Welcome
Congratulations on becoming a Course Representative! As a Course Rep at the Arts University Bournemouth, you will play an important role as a voice for your fellow students, relaying issues, concerns and queries to both course teams and the Students’ Union. As a Course Rep you may also occasionally have the opportunity to discuss specific matters with the University Management Team (UMT). If this is your first time as a Course Rep then you may be unsure about some aspects of the role, so will probably have some questions – this handbook is here to answer some of these and help you to make the most of your role.
As a Course Rep, you will be offered training and support from both the Students’ Union and the University. An initial induction and training session, which all new Course Reps attend, will set you off on the right foot, giving you the chance to meet other new Course Reps and discuss any questions that may not have been answered in this handbook with sabbatical officers and AUBSU staff. Feel free to email or phone AUBSU if you have any questions in the meantime, our contact details are at the back of the handbook. Keep up to date with Course Rep info, check meeting dates and find useful links and resources on our website: www.aubsu.co.uk/representation/course-reps/ Make sure to join the Course Rep Facebook group to keep in touch with your fellow reps.
Contents
Roles & Responsibilities
3
Benefits
4
How it Works
5–6
Important Meetings to Attend
7
Student Charter
8
AUB Responsibilities
9
AUBSU Responsibilities
10
Student Responsibilities
10
Training & Support
11
Notes
12 – 14
Useful Contacts
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Roles & Responsibilities of a Course Rep Your responsibilities will include: •
Playing an active role in developing and enhancing your course.
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Acting as a representative of your peers to AUB and the Students’ Union.
• Listening to and identifying students’ concerns about the course and relaying issues to relevant course team member(s) where appropriate.
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Signposting individuals with non-course rep issues to the relevant persons within AUB.
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Attending a number of training sessions, and regular meetings with University staff, including the Course Partnership Groups, Subject Boards, Faculty Boards and Students’ Union meetings.
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Being proactive by organising cross-course meetings/socials with your peers
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Communicating information about students’ rights provided by the Students’ Union and AUB.
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Being a point of contact between your peers, your course team and the Students’ Union.
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Ensuring that your course is run in line with AUB’s equalities statement.
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Promoting the values and opportunities of AUBSU to your peers.
Benefits of being a Course Rep As well as helping to both develop the quality of academic provision at AUB and improve the experiences of your peers, your time as a Course Rep will present you with a number of great opportunities for your own personal and professional development. Many of the experiences and skills you will gain from your time as a Course Rep will be highly valued by employers and also useful if you decide to become self-employed in the future.
Opportunities: •
Being part of decision making processes and influencing the development of your course
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Being involved in the quality assurance activities of the University
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Working as part of a diverse team
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Gaining experiences and transferable skills which are valued by employers
Skills: Liaise with students and staff to provide the best experience for your peers
Learn negotiation skills to help provide the best experience for peers
Learn the importance of protecting confidential information
Gain confidence in speaking openly in front of groups of people
Being valued and understanding the importance of leading a group
Understand the value of team work, sharing opinions and responsibilities
Understanding the importance of listening to the needs of others
Being prompt when required to do so, attending meetings in good time
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Course Reps & The Course Rep system
“The Primary Communication Channel between Students, AUB and the Students’ Union”
“Course Reps play a Central Role in the University’s Development”
The Arts University Bournemouth is committed to listening to the views of its students, and taking those views into account throughout its decision-making processes. The Students’ Union acts to ensure that students’ individual and collective voices are heard and that they have the best possible experience at AUB. The Course Rep system, run in partnership by AUB and AUBSU, exists to ensure that students have the opportunity to play a central role in the development and betterment of their academic experience. Course Reps are the main communication channel between students, AUB, and the Students’ Union. While Course Reps exist primarily to represent the views of students, they also help to communicate information from course staff, the University, and the Students’ Union back to their peers. This helps to make sure that students are aware of any developments or useful, relevant information: this could include opportunities for students offered by AUBSU, progress on issues raised via students’ feedback, or changes to a course. At AUB, every undergraduate (BA) degree course has two elected representatives for each year cohort. Preparation for Higher Education (Prep HE) has two elected reps for each of their groups. Masters (MA) courses have one elected rep from each course. Elections take place at the beginning of each academic year, usually mid to late October, and are overseen by the Students’ Union.
