Once you have conducted your vote, please send the names and emails of the elected StARs to your Faculty contact within the deadlines provided on page 15.
All resources relating to the election and appointment of StARs can be found at the following webpage: http://uclu.org/stars
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Communications One of the most important aspects of the appointment of StARs is the forwarding of their contact details to relevant staff members in your faculty who will in turn pass these details on to UCLU. This will ensure that StARs are offered as much support as possible, which will include training sessions, a certificate scheme and general guidance and advice. The following diagram sets out how faculties, departments, UCLU and StARs themselves will communicate. Please note that most departmental correspondence concerning StARs pass through the Faculty Office and not UCLU. The only exception to this is the forwarding of StARs promotional material that will be sent directly to departments from UCLU.
UCLU - Provide promotional materials - Support & train StARs - Certificates
JSSC - SSCC Guidance - Monitor arrangements
Faculty - Collate StARs details - Respond to Dept enquiries
Department
- Appoint StARs - Produce SSCC minutes
StARs - Attend training - Attend SSCCs - On-going enquiries
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The StARs Steering Group has developed a system for the collation of StARs’ contact details. The following is the timeline for communications that sets out the process from publicising in advance of elections to full appointment and training.
Month Task Lead
January Union sends publicity materials and StARs contact templates to Faculty Office.
UCLU
Faculty circulates publicity materials and StARs contact templates to departments.
Faculty Contacts
February Departments appoint all StARs apart from PGT StARs for their SSCCs and inform the Faculty Office with contact details for the students appointed.
Departments
End of February
Faculty Office collates the contacts for StARs and ensures that all departments are covered.
Faculty Contacts
March Faculty Office sends StARs details to UCLU. Faculty Contacts
UCLU sends introductory message with Moodle link and enrolment key to StARs taking office immediately.
UCLU
Mid – End of March
UCLU holds training sessions for StARs taking office immediately in this year in preparation for first round of SSCCs.
UCLU
Early October Departments appoint PGT StARs for their SSCCs and inform the Faculty Office with contact details for the students appointed.
Departments
Mid October Faculty Office collates the contacts for StARs and ensures that all departments are covered.
Faculty Contacts
Faculty Office sends StARs details to UCLU. Faculty Contacts
Mid – End of October
UCLU holds training sessions for StARs taking office in this year in preparation for first round of SSCCs.
UCLU
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5 The Department Set out below are brief descriptions of the roles and expectations of departments and programmes. Head of Department Heads of Department have overall responsibility of ensuring that all SSCCs have student representation for relevant years and programmes of study. Departmental Tutor/Chair of SSCC Departmental Tutors and Chairs of SSCCs have the responsibility for effective student representation within their department/SSCC. In the appointment period Tutors and Chairs are asked to ensure that all students are offered the opportunity to become a representative. Once StARs are appointed, they should will also be responsible for ensuring that student representatives are invited to and able to participate in SSCC meetings and are given space to feed back to staff. It is also the responsibility of the Departmental Tutor to be in contact with their Faculty Tutor to raise any issues regarding the effectiveness of student representation in their department. Departmental Administrators/Secretary of SSCC Departmental Administrators and Secretaries of SSCCs are required to ensure the timely appointment of all StARs and to liaise with them to gather their contact details. This must be done in-line with the StARs appointment schedule as set out on page 6. Once details have been gathered, it is asked that these are forwarded to the relevant Faculty contact to be collated and sent on to UCLU. Affiliate Tutor/Masters Programme Tutor StARs Steering Group recommended UCLU take steps to ensure that Affiliate Students receive broadly the same experience as Home Students. To help with this, it should be the responsibility of the Affiliate Tutor or Masters Programme Tutor to recruit StARs from this student group and pass on their details to the relevant SSCC Chair.
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Staff-Student Consultative Committee (SSCCs) The Terms of Reference for SSCCs state that the role of meetings include: to comment upon the outcome of degree programme and course evaluation
questionnaires and any consequent follow-up action; to receive notification of any Departmental changes with respect to teaching,
admissions, and assessment; to comment upon any significant changes to Departmental policy which
would have a direct consequence for teaching, admissions, and assessment; to comment upon safety within the Department; to comment upon physical resources within the Department e.g.
computer/library facilities etc.4 It is recommended that all student members are encouraged to offer feedback on their year/programme of study. To achieve this all SSCC agendas are advised to have a “StARs’ feedback” item to ensure that there is time assigned in each meeting for student input. Departmental Teaching Committees (DTCs) DTCs are asked to include “at least one undergraduate and one postgraduate student member”. It is also advised that chairs and/or secretaries of DTCs “should meet the student representatives in advance of the first committee meeting, in order to brief them on the committees' works and proceedings and to put the students at ease and introduce them to key committee members.” It is advised that steps are taken in DTCs to ensure that student representatives are able to contribute and feedback to business where this is appropriate.
