YOU TO HOW LF N R A LE URSE O Y T N PRESE IFFERENT IN D TIONS SITUA
AS PRESIDENT, THERE’S LOTS OF SCOPE to really make
the role your own. So for instance, I have a real interest in media and this year decided to take forward my projects of a Students’ Union radio show and live music nights in the Academy. It’s good to be working under a broad job description for this reason- and I’ve really felt the benefit of it for my own objectives. In this way, being president allows you to develop skills in areas that you’re interested in so for me that means I can now write radio show plans, discover and speak to local bands and musicians, and my communication skills have improved tenfold. Alongside this, there’s lots of chance to develop skills relating to the specifics in the job description. Part of being president involves being a figurehead for the Students’ Union to different stakeholders (the
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university, students, the press, etc) and in this way you learn how to present yourself in different situations. You get to present the student voice when students themselves often can’t- meetings and committees that the President and other officers sit on really value what they have to say as they as they are the one’s that can say what students think. Being in this role highlights the need for being prepared, and sitting on meetings and in hearings as mentioned above gives you lots of opportunity to develop this. There are papers to read in advance which you can make notes on, comment on and gain real student feedback on. Sometimes, you may have to or choose to write a paper or report to send to a meeting or committee, and this is another great skill which the Students’ Union staff team will help you with and is great to take into future jobs! No week is ever the same when
IS ROLE?
you’re an officer, and I think that’s particular true of being the presidentespecially if you really make the role your own and use your time in office to fulfill your manifesto points and create your own objectives. Sometimes you’ll be working on your own projects, other times you’ll lead alongside another officer, you’ll spend time working as a whole team to deliver wide scale campaigns and activities, and of course there’s the Students’ Union events such as Varsity and the different Awards which become a whole staff and officer effort. Even writing this, I realise it’s only the very tip of the iceberg of what I do in this job. I’ve done things I never thought I would over the past two years, from handing out thousands of bottles of water with my old officer team until 3am, chairing Union Council over three campuses with nearly 100 attendees, working with
IT’S GO O WORKI D TO BE NG A BROA UNDER D DESCRI JOB PTION Megan to write a rap in order to try and get re-elected, to feeding into the universities decisions on what to do with hugely student effecting schemes like Books Plus. Being President this year has shown me that if you work hard at things, and aren’t afraid to ask So, why run as an officer? So you can get the chance to do as I have done, and turn the role of President into whatever you want it to be. So you can make 2015-16 a great year for the officers by supporting your team to do amazing things for students. So you can develop skills you didn’t think you could, by working with people that bring expertise from all walks of life. Don’t hold back- if you’re thinking of running then you should! Take the plunge, run in the elections and you never know, this time next year you’ll be trying to cram all of the experiences you’ve had into a document to encourage others to come forward and run.
our Officer Team plan for the year. In these areas, the Vice President is very helpful! This year, Megan has been great at helping to keep the team going by remembering deadlines, and encouraging the team to stick to them.
Be the Union’s primary named press spokesperson unless delegated to another relevant officer;
Co-ordinate and lead the Executive Officer team and be responsible for the proper delegation of business to Elected Officers, committees and staff; This is something I am supported with by our Chief Executive, it means I co-chair meetings with all Officers and Managers in the Students’ Union, help to support officers with their own objectives where I can and keep an eye on
This means that if the press need to get in touch about anything (for instance, the effect of rent prices on students in our main cities) I will be the one to speak to them or put forward a quote with the Students’ Union’s point of view. It is important in this area to always offer the view of the Students’ Union as a whole, not my own personal opinion (which may differ), unless specifically stated. In this I am supported to do this by our Communications Officer and our Communications Co-Ordinator.
