Student Representative Handbook 2016-17 by Edinburgh University Students' Association

STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE HANDBOOK 2016-17

CONTENTS 02// WELCOME TO ALL OUR REPS! 04// OUR DEMOCRATIC STRUCTURES 08// OTHER USEFUL INFORMATION 10// YOUR ROLE AS A CLASS REP 13// YOUR ROLE AS A SCHOOL REP 17// YOUR ROLE AS A STUDENT GROUP CONVENOR 20// YOUR ROLE AS A LIBERATION GROUP CONVENOR 24// YOUR ROLE AS A CAMPAIGN ORGANISER 26// GENERAL CONTACT INFORMATION

SECTION 1// AN INTRODUCTION TO STUDENT REPRESENTATION 02// WELCOME TO ALL OUR REPS! 04// OUR DEMOCRATIC STRUCTURES 08// OTHER USEFUL INFORMATION

WELCOME TO ALL OUR REPS! Congratulations on becoming a student representative at the University of Edinburgh!

For this reason, all 35,000 of our members expect that you will:

The role is what you make it but everyone at Edinburgh University Students’ Association will do all they can to help you over this next year to become an active student leader. This handbook is designed to be an introduction to get you started in your role and we have included lots of information for you to refer back to over the year.

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Undertake training to ensure that you are fully prepared to carry out your role

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Attend and contribute at meetings relevant to your role

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Consult student opinions

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Represent students’ views in meetings — even if these do not correspond with your own stance

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Work with other student reps, Sabbatical Officers and staff to find solutions to student issues

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Check your student email for notice of meetings and papers

The Sabbatical Officers and the staff from the Representation and Democracy team will be your key contacts within the Students’ Association. Get in touch if there is anything you are not sure of; you will find our contact details at the end of this guide. Enjoy your time as a student rep!

YOUR ROLE AS A STUDENT REP You have been elected or selected by students to represent their interests within the Students’ Association, the University, and beyond, and to bring about positive change. It is only when each and every one of our reps engage fully with students, and with our democratic structures, that we can be considered truly representative. If we fail in this respect, the validity of our policy suffers, as does our ability to provide a strong and unified voice for students. We need all of our reps to be active student leaders!

One of the benefits of being an active rep is that you can gain recognition of your role on your Higher Education Achievement Report (HEAR). This recognition is an additional reward for your year of service to students, and in order for this to be recognised on your HEAR you must complete basic training at the start of the year and actively engage with the role during the year. Let us know if you cannot take part in the training and we can arrange a one to one meeting to brief you on your role. For elected reps who sit on Student Council you must also ensure that you do not miss two meetings of Student Council without letting us know that you will not be able to make it (see your section of the handbook for more details).

WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT FROM US The Students’ Association’s staff and Sabbatical Officers are here to ensure that you feel fully trained and supported to fulfil your role. Your role might seem daunting at first, but we will offer you a range of support throughout the year including: •

Formal training for the role (see your section of the handbook for dates)

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A variety of personal development opportunities during semester time, including sessions on topics such as public speaking, campaigning and working with the University

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Year round support, advice and guidance on any issues, campaigns and projects. Get in touch with us if there is anything you are not sure about

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We will keep you updated about meetings, papers, events training and other opportunities via your student email address

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The opportunity to complete the Edinburgh Award; a University wide recognition scheme which also helps you to develop skills that increase your employability. It is designed to wrap around the work that you are already doing as a student rep. All elected reps and Class Reps are eligible. You can find out more at: eusa.ed.ac.uk/about/edinburghaward

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A dedicated area on Learn, called the Student Rep Forum, where all reps will have access to lots of additional information

HOW IS GATHERING STUDENT OPINION DIFFERENT FROM STUDENT REPRESENTATION? The University is continuously striving to improve, and so regularly gathers feedback from students through surveys and questionnaires. This results in a wide range of views collected from the student body. Yet gathering student opinion differs from student representation, and the University relies just as much on student reps to help shape and influence its development. As a student rep, you will also gather the views of students, but you will be able to present this information critically, supported by evidence and with suggestions for improvement — you won’t just feedback information, you will work to achieve a solution! You may also be part of decision-making bodies, where you will make decisions on behalf of your peers that affect their student experience. A collective student voice is more powerful than an individual voice, which is why your role as a student rep is so important. Representation is about more than ensuring a single student is present when decisions are made. It is about an approach which creates opportunities for students to become leaders in change, in partnership with staff.

OUR DEMOCRATIC STRUCTURES

ATTEND

STUDENT GROUP REPS

CAMPAIGN ORGANISERS

ELECT

ATTEND

LIBERATION GROUP REPS

ELECT

ATTEND

SELECT

SCHOOL REPS

ELECT

SABBATICAL OFFICERS

ATTEND

CLASS REPS

ELECT

ATTEND STUDENT TRUSTEES

ELECT

STUDENT COUNCIL

STUDENTS

DEMOCRACY REVIEW Students voted to make changes to Student Council in a referendum held in March 2016. This included introducing all student ballots on issues that do not reach consensus at Student Council meetings, weighted voting for elected reps, a recruited Student Council Facilitator and new rep positions. You will notice some changes being implemented this year but others will not be introduced until 2017. This means that 2016-17 will be a transitional year for everyone. If there is anything that you are unsure about then please just ask us using the contact details in your section.

STUDENT COUNCIL Student Council is the Students’ Association’s main decision making body. Its purpose is to facilitate an inclusive space for students to discuss proposals (called motions). Any student can attend, submit motions, and vote at Student Council.

Some student reps have seats on Student Council (all except Class Reps, Trading Committee Convenors, Trustees and College Committee Members). They have been elected to represent other students at meetings, and therefore they have a responsibility to consult with members about issues to be voted on at Student Council. To reflect this, their vote counts for 1.5 votes at Student Council, compared to 1 for a vote from an unelected student. Elected Reps on Student Council

Class Reps

Sabbatical Officers, School Reps, Student Group and Liberation Group Convenors, Campaign Organisers, Equal Opportunities and Liberation Convenor

Course Reps, Tutorial Reps, Programme Reps, and Year-Group Reps depending on your School’s structures

If a motion passes at Student Council then it becomes official Students’ Association policy. This directs the organisation to work on taking it forward, although change is not always instant. Motions that do not reach a consensus will be referred to an all student ballot. If a proposal at Student Council receives fewer than 67% of votes in favour, but more than 33%, every registered student at the University gets the chance to vote online on the issue.

