Welcome To Our Top 10! As we celebrate our 10th year, we have produced these 10 priorities that will shape our activities for the coming year! All 10 priorities have come direct from the student voice and shall now form the foundation of our work for the year ahead, working with all our partners: Falmouth University, University of Exeter and FX Plus. Some of these are wins that can take place this year, and some will carry over as longer term projects. All of them however, have the experience of all students, across all of our campuses, at heart. We will be sure to keep you up to date on our progress the entire way through! Following the huge success of the Big 14 last year, our priorities for this year have come directly from student feedback: the FXU Student Survey, National Students Survey (NSS), Annual General Meeting (AGM), Union General Meeting’s (UGM’s), Student Council, Student Reps and just plain old talking to students. It is through engagement with students that we have been able to identify these key areas for improvement, as well as demonstrate what it is you love about studying in Cornwall! So please feel free to get involved and let us know what you think and what we can do for you alongside these priorities and beyond. We look forward to working through them for you! Yours, Ellie Scouller
FXU President Falmouth Roger Auster
FXU President Student Experience
Rhun Davies
FXU President Exeter Catherine Thornhill
FXU President Community and Welfare
These Priorities Have Been Developed Following Research From:
Advisers casework
AGM
UGM
officers
Notes to the Priorities We see this as a ‘start-point‘ to improving the journey and life of students who are studying at Penryn, Falmouth and Truro. We have tried to minimise references to a specific institution or partners as this is an holistic view of the priorities as opportunities for everyone. Some problems may already have begun to be tackled and the real problem may lie in a lack of communication back to students. The aim is to raise these issues and start discussing how we can address them. Ultimately, we rely on the support of Falmouth, Exeter, Falmouth Exeter Plus and other partners to support these and want to facilitate change.
1. Better Academic Practice 2. Financial Transparency 3. Welfare 4. Facilities 5. My Vote Matters - General Election 2015 6. Widening Participation 7. Falmouth & Truro Campus 8. FXUnity 9. Sports and Recreation 10. Employability
11
Better Academic Practice “More contact hours and improved feedback would improve the quality of the degree.� Both universities to sign the FXU Academic Pledge. This includes feedback, assessments, contact time, students as co-creators and course reps.
22
Financial Transparency “Hidden course costs can truly affect someone’s degree if they don’t have the money to fund it themselves.” Both universities, FX Plus and FXU to publish financial breakdowns by January 2015. This is to include hidden and additional course costs.
33 Welfare
“A greater consideration for student welfare as a whole.” • Mental Health First Aid Training to be provided for all personal tutors in both universities. • Assurance that Student Support Services funding will grow in line with the student body. • Increased support for Study Abroad students.
44
Facilities “I feel the uni needs to accommodate enough facilities and tutor time for the amount of students admitted, as my course has let in more and more people each year and there’s not enough space, facilities or tutors for us all.”
• Universities and FX Plus to publish an estates strategy by April 2015, outlining how university space and resources will accommodate the growing number of students. • Universities and FX Plus to publish an accommodation strategy by April 2015, taking into account student growth and introducing creative pricing options. • Universities and FX Plus to identify ways of showcasing student work across the campuses.
55
My Vote Matters General Election 2015
“I believe it is so important for the university to support FXU’s campaign to ensure that more young people get engaged in politics, particularly in the run up to the General Election.”
Both universities and FX Plus to support the FXU General Election Campaign, which includes getting a polling station on campus, hustings and other events. We aim to bring about the biggest turnout of students for the election in May that’s ever been seen in Cornwall.
66
Widening Participation “As an international student, I feel like the university should help me out more in terms of settling in. More organized activities for international students would be nice.”
• Establish a Mature Student Network. • Lobby the University of Exeter to cap progressive fees over the duration of an International Student’s course. • Set up a Post-Graduate Working Group for both universities.
77
Falmouth & Truro Campuses “More events at Woodlane Campus, for those of us that live in town it would be nice.” • Bigger presence at the Falmouth Campus (Woodlane) and the Truro Campus (Treliske). • More activities at the Falmouth Campus (Woodlane).
88 FXUnity
“I feel we aren’t close as a campus community, I know there’s supposed to be no divide between universities but I feel a difference.”
• Develop university partnerships through financial investment from all parties into the ten-year celebrations. • Additional support from FXU for cross-collaboration between our university communities.
99
Sports and Recreation “Have better sports facilities, particularly owning its own sports fields!” • Development of sports centre and scope for future projects e.g. 3G Pitch. • Both universities to work together for music support and funding.
10 10 Employability
“Students would like to see more employability opportunities, specifically around improving business links, networking and course related careers fairs.” • Creative Skills Exchange to be set up. • Discipline based employability embedded in the curriculum. • Industry careers advice for both universities.
What Do You Want To Improve? Please tell us your thoughts on what you think Falmouth, Exeter and FX Plus need to change...
*please leave this form in the Priorities Box in the FXU, thank you.
Falmouth & Exeter Student’s Union PENRYN UNIVERSITY CAMPUS FALMOUTH UNIVERSITY CAMPUS Penryn Falmouth Cornwall Cornwall TR10 9FE TR11 4RG 01326 255861 01326 213742
Designed by Alec Hughes