Appoint or act as the chairperson on any Union committee in the absence of
things discussed. It also means that as a Governor I get invited to attend graduations and Board events such In the role of an officer, you gain as Away Days (this year we worked skills on how to chair meetingson the university corporate plan, which means you encourage discussion while keeping everyone and with a student perspective we managed to get milestones and on time and going through the agenda. I act as co-chair for Union points in there which should have Steering Group as mentioned above a really positive impact on students but this point in the job description over the coming years). Lastly, this is means that in any internal Students’ a great part of the role, as you meet some very interesting people- the Union meeting I sit on where the Board is made up of people who chair is absent, I will fill in for them or appoint the most suitable bring expertise from a range of areas. This year for instance, I spoke replacement. quite a lot to a High Court Judge for advice on something we were Be the Student Governor writing into our constitution!
the appointed Chair;
on the University Board of Governors;
This is quite a big important part of being the President- being the student Governor. The University has a Board of Governors which employ the Vice Chancellor, keep an eye on all the universities capital investments, the university finances, and more. It’s a big responsibility and it means I sit on Board meetings with a lot of papers to read- but they are often extremely interesting! I am there principally to being a student perspective to all
Act as the responsible Union Officer for all contact with NUS Services Ltd and NUS; We have a Students’ Union contact at NUS (the National Union of Students- the ones who make the student discount card and work on the national student movement) who officers and staff are encouraged to speak to at any time and gain advice from. Often it is easier and more efficient for whoever needs to speak to NUS or NUS Services Ltd to do so.
Thankfully this is a very small part of the job, but an understandably important one. In the unfortunate circumstance that there is a student fatality, I am made aware so that we might be able to offer any support if needed.
Working with the Chief Executive, lead on the Union’s strategic plan; Every department in the Students’ Union feeds into our three year strategic plan (which you can read here: https://www.angliastudent. com/theplan/) and our Head of Student Engagement and Communication is really good at helping the whole SU to monitor its progress. This hasn’t been a huge part of my role this year, although it is important we all work to The Plan!
Act as an independent observer at all Fitness to Practise hearings, unless delegated to another officer;
these, and I have to fit them around the other parts of the role, however other officers can sit on these and so the weight can be spread more if needed.
President
Be consuvlted by the Chief Executive, in the event of any student fatality;
Have responsibility for environmental issues within the Union, unless delegated to another appropriate Executive Officer;
This is something that the President before me worked hard on as it was a real interest of hers- environmental and green issues. As my interests and abilities This is a really interesting part of lie in other areas, this year Aisha my job which I actually quite enjoy. (our Academic Officer) has taken I act as an observer on student responsibility for this as she hearings- these could be academic, comes from a more environmental fitness to practise, disciplinary or background and can champion it other. This means I have to have far better than me! It means she is a good understanding of the the primary officer looking after our procedure for student hearings Green Pitch, and she sits on Green (which I learnt all about in the role) Impact meetings (Green Impact to ensure that they are followed is a quality mark from the NUS correctly. This ensures that all which we work towards, Office Costudents in these situations are Ordinator in Chelmsford works with treated in accordance with the Aisha on this). rules. There are times in the year when there are more or fewer of
9:00 am
A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A PRESIDENT
Get to work, get moaned at by Megan, our Communications Officer to make her a cup of tea (probably give in and do it), boot up my computer and check my post (if I’m lucky I have the latest Times Higher Education magazine in my post tray which I can flick throughperks of being an Officer, you get a subscription for free!)
9:15 am
Check what I’ve got on for the day making sure to have time for lunch between other commitments and get through some emails.
10:00 am
Meet with Debbie, the Head of Academic Quality and StudentAdvice, who mentors me (lucky her!) to talk through what I’ve been doing lately. She supports me to achieve my objectives, and today we’re talking about how I can improve my speech for the upcoming Vice Chancellor’s conference where I am giving a talk on our student partnership scheme.get through some emails.
11.00 am
Head to my 1-2-1 with Prof. Mike Thorne, the University’s Vice Chancellor. We meet regularly to chat about what the Students’ Union is up to and anything we think we can work together on. Today I’m giving him an update on feedback from students living in new Cambridge accommodation, and asking for his support for our latest campaign on the upcoming General Election.
