Student Academic Representative Handbook by Harriet Airey

REPRESENT. +

Student Academic Representative Handbook 1

Welcome. Roles and Responsibilities. Common Issues. A Guide to Committee Meetings. Jargon Buster. The Student Academic Representative and Committee Structure. Support and Contacts. Appendix 1 – Students’ Union Advice Information. Appendix 2 – Quality Enhancement Unit Information for Reps. Appendix 3 – Additional Sources of Support – Signposting and Referrals.

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Welcome Congratulations! The very fact that you are reading this sentence means that you have been elected as the Student Academic Representative for your course at the University of Cumbria. The importance of representing the Student Voice within the University cannot be stressed enough; staff want to hear constructive feedback, the University needs to hear what students are feeling, the Students’ Union has to respond to current student views, and as a learner you deserve to be listened to. Your position places you perfectly to provide useful, relevant and timely feedback which can shape both your own education and that of future students. As soon as you were elected you became both a vital link between the students on your course and the staff who run it, and between the students you represent and us at the Students’ Union. Alongside that, becoming a Student Academic Rep will gain you many transferable skills that will be invaluable both during your time at University and following it, including debating skills, communication and, obviously representation. All of your efforts and hard work throughout the year will be rewarded with certification at the end of the year, and ultimately the entire experience looks great on your C.V.! This handbook will explain what a Student Academic Rep is, what you may have to do, who you will be working with, and how the Students’ Union can help with any problems or issues that you may have to deal with. Remember that you can always come to the union office at any time; whether it’s to ask a question, get some advice, to let us know what is going on, or just for a brew and a chat, you’ll always be welcome!

Message from the Vice President for Higher Education NUS It is a great honour for me to be included in the course rep hand book for many reasons. In the slightly changed words of John F. Kennedy (35th

President of the United States of America), I pose the rhetorical question:

“

Ask not what your Education can do for you - ask what you can do for your Education.

”

So in other words, what can you do to improve your education and the years you spend at university, as well as the lives of so many others? You guessed it… by being a course rep :) I remember a Course Rep when I first started my course in my first year. He put his hand up to be one when the lecturer asked who was interested (naturally his friends pushed him to as a joke, but he did it). Not realising what he got himself in to, he started to attend meetings, speak to people on his course and let the staff know about problems that was affecting them. Not just his own problems, but concerns from people on his course whether that was issues to do with the timetable, to issues around the course content and even tensions between the final years and the first years. From the above, changes were made on the course and fun/ cultural events were organised to sort out the tensions including a football match (which we, as in the first years, won whoop). This course rep then continued to represent students by getting elected in to the students’ Union as the President and is now writing this introduction as your Vice President Higher Education for the National Union of Students (NUS) and proud that we are recognising the huge impact you make on the lives of our students. At the very least, reps provide a mechanism by which the students’ voices can be heard. More than that, though, student representatives can transform the learning experience through providing critical and constructive feedback on the design and delivery of courses and so much more. 5

I would like to encourage every student to consider standing to be a rep, to vote in elections and to engage with their representatives: by being involved you can only make it better. Both the NUS and your students’ union are here to help and support you - you’re not alone and, working together, we can achieve more than we can apart. One of the best things I ever did was become a course rep. it developed me with skills that I use daily today and it’s with those skills I stand here representing you. I look forward and wish you all the luck to you starting your journey of representing the students on your course and making education better for everyone. To end, I pose the question that I started with ‘ask what you can do for your Education’ … now go and do it! In unity, Usman Ali

Message from the Vice Chancellor I welcome each of you at the outset of this exciting year. With many changes and developments at the University, and at a time where there are increasing numbers of students within higher education, your new role as a Student Academic Representative is even more fundamental than in previous years.

As Vice Chancellor at the University of Cumbria the quality of the student experience is of the utmost importance to me. The University consistently aims to be pro-active in ensuring that this experience is both worthwhile and valuable whilst remaining responsive to the constantly changing academic landscape. Your role and contribution as a Student Academic Representative is therefore vital to the University’s ongoing success and growth as an academic provider. Not only can you make a real difference to your own university experience and that of your peers, you can also help us to capture the authentic student voice and enable us to respond in an effective and timely fashion. I wish you every success in fulfilling this critical role and thank you for your involvement and forthcoming contribution to the life of our University community. Graham Upton

Message from the Academic Sabbatical Officer Welcome and congratulations on becoming a Student Academic Representative! You are now in a unique position to be able to represent your fellow students to change, and hopefully improve, your academic experience for the better at the University of Cumbria. The Student Academic Representation system should enable you to not only develop valuable skills but will also be a worthwhile experience. Only through working with the University on your programme needs and highlighting any issues to the Students’ Union can this have a positive impact on your degree. Best of luck for the year ahead and I will look forward to working with you all over the coming year. Lorri Millar

Roles & Responsibilities

What is the purpose of a Student Academic Rep? To represent the views of students on your course with the aim of improving the quality of learning and teaching at the University of Cumbria. We want you to view your role as a Student Academic Rep in a positive way; all too often the role is seen as merely passing student grumbles and gripes onto staff, but being a SAR is about much more than that. The joint efforts of student reps and staff are enormously beneficial and rewarding for the individuals involved, and the input of so many people into improving the academic life of Cumbria genuinely helps to improve the quality of both your own, and others, education.

Duties of a Student Academic Rep: • To collect the views of students on matters relating to their learning experience. • To be available to fellow students who have issues that they want you to raise on their behalf. • To attend Programme Quality Committee meetings and put the views of your fellow students to academic staff. • To attend optional training and work-shops. • To keep the Students’ Union informed of course issues by sending copies of minutes of any meetings you have been involved in. • To be able to refer students with personal problems to the available resources such as the Students’ Union Advisors and University Counselling Service etc.

Acquired Skills: • • • • • •

Communication Active listening skills Organisation and effective time management Problem-solving Negotiation techniques Contributing to meetings and working as part of a team

Benefits: • Help the University make improvements to your 9

programme for the benefit of current and future students. • Be a vital link between the Students’ Union and the University’s committee structure. • Get to meet loads of people and make new friends. • You will receive certification from the Student Union, assuming that you have actively been a Rep • Develop your transferable skills and increase your employability. • Develop a wider understanding of the role of representatives in improving standards and driving positive change.

Responsibilities: Programme Leader • To ensure that student representation is obtained for their programme of study. • To ensure that SARs are nominated by the student cohort to represent the views of the whole cohort. • To ensure that no SAR or student which they are representing will be disadvantaged in the execution of the student representation system. • To provide support and guidance for SARs in the execution of their duties in the role. • To provide information on the SAR system and administer the election of SARs for their programme of study.

University • To ensure that a student representative system which is open to the whole student demographic of the institution is available and run effectively within schools and supported by the Students’ Union.

