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Student Rep StaffForum (SRSF) Chair

Handbook2014/15

Table of ContentsWelcome...............................................................................................................................................................4

Chapter 1: Engaging Students................................................................................................................................5

1.1 The Basics....................................................................................................................................................5

1.2 What is a Student Rep?................................................................................................................................5

1.3 Promoting the Student Rep System-A shared responsibility........................................................................6

1.4 Electing Student Reps..................................................................................................................................6

1.5 Inductions, Inductions, Inductions...............................................................................................................6

1.6 Student engagement in the Student Rep process is everyone’s business!...................................................7

Chapter 2: Making Student Representation part of the norm...............................................................................8

2.1 Key Stakeholders..........................................................................................................................................8

2.2 Making sure everyone is aware of the system...........................................................................................11

Chapter 3: Structures..........................................................................................................................................12

3.1 Student Rep Staff Forums-Basic Structure.................................................................................................12

3.1.1 What are SRSF’s?................................................................................................................................12

3.1.2 Who should attend?...........................................................................................................................12

3.1.3 How many should there be?...............................................................................................................12

3.1.4 What is my role?.................................................................................................................................13

3.1.5 What is the student reps role?............................................................................................................13

3.2 SRSFs and their relationship to SU Forums................................................................................................13

3.2. 1 SU Forums..........................................................................................................................................14

3.2.2 SRSFs...................................................................................................................................................14

Chapter 4-Training and supporting Student Reps................................................................................................16

4.1 Student Representative Training................................................................................................................16

4.2 The Importance of the deadline date........................................................................................................17

4.3 Get Ahead Sessions...................................................................................................................................17

4.5 Chair and Deputy Training.........................................................................................................................18

4.6 What if I don’t feel my Student Reps are being representative?................................................................18

Chapter 5: Facilitating SRSFs................................................................................................................................20

5.1 Organising the meeting.............................................................................................................................20

5.1.1 TWO WEEKS BEFORE THE MEETING:..................................................................................................20

5.1.2ONE WEEK BEFORE THE MEETING.......................................................................................................21

5.1.3 AT THE MEETING.................................................................................................................................21

5.1.4 AFTER THE MEETING..........................................................................................................................22

5.2 Best practice for those ‘Hard to Engage’ students.....................................................................................22

5.2.1 Using Sharepoint.................................................................................................................................23

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5.2.2 Online Meetings - Conference Calls and Lync Meetings......................................................................23

Chapter 6- Telling people about your successes..................................................................................................24

6.1 Encouraging Student Reps to feedback......................................................................................................24

6.2 Engaging students with External Examiners:..............................................................................................25

6.3 Remembering the Positives.......................................................................................................................26

6.4 Rewards.....................................................................................................................................................26

6.4.1 The Student Rep Awards.....................................................................................................................26

6.4.2 The Certificate Scheme.......................................................................................................................26

6.4.3 Attendance Allowance........................................................................................................................26

6.4.4 HEAR...................................................................................................................................................26

6.4.5 UWE Futures.......................................................................................................................................27

6.5 Moving forward and recognising successes!..............................................................................................27

Chapter 7-Review................................................................................................................................................28

7.1 Help and Support: who’s who....................................................................................................................28

7.1.1 Students’ Union Support-...................................................................................................................28

7.1.2 Academic Services Support-................................................................................................................29

Appendix 1..........................................................................................................................................................30

Appendix 2..........................................................................................................................................................31

Appendix 3………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………33

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WelcomeWelcome to the staff handbook for SRSF (Student Rep Staff Forum) Chairs for the academic year 2013/14.

This handbook is designed for staff members who have taken on the role of the Student Rep Staff Forum cluster leader. This means they facilitate the Student Rep Staff Forums with Student Representatives and staff members in their department.

This guide explains the Student Rep system and the responsibilities of both UWE and the Students’ Union with regards to Student Reps, with useful hints and tips on how to hold the most effective student rep staff forum meetings. It also clearly outlines the role of the SRSF Cluster Leader and how this role links with the University and Students’ Union.

The guide is split into 7 different chapters; these align with the seven indicators of best practice relating to student engagement outlined in chapter B5 of the Quality Code.

Over the past few years, Student Representation at UWE has gone from strength to strength. This is down to the partnership between the Students’ Union and UWE. We look forward to working with you all this year and hope that you spend a few minutes looking over this handbook now, and then keep it as a reference point for the rest of the year.

This handbook is only intended as a guide. The Students’ Union is more than happy to share ideas of best practice and if you would like to feed these back, please feel free to do so. We hope you find this guide useful to help understand more about the Student Rep system and the facilitating the SRSF Chair. If you have any further questions or would like extra support with the SRSF Chair role please email studentreps@uwe.ac.uk.

Kind Regards,

Joshua James (JJ) Clark (VP Education), Edd Burrell (Student Rep Coordinator – ACE & FET), Sarah Hickie (Student Rep Coordinator – FBL & HAS), Duncan Stokes (Representation Support Manager), Emma Brown (Representation and Community Manager).

Cassie Agbehenu (Student Partnership Officer), Michael Small (Governance and Policy Officer), Alastair Osborn (AS Business Review Manager)

The Student Representation Team

5F2 Frenchay studentreps@uwe.ac.uk

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Chapter 1: Engaging Students

This chapter outlines HOW students are able to engage with the student rep process. This is a joint responsibility by the Students’ Union and the University. Knowing HOW the system works including the basics means that promoting the system can be more effective from each stakeholder.

1.1 The Basics

The Student Rep system is a partnership between the University and the Students’ Union. The Student Rep system is a network of individuals selected by their peers with the help of the University. The Students’ Union employs two full time staff members- Student Rep Coordinators- to facilitate the Student Rep process. The Students’ Union and University have differing responsibilities with regards to the Student Rep system, but work together for a shared goal of effective Student Representation and Feedback. The University owns the Student Rep system with the Students’ Union helping to facilitate it.