4 Terms of Reference for SSCCs are available in the UCL Academic Manual:
http://www.ucl.ac.uk/academic-manual/part-7/sscc
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6 The Faculty Faculty Tutor Faculty Tutors have overall responsibility of ensuring that all departments within their Faculty have student representation for relevant years and programmes of study. They also have responsibility for ensuring that all faculty-level committees have sufficient student representation in line with the UCL Academic Manual. Please note that in some instances the Faculty Tutor will also be the Faculty Contact. The role of the Faculty Contact is set out in more detail below. Faculty Teaching Committee (FTC) In a similar fashion to Departmental Teaching Committees, the UCL Academic Manual states that:
“The FTC should include at least one undergraduate and one postgraduate student member. Committee chairs and/or secretaries should meet the student representatives in advance of the first committee meeting, in order to brief them on the committee’s works and proceedings and to put the students at ease and introduce them to key committee members.”
In addition to this, it is recommended that students are encouraged and given time to feedback on behalf of those that they represent. It is advised that StARs are encouraged to contribute to FTC business where this is appropriate. Other Faculty Committees It is asked that other Faculty Committees, including Faculty Library Committees, also take steps to ensure that students are represented as comprehensively as possible. For advice on how to engage students at the faculty level please contact Mary Mazzilli at [email protected]. Faculty StARs The StARs Steering Group is currently committed to developing provision for Faculty-level StARs to represent all students within each of UCL’s 10 faculties. However, this level of representation is not yet in place and it is asked that, where possible, departmental StARs are asked to attend relevant Faculty-level meetings where student representation is required.
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UCLU also has elects a faculty student representative for each faculty. It is encouraged that these representatives are also invited to Faculty-level meetings. This will allow students with experience of representation at the faculty level to offer feedback and it will also allow the decision of the faculty meetings to be relayed back to students. Faculty Contact Faculty Contact is the main point of contact both for departments and UCLU for everything relating to the StARs scheme. Please note that in some faculties there may be more than one Faculty Contact. The Faculty Contact is responsible for ensuring that all departments in their faculty have appointed StARs within the agreed timeframe and submitted their details to the faculty. Where there are gaps in the appointment of StARs, contacts will also be required to follow-up with departments to ensure that there is comprehensive coverage throughout the Faculty. In addition, if there are gaps information collected – Faculty Contacts will be further contacted to ensure we have a complete set of details. The Faculty Contact is also asked to provide information and guidance to departments on the StARs scheme as and when queries arise and to forward correspondence as requested by UCLU. The Faculty Contact will be in regular contact with UCLU for on going queries support. The first point of contact for Faculty Contacts is Mary Mazzilli at [email protected]. Faculty Contacts:
Faculty Contact Name Email address
Arts & Humanities Helen Matthews [email protected]
Social & Historical Sciences
Brain Sciences Alex Standen and Julie Evans
[email protected] and [email protected]
Life Sciences Hazel Smith [email protected]
Built Environment Brent Pilkey [email protected]
Engineering Marco Federighi [email protected]
Laws Olga Thomas [email protected]
Mathematical & Physical Sciences
Roger Gaywood [email protected]
Medical Sciences Brenda Cross [email protected]
Population Health Sciences Rachel Hall [email protected]
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7 The StAR StARs Opportunity Profile StARs Role Description
Play an active role in the development and enhancement of the course; Take up students’ complaints and grievances about the course to the
tutor; Communicate information about students’ rights provided by UCLU; Raise difficulties students encounter about the access to equipment and
facilities with the appropriate people and departments; Help negotiate changes in the timetable for students whose
circumstances require it; Be a point of contact for UCLU on changes and developments within the
department and faculty; Advise students that they can get assistance from UCLU if they wish to
appeal against an assessment or examination result; Ensure that courses are being pursued in accordance with UCL’s policies
on equality; Promote the value of UCLU to other students on the course.
Further to these responsibilities, the opportunities that exist are:
Be an active part of UCLU, by publicising UCLU activities and matters; Can be a member of UCLU Council, through the faculty representative; In conjunction with UCLU, negotiate revisions that are being made to the
course regulations; Explain to students their rights under the University’s regulations and
code of practices; and Take part in the development of transferable skills and improve your
personal employability. Training and development StARs are offered a number of training and development opportunities. UCLU sends a welcome message to all StARs when they are appointed inviting them to join the StARs Moodle page. On the page they will be able to access a wide range of useful resources including training exercises, information on UCL and UCLU and discussion forums with other StARs. It is also through Moodle that StARs will be able to sign up to training sessions which are provided by UCLU. There are two main training session; introductory and advanced. The sessions cover an introduction to the role, information on the decision-making structures of UCL and UCLU, issues StARs have made a difference on in the past and tips on how to be an effective representative.
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StARs are also involved in wider developmental opportunities such as running campaigns, taking part in consultations, sitting on institutional Committees and attending national and regional conferences. Recognition To reward StARs for their work, the UCL Joint Staff Student Committee established a certificate scheme for StARs with the following criteria:
1. Attendance at two SSCC meetings; 2. Attendance at one training session; and 3. Submission of written statements reflecting upon their experience.
Support and guidance UCLU provides the following support and guidance to StARs:
Introductory and advanced training opportunities Resources including information, advice and contacts Expertise about regulations and procedures Staff support to help with enquiries Networking opportunities with other students Termly newsletters with up-to-date information on UCL and the HE
sector End of year certificate and reception for those who complete reflections Access to expert legal and grievance advice through the Rights & Advice
Centre (note that this is open to all students across UCL)
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Representation & Campaigns [email protected] 7679 0678uclu.org/stars