Students’ Union • To provide training and support for Student Academic Representatives. • To be a point of contact for SARs and liaise with course and central service staff where necessary. • To maintain the SAR database for programme representatives.

Common Issues 11

The key to deciding whether to raise issues at a committee meeting or not can be helped by the following consideration: Is it a programme issue that is affecting the quality of the teaching & learning experience? If yes, then raise it at committee (if the meeting is not too far away!) Is it a broader issue that affects the quality of the general student experience, but canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be tied specifically to a programme of study? If this is a yes, then you need to deal with the issue outside of the formal committees that you attend as a rep. The issues that you and your classmates will probably want to raise at Program Quality committee meetings will most likely fall under the headings below, so as you receive comments from students, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s worth considering them in the broader context, like the examples below:

Curriculum Are the learning outcomes being met? Does module content encourage the development of knowledge and skills? How relevant is the programme to future study and employment?

Learning and Teaching Should there be more/less lectures, lab sessions or tutorials? What teaching methods would you find most useful? What is the standard of the handouts given?

Learning Resources Are there any hidden programme costs, eg. books/field trips/ specialist equipment? What is the standard of disability access to lecture theatres/ seminar rooms? Are there sufficient books in the library for the number of

people on the module/programme? Is access to the computer facilities adequate? How useful is the personal tutor scheme? Do tutors make themselves available? Are they approachable?

Assessment Is information given on plagiarism? How useful is it? What feedback do you receive? Is it prompt and effective? Do you have enough time to implement comments in your last essay before the next one is due in?

Student Progression How many of each degree classification are awarded each year? How many students drop out of the programme? How many students fail? How many students go into relevant graduate employment?

Quality and Standards Are programme evaluation forms used? Are the responses acted upon? Do you receive any information about what the School/ Department or programme have done in light of these questionnaires?

Issues to be raised outside of Program Quality committees: Some complaints â&#x20AC;&#x201C; eg. about individual members of staff or other students, about University services and facilities such as accommodation/catering. Issues relating to individual students failing coursework/exams, malpractice, student support sessions etc. Personal issues affecting students outside of their actual course provision. If you feel that you have an issue or a concern that might need to be dealt with outside of the formal committees you 13

attend as a Rep, then please contact Trish Lee or Chloe Merna in the Students Union Advice Service for further help and information.

You can contact them via: Email: trish.lee@cumbria.ac.uk chloe.merna@cumbria.ac.uk Tel: 01524 526576 Or you can drop in to your local Students’ Union and arrange an appointment.

Student Representatives and Volunteer Accreditation Volunteering is a great way to meet new people and make new friends. As Student Representatives you can gain volunteer accreditation for the hours you spend doing Student Representative duties. Visit the Students’ Union website at www.thestudentsunion. org.uk/volunteering and register as a volunteer to gain an hour recording sheet and a UCSU volunteering handbook. The Students’ Union has two members of staff responsible for volunteering: Emma Egglestone who is the Volunteer Support and Development Manager, and Kati Brown who is the Volunteering Facilitator. They are dedicated to organising and facilitating all placements that involve University of Cumbria Students, no matter which campus they may come from.

Emma Egglestone Email: emma.egglestone@cumbria.ac.uk Tel: 01524 526577

A guide to committee meetings 15

Here are just a few helpful tips on how to approach a meeting and some things to be aware of when attending committee meetings.

Before a meeting: Make sure you know who your contact is for your programme. Make sure you know when the meetings are and that you are given the papers well in advance (usually one week). It may be helpful to ask for a copy of the last meeting that took place so you know any action points. The process of Annual Evaluation starts at the end of an academic year, so you will probably be picking up from where a previous Rep has left off. Ask for clarification before the meeting if necessary – eg. the Chair, a tutor who you know will be present or someone from the Students’ Union. Discuss issues on the agenda with your cohort and ask if there is anything they wish you to raise. If there is more than one Rep for the subject, meet up before the meeting to discuss how you will input – you should sound as if you have given thought to the presentation of information and avoid arguing amongst yourselves. Remember that you are representing the views of a group of students, not just your own. There are likely to be different opinions, but they are equally valid. Know the ‘rules’ of the committee – suss out any jargon, what the decision-making powers are, how you can get agenda items listed – try the Administrator for the meeting. Think about what you want to achieve from a meeting – bearing in mind the purpose of the meeting.

During a meeting: Be on time and make sure you give apologies to the administrator if you really cannot attend. Make sure you have all the papers with you and any notes you need for your own input. Remember that you are there by right! You are entitled to contribute! Keep an open mind, be prepared to discuss points, concede

points and press for change where necessary. Take notes so you can feedback to the cohort and the Student’s Union. Don’t interrupt others speaking, and if you are interrupted, politely ask that you are able to finish your point. Don’t get into unreasonable arguments for the sake of it.

After a meeting: Make sure you relay information back to the group you represent. Follow-up on any actions you have committed to. If staff have action points – ask them how they are progressing – obviously giving them a little time to move forwards. Make sure you receive copies of the minutes for attending the next meeting. Reps in previous years have had agreements with course staff to have 10 minutes at the start of a lecture to let students know what is happening (the start is better – more concentration and no-one wanting to dash off!) Some tutors may be happy to give up some space on course boards to Reps.

Progression of actions The programme quality meetings attended by Student Representatives are part of a University wide structure with several formal Committees and Boards. Issues they raise and feedback they provide work their way through the relevant stages either to gather further information/research or to receive approval for action. Almost every Committee or Board that sits has student representation within the membership. You can make a difference at all levels, so don’t be afraid to put the views of the students you represent forward. Committee structure diagrams can be found on pg. 25-27 If there is an issue in your department that is really concerning you or you have concerns about the meetings that you attend then please don’t hesitate to raise the issue with the Students’ Union Representation Facilitator – Dominic Leighton- or a Students’ Union Officer. If you don’t let them know that there is a problem then they can’t help resolve things. 17

Jargon Buster

SAR’s — Student Academic Representative’s Simply, they represent the views of a designated group of students – traditionally those within their teaching group. They are then able to attend university committee meetings to express those views, with the aim of improving the quality of teaching and the quality of student experience, for themselves, their peers, and future students.

UB — University Board This is the highest decision making board in the university. The students’ union representation sabbatical sits on this board along with the Vice Chancellors and senior management.

AB — Academic Board Academic board makes decisions in connection with your academic provision. The Representation sabbatical and the Academic Sabbatical sit on this board and put forward the views of the student body to the academic heads of departments and senior members of university staff.

LTQEC — Learning, Teaching, Quality Enhancement committee

The Learning, Teaching and Quality Enhancement Committee is responsible to Academic Board for strategies, policies and processes for assuring, maintaining and enhancing the standards for the University’s taught academic programmes that lead to awards or credits of the University; and enhancing the quality of all aspects of the students’ experience including, learning, teaching and assessment.