12.00 pm
Back to the office to make a tea and have a second check of my emails. I get a phone call from Elliot- who works with me to organise Thursday Night Live- he has an update on a headline band we’ve been trying to book and it looks like they can make our next show after all, hurrah!
12.15 pm
With this news, I speak to our Communications Co-Ordinator Pip and we work together to update the website and Facebook event with the bands information. She shows me how to embed a video into our website (I’m not much use when it comes to technology..!).
12.30 pm
At this point I pester the other officers to see who’s coming for lunch- I find I feel less bad about spending money I don’t have on food I probably shouldn’t eat (yet another ready meal, likely) when there’s a few of us doing it!
3.00 pm
Next up is Union Steering Group, and today it’s my turn to chair. All managers and officers attend this meeting and we use it to make sure the Union is always doing great things for students. Officers can get support from managers on their objectives and we make sure we’re all working to the strategic plan. I have to keep time to make sure we don’t run over while letting everyone have full and proper discussion on all topics. We make I take this half an hour gap to ready some Board of Governors papers ready some recommendations for things to be for next week’s meeting. They can often spoken about at other meetings and we leave the meeting feeling excited for be quite hefty and I find it helpful to our upcoming events- Made a Difference split them into chunks. I write down some things I want clarification on Awards, SU Awards, the Green Pitch, which I will ask our Chief Executive Summer Balls and more! about and possibly bring up at the meeting.
1.30 pm
2.00 pm
My student appointment turns up right on time- it’s one of the portfolio reps who I mentor. Since our last meeting she has made some great advancements with her objectives, and I help her to book a table in the university ready for her campaign she wants to run in a few weeks time.
4.45 pm
Have a final check over my emails and work Facebook, making sure I’ve posted at least once in the day about an exciting volunteering opportunity which we are looking for students for, and head off to catch my bus home excited at the prospect of watching Eastenders with my housemate and getting a few chapters of my book read.
I’VE ANY SO M T N R LLS LEA I K S NEW
AS COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER THERE IS LOADS OF FREEDOM to do what you want which is great! I chose to chair our Communications and Marketing team meetings which is great experience for me and means I can truly lead on this aspect of the Union. I attend less University meetings than other officers, but this is partly why I ran for this role, to give me more time to do other things knowing that the other officers are representing you fantastically at them. I do go to some meetings like... • Welcome Steering Group, which is the University’s planning meeting for
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I CAN SAFEL Y SAY I HAVE NEVE R BEEN BORED!
Welcome week.
more- but these are really interesting
many new skills that have set me up
• Campus Operations, which is with
meetings to go to.
perfectly for a job after this. Before I
the Secretary and Clerk of the Uni,
The most important part of my role
head of Estates and Facilities and
is working on my objectives. Over the
struggle to get any job and be good
head of Security to chat about the
last two years I have introduced a new
at it, but now I’m in a completely
running of the three campuses.
scheme to give clubs and societies
different place and am looking
• Faculty Board, for the Faculty I
more recognition (Bronze, Silver, Gold),
forward to a new challenge at the end
represent talking about how to
started new Ents Forums on both
of the year.
improve all areas of that faculty.
campuses to get student feedback
• 121s with the Dean of that faculty
on our club nights and other evening
you get to work with a huge team
and 121s with the Provost of
events, organised an International
of experts who are employed just to
Chelmsford
Festival (almost!), ran a stay safe on
improve students’ experience and help
• Meetings with Active Anglia, Student
nights out campaign handing out
you reach all your goals. There’s no job
Services, Accommodation, and the
hundreds of free bottles of water,
like this- you’ll be doing something
Library.
ensured money for student staff
completely different every day and
I also go to most of the Students’
in Peterborough, got extra funding
I can safely say I have NEVER been
Union meetings to plan things like
for our summer balls and loads of
bored! So just go for it, you need NO
Freshers, Elections, Sports Ball,
other things I’m really proud of. It
experience whatsoever.