1.2 What is a Student Rep?

The primary duty of a Student Rep is to ensure that they effectively collate and communicate the views of the students they represent, ensuring the feedback loop is closed by communicating the outcomes of this process back to their peers. . They are expected to attend meetings at programme level to discuss local course issues with their tutors and programme leaders. They are also expected to attend SU (Students’ Union) Forums which are organised by the SU to feedback on department, faculty and university wide issues. Student Reps also have the opportunity to sit on higher level committees such as Faculty Academic Standards and Quality Committee, Academic Quality and Enhancement Committee and Academic Board. This system ensures that students can have their voice heard all the way through the University.These structures are in place as a feedback loop from Students to University staff, however attempting to resolve issues at a local level on a one to one informal basis is always favourable. This can be done via email exchanges or informal catch up meetings between key staff members and Student Reps. An example might be a Programme Manager or Module Leader meeting with one or two relevant Student Reps about a particular issue. If resolving issues at this level is not possible, the issues then need to be taken to different meetings such as the SRSF, Departmental Committee or ASQC (Academic Standards and Quality Committee-Faculty level meeting).

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QAA’s Quality Code indicator 1:‘Higher education providers, in partnership with their student body, define

and promote the range of opportunities for any student to engage in educational enhancement and quality assurance.’

1.3 Promoting the Student Rep System-A shared responsibility

During the induction period the SU promotes Student Reps though mailings, fresher’s fairs, posters and leaflets. The Students’ Union also attends some induction talks to give a brief overview of Student Reps. During the induction period we advise that staff members promote the Student Rep system as much as possible. There is information available online if you would like to know more about the benefits of being a Student Rep as well as lots of information in this handbook!

If you would like to pass more information to staff members about the Student Rep system, information can be found on the UWESU website. Directing students to this site will help them make an informed decision about the role.

1.4 Electing Student Reps

Even though you may only receive a list of names of the Student Representatives in your cluster, there is a whole process of how students become Student Representatives. This is always useful to know as an SRSF Cluster Leader.

It is important that all students on each course are happy with the students who become Student Reps. In order for this to happen each course is asked to hold an election when recruiting their student reps. It is the HoD, AHoD and Programme Managers’ responsibility to decide how elections will take place, coordinate and ensure that they do. As long as a programme aims to elect at least one rep for every 25 students we are happy for them to do this however they wish, whether this is in a module or programme level lecture or seminar. Making sure these democratic procedures are being facilitating by academic staff is integral in getting the most effective Student Representatives. The names should be put on the Student Rep Database or passed to the Students’ Union by 3rd October 2014. Checking that academic staff have held Student Rep elections and passed on the names or put them on the database is highly recommended.

1.5 Inductions, Inductions, Inductions

As trialled last year; the Students’ Union will have a ‘Student Rep Induction Team’. This is a team of students who have previously been Student Reps that will be presenting at inductions and lectures about the student rep role. This means that we will be utilising their real life experiences and the successes that they have had during their time as a student rep to promote the role. We are also aiming for them be Faculty/Department specific so can be relevant to the students they will be addressing.

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www.uwesu.org/studentreps

1.6 Student engagement in the Student Rep process is everyone’s business!

Staff, students and Student Reps should all be engaged with the Student Rep process. Students need to engage with what is going on in the meetings so they feel they are able to contribute effectively through their student reps. Student Reps need to engage so they are effectively representing their cohort and staff need to engage so the process runs smoothly, student feedback can be promptly responded to and successes can be made.

This should be a collaborative approach with everyone in the University so the process can be as effective as possible.

As a staff member involved in student voice activities, there’s so much you can gain. Through working with your students to develop and improve their experiences at UWE, you’ll have the satisfaction that students are enjoying their time learning with you and getting the most out of it. Staff tell us that they find engaging with reps particularly rewarding because they can demonstrate how they have taken action in response to student feedback and their cohorts have reacted positively.

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BEST PRACTICE: Ask the Student Representatives in your cluster if they were elected by a democratic procedure, if they ran against another person and what it was that motivated them to stand and become a Student Representative. This will help gain a rapport with the Student, as well as gaining an understanding of their motives of goals for being a Student Rep.

Chapter 2: Making Student Representation part of the normThis chapter outlines what is being done to make sure the Student Rep structure is part of the norm at UWE as well as outlining how you can help this process.

2.1 Key Stakeholders

There are many different stakeholders who all work together to make sure the Student Rep system is as effective as it can be. The relationship between stakeholders will only be successful if there is mutual understanding of each other’s roles and shared responsibility for the successful implementation and operation of the system; in particular the relationship between the University and the Students’ Union. If this does not happen, then the system becomes unsuccessful and the flow of feedback from and to students breaks down very quickly.

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Quality Code Chapter B5, Indicator 2:‘Higher education providers create and maintain an environment within whichstudents and staff engage in discussions that aim to bring about demonstrable

enhancement of the educational experience’

Student Representation

Faculties

Student Reps

ASUWESU

Students

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AS Promotes Student Rep System via promotion through mailings to staff, announcements on MyUWE, supporting the visibility of Student Reps (hopefully producing rep posters for each department this year)

Timetable SRSF’s in Students Timetables

Collect and collate SRSF clusters and SRSF Cluster Leaders

Monitor the uploading of SRSF minutes to Sharepoint and support with this Support staff to engage with students and reps and to develop their student voice activities

UWESU Promotes Student Rep System

Trains and Support Student Reps

Ensure the rep scheme reflects and promotes Students’ Union values.

