1. Student Academic Representative (StARs) Scheme Training 2014-15 Please sign the register and take a seat

2. What today’s session will cover Welcome & Ice-breaker Quality Assurance Role of a StAR? Advice and Support Make yourself known Feedback Identifying & dealing with issues Course Committee meetings Campaigning and taking action Communication hints and tips Evaluation Form

3. Icebreaker Please introduce yourself to the person sitting next to you. Find out the following about each other: Name Course Why they decided to become a StAR Be ready to introduce your partner to the rest of the group

4. Getting started University expects faculties to have StARs for each year and each course StARs identify and raise academic issues on behalf of their course mates, usually to their lecturer and Course Leader. StARs attend the Course Committee meetings and liaise with the Course Leaders and other academics throughout the year StARs are there to represent students on academic based issues affecting the course, studio or Faculty StARs have the opportunity to stand for election to sit on their Faculty Board, UGPG Committee and on the Student Council.

5. Quality Assurance Agency The QAA is a quality ‘Watchdog’ which ensures that courses delivered in UK Universities are of an appropriate standard and that a good quality education is being offered The Quality Enhancement Unit at London Met is there to keep the University's’ Quality Framework and work to the highest quality The Quality Enhancement Unit is VERY keen to work with StARs from all faculties of London Met as StARs provide some of the most useful feedback Catherine Connor, Head of Quality Enhancement Unit c.connor@londonmet.ac.ukc.connor@londonmet.ac.uk Habib Rahman, Deputy Head of QEU, habib.rahman@londonmet.ac.uk

6. StARs advice and support StARs handbook StARs Facebook groups (see p12 of handbook) Students’ Union website: https://www.londonmetsu.org.uk/stars/ SU Officers & staff NUS Connect Student Engagement & Course Rep website: http://tsep.org.uk/resource/nushea-student-engagement-toolkit/ QAA/NUS Quality Matters website http://qualitymatters.nus.org.uk/http://qualitymatters.nus.org.uk/ London Met Metranet (for faculty and University information) https://intranet.londonmet.ac.uk/

7. StARs: Officers SU Sabbatical Officer with Education Portfolio  Nicole Mitchell: fssh.su@londonmet.ac.uk Students’ Union faculty attached Sabbatical officers:  FSSH:Nicole Mitchell: fssh.su@londonmet.ac.uk  CASS:Amanda Mariellier: cass.su@londonmet.ac.uk  FBL:Marco Brunone: guildhall.su@londonmet.ac.uk  FLSC:Obie Opara: flsc@londonmet.ac.uk Students’ Union staff:  Eddie Rowley, Student Voice Coordinator (Engagement & Campaigns) e.rowley@londonmet.ac.uke.rowley@londonmet.ac.uk Faculty StAR staff contact points:  GFBL - Jane Neal-smith s.neal-smith@londonmet.ac.uk  CASS - Cecile Tschirhart c.tschirhart@londonmet.ac.uk  FLSC - Peter Chalk p.chalk@londonmet.ac.uk  FSSH - Suzanne Burley s.burley@londonmet.ac.uk

8. What is the role of a StAR To represent students’ views and opinions on all matters relating to teaching and learning in an effort to continuously improve the student learning experience in partnership with the University and Students’ Union. Identify relevant issues on the ground Raise issues and concerns with Faculty Feedback to course mates on any, some or no progress on the issues Provide general and specific feedback (positive and negative) to faculty Build strong working-relationship with Course Leader & Module Leader etc Be consulted by faculty on relevant issues and contribute to development and strategy of faculty.

9. Making yourself known How can you make yourself known as a StAR?

10. Making yourself known Introduce yourself to your class mates and make regular announcements in class ‘lecture shout- outs’ Collect the names and emails of the students on your course and email them Work with the Sabbatical officers and Faculty StARs Join the facebook group for your faculty Carry out a survey or questionnaire to find out what students think Ask in your Faculty if you can use a notice board or part of a notice board to publicise yourself Communicate information your receive from the Students’ Union, University, National Union of Students (NUS) and other external student focused organisations Make friends and work in partnership with other StARs in your faculty Communicate with the StARs doing the same course as you but in different years, work together!