Faculty The basic administrative departments of the University for teaching purposes, all programmes of study belong to one of the three Faculties which are the Faculty of Arts, Business and Science; the Faculty of Education; the Faculty of Health. 19

FLTQEC — Faculty Learning, Teaching, Quality Enhancement Committee

The Faculty Learning, Teaching and Quality Enhancement Committee has responsibility at Faculty level for assuring, maintaining and enhancing the standards for the University’s taught academic programmes that lead to awards or credits of the University; and enhancing the quality of all aspects of the students’ experience including, learning, teaching and assessment.

Quality Groups Groupings of courses (or programmes) that have similar or complimentary themes or topics, what used to be called ‘Schools’. Quality Groups are usually (but not always) contained within one Faculty.

Programme Quality Committees These will be programme/course meetings which should provide a forum for debate and decision regarding issues relating to the student experience in that programme and inform discussion of the ongoing evaluation of the programme,

LISS — Learning, Information Student Services Learning, Information and Students Services is an integrated service providing a one stop shop for student services, library, media and IT support. They provide materials, equipment, student advice, skills training and study space to support the learning, research and teaching carried out in the University of Cumbria.

C-DEPP— Centre for the Development and Enhancement of Professional Practice

The Centre for Development & Enhancement of Professional Practice responds to the needs of the University in relation to securing effective development of people, programmes, policies and educational technology. They encourage transforma-

tions in learning and teaching practice, focusing on flexible and distributed learning and the design of programmes for flexible delivery. CDEPP is responsible for the continuing professional development of all University staff.

QAA — Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education The primary responsibility for academic standards and quality in UK higher education rests with individual universities and colleges. QAA is a non-governmental national authority who checks how well universities meet their responsibilities, identifying good practice and making recommendations for improvement. They also publish guidelines to help institutions develop effective systems to ensure students have high quality experiences.

AER’s — Annual Evaluatory Reports The Annual Evaluatory Review (AER) is designed to be a rolling review mechanism reflecting on practice and considering actions agreed in the previous year. It’s essentially an opportunity to check the ‘health’ of a course and to make adjustments or seek further support where necessary, and to celebrate those areas which work well.

V.C — Vice Chancellor The person with the ultimate executive responsibility for the organisation, direction and management of the University.

Studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Union structures

Trustee Board The Trustee Board has ultimate oversight of all of the groups that make up the Studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Union and under Charity Law forms the highest legal authority within the Union and should contain a balance of elected and selected members. Charity Commission guidance suggests that at least 50% of the trustees are unpaid (i.e. not Sabbaticals). Trustee Board would retain its statutory powers to overturn the decisions of any and all groups within the Union based on financial viability or legal compliance.

General Meeting The General Meeting takes the place of the Union Council. They would be constitutionally required to occur twice a term and be open meetings held via video conference. Any full member of the Studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Union could attend and vote, as the voting mechanism of the General Meeting would in effect be a Referendum. The General Meeting would have the powers of the current Council, AGM and Referenda rolled into one, and like any of these mechanisms would allow either for complex policy to be presented through the hierarchical route (i.e. by a ratified member of a Group, Assembly or by a whole-Union elected representative) or for a student-sponsored single issue for/ against question with sufficient signatories to be placed on the agenda.

Academic Assembly Assemblies are scaled up whole-Union versions of the local Groups. They take issues which have been raised at a campus level and identified as having potential cross-campus implications within the academic remit and debate them from the global perspective. Assemblies will be open meetings held via video conference, with the chairs of the local groups being expected to attend and each Assembly would be chaired by a Sabbatical. Issues which do not require significant policy or expenditure could be resolved at this level. 23

Academic Group This is the elected Faculty Representative and Student Academic Representative liaison group, although it is again an open meeting so all students may attend. Issues surrounding learning and teaching, assessment and feedback or any other academic quality issues are raised here. This group works under and feeds into the Academic Sabbatical.

Campus Collectives This group would be mandated to have at least two termly open meetings to allow those students who prefer to attend physical meetings of a general nature the chance to do so. Like a mini-campus specific version of the General Meeting there would be a responsibility to report on the Unions’ activities of late and provide a route of accountability at a local level, as well as providing a forum for issues to be raised and debates to take place.

SUEI — Students’ Union Evaluation Initiative This is a quality assessment model that assists in improving the services and activities delivered to members of Students’ Unions by indicating areas for continuous improvement. Students’ Unions are assessed and given guidance on how to improve for the benefit of their members.

NUS — National Union of Students This is the national body of Students’ Unions who campaign and work on a national level for the rights of Students.

NSS— National Student Survey The National Student Survey is a national initiative, conducted annually since 2005. The survey runs across all publicly funded Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in England, Wales, Northern Ireland, and participating Higher Education Institutions in Scotland. Additionally, since 2008, Further Education Colleges (FECs) with directly funded higher edu-

cation students in England have been eligible to participate. The survey asks final year undergraduates and students in their final year of a course leading to undergraduate credits or qualifications to provide feedback on their courses in a nationally recognised format. The results are made available to participating universities, colleges and studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; unions to use to facilitate best practice and to enhance the student learning experience.

Support & contacts

It should be noted that this is information guide is a generic overview which aims to reflect the aspects of the process that all Representatives should experience. It is likely that you will experience some slight differences in the way the process is applied from other Representatives but that essentially you all have the same purpose and role to play. If at this point in the year you feel that you or the students in your group are already experiencing problems or have an issue you that you feel needs resolving which cannot be addressed within your capacity as a Representative then you can speak to the Students’ Union any time. They will advise you of the options available. Your first point of call at the Students’ Union should be Danny Prescott the UCSU Representation Facilitator:

Danny Prescott Tel: 01524 526575 Email: daniel.prescott@cumbria.ac.uk You may be referred to Trish Lee or Chloe Merna, the Students’ Union Advice Service staff members:

Trish Lee Tel: 01524 526576 Email: trish.lee@cumbria.ac.uk MSN: adviceservice@hotmail.co.uk Myspace: www.myspace.com/adviceservice Chloe Merna Tel: 01228 616272 Email: chloe.merna@cumbria.ac.uk Or, if you wish to contact Academic Quality & Standards Service:

Tel: 01524 384234 Email: Jessica.robinson@cumbria.ac.uk

Appendix 1 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Student Union Advice Information About the Advice Service. Academic Appeals. Bullying and Harassment. Progress Review Procedures. Malpractice Procedures. Extenuating Circumstances. Student Complaints Procedure. Student Code of Conduct.