Disseminates the Rep Agreement

Facilitates payment- Pay of £7.21 per hour spent in meetings, paid termly

Signs timesheets for SU Forum meetings

Facilitates Students’ Union Department level and University level Student Rep Committee

Offers on-going help to Student Reps

Supports staff members with facilitating the Student Rep system

Coordinates focus groups in collaboration with UWE staff, inviting Student Reps to take part in these

Organises certificates schemes and Student Rep awards.

Develops and implements solutions to ensure the participation of distance learners, placement and part-time students in the Student Rep system

Works in partnership with university colleagues to ensure the Student Rep system is aligned with the expectations outlined by the Quality Assurance Agency

Provides social media platforms to promote the scheme, advertise Student Rep feedback, and enable representatives to contact each other

Endeavours to foster a sense of community between Student Reps to enable sharing of best practice between departments

Briefs Student Reps for attending university committees such as ASQC’s, AQEC’s and academic board

Students Vote to elect Student RepsEngage with Student Reps

Provide feedback (positive and negative) and ideas to Student Reps

Potentially take part in focus groups mentioned above Question how student feedback has been actioned and responded to

Support Student Reps to ensure the student voice is being heard

Faculties/Departments Promotes Student Rep System

Elects the Student Reps-Facilitated by the Students Union

Facilitates Payment (Signs Timesheets for Student Reps, to say meetings were

2.2 Making sure everyone is aware of the system

In order for the system to be part of the norm, all staff and all students must know about the system and the benefits it can bring. If you would like to pass more information to staff members about the student rep system, information can be found on the UWESU website. Directing students and staff to this site will help them make them aware of the importance of the role as well as being able to promote it effectively.

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www.uwesu.org/representation/studentreps

Chapter 3: StructuresThis chapter outlines the different structures involved in student engagement and what your

role is in facilitating this.

3.1 Student Rep Staff Forums-Basic Structure

3.1.1 What are SRSF’s?

SRSFs are designed to look at feedback and share perspectives on the programme (or cluster of programmes) and as such Student Reps are an important element of the student voice (alongside others such as module feedback and SU consultations and student surveys). They allow the Programme Manager to have direct interaction with and hold responsibility for the feedback related to their programme and the actions required.

3.1.2 Who should attend?

Although most Student Reps will have the meetings timetables academic staff should still make an effort to invite them to meetings as students pay more attention to names they are familiar with when it comes to reading emails. Student Reps are split into clusters and allocated to a cluster leader who should attend the meeting. Module leaders could be invited to the meetings, which may help for sorting issues out as soon as possible.

3.1.3 How many should there be?

There should be a MINIMUM of 3 meetings a year, although you may have as many as you feel necessary.

The first meeting of the year, which takes place in September or early October should be used as a meeting to go over NSS & SES comments, action plans and address outstanding actions from last Academic Year. For 14/15 past reps have been invited to attend these by both the SU and UWE. For 14/15 the Student Rep cohort will have all entered the role as a 13 month rep term, signing an agreement of this and will be expected to attend the first SRSF of the next academic year (where still a registered student).

This meeting is a fantastic opportunity to evidence work done to address the Student Reps’ feedback over the summer and run ideas for further changes, in light of NSS and SES feedback past them.

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Quality Code Chapter B5, Indicator 3:

‘Arrangements exist for the effective representation of the collective student voiceat all organisational levels, and these arrangements provide opportunities for all

students to be heard’.

3.1.4 What is my role?

1) Arrange for the required number of reps to be elected 2) Provide the names of elected reps to the Students’ Union or add the names to the

database yourself3) Engage with your reps to determine the agenda for an SRSF and proactively asking

for feedback on topics. For the first meeting especially you may have to take the lead and prompt dialogue;

4) Ensure discussion at the SRSF is relevant for those present;5) Sharing appropriate documents with Student Reps such as programme reports,

module feedback, external examiners reports, department development plans etc6) Record the outcomes in the required way, reporting back to AS the actions via the

Sharepoint (Onenote) site;7) Tell student reps and the wider cohort what is being done in response to discussions

at SRSFs;8) Involve Student Reps in the actions taken so they feel part of the solutions;9) Seek support from AS or the SU at an early stage if you feel the SRSF is not being

effective, or rep attendance is poor in certain areas10) Pass feedback relevant to the SU to your relevant rep coordinator to action to the

exec committee as required, examples of feedback covered in training session

3.1.5 What is the student reps role?

1) Attend training provided by the Students’ Union;2) Talk to their peers about their experiences and represent their views in at the SRSF;3) Contribute to the agenda to ensure their peers views are discussed;4) Contribute to discussion at the SRSF;5) Attend and record their own apologies on the agenda;6) Talk to other students about what was discussed at the SRSF and what has been

decided as a result;7) Seek advice from the Students’ Union if they are unsure or worried about anything;8) Provide a student perspective on QME matters raised by the programme team.

NB: Student Reps may decide to take on more responsibility than this, such as being a Student Chair or Deputy of the SU forums. They also have the opportunity to sit on higher level meetings such as Academic Board.

3.2 SRSFs and their relationship to SU Forums

The following section outlines what feedback should be taken by Student Reps to SRSF’s and SU Forums. We are looking to ensure that the correct feedback is taken to each meeting to get issues resolved in the most effective and time efficient manner possible. To this end we

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are moving SU Forums to just before SRSFs so that we can help signpost Student Reps to SRSFs.

3.2. 1 SU Forums

Discuss cross department issues. A place to provide feedback on shared resources whether spaces (such as Labs, Studios, Flexible Study Spaces, the Library), online resources (Blackboard primarily) or opportunities (Freshers, Inductions, Placements). A place to establish a common shared experience and consensus.