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Model for Course reps
University
Students’ Union
Faculty/ Subject board meetings with students, staff and Sabbatical Officers
Liaise with Course Reps
CPG (Course Partnership Group) meetings with Course Leaders & Reps
Report to academic board and AUB committees
Manage feedback
Course Rep Trained by Students’ Union Talk to peers, gather opinions and communicate with course leaders Attend meetings with university staff Report to Students’ Union with feedback
Students Elect Course Reps Give Feedback Kept in the loop about changes/issues
Review Have problems been resolved? Have solutions been found?
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The Students’ Union (AUBSU)
University Meetings
AUBSU’s role in the Course Rep system includes organising elections, ensuring student representation at committee meetings, running Course Rep drop-in sessions, providing training and support to Course Reps, escalating issues to AUB, and continuously improving the Course Rep system.
The main forum for discussing issues about your course is the Course Partnership Group (CPG). This is an open meeting between the Course Leader and all Course Reps within the subject area. You will receive an invitation to these meetings via email. The Course Leader may invite other members of Course Staff to attend the CPG, and they should inform you of all attendees prior to the meeting.
AUBSU helps run the election process at the beginning of the academic year to ensure that a Course Rep is chosen fairly and democratically. Throughout the year, AUBSU works closely with the Course Reps in order to understand key issues or concerns that may be raised by particular courses, and feed those concerns back to AUB. In the case of course complaints or issues that are raised, the SU will liaise with the Course Reps to help solve these problems in the most appropriate manner. The SU will make every effort to inform Course Reps of any news or developments that are associated with their particular course.
Effective Representation You should collect feedback from fellow students before any meeting to find out if there are any issues or questions they would like you to raise. A good idea is to use the first or last 10 minutes of a lecture/session to have a quick discussion with your peers, to collect their feedback and make them aware of any relevant developments. Some Course Reps use Facebook Groups to do this (please make sure the group is closed and only students enrolled in your course are members of the group). You could also ask your course leader for your group’s mailing list – this is an easy way of contacting all your peers at once. It is important to collect your peers’ opinions so you can give the best feedback at CPG meetings. Equally important is feeding back to your fellow students any developments to their course, particularly changes relating to their feedback. 7
Your Course Leader should take notes of the issues discussed and make a record of agreed actions. You, and all students on your course, should receive a copy of this via email. If necessary, unresolved academic issues raised in the CPG are referred to Subject Boards, Faculty Boards or to the Dean depending on the nature of the issue. This should be detailed in the actions agreed. Subject Board is a formal meeting at which one of the Course Reps from each year group in each course in the subject area represents their peers. Faculty Board is also a formal meeting at faculty level (Art, Design and Architecture or Media and Performance or Prep HE). One rep from each subject area will attend. LTQ is a formal meeting that oversees the operation of all courses at AUB. One course rep from each faculty attends this meeting. Each of these meetings takes place three times in one academic year. Third year reps will have a fourth meeting after their final hand-in. The Students‘ Union also holds more informal meetings with the Course Reps once a month which take the form of drop-in sessions during lunchtime. The SU will notify you of time and location via email.
The AUB Student Charter Student Charters are documents that set out what students can expect from their university during their studies - and also what will be expected of them by their university during this time. The Student Charter therefore may act as a good initial point of reference for any concerns or issues that students may have.
“This charter sets out the Arts University Bournemouth’s commitment to provide you with a service of the highest quality. It is important that you respond in a positive way to this partnership to take full advantage of the educational opportunities available to you, and realise your full potential.