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About the Advice Service

The Students’ Union Advice Service has two full-time Advice Staff members – Trish Lee and Chloe Merna. Trish and Chloe give free and independent advice about anything that you might need including: • Dealing with University academic and disciplinary matters • Housing and accommodation • Personal issues, concerns and worries Trish and Chloe are available to give support and advice on any issue or can simply provide a friendly listening ear. The UCSU Advice Service is confidential and completely impartial and independent from the University. UCSU Advice Service also conducts research and supports Students’ Union campaigns.

Contacting UCSU Advice Service Tel: 01524 52656 Email: suadvice@cumbria.ac.uk Web: www.thestudentsunionorg.uk/advice

Academic Appeals The University has an academic appeals procedure which students can use, if they have grounds, to appeal a University academic decision. This information booklet aims to explain how you might go about making an appeal and how the process works.

What can I appeal and how can I do it? An academic appeal can only be submitted once you have received formal notification of results (this will be sent to you after your marks have gone through Module Assessment Boards (MABs) or University Assessment Boards (UABs), and are usually given back to you either on returned assignment coversheets, official University letters or your transcript). Even though you might already have been told informally that you have failed, or that a decision has been made about your assessment that you’re not happy with, you will still have to wait until you have formally been told about that decision – although you can still contact the Students’ Union at this time and we can help you prepare your Appeal. Once you have been formally given your results then you must submit your appeal to the University within 10 working days. In theory, students cannot usually use the procedure to appeal against a pass mark, only a confirmed fail. However, if you feel that there were circumstances that affected you at a particular point of passed assessment, then you could still choose to submit an appeal – it might be wise to contact the Students’ Union Adviser if you are thinking this is something you might like to explore.

Grounds for appeal The procedure states that students must have relevant ‘grounds’ for Appeal and they may wish to include a sentence or two explaining why they did not make this information known to the Progression/Assessment Board earlier. Alternatively, they may want to submit the appeal as a way of confirming whether or not the Board had all the information to hand. Students should try to avoid making an appeal sound like a complaint as complaints cannot be resolved under this procedure. Sometimes, there is an element of complaint, especially if it relates to procedures not being carried out as they should. In these cases, the student does again need to say why they have not been able to raise this under the relevant procedures. It usually happens in relation to placements, especially those 33

at the end of an academic year when a complaint could not be resolved by the time an appeal has to be lodged. Even if the appeal is in the students’ favour, a fail mark cannot usually be ‘overturned’ and made into a ‘pass’. They can usually only endorse a ‘first attempt’ and often can only allow a reassessment opportunity. If a student has already been offered a reassessment opportunity s/he may not wish to pursue an academic appeal as the outcome is potentially going to be the same. However, if the student feels they have been wronged or disadvantaged in some way, the appeal could be used to request an alternative, such as a first attempt submission, rather than a reassessment. This can be useful as it means the mark won’t be capped at the pass mark and could mean the difference in degree classification at a later stage.

There are four grounds ‘allowing’ students to make an academic appeal: where failure following reassessment means that a student may be required to leave the University without an award, or where a student is granted external reassessment resulting in temporary exclusion from the University [this ground cannot be used on its own – and has to be partnered with one or more of the following grounds];

where there has been, or could have been, material administrative error or procedural irregularity which has affected the students’ results — this could be: a. A student not being informed of an assessment deadline. b. Placement assessments not being carried out in line with regulations e.g. absolutely no indication of cause for concern or failure of placement until the very last observation/ assessment. It is essential that students attach evidence to support this ground eg photocopy page from University booklets/programme booklets;

where significant new evidence concerning extenuating or mitigating circumstances which for good reason had not been available to the Board of Examiners

(e.g. a medical condition which had not been diagnosed at the time of the Board has been produced) This can relate to circumstances outside of the students’ control which they feel affected their ability to perform in any assessment. However, the student should bear in mind that there is often some time between submitting / taking part in an assessment and the Exam or Progression Board and there could be questions as to why information was not presented earlier. The Student and Management Information Service (SMIS) has a formal process in place ‘Claim for consideration of extenuating circumstances’ – which lets students make concerns known within 5 working days of the end of the module that an individual assessment sits in. As with an academic appeal, they should include evidence where possible, and as much detail as they feel able – even in difficult and personal circumstances. We also suggest they inform their PAT and even the module leader or equivalent. These staff may then be in a position to support the student at the relevant Board, making reference to the information which the Chair may then be able to take into consideration when confirming marks and approving reassessment opportunities. Sometimes a student may not have realised that an event or incident had a negative affect on them at the time. They should explain this as fully as possible in their appeal if using the extenuating circumstances ground. Examples of this may be a death in the family (this may require a death certificate) or personal circumstances;

where unfair treatment or discrimination is alleged as part of the assessment process which for good reason had not been considered previously under the University Complaints Procedure This is often quite difficult to put through an appeal as again, 35

it states that, there must be good reason why it has not been put through the appropriate procedures at the time. Some students are reluctant to make a complaint under these procedures as they believe that the situation will get worse. If a student uses this aspect as the grounds for their appeal, they should explain why they did not initiate a formal complaint at an earlier stage.

Writing a Statement / Letter There is not set way to present an appeal, but the following should be taken into consideration: - It needs to be written in a formal tone. - We usually advise students to write the main body of their appeal in a letter but students must attach the ‘Formal Notification of Academic Appeal’ form provided by the Student and Management Information Service (SMIS), or which you can obtain from the Students’ Union. Evidence must be attached wherever possible to support the reasons for the appeal. - It must be submitted within 10 working days of the date of notification of results Although the Union can provide advice and guidance, the student needs to look at the circumstances and try and identify relevant evidence. The Students’ Union can prompt the student using the information above – in some cases students do not make the connection between what they see as the situation and regulations/extenuating circumstances.

Hints & Tips for students making an appeal Start with a note of the situation, then look to see if it ‘matches’ with any of the grounds. Try to incorporate vocabulary from the relevant grounds. For example: ‘I wish to make an academic appeal on the grounds that I believe I have mitigating circumstances which affected my ability to perform’ Set out a full and factual account of the circumstances in question. Be logical and concise but include everything of

relevance – if any doubts about whether to include it or not – put it in as long as it is supportive. The Dean can determine whether it meets requirements – it helps to assume that the reader knows nothing about the student or the programme of study. Make reference to, and attach evidence wherever possible. Take each point in turn and think about anything that can be attached or referred to that supports it. Re ‘remedy’ i.e. what would the student like to see happen if the appeal is successful? This can be quite tricky, the Chair of the Appeals Panel cannot normally overturn a fail and can often only offer further assessment opportunities to demonstrate that a student does have the ability. Outcomes must be realistic – such as a first attempt assessment, a reassessment, or further time in placement.