11. Feedback What areas could you feedback on? Teaching on the course Style and delivery skills of academics Assessments (exams and coursework) Academic feedback from lecturers Academic support Lab, Gym & other specialist facilities Learning resources (such as the Library, Weblearn) Organisation and management of your course / University experience Restructuring of department/university Time-tabling General University Services University estate, IT and other services

12. Identifying issues Group Activity 1

13. Ways to tackle issues Judge if the issue is for a StAR or not to deal with Discuss with other StARs, Faculty StARs, Sabbatical Officers See if other students feel it is an issue? Is the issue widely felt, deeply felt and winnable? Informal chat with relevant staff member (informal resolution of issue is usually preferable Ask for a formal meeting if required Raise at course committee meetings Raise with staff StARs contacts (see slide number 7) Ask Faculty StARs to raise them Raise at Faculty Academic Board and UGPG Committee Email or write a letter, ask others to put their name to it. If no satisfactory response consider starting a campaign

14. Solving issues Group Activity 2 Decision-making flowchart https://www.londonmetsu.org.uk/pageassets/stars/StARs-handbook-2015-16.pdf

15. Solving issues In your groups, pick one of the issues you decided would be appropriate for a StAR to tackle. Come up with a 4-5 point action plan covering the steps you would take to tackle the issue. Think about: What we have covered so far in the session The guidance provided in the flowchart Concentrate on steps in proportion to the issue Be ready to feedback to the rest of the class your findings.

16. Course Committee Structure Ask your Course Leader when your Course Committee meeting is and put it in your diary Course Committees usually meet x1 a semester 2 or 3 StARs usually attend Course Leader is the chair Consider teaching and administrative issues surrounding the course Should consider student issues and concerns Library and others external to the faculty may be present Quality coordinator may attend Minutes are included in Course Logs and should be reviewed by Faculty managers

17. Before a Course Committee meeting

18. Meet Course Leader beforehand so they can let you know what to expect Read the agenda, be aware what is and what is not on it. Make sure you have identified the issues you wish to raise and have feedback from your class mates to back it up If you have a complicated issue to raise or/and have the research/evidence to produce e.g. survey, emails from course mates; send them to the Course Leader before the committee meeting so they have a chance to digest the issue. Liaise with other StARs who may attend (ask you Course Leader to put you in touch or look on the SU website) Speak to your Faculty Sabbatical Officer, ask them to come along with you Makes sure you know where the meeting is and be on time. Being late will not help your cause!

19. During a Course Committee meeting

20. Listen Raise hand to speak Raise you issues clearly and concisely Present any evidence you have Don’t be confrontational, work in partnership Take notes, ask for clarification if you are not sure what is being said Remembers to note down action points If you don’t understand a term used, ask! At the end of the meeting clarify the decisions taken and when they are to be actioned (this prevents drift) Confirm the date of the next meeting. Request a follow-up meeting to deal with a specific issues if required. Make sure the Secretary has your email

21. After a Course Committee meeting

22. If other StARs are present have a debrief straight away Write up you notes and action points right away Feedback to your course mates and the Students’ Union ASAP If you are not happy with the conduct of the meeting then speak to another academic in your faculty and express your concern Provide any constructive criticism you have of the committee to the Faculty

23. Campaigning and taking action Sometimes you may have a deeply felt and winnable issue which you can’t make any real progress on. In this situation you may decide to launch a campaign and take some action. In this situation you should discuss with the Students’ Union officers. They, along with Students’ Union staff can assist you in launching the campaign.

24. Campaigning and taking action Contact and work with the Students’ Union, which has the resources to run an effective campaign. Running campaigns and taking action is a whole topic in its own right, but here are few hints: Use SMART targets! Identify the decision-makers you are hoping to influence Gather data. Learn the reasoning for the decision, always remain open-minded. Ask Student Reps on board of Governors, Academic Board etc to formally raise the issue Read and critique the rationale for the decision you are campaigning against. Can you successfully challenge the (business) case? Organise meetings Email & letter writing campaign Use social networking: facebook, twitter etc Work with allies: Other StARs, academics, NUS, Students, other Students’ Unions, Local MPs, Staff Unions (UNISON, UCU - is there common ground?) Press and Media Stunt, Lobbies, protests, boycotts

25. Any questions and evaluation