LIBERATION GROUPS

During the Student Council meeting you can ask questions, make comments, offer to speak on a motion and/or ask a question of a speaker or the Facilitator. You will also be able to ask questions about the work that the Sabbatical Officers have been undertaking.

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Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) Liberation Group

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Disability and Mental Wellbeing Liberation Group

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LGBT+ Liberation Group

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Women’s Liberation Group

To find out more about Student Council, its meeting dates this year, and how to submit motions visit: eusa.ed.ac.uk/representation/ studentrepresentation/studentcouncil.

SAFE SPACES The Students’ Association’s meetings are subject to our safe space policy, which aims to ensure that the meeting is welcoming and fair, and that no one is discriminated against. It is important that you read the safe space policy, available at: eusa.ed.ac.uk/safespacepolicy.

COMMITTEES

There are four Liberation Groups that represent groups of students who have traditionally been marginalised in or excluded from higher education and who continue to face discrimination in wider society. Each group has an elected Convenor and all self-identifying students are welcome to get involved. For more details of the groups see: eusa.ed.ac.uk/liberation.

STUDENT GROUPS There are four Student Groups that represent groups of students who are often underrepresented in higher education. Again, each of these groups has an elected Convenor and students who identify with the group are encouraged to get involved. For more details of the groups see: eusa.ed.ac. uk/representation/studentgroups. •

Mature and Part-Time Student Group

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Postgraduate Student Group

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International Student Group

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Student Parents and Carers Group

There are three committees which exist to take forward projects and campaigns that are approved at Student Council and to discuss ideas. For more details of the Committees and the dates of meetings see: eusa.ed.ac. uk/representation/studentrepresentation/ studentcouncil. •

Welfare Committee

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Academic Committee

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External Affairs Committee

CLASS REPS

TRADING COMMITTEE CONVENORS

Class Reps include all tutorial, course, programme, and year-group reps who are the link between students and staff at course, programme, and department levels. Class Reps represent the views of their fellow students directly to the staff in their School at the most local level, and they are often the first point of contact between students and staff. Find out more at: eusa.ed.ac.uk/classreps.

These reps are elected to represent students’ views on different aspects of the Students’ Association’s commercial services: bars, retail, catering, entertainments and arts. They work closely with the Vice President Services to ensure all the Association’s operations are responsive to students’ needs.

SCHOOL REPS Each School has three School Reps (also known as Convenors). These are: •

The School Convenor, who represents all students in the School

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The Undergraduate Vice Convenor

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The Postgraduate Vice Convenor

School Reps focus on issues which cross courses and programmes in their School, and they may also work together on College-wide issues. They also work with the Vice President Academic Affairs and Academic Campaign Organisers to tackle University-wide academic issues. Find out more at: eusa.ed.ac.uk/representation/ your_school.

COLLEGE COMMITTEE MEMBERS College Committee Members are selected from interested School and Class Reps. They are student members of College committees, such as the College Learning and Teaching Committee or Quality Assurance Committee. Some of these students also sit on University-level committees right up to Senate, the highest academic body at the University.

TRUSTEE BOARD The Trustee Board is made up of eight students (including the four Sabbatical Officers) and three external trustees appointed based on skills, experience and abilities. The Board has ultimate responsibility for ensuring good governance, and that the organisation has a clear purpose and strategy, operates legally, and is financially viable.

REFERENDA A referendum is a means for the whole student population to make decisions about Students’ Association policy or services through an online vote. Referenda are most commonly used to decide issues which would significantly affect either the Students’ Association’s policy or its commercial operations. Any student can submit a referendum question. Find out more at: eusa.ed.ac.uk/representation/ studentrepresentation/referendum.

YOUR 2016/17 SABBATICAL OFFICERS President — Alec Edgecliffe Johnson Alec is your President and he is dedicated to making the Students’ Association as representative of all students as possible. He represents your views and your voice by working with other students’ unions, the Sports Union and the local community to make sure you have the best experience. Email: president@eusa.ed.ac.uk Facebook: facebook.com/EdUniStudentsAssociationPresident

Vice President Academic Affairs (VPAA) — Patrick Garratt Patrick is here to support reps with all aspects of academic life — academic support, assessments, study spaces and everything else! He supports Class Reps and School Reps with the projects and campaigns they want to run to improve students’ academic experience at University Email: vpaa@eusa.ed.ac.uk Facebook: facebook.com/VicePresidentAcademicAffairs

Vice President Societies & Activities (VPSA) — Jess Husbands Jess is your Vice President Societies & Activities. She is here to represent you on issues of welfare, equality and diversity, as well as societies and activities. Email: vpsa@eusa.ed.ac.uk Facebook: facebook.com/VicePresidentSocietiesActivities

Vice President Services (VPS) — Jenna Kelly Jenna’s role tackles anything to do with the Students' Association’s commercial services - including the bars, shops and catering facilities as well as the entertainment offered by your Union. Email: vps@eusa.ed.ac.uk Facebook: facebook.com/VicePresidentServices

OTHER USEFUL INFORMATION TRAINING AND EVENTS

RECOGNITION AND REWARD

We offer a comprehensive area on the Student Rep Forum on Learn and also weekly newsletters that will keep you up to date about everything the Students’ Association offers to support you in your role. We offer rep lunches and events on campus, and also have intermediate training offered in person and online on areas like campaigning, public speaking and project management. Taking part in these will help you get the most out of the role throughout the year, and they will offer opportunities for you to meet the Sabbatical Officers, College Deans, and the University’s senior management. We will automatically enrol you in the Student Rep Forum and sign you up to receive the newsletters. Look out for them to find out when everything is happening.

There are lots of different ways to get recognition for your role as a rep. See your specific rep section for the requirements to get your role recorded on your Higher Education Achievement Report (HEAR). Class Reps and School Reps can also earn Open Badges by creating short blogs or vlogs to share their work. Any reps who are interested can also complete the Edinburgh Award for Representing Students (see more on page 3). The Students’ Association also runs the annual Impact Awards which celebrate outstanding student achievement at the University of Edinburgh, with a particular focus on student leaders working on Representation, Peer Learning and Support, or Global projects. There are specific categories for both Class Reps and Elected Reps, so you may find yourself nominated for one of these, or even crowned the winner!

FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES You might have a great idea for a campaign or project but need funding to get it off the ground, or perhaps you need funding for an event you’re running. There are a number of funds available from the Students’ Association including for projects in your School, cultural events, Student Council campaigns, or activities to support mental health and wellbeing. You can find the full list at: eusa.ed.ac.uk/findfunding. You can apply for funding online by following the above link — most of the funds will accept applications asking for up to £200, although some will consider grants of up to £1000. Make sure you read the guidelines for the fund you are interested in applying for to ensure that your application is as successful as possible. There’s no minimum funding requirement.

SECTION 2// YOUR ROLE EXPLAINED This section of the guide focuses on the specific purpose and responsibilities of each representative, which vary between roles â&#x20AC;&#x201D; go to your section to learn more! 10// YOUR ROLE AS A CLASS REP 13// YOUR ROLE AS A SCHOOL REP 17// YOUR ROLE AS A STUDENT GROUP CONVENOR 20// YOUR ROLE AS A LIBERATION GROUP CONVENOR 24// YOUR ROLE AS A CAMPAIGN ORGANISER

YOUR ROLE AS A CLASS REP THE PURPOSE OF YOUR ROLE

Training

As a Class Rep, you are vital to the University by voicing, from a student perspective, how the University can enhance and continuously improve the quality of education provided throughout the year. You should make yourself accessible to gather feedback — positive or negative — so you can work with staff in your School to improve your programme for those currently involved and future students, too. Serving as a Class Rep should also be a fun experience for you where you can develop skills and make a difference at the local level within the University to improve the academic experience in your School.

All Class Reps are expected to complete the Class Rep Basic Online Training (or Basic Refresher Online Training if you have been a Class Rep before) in the Student Rep Forum on Learn before the end of Week 6. In the Class Rep Basic Online Training, there are four parts that each include a video, resources to review, and a short quiz. The four parts are:

YOUR ROLE RESPONSIBILITIES

You can complete the online training at your own pace and do not need to complete it in one sitting. It should take you less than an hour to complete.

¨¨ Self-Register as a Class Rep at eusa.ed.ac.uk/classreps ¨¨ Complete Class Rep Basic Online Training or Refresher Online Training ¨¨ Communicate with the students you represent and gather feedback ¨¨ Attend the Student-Staff Liaison Committee (SSLC) meetings in your School ¨¨ Work with your elected School Reps to pass on more significant issues or those that can’t be resolved at your SSLC meetings ¨¨ Blog about your work to close the feedback loop and share your successes

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The Role of the Class Rep

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Working with the Students’ Association

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Working with Students — Representative Feedback

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Working with the University

If you have been a Class Rep before and previously completed the basic training, you will need to complete the much shorter Basic Refresher Online Training to review the essential aspects of the role and changes for this year.

Your team There will be other Class Reps for your course or programme, and you should work with them to prepare for SSLC meetings within your School so that you are all on the same page and prepared ahead of the meeting with staff. Your elected School Reps are there to support you, and you should go to them with any questions you have about how the Class Rep role works in your School or about escalating issues that are not resolved at SSLCs.

The Sabbatical Officers are also there to support you if you are dealing with more serious issues that affect students across the University. In particular, the Vice President Academic Affairs works to improve the academic experience of students at all levels across the University’s 20 Schools, so you can raise things with him.

Staff support Staff both at the Students’ Association and in your School are here to support you in your role. At the Students’ Association, we have five staff in our Academic Representation team who are here to help you. Our three Academic Representation Assistants are on hand to answer any questions you may have about the role. Megan is the Schools Engagement Officer who works closely with each School Rep to improve student representation in each School. Tanya is the Academic Engagement Coordinator who is responsible for the team’s support of all student reps relating to academic matters. You can reach us by emailing class. reps@eusa.ed.ac.uk with any questions about the role, training, events, the Edinburgh Award for Representing Students, HEAR recognition and Open Badges. Within your School, certain staff are responsible for your SSLCs, and you can find a list of the academic and support staff contact for your School in the Student Rep Forum in Learn. In addition, you should feel free to raise any issues directly with your course organiser or programme director as things arise.

Communication Ultimately, you will improve your programme for those currently involved and those in the future. You should make yourself accessible, and peers will come to you with both positive and negative feedback relating to issues in your courses such as content, delivery, materials, assessment, support, and feedback. You ensure that University academic and support staff are continually listening to and engaging with students to improve their experience here. The Class Rep Basic Online training goes into detail about how to communicate with the students you represent, how to work effectively with staff to be representative of your peers’ views and how to implement change. The training also includes information about what support is available from the Students’ Association. If you have any questions, please get in touch.

Student Council As you will have seen on page 4, Student Council is the Students’ Association’s main decision making body. Any student can attend, submit their ideas, and vote at Student Council. Elected Reps must attend and represent the views of their cohort — for example, your elected School Reps attend and represent the interests of all students in your School. If you feel strongly about issues being raised at Student Council, you can attend or you could get in touch with your School Rep to share your views. It is beneficial if Class Reps attend Student Council to learn about the Students’ Association’s democratic processes, but it is not required.

HEAR Recognition One of the benefits of being an active Class Rep is that you can gain recognition for your role on your Higher Education Achievement Report (HEAR). This recognition is an additional reward for your service to students and is dependent on you actively engaging with the role during the year. For Class Reps, this means you must: 1.

Self-register with the Studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Association as a Class Rep at eusa.ed.ac.uk/classreps by the end of Week 3

Successfully complete the Class Rep Basic Online Training (or Basic Refresher Online Training if you have been a Class Rep before) in Learn by the deadline at the end of Week 6

Create a blog post (at least 100 words) or a vlog (at least 2 minutes) in the Student Rep Forum on Learn to share your work in the role with the rep community and the students you represent. The deadline for this is the end of Week 10.

Handover When you come to the end of your role as a Class Rep (at the end of the semester or the academic year depending on what you are representing), your blog post in the Student Rep Forum will serve as the main way for you to document your work so future Class Reps will know what you worked on. If there are any unresolved issues, you can share them in the Class Rep Survey at the end of the semester so the Studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Association is aware. You can also share these issues with your School Rep if it is during the middle of the academic year (their contact details are at the end of this document) or the School Reps who are elected for the next academic year if appropriate.