See if students on other similar courses are doing things the same or different, share good practice.

Raise feedback directly to and action the Chair or Deputy Chair to take things forward.

Get guidance on how to raise and action certain feedback. Whether that means raising it at an SRSF or other staff meeting, asking an SU Officer to take forward, speaking with another UWE team….

Discuss SU related feedback (such as the shop, bars, services and workings) and non-academic feedback that is affecting the student experience (car parking, buses, finance). These should ideally be kept to AOB.

A place for the SU to signpost you and the students you represent.

3.2.2 SRSFs

Discuss specific module feedback as modules may be shared across programmes in your SRSF cluster and staff will be able to support. Only if this has already been raised to a module leader.

Discuss teaching styles and practices (guidance can be sought from the SU Rep Staff on how best to approach this if needed), specific course related learning resources, study support.

A place to action staff to address concerns.

A place to raise good practice.

A place for staff to run new ideas and suggestions for resolutions by reps present. A kind of sounding board. In this instance reps may be there in their capacity as a student of x course, not the rep of x course, and can give opinion as ‘a student’ (unless given the topic in advance and wider feedback sought).

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Below is a simplified diagram of the feedback structure at UWE. It is important as a Student Rep Cluster Leader to know the other levels of Student Representation in case anything needs to be fed up to higher level meetings.

The process of supporting Student Representation is omitted from the diagram. However, the different stakeholder responsibilities, their impact and resource requirement, especially for the Students’ Union, should not be underestimated.

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Chapter 4-Training and supporting Student RepsThis chapter includes information on training and supporting Student Reps in their role. It

outlines who Student Reps can go to for guidance during their time as Student Reps.

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Quality Code Chapter B5, Indicator 4

‘Higher education providers ensure that student representatives and staff have access to training and ongoing support to equip them to fulfil their roles in educational enhancement

and quality assurance effectively.’

4.1 Student Representative Training

The Students’ Union offers Rep training to all Student Reps. The training lasts 1.5 hours and utilises a variety of exercises to encourage participants to reflect on their reasons for taking up the role, what skills they will bring to the role and what skills they can develop. We will provide essential information on the framework of Student Representation at UWE, details of their responsibilities in addition to our responsibilities supporting them. Reps must attend training (or have attended a training session in the last two years) in order to be eligible for attendance allowance.

By the end of training we expect Student Reps to be able to:

• Define the role of a Student Rep

• Demonstrate knowledge of the Student Rep structure at UWE

• Understand the purpose of an SRSF

• List what is expected as a Student Rep (including attendance obligations)

• Identify the different communication methods available to Student Reps at UWE

• Explain what support is available to reps from the Students’ Union and the University.

Be able to signpost students to a range of UWE and UWESU support services Know a variety of ways they can go about doing the above

We offer re-fresh sessions to those students who have already attended training in previous years, this is a much shorter version of the training, addressing the changes that have been made to the system.

Currently training is not mandatory. A student can still act as a Student Rep even if they have not been trained. However we strongly recommend all Student Reps are trained and we are looking to make this training mandatory in the future. Please do signpost your Student Reps to training as soon as possible and stress the need to attend. A Student Rep must also be trained to receive attendance allowance. Again having names as soon as possible means Student Reps have a bigger window to be trained.

In addition we are aware that some students struggle to make training sessions, despite a range of times and locations being offered. For this reason we have developed online training that can completed as an alternative in these instances. We recommend staff share this link with students who they know will struggle to make sessions.

The Students’ Union holds information on whether the Student Representatives in your

SRSF cluster have been trained. If you would like this information for your records please

contact the Student Rep team on: studentreps@uwe.ac.uk

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4.2 The Importance of the deadline date

Each year the Students’ Union and University work together to decide a deadline date for Student Rep names. This is normally in early October. This year UWE and the Students’ Union collaboratively kept a Student Rep database which recorded information about whether Student Reps were trained, whether they attended meetings and when they were added to the database in the first instance. The data showed that in the 13/14 academic year; students added to the database on or before the deadline were 10% more likely to be trained. In previous years, trained Reps were 45% more likely to engage with the Student Rep process so it is clear the importance of getting reps on our database. We are also keen that where possible reps are trained before their first meeting, and need the names promptly to do this.

4.3 Get Ahead Sessions

In previous years the Students’ Union introduced ‘Get Ahead Sessions’. Get Ahead sessions are extra voluntary sessions on different skills that student reps may need during their time as a student representative. Sessions in previous years include: Minute taking, conflict resolution and making change happen. As a Students’ Union, we would like to build on these sessions for next year including other topics that student reps might need extra training on. If, as a University staff member, you would like to facilitate a session, please contact studentreps@uwe.ac.uk

4.4 Chairs, Deputies and their roles

Each academic year at the SU Forums; Chairs and Deputies are elected for each department chair as well as represent their cohort at higher level meetings. For example the Chairs attend Academic Standards and Quality Committee. Chairs and Deputies also attend Student Rep Committee, this is organised by the Students’ Union and is the meeting of all the Chairs and Deputies from each department. From Student Rep Committee, Student Reps are elected to Academic Board and Academic Quality and Enhancement Committee.

The Deputy Chairs of the SU Forums attend Department Committee, working closely with the Chair it is their job to feedback what happened in the SU forums, as well as looking at the Sharepoint site to collate feedback from the SRSF’s.

Department Committee delegates are elected at SU Forums. The Deputy Chair is invited to go as part of their role. Then depending on PG numbers in the Department we will elect 1 or 2 PG students and 2 or 3 UG students to also attend. The group become a representative sample of students in the Department, but it is important to note they cannot report on SRSFs directly as we do not elect up from every SRSF.