Varsity, Made a Difference and many
sounds like a cliché but I’ve learnt SO
was an officer I genuinely thought I’d
So why run as an officer? Because
Co-ordinate relations with the press;
Working with relevant staff, take responsibility for the production of Union publications including the
Scrutinise the Executive publications or releases; The exec team and staff within the SU usually send me anything substantial that is going on the website or is going to be emailed out to a big group of students just to check them over to make sure they are appropriate. I don’t spend all day checking facebook statuses before they go out...!
Be the champion of ‘Officer Accountability’, ensuring all
I am responsible for getting all our reports ready for trustees (student trustees and external to be questioned). I have just started organising a new Officer Wins page which I will makes sure gets constantly updated. I also organised getting life-size pictures of us up with whiteboards in Cambridge to update students with what we are doing- unfortunately there was no wall space in Chelmsford, perhaps a project for the next Communications Officer!
Working with relevant staff, be responsible for ensuring publicity is consistent and produced and displayed on each core campus regarding all Union activities; Ensure that the website is up to date with accurate and timely information; This is something that our Communications Coordinator is
responsible for however I work closely with her.
Represent the Students’ Union at any communications based University meetings and champion new communications media;
For example I attend the University’s social media group with our Communications Coordinator, meet with the University’s Communications Officer and give feedback on projects such as new VLE designs.
Ensure the University use up to date information about the Students’ Union in internal and external publications; and working with relevant staff, develop and implement the Union’s communications strategy.
officer
This is something I am supported with by our Communications Coordinator, to organise any meetings or conversations with the press. If the President is not available I am the person who will speak directly to any press if required.
This point is slightly out of date as many of our publications are produced by our Communications Coordinator, however I write the bulk of our SU Bite which goes out to all students- making sure it is relevant to each campus or group we are emailing. I have to make sure I know what’s coming up and be able to prioritise what we mention and when. I also had the opportunity to put together our Freshers’ guide and Membership booklet (to be released soon!).
Communications
Students’ Union handbook, SU officers regularly update Byte, and the Union’s website; membership with outcomes and activity;
I chair the Communications team meeting to work with staff to ensure what we are doing is part of our 3 year plan and completely student-led.
A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER 9:00 am
12.00 pm
9:15 am
12.10 pm
10:00 am
12.30 pm
Get to work, convince our President Daryl to make me a tea and waste 10 minutes on facebook while I wake up properly.
Check what I’ve got on for the day and get through some emails and update my facebook status after getting nagged (kindly) by our Communications Coordinator Pip!
Meet with the Director of Studies for FHSCE to have a chat about what we can do together to improve the use of social media within courses to help avoid students getting into trouble. We decide to get a group of students together to write up some tips and create a video for all future induction sessions
11.00 am
10 minute break for tea and an opportunity to try and annoy someone in the office
Another quick check of my emails to make sure nothing important has come up. Each of us mentor our amazing faculty, portfolio and liberation reps so I drop mine an email to arrange 121s to catch up and see what we can do this semester.
Lunch time. Probably meaning a trip to somewhere I shouldn’t be going. If I’m in Peterborough it means Fish & Chips, Chelmsford it could be Chinese or Subway and Cambridge is probably going to result in Greggs or microwavable macaroni cheese from Tesco...
1.30 pm
Quick catch up with our shop manager Go round halls with Sarah, our Liz to decide on some new stock for Experience Officer, and tell them about the shop! our next movie night.
2.00 pm
Put an order in for some tshirts for the International Festival and catch up with the International Office Advice Service and Sarah to see how plans are going for it.