YOUR ROLE AS A SCHOOL REP THE PURPOSE OF YOUR ROLE

Your Team

As a School Rep — also known as a School Convenor — you have been chosen by your fellow students to represent the School you are in and the needs of the students within it to the University and to the Students’ Association. Serving as a School Rep is an opportunity for you to develop your skills and make a difference on behalf of your peers.

School Convenor As a School Convenor, it is your responsibility to represent all students in your School, at both undergraduate and postgraduate level. While the undergraduate (UG) and postgraduate (PG) Vice Convenors have responsibility for particular sections of students, your role is to ensure that where possible your changes and improvements within the School are being felt by as wide a demographic of students as possible.

THE ROLE RESPONSIBILITIES ¨¨ Complete Elected Rep Basic Training Session in September or October ¨¨ Provide an update on what you have been up to and email the students you represent (once a semester) ¨¨ Attend Student Council (normally two or three times a semester) ¨¨ Attend the School Rep Forum (once a semester) ¨¨ Create a handover document for your successor ¨¨ Maintain contact with your Students’ Association staff support (see below)

Training Basic training is compulsory for all School Reps and you will not receive HEAR recognition without attending. There are also further opportunities for in-person training throughout the year. Keep an eye on rep emails for further information on how to sign up to these sessions.

Undergraduate Vice-Convenor Undergraduate Vice-Convenors have responsibility for ensuring that the needs of undergraduates within their School are being represented. As an Undergraduate Vice-Convenor, you should be making sure that you are representing students from all different years of study — remember that a first year may be having a very different experience than a final year student. Postgraduate Vice-Convenor Postgraduate Vice-Convenors ensure that postgraduates in their School are being effectively represented. Historically, postgrads are underrepresented in higher education, so you should be ensuring that postgrads are being considered in School-level decision making. Remember that you should be representing both Taught Masters students and Research Masters Students, as well as PhD students, as these groups often have varying needs and experiences of University. Your team of School Convenors are part of the overall Academic Representation structure at the Students’ Association.

VPAA SCHOOL REPS CLASS REPS Get in touch with Patrick, our 2016/17 Vice President Academic Affairs, to ask for advice and support on campaigns and projects you are working on in your School. You should also regularly stay in contact with Class Reps in your School to ask their views on issues affecting all of you and to ensure you are being as representative of different views as possible. The Students’ Association will provide you with a contact list of the reps in your School in Week 4 so introduce yourself and ask them for their opinions regularly. If you discover an issue that crosses over multiple Schools, or even across Colleges, you should get in contact with your Academic Campaign Organisers. These students run specific campaigns across the University to solve larger scale issues. You can read more about them on page 24. Sometimes, you may be working on issues which affects students who self-define into our liberation groups. These groups are Black and Minority Ethnic Students, Disabled Students, LGBT+ students and Women. Remember to get in touch with the convenors of these groups as they will be able to help and advise you on issues affecting students in these groups. There are also four section groups within the Students’ Association — Parents and Carers, Postgraduates, International Students, and Mature and Part Time students. Remember to ask the Convenors of these groups for support and advice when you are working on issues which affect the students they represent.

Staff Support As School Reps, you are supported by Megan Brown, the Students’ Association’s Schools Engagement Officer. Megan can offer advice and support on projects and School-based issues, as well as helping you with logistical issues such as booking rooms and ordering catering. Megan will be in contact with you throughout the year with updates and opportunities. It is important that you stay in regular contact with her and we encourage you to keep her updated with ideas that you would like help with progressing.

Communication You must introduce yourself to all the students in your School so they know who you are. Create an email and ask the admin staff in your School Teaching Office if they will send it out on your behalf. In Week 4 the Students’ Association will email you a list of the Class Reps in your School. You should also introduce yourself to them and keep in touch with them regarding issues which affect the School — ask for their advice and feedback when you can! At least once a semester you should send an update to all the students in your School, letting them know what you have been up to and reminding them that you are there to represent them and their views. You should also organise a meeting for all the reps in your School (or, even better, invite all students in the School) in order to discuss the main issues students feel are important. This could be in the format of a School Council, or it could be a meeting based on a specific, larger issue which you want to get more feedback on.

Student Council, Rep Forum and Committees All School Reps must attend Student Council, which you can read more about on page 4. For the first time this year, School Reps will have weighted voting, which means your votes will be worth 1.5 votes. It is hugely important that you attend Student Council and ensure that the students in your School are represented to the wider student body.

Student Council is only truly representative if all reps attend and doing so is a core part of your role. Therefore, if you miss any two meetings of Student Council without letting us know you will no longer be eligible for HEAR recognition, and you will be at risk of losing your position. If you know you will be unable to make a meeting then you should email democracy@eusa.ed.ac.uk as far in advance as possible. If there are barriers which are preventing you from attending then please contact your staff support as soon as possible so we can work with you to resolve them.

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Law

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Literatures, Languages and Cultures

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Moray House School of Education

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Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences

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Social and Political Science

You must also attend the School Rep Forum, which takes place at least once a semester. This is a chance for all School Reps to discuss issues which may cross over multiple Schools and Colleges. The Forums are a chance to agree upon and begin projects that can be worked on collaboratively.

– Biomedical Sciences

– Clinical Sciences

– Molecular, Genetic and Population Health Sciences

Your School may ask you to be on School-level committees such as Learning and Teaching Committee or Postgraduate Studies Committee. This is a fantastic opportunity to learn about how decision making works in your School and also to have a say in School-wide decisions, ensuring that the voices of the students you represent are heard.

College of Science and Engineering (CSE)

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION The University The University of Edinburgh is made up of three Colleges containing a total of 20 Schools. College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences (CAHSS) •

Business School

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Divinity

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Economics

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Edinburgh College of Art

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Health in Social Science

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History, Classics and Archaeology

College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine (CMVM) •

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Edinburgh Medical School (made up of 3 Deaneries)

The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies

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Biological Sciences

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Chemistry

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Engineering

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GeoSciences

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Informatics

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Mathematics

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Physics and Astronomy

Take a look at which other Schools are in your College — you may find that some issues affect students in other Schools in your College and want to work on these issues together. Find out more about your School at: eusa.ed.ac.uk/representation/your_school.