Most universities in the UK have a Student Charter in place. Part of your role as a Course Rep is to familiarise yourself with AUB’s Student Charter and ensure that your fellow students are aware of what it means to them.
This Student Charter summarises the University’s aspirations and expectations. It is not intended as a legally binding contract, or to define or limit the legal rights and responsibilities of the University, the AUB Students’ Union and each student. All students should ensure that they are aware of all policies, procedures, regulations and guidelines published by the University and AUB Students’ Union. Copies of all documents are available on the AUB intranet [Viewpoint] or from AUB Students’ Union” - Arts University Bournemouth
You can find the full AUB Student Charter along with links to other relevant documents and information (e.g. University regulations and student complaints procedure) on the AUB website and intranet (Viewpoint): aub.ac.uk/about-us/student-charter viewpoint.aub.ac.uk/things-to-know/
Why is this Important? Knowing the AUB Student Charter is an essential element of being a good Course Rep. Any concerns raised by students should be considered in the light of this key document.
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Arts University Bournemouth Responsibilities Throughout the course you can expect to: •
Be treated fairly and with respect
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Have access to accurate information about your course and AUB policies, including complaints and appeals procedures
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Receive a high standard of teaching, assessment, advice and guidance from appropriately qualified staff
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Be able to discuss academic progress with the appropriate course staff
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Have access to the learning resources you need to support your studies
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Have access to personal guidance and support from AUB services if appropriate
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Be given a timescale and framework for work set
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Have clearly defined assessments, assignments and course work marked fairly and returned with appropriate comments within an agreed timescale
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Receive help and support in developing the skills needed for successful study and subsequent progression to employment within your chosen profession
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Have the opportunity to express views on quality of teaching, services and facilities
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Receive guidance on careers and future progression routes
If you become aware that any of these are not met within the context of your course, this is an issue you are expected to raise at an SSLG.
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AUB Students’ Union Responsibilities Throughout the course you can expect AUBSU to: •
Represent the interests of students within AUB, locally and nationally
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Ensure that students are aware of their rights
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Support students in participating in the opportunities offered by the University
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Provide social events, including clubs and societies
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Ensure that AUBSU officers are elected fairly and democratically, in accordance with the Students’ Union constitution
If there are any concerns relating to these, you can raise the issue at a Course Rep drop-in session.
Student Responsibilities Throughout the course you will be expected to: •
Take responsibility for your work and actions
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Attend university regularly and punctually
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Commit yourself to work and study outside formal teaching time
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Complete your assignments within the agreed timescale
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Comply with University regulations and policies, including those governing attendance and student conduct
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Conduct yourself responsibly and show consideration and respect towards staff, fellow students and members of the local community
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Show consideration and care for University environment, equipment and facilities
Students are reminded that their responsibilities relate to all methods of communication, including electronic and social networking.
Just as you and your peers can rely on AUB and AUBSU to fulfil their responsibilities, all students should also be aware that they are expected to fulfil the responsibilities outlined above in return.
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Training & Support AUBSU’s online info and resources for Course Reps: aubsu.co.uk/representation/course-reps/
National Union of Students (NUS) NUS guidance and tips on being a Course Rep. Information on meetings and feedback, representing students and the National Student Survey (NSS): nusconnect.org.uk/the-student-engagement-partnershiptsep/being-a-course-rep
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Notes
12
Notes
13
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Useful Contacts
AUBSU (Students’ Union)
AUB Academic
General
Course Leader
studentunion@aub.ac.uk
email:
(01202) 363345
phone:
President
Head of School
Beth Rubery
email:
brubery@aub.ac.uk
phone:
(01202) 363104 Faculty Registrar Vice President Education & Welfare
email:
Ezra Evans
phone:
eevans@aub.ac.uk (01202) 363102
Democracy Coordinator Bethan Dovey bdovey@aub.ac.uk (01202) 363721
NUS Vice President Higher Education Amatey Doku amatey.doku@nus.org.uk
Vice President Further Education Emily Chapman emily.chapman@nus.org.uk
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