3.00 pm
Head off with some SU staff members for our Communications Team meeting. This is a meeting I chair, which basically means I make sure we keep on track in the meeting and decide what direction we should be heading in. On our agenda today we have Freshers’ promotional material, what our website redevelopment should look like, whether our SU staff should have professional facebook accounts or not, how many people are going to our website through links on facebook and how we can promote our SU shop better. We work our way through this with loads of cakes... as usual.
4.45 pm
Have a final check over my emails and facebook and sign off to go home!.
THE OLE R R ING E C I F OF LLENG A IS CH HIGHLY BUT ARDING REW
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THIS JO ONCE IN B IS A AL EXPERIE IFETIME NCE
YOU SHOULD RUN FOR THIS ROLE IF YOU ENJOY SPEAKING with Students and
you think could be detrimental to
regulations within university and an
Whilst the officer role can be
students. It can be intimidating to
overview of the effect they can have
challenging, it is also highly
stand up and say that you disagree
on students.
rewarding. It is worth doing because:
with their opinion but that is a part
I make a lot of effort to interact with
• Of the student support you receive
helping to make their academic
of the job, although you do get
students, and also mentor a number
• It offers you a chance to be the voice
experiences at university the best that
help and support from the Student
of the Faculty, Portfolio and Liberation
of student in meetings on topics they
it can be.
Union to do this. But no matter how
reps which gives me a great
otherwise may have no say over.
Personally, my favourite aspect of
heated these discussions get it is
opportunity to hear student feedback
• You have a chance to influence
this role is the support and time you
incredible to receive emails from
and current issues. As an officer you
academic rules and regulations
get to spend with students during
students afterwards thanking you for
can mentor a mix of these reps. It is
• You get to work with Faculty,
your election campaign and beyond.
supporting them in meetings where
great to hear student feedback and
Portfolio and Liberation reps
When running for the role win or lose
they have no direct voice except
get actively involved with students
• You get to run academic campaigns.
it is an amazing experience to know
through you.
and student campaigns.
The job is a once in a lifetime
that hundreds of students voted and
Whilst you spend some of the time
In the role you will be in charge of
experience that gives you a board
believed in you!
representing the voices of students,
running academic campaigns which
range of skill and opportunities.
There will be times in the job when
you also spend time reviewing
can vary from campaigns on hidden
Good luck and may the odds be ever
you might find it challenging to
proposed changes in academic rules
course costs, to campaigns on lecture
in your favour,
put forward your views in a room
and regulations in order to give you a
attendance to a hundred different
full of people on a topic which
better understanding of the rules and
academic related factors.
The QAA audit that occurs every 6 years of the University and looks at the overall quality of the whole University. For the NSS I work on reading and understanding the NSS results and suggest ways to the University to improve the scores for next year.
I work with the Students’ Union Advice Service and Students’ themselves to gain feedback about the Academic Regulations, including Promote and champion any changes that may be made, innovative learning and and present this feedback at a wide teaching styles to be variety of meetings.
Contribute to University academic strategy at all levels;
It would be the academic officers job to look for improvements that could be made to the academic elements of the university experience, this could include any work on assessment, feedback, teaching styles and online learning resource.
Working with relevant staff,
Work with the Director of Anglia Learning and Teaching to look at ways to improve academic structures at ARU.
implemented within the University;
I work with the Learning and Teaching department and reps to discuss both current and new learning and teaching methods and seek to understand if they are effective.
Be the main Union Support the development of Representative on any Periodic Course Representation within Reviews, NSS, QAA and QEA; the University Periodic reviews take place every year, for different courses, and it is my role to scrutinise the structure and delivery of a particular course, alongside a panel of University staff.
I work with the Students’ Union Democracy and Representation Team to communicate with Course Reps, and I also mentor and support a number of the Portfolio, Faculty and Liberation Reps.
officer
Lead on academic related matters and campaigns with support from other Elected Officers;
Academic
monitor the implementation of the University’s rules and regulations, policies and procedures;
A DAY IN THE LIFE OF AN ACADEMIC OFFICER
8.00 am
Travel to Chelmsford. This could either be by train or on a lucky day someone will be driving! If you travel by train it a great time to get in some reading time or catch up on T.V programmes, if you’re traveling by car it’s a great time to get in catch up time with your colleagues.