Key Members of University Staff Part of your role as a School Rep will involve talking to many different members of staff within your School. In order to achieve the points from your manifesto and to communicate the issues students in your School are facing, it is helpful to understand the function of some of the key staff in your School and how they can help you. This is by no means an exhaustive list, but it should help you get started!

Heads of School Your Head of School is the person to go to once you have attempted to sort out an issue locally, such as at the programme level. They can also be contacted if you feel that there is a School-wide issue that you require their help on. Heads of School are unsurprisingly very busy, so it’s often best to copy in their PA if you are trying to arrange a meeting. Directors of Teaching Most Schools have two Directors of Teaching — one for undergrads and one for postgrads — although some schools combine these positions. Directors of Teaching are responsible for the School’s learning and teaching strategy. You should go to them with academic issues that cross multiple programmes, or when you need to escalate an issue beyond a programme director. Director of Quality One of the responsibilities of the Director of Quality is to promote, develop and review student engagement within the School. You should go to them regarding any questions or ideas about the rep system in your School. Deans of CAHSS, CSE and CMVM Deans liaise across schools to improve consistency and quality of educational experience. There will be an opportunity to meet with the Deans of your College during your time in the role at the ‘Meet the Deans’ event — this is a great chance to let them know what is happening in your School and to ask for advice and support with issues you are having. Student Support Officers Student Support Officers (SSOs) act as a point of contact for students in order to provide information in response to routine queries. They are therefore hugely useful contacts who should be able to help you if you are unsure of the best staff and services to contact next.

Programme Directors/Course Organisers The Course Organiser is often the best person to contact in the first instance if a student has a problem with a specific course. Often, problems can be sorted out simply by politely talking to the Course Organiser and attempting to solve the issue directly with them before escalating any further. You can also talk to the Programme Director if there are multiple problems affecting one degree programme. Heads of Department In most Schools, there are Heads of Department for subject areas. If you have to escalate an issue, it is sometimes best to go to the Head of Department before going to the Head of School, as they may have more information on the issue. This is particularly true in large Schools such as ECA, with 5 relatively distinct departments.

HEAR Recognition One of the benefits of being an active rep is that you can gain recognition of your role on your Higher Education Achievement Report (HEAR). This recognition is an additional reward for your service to students and is dependent on you actively engaging with the role during the year. In order to gain HEAR recognition you must attend one of the initial training sessions in September or October and ensure that you do not miss two meetings of Student Council without letting us know. If you are unable to attend training you should contact Megan Brown (megan.brown@eusa.ed.ac.uk), as you will be required to meet with her before the end of October 2016 in order to be eligible for your role to be added to your HEAR. If you are unable to attend Student Council then you should email democracy@eusa.ed.ac.uk.

Handover When you are coming to the end of your role, you must ensure to fill in the handover template sent to you by the Students’ Association. This will ensure continuity from one School Rep team to the next, and ensure that any projects you have started but been unable to complete are continued by the next Convenors.

YOUR ROLE AS A STUDENT GROUP CONVENOR THE PURPOSE OF YOUR ROLE As a Student Group Convenor, it is your responsibility to ensure that students who identify as part of your group – Mature and Part-Time Students, International Students, Postgraduate Students, or Student Parents and Carers – have their voices heard by both the Students’ Association and the University.

YOUR ROLE RESPONSIBILITIES ¨¨ Complete Elected Rep Basic Training Session in September or October ¨¨ Make contact with your Students’ Association staff support as soon as possible and stay in touch (see list below) ¨¨ Communicate with the students you represent throughout the year ¨¨ Attend Student Council (normally two or three times a semester) ¨¨ Create a handover document for your successor

Training The basic training provided by the Students’ Association in September and October is key to you making the most of your role. You only need to attend one of the two sessions but if you can’t make either it’s important you let a staff member know so we can make alternative arrangements. Basic training is compulsory for all elected reps and you will not receive HEAR recognition without attending. There are also further opportunities for more in-depth training throughout the year — keep an eye on the rep emails or the Students’ Association website for more information.

Your Team It’s important to remember that you are part of a wider team of elected representatives — don’t be afraid to ask each other for support or work together. Your fellow Student Group Convenors may well have similar priorities to your own but don’t forget about other reps — many welfare and academic issues affect a wide range of students, so it’s worth reaching out and collaborating on projects and campaigns. You can also get advice and support from the Sabbatical Officers — the Vice President Societies and Activities is your main contact but you may want to get in touch with the other Sabbs if you have queries or concerns which relate directly to areas in their remit, for example academic life or Students’ Association services.

Staff Support You each have a member of Students’ Association staff whose role it is to support you during your time as a rep. They are: •

International: Blythe Day, International Co-ordinator (blythe.day@eusa.ed.ac.uk)

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Mature and Part-Time: Sheona Lawson, Policy and Campaigns Co-ordinator (sheona.lawson@eusa.ed.ac.uk)

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Postgraduate: Tanya Lubicz-Nawrocka, Academic Representation Co-ordinator (tanya.lubicz-Nawrocka@eusa.ed.ac.uk)

•

Student Parents and Carers: Sarah Moffat, Welfare and Equality Officer (sarah.moffat@eusa.ed.ac.uk)

Staff can help you with logistical issues like booking rooms and ordering catering for events, as well as offering advice and support on projects and campaigns. We’d encourage you to contact them early on in Semester one and to stay in regular contact throughout the year.

Communication with Students It’s important you stay in touch with the students you represent in order to keep them up-to-date with what you’ve been doing as a rep, but also to give them the opportunity to raise any issues with you. Sometimes the students you represent may be hard to reach, particularly if they are a relatively small group. It’s therefore important to be creative, flexible and strategic with your communication — you could use emails, social media, posters or flyers. You might also want to work with relevant University departments who are already in contact with these students, for example the International Office or the Centre for Open Learning. It is a good idea to consider what benefits you can offer students who do engage with you and the group you are Convenor of. Can you provide support when they have an issue or complaint? Can you offer personal development opportunities which give them skills like event planning or social media management which they can use in the future?