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4.5 Chair and Deputy Training

Chairs and Deputies are invited to take part in additional training which includes: How to chair a meeting, representing a larger cohort, Liaising with UWE Staff members, Relevance of issues and the meetings they should be raised at. In addition we will be offering committee training to these students, along with those elected to Departmental Committee. This will cover meeting etiquette, being representational, preparing for meetings, reporting from meetings and how and to whom to give apologies to.

4.6 What if I don’t feel my Student Reps are being representative?

Student Reps attend training and should be elected by their cohort so will be representative of their cohort. Problems occur when Student Reps are not democratically elected into their role, if students are selected by module leaders or asked to do the role via email, the importance and representational nature is lost.

Student Reps can only be representative if they are given the opportunity to collect and provide feedback. Ensuring that students have the ability to do this is of the utmost importance.

This can be done by:

a) Going through the Rep Agreement with them (see appendix 2 for a copy). The Rep Agreement is new this year and is designed to allow Student Reps to understand what we expect of them and what they can, in return, expect from us.

b) Giving the Student Rep 5-10 minutes at the start of a lecture/seminar/tutorial to ask for feedback , perhaps using feedback cards to be collected at the end (we can provide these).

c) Encourage students who aren’t Student Reps to use their Student Reps to ensure they’re representative. A Student Rep can only voice student opinion if they have the cohort behind them!

d) Sending an email on the Student Representatives behalf asking for feedback about the course/module/programme

e) Creating a section on Blackboard that can act as a discussion board for students

f) Encourage the students to set up a Facebook Page or similar social media option where they can invite other cohort members to feedback

g) Ask Student Reps to create a questionnaire online about a particular topic and help them by circulating this to students

Encouraging all staff members to allow time for this to happen will make sure that your Student Reps are being representative of their cohort.

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If you still don’t feel the student is being representative, please pass their name to the Students’ Union (studentreps@uwe.ac.uk) and we can offer extra training and support to the student. Please also contact us if you have concerns about a Student Reps conduct.

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Chapter 5: Facilitating SRSFsThis chapter includes information on how to share facilitate SRSFs at UWE. Facilitating these effectively will ensure that the student voice is effectively heard throughout the University. It

also includes outlining best practice in facilitating opportunities for student feedback. .

Evidence comes in many different forms and utilising this to enhance the discussions you have with Student Reps is important for gaining valuable feedback.

Module evaluations, Midterm evaluations and NSS (National Student Surveys) and SES (Student Experience Survey) results can all help make sure the discussions you have with student reps are evidenced based. Student Reps will be more than happy to feedback their comments on results and surveys and may even have some good ideas on how to combat negative results (should you have any!).

Below is some information on facilitating these meetings, so that students feel comfortable enough to feedback honestly in meetings.

Please note the below is a recommendation of best practice and should only be taken as a guide. If you have a system that works for the students in your cohort, please email the Students’ Union on studentreps@uwe.ac.uk so it can be added on to the best practice guide and shared amongst the University.

5.1 Organising the meeting

As SRSF Cluster Leader, the Sharepoint site is the main point of organisation for the SRSF meeting. See Appendix 3 for more information about using Sharepoint.

This is where the students are able to set the agenda of issues that the students they represent have come across.

5.1.1 TWO WEEKS BEFORE THE MEETING:

• Send out an email to Student Reps with the information of the upcoming meeting; time, date and location. State what the meeting is, who will attend and what the outcome of the meeting is supposed to be.

NB. Try not to use any acronyms in the email; Student Reps may attend up to 5 different university meetings all with their own acronyms so will need some explanation. Send the email with a link to the Sharepoint site and ask Student Representatives to go to the

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Quality Code Chapter B5, Indicator 5

‘Students and staff engage in evidence-based discussions based on the mutualsharing of information.’

students they represent and ask for agenda items and discussions that can be added onto the Sharepoint site before the meeting.

• Remind staff in your cluster that Student Representatives should be asking for feedback about any issues that have come up since the last meeting.

Re-send minutes (or link to minutes) from last meeting.

Tell SU when your meetings will be via email in case one of your Student Reps contact us needing to find out when it is. Please note that due to resources the Students’ Union will not be able to proactively tell students when SRSF meetings are scheduled to take place, but if asked we would like to be able to advise.

5.1.2ONE WEEK BEFORE THE MEETING

• Re-send the email you had previously sent with the Sharepoint site and the information about the SRSF. This time tell students that any other agenda items or issues will be classed as AOB and the Sharepoint site now holds the full agenda. If students have not put any agenda items on the Sharepoint site, make sure you have standing items of 1st year feedback, 2nd year feedback, 3rd year feedback and so on, so these meetings always have some structure and conversation.

• Ask for students and staff members to add their apologies onto the Sharepoint site, so you will have an accurate picture of how many Student Representatives you are expecting at the meeting.

5.1.3 AT THE MEETING

Keep the door open– students will stand outside the door unless it’s open, a sign on the door to let students know they are in the right place would also be useful.

Remember: they may have not been to this particular classroom/block before

If needed ask Student Reps why they did not put the agenda items on before the meeting. If they suggest that it may be to do with training on the Sharepoint site, please contact the Student Rep coordinators on studentreps@uwe.ac.uk with the students name so they are able to provide extra training.

At each meeting making sure you ask everyone to introduce themselves and their job role. Students and staff alike are forgetful and there may be a new Student Rep or staff member present.

Mix up staff members and students. Make sure staff and students are mixed up in where they sit so students feel comfortable that it is an even meeting, not a “them vs us” scenario

Use the Sharepoint site to write down what is happening in the meeting. The minutes held on the Sharepoint site do not need to be a detailed account of everything that happened but an account of the issues and actions that occurred from the meeting.