9.30am
Arrive at Chelmsford!
9.35 am
After putting your stuff down this is the perfect time to treat yourself to some unhealthy breakfast since you did just spend all that time travelling.
9:45am
Sit down at a spare desk and have a browse through social media, updating your accounts with all the latest S.U events.
10.00 am
Meeting time! This will usually be an S.U meeting about anything from Made A Difference to a meeting about Representation.
12.00 pm
Lunch time! After a meeting there is normally an unsaid consensus that this is the time for everyone to get some food.
12.30 pm
This is the time read through any last minute unread paper for the afternoons meeting. If you managed to find time at home to read all the papers, yay! This is now your time to get through any your emails which can be about a campaign you want help with, someone from the university wanting feedback on a topic or anything.
1.30 pm
Before University meetings you should receive a briefing along with reps or maybe you will be giving the briefing with staff to reps.
2.00 pm
University meeting time! This could be a meeting about anything from academic regulations to study skills. These meeting are great chance to input the student voice on what is working great and what could use some improvement. Meetings are a great point to start the change.
4.00 pm
Now is your chance to get any campaigns going, or get any tasks done. Your task could be anything from follow up on actions from meeting, to contacting reps to collect feedback, to going out and talking to students.
5.00 pm
Home time! Although you may find you need to read some papers or finish off a few more bits and bobs for tomorrow.
7.00 pm
Arrive back in Cambridge
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STUDE IF NT IS YOU POLITICS IT IS R R PASSION EWAR DING
THE EXPERIENCE OFFICER ROLE IS AN INTERESTING ONE, but I would sum it up as mainly you are the first point of call for all Cambridgeshire Clubs and Societies but it is also your job to ensure student welfare is at the forefront of every meeting you attend. An officer is there to represent the voice of students and that means that the job also requires you to campaign on (fight for/ make aware) issues affecting students. You get to do things as an Officer that you might not necessarily do straight out of University such as sit on recruitment panels for staff, and be a Trustee of an organisation. The job comes with a lot of commitment, it’s not an average 9-5 job, but if student politics is your passion it’s also rewarding!
You are the ‘champion’ for equality and work towards improving the experience of students, especially for underrepresented groups by talking to them and sitting on Equality and Diversity meetings to represent them.
Be based on the Cambridge campus for the majority of their working hours; You will spend most of your days in Cambridge but you also represent students across Peterborough and Chelmsford and will go there for meetings as well as to engage with different students!
Be responsible for welfare, equal opportunities and student activities matters on the campus;
Be responsible for campaigning on any welfare, equal opportunities or student experience related issues relevant to the campus, whilst working alongside other Elected Officers on campaign issues;
feel about these issues (after of course talking to them about these issues).
Clubs and Societies don’t go in the red, and that they remain sustainable year on year!
Be responsible for the induction and coordination of sports clubs and societies on the Cambridgeshire Campuses;
Working with the Student Activities Coordinator, ensure that the allocation of funds to the Cambridgeshire-based sports clubs and societies is fair and accessible to all that apply for funding;
Together with your Activities team you will put together training for Clubs and Societies to ensure they are equipped to run their own society but also support them throughout the year in a number of ways such as with 121’s usually lasting between half hour to an hour each. This is a big part of your role and this year I spent most of You are the voice of the students September and October ensuring you represent and together with committees felt confident in your team it’s your job to make sure running their clubs and societies. In that their Anglia Ruskin experience Cambridge we have over 70 clubs is the best it can be whether and societies to support! that means getting them a pool table or campaigning for lower Working with the Student accommodation costs. An example of this is this year we Activities Coordinator, monitor have raised the issue of lack of the expenditure of the social space on Campus and the Cambridgeshire based Union’s constant problem with trying to book a room for Clubs and Societies clubs and societies; on Campus so we bring it up in meetings to represent how students You basically need to make sure
Together with the Sports Club Rep and Societies Rep, and members of the Activities team you meet to consider the bids placed in Grant Forms and discuss how you will be distributing the grant between clubs and societies. The Finance co-ordinator also helps to advise (as not everyone is an expert in finance!)