Student Council Student Council is the Students’ Association's main policy-making body and therefore it’s important you attend to ensure the views of the students you represent are taken into account. Before each meeting you should be communicating with students, checking if there are any motions you need to take, and canvassing their views on the motions that have been proposed.

Addressing Issues and Concerns How you spend your year as a Convenor will largely depend on your personal priorities and the priorities of the students you represent, but it is likely that at some point you will be asked to address an issue affecting students. Sometimes an issue might be fairly easy to resolve, requiring only an email or a short meeting. Other times change might be slightly more complex or long-term and in these situations it’s important to be strategic and think carefully about what actions are most likely to achieve your goals. Staff and Sabbatical Officers can provide advice on tactics and resources to support any campaigns you’re running.

Running Events Throughout the year you may want to run events, either as socials or to raise awareness of issues or campaigns you are involved in. It’s important to plan events well in advance to give you time to get everything organised and to promote your event. The Students’ Association can help promote your event through posters or social media but this does not guarantee you will get a good attendance — it’s important you use your connections to reach out to potentially interested students as targeted marketing is far more effective than broad promotion. It’s a good idea to make a Facebook event to give people information about the event and what they can expect.

Budgets Each of your groups has a project budget of £500 which can be spent on events, campaigning materials and on costs associated with sending delegates to NUS Conferences (travel, accommodation, registration etc.). Although you can spend your own money and get reimbursed using our expenses process this can sometimes be quite slow, so whenever possible we’d suggest asking your staff support to make purchases using the Students’ Association credit card so the money can come directly from your budgets.

National Union of Students (NUS) The National Union of Students (NUS) exists to represent students on a national (both UK and Scotland) level and there are equivalents of some of your groups within NUS, called Campaigns. Each Campaign has an elected Officer and we’d suggest getting in contact early on to introduce yourself as they can offer advice on dealing with issues and suggest national campaigns for you to get involved in. Their details are: •

NUS UK International Officer: Mostafa Rajaai (mostafa.rajaai@nus.org.uk)

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NUS Scotland International Officer: Raj Jeyaraj (raj.jeyaraj@nus-scotland.org.uk)

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NUS Scotland Asylum and Refugee Officer: Lord Apetsi (lord.apetsi@nus-scotland.org.uk)

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NUS UK Mature Students’ Officer: Esther Green (esther.green@nus.org.uk)

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NUS Scotland Mature and Part-Time Students’ Officer: Ashley Cameron (ashley.cameron@nus-scotland.org.uk)

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NUS UK Postgraduate Students’ Officer (Research): Noha Abu El Magd

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NUS UK Postgraduate Students’ Officer (Taught): Mahamid Ahmed (mahamid.ahmed@nus.org.uk)

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NUS Scotland Postgraduate Students’ Officer: Kaitlin Ramsay (kaitlin.ramsay@nus-scotland.org.uk)

In the spring, each of the Campaigns holds a conference where self-defining students select their National Officer and pass national policy. Part of your role will be promoting these conferences and organising delegates to attend.

HEAR Recognition One of the benefits of being an active rep is that you can gain recognition of your role on your Higher Education Achievement Report (HEAR). This recognition is an additional reward for your service to students and is dependent on you actively engaging with the role during the year. In order to gain HEAR recognition you must attend one of the basic training sessions in September or October and ensure that you do not miss two meetings of Student Council without letting us know. If you are unable to attend training you should contact your staff support. You will be required to meet with them before the end of October in order to be eligible for your role to be added to your HEAR. If you are unable to attend Student Council you should email democracy@eusa.ed.ac.uk.

Handover When you are coming to the end of your role, you must ensure that you fill in the handover template sent to you by the Students’ Association. This ensures continuity from one rep to the next, and that any projects you have started but been unable to complete are continued by your successor.

YOUR ROLE AS A LIBERATION GROUP CONVENOR THE PURPOSE OF YOUR ROLE As a Liberation Group Convenor, it is your responsibility to ensure that students who self-identify as part of your group — Black and Minority Ethnic, Disability and Mental Wellbeing, LGBT+ or Women — have their voices heard by both the Students’ Association and the University. The groups of students you represent are often underrepresented in Higher Education and face additional challenges during their time as students so it’s particularly important their experiences are recognised and their issues are dealt with promptly.

Attending Training The basic training provided by the Students’ Association in September and October is key to you making the most of your role. You only need to attend one of the two sessions but if you can’t make either it’s important you let a staff member know so we can make alternative arrangements. Basic training is compulsory for all elected reps and you will not receive HEAR recognition without attending. There are also further opportunities for more in-depth training throughout the year — keep an eye on the rep emails or the Students’ Association website for more information.

Your Team It’s important to remember that you are part of a wider team of elected representatives — don’t be afraid to ask each other for support or work together. Your fellow Liberation Group Convenors may well have similar priorities to your own but don’t forget about other reps — many welfare and academic issues affect a wide range of students, so it’s worth reaching out and collaborating on projects and campaigns. You can also get advice and support from the Sabbatical Officers — the Vice President Societies and Activities is your main contact but you may want to get in touch with the other Sabbs if you have queries or concerns which relate directly to areas in their remit, for example academic life or Students’ Association services. Finally, the Equal Opportunities and Liberation Convenor can provide support, particularly on cross-Liberation campaigns.

Staff Support As Liberation Group Convenors, you are supported by Sarah Moffat, the Students’ Association’s Welfare and Equality Officer. Although Sarah also supports the Vice President Societies and Activities and does other work around equality and diversity, helping you make the most of your year as a rep is a key part of her role so don’t be afraid to get in touch. Sarah can help you with logistical issues like booking rooms and ordering catering, as well as offering advice and support on projects and campaigns. We’d encourage you to contact her before September and to stay in regular contact throughout the year. Sarah will be organising monthly, one-to-one meetings where you can discuss your plans and progress in more detail.

Communication with Students

As well as the individual Liberation Group Facebook Groups which you are admins of, there is also a joint Facebook page “Liberation at EUSA”. You are free to post updates and events on this page but too many posts in a short period of time can lessen the impact of all the posts, so it’s important to consider if your post could be delayed in order to give another post priority. There is also a Liberation blog which you can use for longer posts about projects or campaigns, as well guest posts from Group members about issues. It is worth considering what benefits you can offer students who do engage with you and the group you are Convenor of. Can you provide support when they have an issue or complaint? Can you offer personal development opportunities which give them skills in event planning or social media management which they can use in the future?