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If you would like to keep a more detailed account of what happened in the meetings-that’s great! Links can be added onto the Sharepoint to other sites, so you can add detailed minutes onto blackboard and link them over to the Sharepoint site.

Feel free to be innovative – as long as the discussions had are relevant, evidence based and led by students about their academic experience, the way you conduct these sessions is up to you. It doesn’t have to be a formal meeting- you could also provide lunch or encourage Students to bring/ bake cakes to encourage attendance.

5.1.4 AFTER THE MEETING

Remember to thank the Student Reps for coming, they may get paid for meetings but all the extra work they do is voluntary!

Make sure that all actions are allocated to people who are happy to report back AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. Any actions that have taken place can be put instantly onto the Sharepoint site and sent out to students. There is no need to wait until the next meeting to feedback.

If a few of the actions are not possible make sure that this is fed back to the students the reasons why they are not possible. The students will appreciate the honesty and at least be able to learn why certain things cannot be done so they can feedback to their cohort.

5.2 Best practice for those ‘Hard to Engage’ students

Scheduling meetings for distance or part time learners

UWE has a wide range of courses; some of these courses have students who are distant or part time learners. The student voice should be heard from all students, not just those that are full time campus based students.

The Students’ Union has worked hard to make sure that these students’ voices are still heard and as an SRSF cluster leader you have different options to make sure these student views are still heard in an SRSF format.

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BEST PRACTICE: Get the Student Reps involved in the actions! Student Reps will feel empowered if they are involved in solving the issues they have bought up. Invite them to meetings that you have organised to complete an action or CC them into emails about the actions they have raised.

5.2.1 Using SharepointThe Sharepoint site provides a space that students can feedback to the University while they are anywhere in the world (as long as they have an internet connection). Students are able to input issues and problems onto the Sharepoint site and as an SRSF cluster leader you will be able to reply to the problem/issue. This online meeting is invaluable for those students who are distant learners but may come up with issues before their next scheduled visit to UWE. Or for placement students who only have limited forms of contact with UWE throughout their year on placement. What is valuable about the Sharepoint site is that everyone can see it, so the same issues are not repeated by different students via an email chain for example. Training on the Sharepoint site is provided at the SRSF cluster leader training, however if you would like more training on the use of this site, please contact the student rep team on studentreps@uwe.ac.uk

The link to the Sharepoint site- https://teams.uwe.ac.uk/sites/srsf/default.aspx

5.2.2 Online Meetings - Conference Calls and Lync Meetings

In the academic year 2012/13 some SRSF Cluster Leaders held conference calls with their students and staff to help them feedback. Conference calls are a good way of feeding back especially for those students who may have heavy schedules or cannot physically attend a meeting. The link below gives an overview on how to organise a conference call. http://lyncweb.uwe.ac.uk/help/Lync/meet-share.html

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BEST PRACTICE: Student Representatives Chairing the Student Rep Staff Forum

SRSFs are about empowering the students to feedback to the University, as well as the students gaining valuable personal development skills. These meetings should be student led.

Students being able to chair the Student Rep Staff Forums provide lots of valuable experience and personal development for the student, as well as empowering them to understand more about the role and a want to get involved.

The student will still need support and guidance for the SRSF, the student is not there to organise the meeting, take minutes or facilitate the emails. They are there to chair the meeting and chair the meeting only.

Chair Training is provided by the Students’ Union, if you could let the Students’ Union know who your SRSF chair is, the student rep coordinator will be able to get in contact with the student for training.

Chapter 6- Telling people about your successesThis chapter includes what is being done to help celebrate the successes that the Student Rep system has had. As well as the rewards and recognition that Student Reps gain during

their time as a Student Rep.

6.1 Encouraging Student Reps to feedback

Just like collecting feedback, Student Reps need time to feedback what has happened in the meetings.

This can be done by:

a) Giving the Student Rep 5-10 minutes at the start of a lecture/seminar/tutorial to provide an update

b) Sending an email on the Student Representatives behalf providing feedback about the course/module/programme. Please make sure you liaise with the Student Reps about the wording of this, it is important that it is student led.

c) Encouraging Student Reps trained in MYUWE posts to provide a written update.

Encouraging staff members to allow time to do this is of the utmost importance.

Feedback to other staff members what was said in the meetings. They are the people that will be affected by the discussions being made and Student Reps may want to discuss with other staff members what was said in the meetings. This will also improve communication within the department and make sure the right things are being fed up to higher levels.

The actions of the meeting should be held on the Sharepoint site but this does not restrict you to how to make sure students are aware that the meeting happened.

Sometimes actions can be limited to acronyms and names that students who are not Student Reps may not understand. Make sure when you are publicising the notes to all students they are in a user friendly language that all can understand.

Posting them on Blackboard or emailing them to all students involved would be a good way of feeding back to students the discussions so they feel their voice is being heard.

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Quality Code Chapter B5, Indicator 6

‘Staff and students to disseminate and jointly recognise the enhancements made tothe student educational experience, and the efforts of students in achieving these

successes’

Printing a copy and putting it on a noticeboard is also a favourable option, however we understand that sustainable living means this may not suit everyone. Perhaps a small wipe board could be used.

6.2 Engaging students with External Examiners:

UWE is committed to putting students at the heart of what we do and so moving to a culture that values student engagement in all areas is important to us. Through the Student Rep system, the mutual sharing of information will become vital to supporting our Student Reps in effecting change.

This year, we’re encouraging SRSF Chairs to consider relevant external examiner reports with student reps at meetings in November to discuss comments, recommendations and good practice as outlined by the examiners. Going beyond this, you could even invite one of your external examiners to the meeting; we know that both EEs and students find this extremely rewarding as it gives examiners an opportunity to discuss their reports from a student perspective, and for students to meet someone else with expertise and passion in their subject of choice. Good practice within the university has shown enabling opportunities to meet with students at a convenient time for everyone has been an extremely positive experience.