Formal Notification of Academic Appeal Form This must be sent with any written information you provide to: Secretary of the Appeals Panel, Student Management & Information Services (SMIS), The University of Cumbria, Lancaster, LA1 3JD within 10 working days of the date of results notification.

Completing the form: There are five sections plus personal details, which must be filled in: 1. The decision of the Assessment Board against which I wish to appeal is: Insert here the module, or individual piece(s) of work you are concerned with. You should copy details like module number and assessment title directly from the results notice. 2. I wish to appeal on the following grounds: Insert here words from the most relevant ground. Eg. 1.3.1 (ii) material error or procedural irregularity. 37

3. I wish to seek the following remedy: E.g. That the above exam/assessment/placement is endorsed as a deferral and that I am able to undertake this as a first attempt. The remedy is often the most difficult part – what can the student ask for!? It has to be realistic and it needs to relate to the failed piece(s) – the above example is a much-used remedy! Students need to remember that a fail can’t be overturned – at best a first attempt assessment, often a reassessment are the outcomes of a successful appeal. 4. Detailed factual statement of the circumstances in support of my appeal (continue on a separate sheet if necessary). Insert here “Please see attached statement of circumstances” if you have indeed written a separate statement. Most students do need more space than given on the form and choose to attach the complete statement as a separate word-processed document. 5. List of documentation attached in support of an appeal (eg. letters, medical notes, cover sheets etc...). This is quite straightforward – make a list of every document you are sending with this form. Some students number each document for clarity. The student must remember to sign the Notification Form

What happens next? The Dean of Faculty considers the information provided, checking that there are valid grounds and that there is relevant evidence to support the case. The Dean may feel that there are grounds and sufficient evidence to allow the appeal to go in the students’ favour. The outcome the student requested may be applied, but this will have to comply with regulations. If the Dean doesn’t believe there are grounds, it is passed to a second Dean to look at with fresh eyes. These Deans could

both reject the appeal. It is also possible that the Dean believes that there are grounds, but there isn’t enough evidence to fully investigate and decide on an appropriate outcome. In this case, an Appeals Panel can be called and the student would be invited along.

Bullying and Harassment Procedures If you feel that you are being bullied or harassed in any way then please don’t hesitate to come and speak to us as the Students’ Union. The University has a policy on Bullying and Harassment which all registered students are able to use if they feel that they are experiencing bullying or harassment by any other individual within the University including Students or Staff. The Students’ Union Advice Service can help you with the procedure and we can also offer you a confidential space to talk about your situation with someone who will not make any judgements or take any action that you are not completely happy with. If a student feels that bullying and/or harassment has occurred on a placement involving placement staff, or their clients, a student needs to follow the relevant procedures and policies of that host institution or organisation. Please get in touch with the Students’ Union Adviser for more information on this – alternatively if you are a member of a teaching Union then they may also be able to help. 39

What might bullying and harassment include? Harassment can be defined as ‘any act or conduct which is unwanted and offensive, hostile, malicious, threatening, demeaning or is considered conduct which could violate another’s dignity causing the recipient to feel humiliated, embarrassed, alarmed, distressed, tormented, excluded or withdrawn. Incitement to commit any of the above could also constitute harassment’. Bullying could be defined as ‘the persistent, offensive, abusive, intimidating, malicious or insulting behaviour that undermines the confidence and capabilities of an individual’.

Bullying and harassment could include: • Threats, written, verbal (by face or telephone) or electronic. • Behaviour that causes distress to a victim e.g. silent phone calls, the giving of unwanted or inappropriate gifts. • Verbal and/or written abuse, innuendoes or insults. • Damaging a victim’s property. • Display of offensive material (posters, signs, graffiti, flags etc). • Using offensive language or obscene gestures. • Use of physical violence. • Invasion of personal space, recognising that the definition of personal space can differ with different cultures. • Unwarranted or invalid criticism. • Setting unrealistic or unfair goals, which the bully knows are unreasonable and/or unachievable. • Constant undervaluing of the recipient’s contribution. • Belittling, demeaning, humiliating, or patronising the recipient in front of others. • Blaming the recipient for another’s mistakes. • Constantly reminding the recipient of any failures in the past. • The bully not talking to the recipient; the only communication being in writing. • Treating someone differently from others for no reason. • Excessive supervision making the recipient feel undervalued and inadequate.

Essentially, in considering what may or may not be bullying and/or harassment the University uses the test of ‘reasonableness’ — would a reasonable person in possession of the same information feel that the alleged conduct or behaviour constituted harassment?

What to do if you think you are being bullied or harassed If you feel that you, or someone you know, is being bullied or harassed, then it’s important to take action quickly. You can contact the Students’ Union Advice staff member, Trish Lee, using the contact details provided above and she can talk your situation through with you and discuss some of the options available. Any discussion will be confidential and you won’t be placed under any pressure to take any further action that you’re not comfortable with.

Progress Review Procedures The main aim of the Progress Review Procedures is to assist you in achieving your academic goals. Every now and again, students find themselves in a position, occasionally out of their control, that might affect their ability to progress on their programme of study. This might range from a medium to long term health concern, something happening in your personal life that is taking up your time, energy and focus. 41

It could also be related to academic skills – many of our students are either returning to study after a number of years doing other things (working, having a family etc) or are new to studying in Further or Higher Education and need to boost their skills to do well in assessments. Students might be asked to attend a progress review meeting by a Tutor. Progress reviews are not a disciplinary meeting. The purpose of the session is to enable a two way discussion to take place between a tutor and a student to explore ways of helping a student to move forward and progress on their programme. Whilst it is not a disciplinary, it is important to understand that a student is required to attend a progress review meeting if they have been requested to do so. A progress review session can be initiated by a student or tutor filling in a ‘Progress Review Request Form’ if they have any concerns about progression. A student may initiate a meeting if they have concerns about meeting assessment deadlines, attending an exam, or feel they need academic or study skills support etc. A tutor may initiate a meeting if a student shows a negative change in their performance, has a number of absences, or provisionally fails a placement etc.

Who attends the Progress Review? While a progress review is usually only attended by the tutor and student, the Programme Leader, or Quality Group Leader, may also be there to advise and offer suggestions. If you feel you would like some extra support, you are able to take a friend or a member of the Students’ Union with you.

Malpractice Procedures

The University of Cumbria has a formal procedure to deal with any allegations of academic malpractice. It is one of the most formal and potentially serious procedures the University has and in cases of extreme cheating it can lead to a student being deregistered. Students are usually asked to attend malpractice hearings when the University suspects that some form of academic malpractice has occurred. The usual process for getting to this stage involves some suspicion of malpractice when a tutor is marking an assessment or if it is an assignment then possible malpractice may have been suspected as a result of scanning it through ‘Turnitin’. Turnitin is an electronic programme that scans in assignments and then searches a huge variety of sources to detect plagiarism.