It’s important you stay in touch with the students you represent in order to keep them up-to-date with what you’ve been doing as a rep, but also to give them the opportunity to raise any issues with you. Sometimes the students you represent may be hard to reach, particularly if they are a relatively small group. It’s therefore important to be creative, flexible and strategic with your communication — you could use emails, social media, posters or flyers but don’t be afraid to try something new. You might also want to work with relevant University departments who are already in contact with these students, for example the Disability Service.

Student Council

Running Events

Student Council is the Students’ Association's main policy-making body and therefore it’s important you attend to ensure the views of the students you represent are taken into account. Before each meeting you should be communicating with students, checking if there are any motions you need to take, and canvassing their views on the motions that have been proposed.

Throughout the year you may want to run events, either as socials to raise awareness of issues or campaigns you are involved in. It’s important to plan events well in advance to give you time to get everything organised and to promote your event.

Student Council is only truly representative if all reps attend and doing so is a core part of your role. Therefore, if you miss any two meetings of Student Council without letting us know you will no longer be eligible for HEAR recognition, and will be at risk of losing your position. If you know you will be unable to make a meeting then you should email democracy@eusa.ed.ac.uk as far in advance as possible. If there are barriers which are preventing you from attending then please contact your staff support as soon as possible so we can work with you to resolve them. For more information on what to expect from Student Council see page 4.

The Students’ Association can help promote your event through posters or social media but this does not guarantee you will get a good attendance — it’s important you use your connections to reach out to potentially interested students as targeted marketing is far more effective than broad promotion. It’s a good idea to make a Facebook event to give people information about the event and what they can expect — just make sure you make it public so people outside of the Liberation Group Facebook groups can see it.

BUDGETS Each of your groups has a project budget of £500 which can be spent on events, campaigning materials and other resources, plus £750 which can be spent on costs associated with sending delegates to NUS Liberation Conferences (travel, accommodation, registration etc.) Although you can spend your own money and get reimbursed using our expenses process this can sometimes be quite slow, so whenever possible we’d suggest asking your staff support to make purchases using the Students’ Association credit card so the money can come directly from your Liberation Group budgets.

National Union of Students (NUS)

HEAR Recognition

The National Union of Students represents students across Scotland and the UK, in the same way that Edinburgh University Students’ Association represents students at the University of Edinburgh.

NUS UK and Scotland also have Liberation Campaigns for Black, Disabled, LGBT+ and Women students, and each of these Campaigns is led by an elected officer (some of whom are full-time). NUS Officers can provide advice on how to tackle issues, support in running campaigns and suggestions of national campaigns to get involved with so it’s worth contacting them early on to introduce yourself. Their details are: •

NUS UK Black Students’ Officer: Aadam Muuse (aadam.muuse@nus.org.uk)

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NUS Scotland Black Students’ Officer: Shuwanna Aaron (Shuwanna.Aaron@nus-scotland.org.uk)

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NUS UK Disabled Students’ Officer: James Elliot (james.elliot@nus.org.uk)

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NUS Scotland Disabled Students’ Officer: Rahul Singh (Rahul.Singh@nus-scotland.org.uk)

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NUS UK LGBT+ Officer (Open Place): Noorulann Shahid (noorulann.shahid@nus.org.uk)

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NUS UK LGBT+ Officer (Women’s Place): Melantha Chittenden (melantha.chittenden@nus.org.uk)

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NUS Scotland LGBT+ Officer: Jack Douglas (Jack.Douglas@nus-scotland.org.uk)

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NUS UK Women’s Officer: Hareem Ghani (hareem.ghani@nus.org.uk)

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NUS Scotland Women’s Officer: Angela Alexander (Angela.Alexander@nus-scotland.org.uk)

In order to gain HEAR recognition you must attend one of the basic training sessions in September or October and ensure that you do not miss two meetings of Student Council without letting us know. If you are unable to attend training you should contact your staff support. You will be required to meet with them before the end of October in order to be eligible for your role to be added to your HEAR. If you are unable to attend Student Council you should email democracy@eusa.ed.ac.uk.

In the spring, each of the Campaigns holds a conference and part of your role will be promoting these conferences and organising delegates to attend.

YOUR ROLE AS A CAMPAIGN ORGANISER THE PURPOSE OF YOUR ROLE You have been elected to represent the views of students to the University, to the Students’ Association and beyond. It is therefore essential that you talk to students to find out what their views are. Whether you have been elected to a welfare, external or academic Campaign Organiser position your role is to work to improve the experience of students at the University of Edinburgh.

YOUR ROLE RESPONSIBILITIES ¨¨ Complete Elected Rep Basic Training Session in September or October ¨¨ Make contact with your Sabbatical Officer and Students’ Association staff support as soon as possible and stay in touch ¨¨ Communicate with the students you represent throughout the year ¨¨ Attend Student Council (normally two or three times a semester) ¨¨ Attend meetings of your Committee

Attend Training The basic training provided by the Students’ Association in September and October is key to you making the most of your role. You only need to attend one of the two sessions but if you can’t make either it’s important you let a staff member know so we can make alternative arrangements. Basic training is compulsory for all elected reps and you will not receive HEAR recognition without attending. There are also further opportunities for more in-depth training throughout the year. Keep an eye on the rep emails or the Students’ Association website for more information.

Your Team Make the most of your team to get things done! There are four Campaign Organisers elected to each Committee and a Sabbatical Officer dedicated to working with you on issues relating to your specific Committee role (see staff support section for contacts). You will work together to find solutions to issues that students have raised with you or through Student Council. This might mean leading projects and campaigns, writing a motion to Student Council, undertaking research or further consultation with students, or arranging to meet with staff from the University or other body. Your Sabbatical Officer will be in touch in September about the initial meeting of your Committee and to plan the year ahead.