Attend and support Clubs & Societies forums on the Cambridgeshire campuses;
It is your job to lead the discussion within the forums once a month, it is also your job to invite committees to them and to publicise them. You also prepare the content for them a
Organise and run Give-it-a-Go activity; You plan Give It a Go Activities and Trips, these are one off events for students to try something new. Your
You ensure that relevant paperwork such as Risk Assessments and Equality Impact Assessments are If there’s any complaints about filled in by each club and society Clubs and Societies or committee and check these to make sure all of disputes, it is your role to resolve their activity is safe, assessed and these according to the processes in also accessible to all members, as place. Being able to mediate and much as possible! hopefully resolve the issue in your position as Officer is a great skill to gain.
Oversee the activities that take place in the Cambridge dance studio and ensure the activities are relevant to our students; Some of the clubs you support will be using the dance studio, you need to ensure that their activities are relevant to their club and beneficial
officer
and then follow up and work on the feedback from students. This year I rebranded the forums and themed them and have opened them up this semester to members as well as committees – it is up to the Experience Officer to see where they want the forums to go.
Ensure that sports club and society based activity is organised and facilitated in a safe and secure manner taking particular concern for the welfare of members.
Experience
Co-ordinate and carry out student activities disciplinary action;
for students.
C A M B R I D G E S H I R E
job is to plan them, so think of the idea, find an instructor, get travel booked, then organise the publicity and finally run the activity! This year I organised a range of Give It a Go’s from a trip to Amsterdam, Cardmaking in The Academy to Crazy golf on Campus!
A DAY IN THE LIFE OF AN EXPERIENCE OFFICER FOR CAMBRIDGESHIRE 7.45 am
Arrived on Campus early today as I’m hosting ‘The Breakfast Club’, an early morning event to engage with students that commute. (The team have agreed I can add a couple of hours extra to my holiday allowance as I’m in so early).
9.15 am
Time to head up to the office now and check my emails.
9.45 am
A committee member is at the front desk, they want to talk to me because they are having trouble with their committee
10.45 am
I have left the student feeling reassured and have enough time to gather my notes and papers for my next meeting
11.00 am
Now is a meeting with University staff and where I present my report on Activities and Events on campus, I am also representing students by raising issues such as lack of plug sockets in lecture theatres.
1.00 pm
Having a quick lunch break when a society pops in for a catch up so we go and sit outside the office to see what they’re up to.
2.15 pm
Back at my desk now, answering a few emails and I need to call some companies to confirm Give It A Go events we’re planning
3.00 pm
Off to a meeting with Megan and Caroline Shanahan about the International Festival!
3.45 pm
It’s time to send out an email to Clubs and Societies committees, so I start typing it up.
4.15 pm
Student Reps have turned up to catch up about plans for LGBT+ History Month so we go through the events and what is left to do.
4.30 pm
I’m leaving early today to join a Yoga class with the Yoga Society (because I started early I agreed with the Executive team beforehand to head off a bit early too!) .
OR F N A I R ON TO I ELECT VE THE IMPRO DENT STU IENCE EXPER
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YOU GAIN SKILLS NOT NECESS GAINED THR ARILY TRADITIONOAUGH L STUDY
UNFORTUNATELY I HAD NO PRIOR INVOLVEMENT WITH the SU before I got elected apart from Freshers week. I ran for election because I thought I may be able to help improve the experiences of students like me. During my time here I’ve helped the SU reach people who otherwise wouldn’t have known what the SU has to offer. If like me, you are interested in bettering the student experience for yourself, and your fellow students on this campus then I would recommend running for this position.