What is malpractice? In brief, malpractice can involve the following categories: • Cheating in exams. • Plagiarism. • Collusion in coursework (working with someone else). • Fabrication and falsification. • Impersonation. • Breaching anonymity requirements as prescribed by your course. Most malpractice cases involve plagiarism and in most cases malpractice has occurred but is not always intentional.

What happens if you are suspected of Malpractice? The Students’ Union strongly recommends that students look at the Student Regulations as the policy is clearly set out in terms of process and sanctions. In addition to this, contact the Students’ Union Student Adviser (details above) and they will be able to talk you through the process and can also attend the meeting with you if you would like.

What happens at the hearing? At the hearing there will be a panel made up of 3 academic 43

University staff members, and will normally be chaired by a Quality Group Leader. These panel members will usually be listed in the letter that the student receives about their hearing. The hearing usually starts with the Chair introducing the panel and explaining the purpose of the meeting. Students should receive a form with their notification of a hearing. If the student hasn’t already posted in the form mentioned in point 2 above, then they’ll be asked to hand the form to the Chair or Secretary at the hearing. The Chair will note their response and ask if the student would like to make a statement about how they feel malpractice has occurred. Then the Panel will ask any relevant questions that they may have about the work in question. Then the student is usually asked to leave and wait outside the hearing while the Panel discusses whether malpractice has occurred and which outcomes/sanctions might be appropriate. The student is then normally asked to return and is informed of the recommended outcome. We recommend that students write down their statement beforehand so that the student is clear about what they want to say, and don’t forget to mention any key points.

Type of questions a student may be asked at a malpractice hearing: • What do you understand plagiarism to be? • What does your Programme Handbook / Student Hand book say about plagiarism – have you read it, if not why not? • If you are expected to ensure confidentiality by making certain data and information anonymous, then what guidance are you given about how to do this? • Is any information provided in lectures/seminars about avoiding plagiarism? • What have you done since finding out about this Hearing – who have you talked to / asked for help/explanations? • How did you put the piece of work together? • Did you get any written/oral guidelines in putting it together? • What source material did you use – where did you get it from? • How did you use the source material?

• Did you photocopy from books – did you highlight text? • How did you transfer these ‘notes’ to your actual assignment? • Did you paraphrase the source material? • Did you re-write it in your own words? • Did you get information from the Internet? • Did you copy and paste text from the internet to a word document, did you print the page? • Then what did you do with the text – was it inserted into the assignment, did you treat it as notes? • What do you understand about referencing / bibliographies? • What referencing systems are you required to use in your department? (E.g. Harvard referencing – would be the normal unless told otherwise by department). This is normally stated in the Programme/Student Handbook. The Panel makes a recommendation to the Module Asessment Board about which penalty might be appropriate. Then the Module Assessment Board makes a final decision based on the Panel’s recommendation which can be exactly the same as the penalty recommended or can be more lenient. The student should provide as much information as is pertinent to the case at the Hearing. After the hearing a student can also write a letter of mitigation to the Chair of the Assessment Board stating their case.

Potential Outcomes: All potential outcomes are listed in the regulations, but potential outcomes may include: • The particular piece of assessment in question being award ed a fail mark with only one opportunity of reassessment • The Panel may decide that malpractice has not occurred

In very serious cases the following may occur: • The student may be awarded a classification lower than the one derived from the marks profile. • The student may be awarded no more than a pass degree. • The student may be permanently excluded from the University. 45

There is no automatic right of reassessment if a student is failed on the basis of malpractice. If you are a student on a professional programme such as Nursing, then there may be an impact on your perceived fitness to practice if you are found to have intentionally tried to pass off other source material as your own work. This information leaflet only gives a very general overview of a process that can seem a very daunting one, especially for a student called to a hearing. If you are called to a Malpractice Hearing then the Studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Union would recommend that you get in touch with our Student Adviser asap and they will talk to you about any concerns you have beforehand, help you write your statement and give you an idea of the type of questions the Panel may ask and which of the potential outcomes you could be faced with.

Extenuating Circumstances What are Extenuating Circumstances? Assessment Regulations state that all modules must be passed in order for a student to progress on their programme. These same Regulations also allow a significant number of reassessment opportunities for most programmes, although there are some which differ, to give students the best chance of achieving.

What if things do go wrong? There are a number of different things that may affect the outcomes of any assessment undertaken by a student. Some of these may be outside of that studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; control. There are some steps that students can take ahead of the Boards which confirm marks.

Submitting Extenuating Circumstances It is really important that if a student does think that their assessment performance has been affected in any way that they let someone know. We always advise students to contact their Personal Academic Tutor to explain their circumstances and possibly arrange a progress review meeting. Additionally, it may be appropriate for a student to collect a â&#x20AC;&#x153;Claim for Consideration of Extenuating Circumstances in Assessmentâ&#x20AC;? form from Student & Management Information Services (SMIS). This is a straightforward form where students should state the assessment(s) affected and the circumstances involved. It also requires students to attach any relevant evidence to support the circumstances described, such as a medical note or a statement from someone official who can verify their information. Extenuating Circumstances forms need to be submitted to SMIS within 5 working days of the last assessment for the module. It would be impossible to cover every eventuality on one Fact Sheet, so if you are worried about failing any assessed work, or if a fail has already been confirmed and you would like some advice, please contact the Studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Union Advice Service (contact details at the end of handbook).

Student Complaints Procedure The Procedure The University has a Student Complaints Procedure which all registered students are able to use if they have a complaint 47

about educational provision and related services. The University website sets out a comprehensive outline of the policy and procedure and the following can be read in conjunction with this, or of course before calling into the Students’ Union office and speaking to someone from the Advice Service. There are two main parts to the procedure – Informal and Formal – and students should decide which of these options should be applied. Informal Complaints are recommended wherever possible and relevant as it means issues can often be resolved very quickly to everyone’s satisfaction. This might include arranging to have a chat with a relevant member of staff or writing a letter outlining the concerns. If the student doesn’t feel satisfied with the outcome then s/he could choose to use the formal part of the Student Complaints Procedure. Formal Complaints can be made at any time by a student. There is a framework for this process which can in some instances be progressed by the student through three different stages. At each stage the following is required: A Student Complaints form can be picked up from the Students’ Union offices, Student Services, Heads of Faculty Administration or Heads of Service. Complete all details of the Complaints Form, clearly marking whether you are making an INFORMAL or FORMAL complaint. Students must write a statement outlining the nature of the complaint, indicate what supporting evidence they are attaching and what they would like to see happen as a result of making the complaint. This must be realistic and reflect the complaint itself. We can give you advice about the redress as it is referred to. The Complaint must be forwarded to the Complaints Officer (refer to the appendix in the complaints booklet), or call in to the Students’ Union and we will forward it on behalf of a student.