Staff Support Each team of Campaign Organisers (academic, external and welfare) is supported by a Sabbatical Officer and staff member. They will be able to advise you and provide you with useful contacts and information to get your projects off the ground so make the most of their knowledge and expertise. Don’t be afraid to get in touch if anything is unclear. Use the contacts below or pop into the Students’ Association office in Potterrow. Academic Campaign Organisers: •

Patrick Garratt, Vice-President Academic Affairs, vpaa@eusa.ed.ac.uk

•

Tanya Lubicz-Nawrocka, Academic Engagement Coordinator, tanya.lubicz-nawrocka@eusa.ed.ac.uk

External Campaign Organisers: •

Alec Edgecliffe-Johnson, President, president@eusa.ed.ac.uk

•

Sheona Lawson, Policy and Campaigns Co-ordinator, sheona.lawson@eusa.ed.ac.uk

Welfare Campaign Organisers: •

Jess Husbands, Vice-President Societies and Activities, vpsa@eusa.ed.ac.uk

•

Sarah Moffat, Welfare and Equality Officer, sarah.moffat@eusa.ed.ac.uk

Communication with Students It’s important you stay in touch with students in order to keep them up-to-date with what you’ve been doing as a rep, but also to give them the opportunity to raise any issues with you. It’s especially important to gather student opinion before attending Student Council so that you can make an informed vote. You might need to try out different methods to find a way that works for you. Be supportive in your teams; work together to communicate with students if it helps. As well as by email or face to face on stalls and in your lectures and classes, you could use social media, posters and flyers. You could use social media to ask for opinions about a motion that is on the Student Council agenda. Talk to people you know and other reps but make sure that you collect a range of perspectives and not just those of your friends. Don’t be afraid to be creative and try something new.

Student Council Student Council is the Students’ Association's main policy-making body. For the first time the votes of elected reps will count for 1.5 votes compared to 1 vote for other students to reflect the important role that you have in representing students. It is hugely important that you attend Student Council and ensure that you represent their views. Before each meeting you should be communicating with students, checking if there are any motions you need to take, and canvassing their views on the motions that have been proposed.

HEAR Recognition One of the benefits of being an active rep is that you can gain recognition of your role on your Higher Education Achievement Report (HEAR). This recognition is an additional reward for your service to students and is dependent on you actively engaging with the role during the year. In order to gain HEAR recognition you must attend one of the basic training sessions in September or October and ensure that you do not miss two meetings of Student Council without letting us know. If you are unable to attend training you should contact your staff support so that you can meet with them before the end of October in order to be eligible for your role to be added to your HEAR. If you are unable to attend Student Council you should email democracy@eusa.ed.ac.uk.

GENERAL CONTACT INFORMATION GENERAL ENQUIRIES For general questions, please contact the following based on your role: Class Rep Team class.reps@eusa.ed.ac.uk School Rep Team schools@eusa.ed.ac.uk Elected Rep Team democracy@eusa.ed.ac.uk

KEY CONTACTS The Sabbatical Officers work full-time for a year representing students, either during or following their degree. You can get in touch with them at any point in the year to ask them about their work or to talk to them about something that you want to work on. Alec Edgecliffe-Johnson, President president@eusa.ed.ac.uk The Students’ Association’s external relationships, including community engagement and political lobbying. Patrick Garratt, Vice-President Academic Affairs vpaa@eusa.ed.ac.uk Everything academic, lectures, University facilities, library facilities. Jess Husbands, Vice-President Societies and Activities vpsa@eusa.ed.ac.uk Welfare, societies, liberation, volunteering. Jenna Kelly, Vice-President Services vps@eusa.ed.ac.uk Sustainability, the Students’ Association’s services including bars and cafes.

The Students’ Association staff are there to support you throughout your year as a rep and can help you to take forward your projects and campaigns. Send them an email or visit them in the Students’ Association office in Potterrow. Paul Bradley paul.bradley@eusa.ed.ac.uk Coordinates and supports the Students’ Association’s Representation and Democracy Department. Sarah Moffat sarah.welfare@eusa.ed.ac.uk Welfare Committee and welfare projects, Liberation Groups, equality and diversity. Megan Brown megan.brown@eusa.ed.ac.uk School Reps, College Reps, Impact Awards. Tanya Lubicz-Nawrocka tanya.lubicz-nawrocka@eusa.ed.ac.uk Academic Committee and academic projects, Class Reps, Postgrad Student Group, Teaching Awards, Edinburgh Award for Reps. Sheona Lawson Sheona.lawson@eusa.ed.ac.uk Student Council, External Affairs Committee, Mature and Part-Time Student Group, campaigning, parliamentary activity. Blythe Day blythe.day@eusa.ed.ac.uk Internationalisation projects, Buddies, Global, International Student Group. Davy Gray davy.gray@eusa.ed.ac.uk Sustainability, the Students’ Association environmental impact.

REP LIST It’s important to know who your fellow reps are so that you can get in touch with each other and help each other with projects and campaigns. You can find a list of reps on the Students’ Association’s website at eusa.ed.ac.uk/representation.

SERVICES Although you are elected to represent students’ views and interests, you must remember that there are some things you are not expected to do in your role. If a student comes to you with a personal problem you can signpost them to university support services who are trained to deal with student welfare. You are also not expected to advise students on concerns about individual grades. Here are some support services to direct students to if they come to you with these issues:

The Advice Place The Students’ Association’s Advice Place offers free, professional advice to students. Students can receive impartial and confidential advice on everything and anything, from academic concerns to funding and housing. The Advice Place can also represent students who are going through disciplinary procedures or academic appeals.

Student Disability Service The Student Disability service provides advice and support for students with dyslexia, mental health issues and students on the autistic spectrum, as well as those who have physical and sensory impairments. If a student comes to you with a question about any of the above, or is concerned that their needs are not being met, you should direct them to the Disability Service.

Institute for Academic Development (IAD) The IAD provides support for teaching, learning and researcher development. This includes providing direct support for students and staff through workshops, online resources, networks and advice.

International Office The International Student Advisory Service provides professional advice to all non-UK students at the University. If students come to you because they are concerned about Visa issues, this is the right service to direct them to.

Counselling Service The University Counselling service offers one to one, short term counselling to all matriculated students at Edinburgh. The service operates in four locations: the Main Library in George Square; the School of Education (Paterson’s Land); ECA (Lauriston Place); and Weir Buildings at King’s Buildings. All are open in semester time and the office in the Main Library is open all year round.

NOTES/CONTACTS

Edinburgh University Studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Association is a charity (SC015800) and a company limited by guarantee (SC429897) registered in Scotland. Registered Office: Potterrow, 5/2 Bristo Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9AL