What You’ll Learn Course Rep skills The representational system What is required of you What support you will receive Plus, you’ll meet other class reps!

Ice breaker Turn to someone you don’t know! What is their name? What is their course? Why did they stand to be a Course Rep? Tell us one thing that they’d like to change or improve about their Course, School or Institution

Overview of Student Representation

SSCCs are the platform for students and staff in the School to sit down to discuss and resolve academic and school related issues which arise throughout the year. Quality Assurance and Enhancement SSCC stands for Staff Student Consultative Committee It should meet ideally twice per semester There’s at least one in each School A student should chair the meeting Staff Student Consultative Committees (SSCCs)

The Format of SSCCs Members include: Chair (ideally a student), Secretary (member of staff/student who takes minutes), Course Reps, relevant members of staff and other invited guests (such as school Societies). Before the meeting: Send any issues you wish to be on the agenda Prepare for any issues you wish to raise Read the minutes from the last meeting Receive the agenda and ensure you attend in good time. During the meeting: The Chair will announce apologies of those who can’t attend The Chair will ask if everything was ok with the minutes from the last meeting The SSCC will discuss issues on agenda Any other business will be discussed (any issues that have come up at the last minute) The SSCC will confirm an action list for issues raised during the meeting The Chair will confirm the time and place of the next meeting

The Student Experience Why do we have Course Reps?

Overview of Student Representation Why do we have Course Reps?

Split into 2 Groups New Reps What is a Course Rep? Purpose Tasks Skills Benefits Returners Your Experience! Learn Achieve Do Differently Advice

Purpose To continuously improve the student learning experience in partnership with the College and Students’ Union by helping create solutions to problems. To represent your fellow classmates’ views and opinions on all matters relating to learning and teaching. To provide both positive and negative feedback to staff. To act as a communication channel between staff and students. What exactly is a Course Rep?

Tasks Introduce yourself to your class Gather student opinion Provide feedback to staff and students Present student views at meetings Attend meetings Speak to people outside of meetings Develop solutions to issues Pass issues onto The Students’ Union Contribute to institutional activities What exactly is a Course Rep?

Communication Listening Networking Relationship building Reflection Presentation Organisation Report writing Diplomacy Negotiation Research Time management Prioritisation What exactly is a Course Rep? Skills

Learn new skills CV material Networking opportunities Background for future Representational roles Good experience for future employment Can be validated through  Degree Plus  Millennium Volunteers / Prestige Volunteers, contact Lucia Kearney in Volunteer SU at Make a difference What exactly is a Course Rep? Benefits

A second year module is too difficult A handbook of resources would be more practical than online resources A broken elevator in the building Poor NSS completion results Assignment feedback taking too long Lack of student/ staff contact Unclear marking criteria Poor library resources for your course topic Time of the lecture is very late Lecturer is picking on me I don’t like the course I feel that student fees are too high I don’t think I should have failed an assignment Do Don’t What issues should I deal with as a Course Rep?

Signposting Students More Detail in Your Course Rep Handbooks

Introductory Training Club Rooms in The Students’ Union Resources Page – Drop In Sessions, Student Officer Education  Dates in your Course Rep Handbook For advice and support in your role please contact:  Student Officer Education, Hannah Niblock -  Student Voice, Damien Corridan – What support will I receive?

Lecture Shout Outs - Hand up before/after class s Face to face chats Online spaces: Facebook, Twitter, Internet, and Online polls – see QUB Social Media Policy, Resources Section Surveys Post it notes in tutorials Comment boxes Focus groups You may have other ideas we haven’t thought of… How do I gather students’ opinions?

Feedback to Students The minutes of SSCC will be fed back to students via your School Student Liaison Officer, the School noticeboard, and website or QOL. Your School Rep will produce a newsletter each Semester with a summary of news from SSCC, Academic Board, and Student Union Council. What can I do? o Talk to students o Lecture shout outs o Social media o Contribution to newsletter o Other innovative means you come up with provided you clear it with your Student Liaison Officer

Degree Plus? Course Reps – Route B Attendance at:  SSCC  Training Sessions  Apply via Degree Plus towards the end of the year School Reps – Route A Attendance at:  SSCC as Chairperson  Academic Board  Student Council  Training Sessions  Student Rep Meetings Newsletter for Students No application necessary, look out for my !

Queen’s Students’ Union Education Awards 2015/16 ‘Rewards staff and students for working together to make sure the quality of education at QUB is the best it can be’ 5 student awards – faculty Course Reps of the year, School Rep of the year and Peer Mentor of the Year 5 staff awards – awards for Most Inspiring/Motivating, Personal Tutor of the Year, Feedback, Most Involved and Employability Champion 2 school awards – Enterprise Champion and Best SSCC

Thank You Any Questions?