Writing a statement The statement should be a factual outline of the incident or event that has taken place and we suggest that students take a logical and chronological approach in ordering it. Students should balance the amount of information well so that enough information is given for the reader to make sense of the complaint whilst keeping it concise. If a complaint gives names, students must be aware that these people will be contacted in the course of any investigation. Even if you do not feel that the situation itself is ‘fair’, the other party must be given the opportunity to respond to the information you have provided.

Processing the Complaint Once the complaint has been submitted, a student should normally receive an acknowledgement within 10 working days of the Complaints Officer receiving it. The Complaints Officer then has a responsibility to check that the complaint is legitimate – or if there is another process more applicable. If the complaint does progress it will be passed on to a relevant Investigating Officer who will be a member of staff within the Service or Faculty. Students may be asked to meet with this member of staff to fully discuss the situation. Staff will aim to complete any investigations within one month and respond in writing as soon as possible. If the Complaints Officer does not feel the complaint should be progressed, s/he will write to the student and explain why. If a student disagrees with the reasons given they could appeal to the Vice Chancellor – if a student receives a letter like this, they can let us know and we’ll talk them through the process.

The Outcome of the Complaint When investigations are complete the student will be contacted in writing to be told of the decisions made and whether all aspects of the complaint have been resolved. If a student is happy with the outcome, they can move on and put it out of their mind! If however, a student is not happy with 49

the response, they can choose to take the complaint to the next stage. We suggest that students should evaluate carefully what it is that they are dissatisfied with. For example, have some points not been acknowledged at all, is that certain information has not been fully taken into consideration or the recommendations don’t match the concerns that were outlined? Students should put together a ‘covering letter’ explaining what they feel still needs to be addressed or re-looked at, and explain the reasons that they feel this way. Students should comment on the impact – this might be a continuation of how they felt originally or circumstances may have changed for the worse. Students really need to relate back to the original concerns. And not forget to state what they would like to see happen should their complaint be successful. When a student is happy with it, the complaint should be passed to the same Complaints Officer as in the earlier stage, who again, will decide if it is appropriate to progress through these procedures. Once internal processes have been used, there is an external option via the Office of the Independent Adjudicator – the Union holds information about this, so come and chat with us if things get to this stage.

The Role of the Students’ Union There are a range of ways we can support you in this process. We can: • Explain the full process to you and guide you through the stages. • Help put together a statement. • Forward your completed complaint to a Complaints Officer and monitor it. • Go with you to a meeting where we could either help to represent you. • Provide support or act as a minute taker. It is important to remember that the complaints procedure is intended to be used to complain about University Services or provision that do not meet the standard or fulfil elements that you feel were promised to you or you are entitled to. If your

complaint is about a member of staff, then please come to speak to us in the Students’ Union as the complaints process may not be the most applicable route as it may become a matter for Human Resources rather than for Complaints. If you have any questions, then please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Student Code of Conduct

The Adjudication Process addresses breaches of the Student Code of Conduct which is a set of standards that students are expected to ‘abide’ by in terms of their personal and professional conduct (including fulfilling programme requirements such as attendance). The intention of the Process is to treat complaints as allegations and have trained Adjudication Officers investigate allegations and decide whether a breach has actually taken place (although it is possible for students to be suspended whilst an allegation is investigated). There are a range of sanctions that can be applied after investigation if it is found that a student has breached the University Code of Conduct. As a policy it is broken up into sections – the policy, the process and the Code of Conduct.

The Student Code of Conduct The Code of Conduct sets out some detailed expectations from students. It includes behaviours and attitudes both on and off campus and is broken up into the following sections: • Behaviour towards students, staff, agents, visitors and guests 51

of the University. • The use of buildings, grounds and equipment. • Acting within the adjudication procedures themselves • University administration (ie. not defrauding University services, breaching confidentiality, payment of monies owed to University etc.) • Acting within other University policies eg. Equal Opportunities etc. A student, member of staff or agent of the University (eg. security staff, placement staff ) can make an allegation against a student using these procedures.

The Policy The Policy documents are available on the University website or you can contact the Students’ Union Student Adviser using the contacts on the back of this leaflet for a copy. It includes information about: • Confidentiality. • What happens if someone makes a false allegation. • The timescales in place to address allegations. • What documentation is required by those involved. • Who the policy applies to. • Sanctions imposed. • Suspension procedures. • Cases which involve the police. • What advice, support, representation and guidance is available to those involved • How the policy is monitored, evaluated and reviewed.

The Adjudication Process Although it is a long document, it may be helpful to have a look online and read it. Some key elements are: • Students often become aware of the policy when they receive a letter from an Adjudication Officer. This will set out what they are alleged to have done, the rules they are alleged to have breached and should include evidence where relevant and details of what will happen next. Although, if you have been suspended your letter may not include detailed information about the exact nature of any potential

breaches and may simply list any codes that you are alleged to have breached. There will either be a request to: • Write back to the Adjudication officer with a response to the allegation by a certain date. • Attend an Adjudication Interview on a certain date. • Attend an Adjudication hearing. Anyone making an allegation has to do this in writing to an Adjudication Officer. They have to include as much information as is relevant and include evidence where there is any. The Adjudication Officer will have checked that this is the correct procedure to apply and is likely to have spoken to the person making the allegation before contacting the student who is alleged to have broken the code of conduct. The Adjudication Officer involved will be relevant to the alleged breach – unless he or she is implicated in the allegation, or is the person making the allegation. It should be remembered that although it is not assumed from the outset that a student has done anything wrong, if they have, it is worth being honest and accepting responsibility as this will be looked on positively by the Officer.

Adjudication by Correspondence Adjudication by correspondence provides a student with the chance to respond to any allegations. The Adjudication Officer will contact the student in writing to inform them about any allegations made against them. Any evidence that supports the allegation(s) should be provided at this stage. The letter will ask the student to respond in writing within a certain time limit by either: • Admitting to any allegations. • Admitting to any allegations and submitting mitigating extenuating circumstances. • Denying any allegations and submitting a supporting statement or evidence. • Requesting an adjudication interview. The Adjudication Officer will then normally look at the student response and either make a decision about an outcome and inform the student in writing, or they may decide that an 53

adjudication may be more appropriate.

Adjudication Interviews The interview will take the form of a discussion about the allegations made and the student’s response to them. By the end the Officer may feel s/he is able to make a decision: • That there has been no breach. • That there has been a breach and discuss an outcome – sanctions are mentioned later. • They may recommend external agencies – medical, counselling, mediation etc... • They may refer to an Adjudication Hearing. The student may be informed of any outcomes and sanctions at the interview or the Officer may wait and inform the student of the outcome within 5 working days of the meeting.