Below are a few reasons why this is great practice:

* Enabling students to recognise the external measures that their programmes are subject to, therefore instilling confidence

* Enabling students to see the ‘behind the scenes’ activities of their programmes

* Students have expertise to feedback and can provide comments about the challenge of assessments, clarity of assessment and teaching, feedback, industry links to name just a few

* External Examiners having an opportunity to meet with students and/or hear about their feedback may provide them with clarity about the programme and will help them develop their understanding

* Providing opportunities for students to see how their programmes are viewed externally and for them to feel empowered to use that evidence to make positive change

* Opportunity for the university to be transparent and open with students about the quality assurance and enhancement processes of their programmes

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The external examiner reports will be shared with SRSF chairs in mid-October to enable colleagues to discuss their reports with students in November. Part C of the reports will have a summary of actions/recommendations that will provide a short synopsis of the commentary. If you have any comments or queries just contact externalsreport@uwe.ac.uk

6.3 Remembering the Positives

In training, Student Reps are asked to remember the positives and feed these back to the University. They may need some prompting! Putting a positive feedback section on the agenda at the end of the meeting will mean you will be able to end on a positive note. This will also make sure that the things that the module/programme/department/faculty is doing right stay for the foreseeable future.

6.4 Rewards

6.4.1 The Student Rep Awards

The aim of the Student Rep Awards is to formally recognise the hardwork, dedication and achievements of our many Student Representatives involved in the student and hall representative schemes here at UWE. Each year special awards are given to individuals and groups of reps in recognition of the achievements of those reps within their role. More information on this event can be found at www.uwesu.org/studentreps

A short video of the event can currently be found on our Student Reps home page. We are in the process of revamping our web pages to include better information about the Student Rep and Student Led Teaching Awards, including an FAQ section.

6.4.2 The Certificate Scheme

At training Student Reps are asked to write down three goals they would like to achieve as a Student Rep. At the end of the academic year, we ask for either an informal meeting for feedback about their individual goals or a self-reflective written statement to be sent via email. Students are awarded a Student Rep certificate if they have worked towards their goals to a satisfactory level and, more importantly, if they can articulate how they have done this.

6.4.3 Attendance Allowance

Once trained, Student Reps are eligible for attendance allowance of £7.21 per hour they spend in meetings, as SRSF Cluster Leader you and other staff will be asked to sign timesheets for the students which, once completed, are handed to the Students’ Union by Student Reps.

6.4.4 HEAR

Student Reps who complete training, set up their goals and achieve their goals at the end of the year are recognising by the HEAR. The HEAR (Higher Education Achievement Report) is designed to encourage a more sophisticated approach to recording student achievement,

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which acknowledges fully the range of opportunities that higher education institutions in the UK offer to their students.

6.4.5 UWE Futures

Being a Student Rep is also recognised within the UWE Futures award, so be sure to remind your Student Reps to know how to register for the UWE Futures award.

6.5 Moving forward and recognising successes!

The Students’ Union is always looking to shout about successes that have happened across the University. Encouraging Student Reps to feedback successes you have had as a team is a vital part of the feedback loop and lets students at UWE know that their voice is heard and acted upon. Please pass on any successes you have had to studentreps@uwe.ac.uk so we are able to promote them via our different means.

We also have a ‘Rep Wins’ database– where students can submit these successes directly to us via an easy to use web form.

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Chapter 7-ReviewThis chapter outlines out the Student Rep system is reviews on a yearly basis as well as how

you can get involved with this review.

Every year the Students’ Union and University review the process of the Student Rep system so it can be enhanced for the next year. Changes are constantly being made to enhance the Student Rep system and it has gone from strength to strength in the last few years.

At the moment there are no definitive shared KPI’s (Key Performance Indicators) to record how effective student engagement is at UWE, however with your help we are looking to create some for the next academic year.

7.1 Help and Support: who’s who

7.1.1 Students’ Union Support-

Edd Burrell & Sarah Hickie: Student Rep Coordinators- Studentreps@uwe.ac.uk

Facilitates the Student Rep system, trains Student Reps, provides help and support to the Student Reps.

Duncan Stokes: Representation Manager – Duncan.Stokes@uwe.ac.uk

Facilitates the Student Rep system. Provides an overview of the Student Rep system. Co-ordinates changes to improve the Student Rep System.

Emma Brown: Representation and Community Manager- emma9.brown@uwe.ac.uk

Has oversight of the Student Rep system from the Students’ Union. Works closely with University management to set the direction of the Student Rep system.

JJ Clark: Vice President of Education – vpeducation@uwe.ac.uk

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Quality Code Chapter B5, Indicator:

‘The effectiveness of student engagement is monitored and reviewed at leastannually, using pre-defined key performance indicators, and policies and processes

enhanced where required.’

7.1.2 Academic Services Support-

Works in partnership with the student union to support a robust system of student representation. They provide practical support to staff around scheduling and administration of SRSFs, as well as supporting staff in innovation and student engagement. They also look to take an overview of student feedback as a whole and support the student voice through SRSFs, surveys, module feedback and more.

Alastair Osborn- Business Review Manager Alastair2.Osborn@uwe.ac.uk

Michael Small- Governance and Policy Officer Michael.small@uwe.ac.uk

Cassie Agbehenu- Student Partnership Officer cassie.agbehenu@uwe.ac.uk

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Appendix 1Student Representation Check List

September:

- Have you promoted the Student Rep system to your students?- Have you promoted your Students’ Union and Student Rep Induction talk to your students?