So why run as an officer? You gain experience and skills not necessarily gained through traditional study. Time management, mentoring, and first aid are just a few of the skills I have learned or improved on during my short time here.
Be responsible for campaigning on any welfare, equal opportunities or student experience related issues relevant to the campus, whilst working alongside other Elected Officers on campaign issues;
as it allows me to help people do what they like to do!
Working with the Student Activities Coordinator, monitor the expenditure of the Essex based Union’s clubs and societies; We have a Finance Assistant in the SU that alerts us to anything that may seem out of the ordinary but my main role is to ensure the allocation of funds is fair and accessible to each society that applies for a grant.
and the feedback I get from these allows me to take it back to the SU and come up with ways that we can better support societies!
Experience
students and try to raise any issues affecting their welfare. We hold forums for students to come to and raise any issues they may have but unfortunately they aren’t well attended.
Organise and run Give-it-a-Go activity;
Again I love this part of the job because I get to plan trips! This year we’ve managed to get students from all three campuses on the same trip and we will be working more on getting trips to be Cross Campus.
am responsible for facilitating I attend University and SU meetings the creation and development of such as Student Experience new and existing societies. This is Committee. I speak on behalf of probably my favorite part of the job
I essentially plan these and do so in a way that will make the best use of the time we have together. We often have 6-7 attend these
officer
E S S E X
Co-ordinate and carry out student activities disciplinary Working with the Student I work alongside the other officers action; and ensure that sports Activities Coordinator, ensure to tackle issues affecting student club and society based activity Be based on the Essex campus welfare. This year we have run that the allocation of funds is organised and facilitated for the majority of their campaigns encouraging students to to the Essex-based sports take a break and de-stress. in a safe and secure manner working hours; clubs and societies is fair and Be responsible for the taking particular concern for I go to Cambridge and accessible to all that apply for Peterborough roughly once a induction and coordination of the welfare of members. funding; fortnight. sports clubs and societies on Before any society activity takes Same as above. Be responsible for welfare, place we carry out risk assessments the Essex Campus; Attend and support Clubs & and equality impact forms. These equal opportunities and Although I have nothing to do Societies forums on the Essex two important bits of paperwork student activities matters on with competitive sports clubs, ensure that all of the activities they are under Active Anglia, I campus; the campus; that we run are safe, secure, and inclusive.
A DAY IN THE LIFE OF AN EXPERIENCE OFFICER FOR ESSEX 9.15 am
12.10 pm
10.00 am
1.00 pm
Get to work, put my bag and jacket down and head to the kitchen to make breakfast and a cup of tea.
Catch up on emails I have received since 5pm the day before and reply to any new ones I may have gotten already this morning! (Email is the preferred method of communication).
11.00 am
Freshers meeting time! This is where we discuss, as a team, what was done right or wrong at the last freshers. We also use this time to plan for the next one. We invite students to these meetings.
12.00pm
Back in the office to check my emails again and call people who may have come up to the office to see me while I was away.
Lunch at Subway, Papa Johns, or Wok Inn. The lady at Papa Johns always gives me loads of pepperoni <3
After lunch I like to sit in the office and see people face to face. If no one is here however I normally stroll over to the Ashcroft building or the Marconi building to try and see how people are doing and if there are any issues I can help them address. In the SU the have a term for this called GOATing (Going Out And Talking).
2.00 pm
Sit down with a group of students interested in starting a paramedic society. We go through the start-up pack and I help them risk assess their first meeting.
3.00 pm
Off to the queens building to video conference the other two campuses for our monthly campaigns meetings. Here we discuss what each other are doing. We also use this time to come up with new campaigns to tackle the issues students face on our respective campuses.
4.45 pm
Head over to MAB to check out the Society of Anime and Socialising (SAS) event held weekly and speak to students here.