(Having booked a talk in July-Aug)- Have you informed all your staff members that you will need the names either added on the

database or sent to the Students’ Union by the deadline date?

October:

- Have you added the Student Rep names to the database or sent them to the Students’ Union to add to the database?

- Have you reminded students that they should attend training by the Students’ Union?- Have you organised to meet up informally with your Student Reps to introduce yourself to

them?

November:

- Have you held your first SRSF and added the minutes onto the Sharepoint site?- Have you checked that all the Student Reps that should be engaging, are engaging with the

system? Their names can be sent to studentreps@uwe.ac.uk if they are not!

December:

- Have you held your second SRSF and added the minutes onto the Sharepoint site?-

February:

- Have you reminded students to look out for the Student Rep conference that is usually held this month or next?

- Have you held your third SRSF and added the minutes onto the Sharepoint site?- Have you reminded your Student Reps (and students!) to start thinking about who they

would like to nominate for the Student Rep and Student Led Teaching Awards?

March:

- Have you booked a ticket to attend the Student Rep awards?- Have you nominated one or more of your Student Reps?- Have you asked your Student Reps to help promote the NSS (National Student Survey) and

SES (Student Experience Survey)?

April/May:

- Have you held your third SRSF?

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Appendix 2Student Rep Agreement, February 2014

We want you to enjoy your time as a Student Representative and we are committed to providing a Student Rep scheme which enables you to be as productive as possible with the best opportunity to give students on your course a voice on academic matters. To do this, however, we need to your help! This document explains what we expect from you as a rep, shows you the time commitment it is likely to involve and outlines what we will do to support you as a Representative. We ask that you sign the agreement to acknowledge that you understand your role as a rep and our commitment to you.

Your responsibilities as a Student Representative

We expect you to...

Make sure the students you represent know who you are and how they can contact you Proactively seek out and identify students’ views on matters relating to their academic

student experience Attend the meetings (or send apologies) and present student issues or provide student

opinion on issues Raise student issues on both a formal and informal basis Update the students you represent on the outcome of any issues raised Attend the Student Rep Training Communicate with the Student Rep Support Team and your programme manager Refer students with individual issues to appropriate sources of help, where necessary Identify areas of good practice at UWE and share this with your programme Follow up on, and report back on actions assigned to you at the various meetings you will

attend

Time Commitment1

Training – 1.5 hoursSRSFs – 8 hours (2 hour per meeting, 4 per academic year)SU Forums- 4 hours (1 per meeting, 4 per academic year)General ‘Rep Duties’ (see responsibilities) – 26 Hours (on average 1 per teaching week)

What you can expect from us to support you in your responsibilities?

We will...

Train you to effectively represent students. Facilitate elections of reps to university and union committees. Facilitate payment of attendance allowance for attending meetings.2

Support your SU forums to enable you to provide feedback to UWESU. Hold a minimum of 3 Student Rep Committees a year to collate feedback from SU forums and update

you on Union and UWE matters.

1 For general rep duties only. See representation handbook for time commitments when elected to other committees2 Note. General rep duties are a time commitment which we cannot pay an attendance allowance for

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Help you with signposting. Maintain a Student Rep database to enable students and staff to contact representatives. Maintain a Student Reps success database to ensure that Student Rep ‘wins’ are recognised Work with university colleagues to ensure your voice is heard. Maintain a website for Student Rep information, feedback and paperwork. Manage social media platforms to provide information updates and opportunities around the Student

Rep scheme. Work with you to ensure that the outcomes of feedback from students are reported back to them. Provide opportunities to be involved in higher level university committees such as Academic Board Liaise with university colleagues to ensure that additional opportunities such as focus groups/

involvement in quality assurance enhancement boards are available to you. Help you develop skills separate from you academic qualification which will enhance your

employability. Recognise your Student Rep role within the HEAR (Higher Education Achievement Report).

Student Representative Agreement

I understand the responsibilities involved in being a Student Representative at UWE agree to fulfil these duties and responsibilities throughout the 2013/14 academic year. I give permission for UWESU to publish my name, university email details and photograph on the UWESU website.

Name: _____________________________________________________________

Course: _____________________________________________________________

Signature: _____________________________________________________________

Date: _____________________________________________________________

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Appendix 3Sharepoint & Onenote

Following feedback from staff and students on the SRSF Wiki site and the implementation of SharePoint 2010 across the University, we are now using a web based OneNote system to record agenda items, outcomes of discussions and action points.

The OneNote document is used to add agenda items for discussion, by both staff and student reps, note outcomes of discussions and track actions. There is no requirement for formal minute taking.

The link for the Student Rep Staff Forums site is: https://teams.uwe.ac.uk/sites/srsf/default.aspx

Following this will link takes you to a home page with links for each faculty on the left hand side, under the heading SRSF Files:

The handy documents includes guidance on the operation of SRSFs (SRSF Guidance) and a spread sheet that maps individual programmes to SRSF “clusters”.

There is also a Rep Discussion to give feedback on the student survey reports Board (Student Survey Results - Have your Say).

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If you click on the link for your faculty it will take you a page with a OneNote document for each Department.

Within the Department document you will find a list down the left hand side of each SRSF. (If you are unsure which SRSF you require there is an SRSF list that maps programmes SRSF, this can be found in the handy documents on the home page.)

As OneNote is part of the Microsoft Office suite, editing the document is similar to editing a Word document. The ribbon at the top contains all the normal Microsoft formatting options. All you need to do is click on the

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white page and start typing. The changes you make will be automatically saved when you leave the page, there is no “save” button.

To add a hyperlink, for example to a report you wish to discuss, click on the insert tab and then link.

You will be given a dialogue box which requires an address and display text. The address is the full web address of the document and the display text should be a description of the file.

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