Adjudication Hearings A Hearing can take place either as the outcome of an Interview or if the allegation is considered serious enough. The process is similar to an interview except that there will be a panel made up of three Adjudication Officers who have not been involved at an earlier stage and a representative of the Students’ Union. The Union involvement at the panel is to make sure the policy is followed and although s/he can contribute to deliberations doesn’t form part of the final decision making process. The student may not be informed of the decision at the end of the meeting and will need to wait to receive a letter within 5 working days.

Appealing against an outcome Students can appeal about the decisions made but they do need to have good reasons – speak to the Students’ Union Student Advisor if you are thinking of appealing.

What the sanctions include: Different levels of sanctions can be applied at the different

stages and are more serious at a Hearing. Although more detail can be found in the Appendix, examples include: • Verbal or written warning(s). • Making an apology. • A fine where appropriate – up to £25 at Interview or £100 at Hearing. • Temporary or permanent exclusion from University services * or residences. • Temporary or permanent suspension or exclusion from the University, withdrawal of award (can only be sanctioned by the Vice Chancellor). • The Students’ Union does not fall under the umbrella of University Services. The Adjudication Officer(s) therefore, cannot suspend or exclude a student from Union services or facilities. At most they could contact the President and make a recommendation that the Union initiates its own procedures to determine what if any action may be required.

Support and Representation The Students’ Union can help you whether students want to make an allegation or are responding to an allegation. We can help put statements together and accompany students to any meetings that might take place. Contact information is on the back of this leaflet – Students should feel free to contact the Students’ Union Advice Service at any stage of the process, although we can generally be of more help if we are involved earlier on rather than later.

Contacting Students’ Union Advice Service Trish Lee Tel: 01524 52656 Email: suadvice@cumbria.ac.uk www.thestudentsunionorg.uk/advice

Appendix 2 – Quality Enhancement Unit Information for Reps. Appendix 3 – Additional Sources of Support – Signposting and Referrals. Information on LISS – Learning Information and Student Services.

Quality Enhancement Unit Information for Reps

The Academic Office As part of the University Quality Assurance systems Student Academic Reps fall into the remit of the Quality Enhancement Assurance Unit. Jess Robinson is the head of this area and she regards the Student Academic Representative system as a significant aspect of the Universityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s quality assurance mechanisms and as such your feedback is very much welcomed and respected by the University. The Student Representative system has a significant role in that it ensures that all students are able to comment on the quality of their learning experience and that feedback contributes to the annual evaluation of their programmes of study. Jess is also interested to hear about individual module evaluations. For example, are students being asked to complete them? Do you receive feedback about issues raised throughout the year? This is information that can be fed through the University of Cumbria Studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Union as UCSU also hold a stake in ensuring that there are systems that allow their members to have a fair say in the quality of their learning and teaching. As the recognised Representative body for students who study at the University of Cumbria the SU provides specific assistance to Student Academic Reps. The Learning, Information & Student Support Service (LISS) is also interested in the Student Academic Representative process as a way of making contact with students in terms of signposting and referrals. These services and staff members are available to address student concerns or provide information and support as issues arise, you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t always need to wait for a committee meeting. Locations and contact details can be found later in this document. These services welcome a direct student approach as it means that any concerns can be addressed speedily. SARs can also speak to the Course Leader, programme (or School) administrator, or any other relevant University staff on behalf of a student or direct the student to the service. Part of your Student Academic Rep role includes acting as

a point of contact for Heads of Services and who, alongside the SU are wishing to gain student opinion through research, questionnaires or focus groups for example. This does not mean that as a Rep you must attend every focus group or complete every questionnaire that comes your way â&#x20AC;&#x201C; although of course you can if you want to! However, it does mean that you might be asked to speak to your group and recruit students who are interested in commenting on a variety of University Services.

Additional Sources of Support â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Signposting and referrals

As a Student Representative you should not feel that you have to provide academic or personal advice to students in your cohort. It is probable that as a successful Representative students will approach you with all kinds of issues, many of which will fall outside the role of a Representative. The following gives you an idea of what you can do to support the student without necessarily doing the work yourself!

The Students’ Union The University of Cumbria Students Union is a source of support because of its knowledge of the University, it’s expertise in providing training and support for student representatives and the facilities available. As a membership organisation it exists to support students and is entirely independent from the University, and as such is an impartial stakeholder in the Representative system. The Students’ Union is: • A democratic system to which all students are automatically members and have voting rights irrespective of their regis tration status (i.e. Full or Part time, FE etc.) • Affiliated to the National Union of Students. • Run by a number of Sabbatical Officers (paid) and elected officers (volunteers). supported by a full time professional staff team. • Works on behalf of students to provide services, activities, campaigns and representation. • A source of support for all Representatives, both Programme Reps and elected Students’ Union Reps.

The Students’ Union Advice Service The Union has a structured Advice Service in place to provide representation, advice, guidance and information. It deals with any enquiry that students raise. It is independent of the University and therefore is impartial. It is also a confidential service and acts with agreement from the student. You can use the service yourselves to clarify information you may wish to provide or you can signpost students to the Union, or other services in or out of the University. The 61

Advice Service produces a range of Fact Sheets giving any students more details about the Advice Service and the type of support available (see end of this handbook).

The Students’ Union and Student Representatives A strong partnership exists between Representatives and the Students’ Union. The Academic Quality & Standards Service (AQS) of the University works together with the Student Union to provide generic inductions for a system that ‘belongs to’ the Students’ Union. Additionally, members of the Students’ Union sabbatical and staff team sit on the majority of university committees and have a voice at all levels within the University – including senior management level. The student voice can make a difference. Examples of change include: meal packages for residential students, changes in lecture times, changes to the support structures within the Student Complaints Procedure etc. The student voice has impacted on these and many other areas. Communication between Representatives and the Students’ Union is really important. On registering as a Student Representative you will have been asked to complete a Student Representative Consent Form. This enables Student Representative details to be collated onto a database which ensures a flow of communication to all Representatives in terms of relevant news and training etc. In addition, a Blackboard site has been developed as a central repository of Student Representative resources, and will also allow opportunities for shared views and ideas. Representatives can call in to Students’ Union offices and speak to the Representation Sabbatical, Academic Sabbatical, Community Sabbatical, Student Life Sabbatical, Representation and Connections Manager and the Representation Facilitator. Additionally, Students’ Union officers or staff will get in touch periodically to check if there are any important issues we can be of help with or which need to be raised at other Committees.

Other sources of support, help and advice are: • Personal Academic Tutor. • Other student groups. • Other Student Reps – share experiences, ask for advice but bear in mind confidentiality issues. • Programme Leaders / Module Leaders. • Learning, Information & Student Services (LISS) – including Mental health and well being staff, Learning Support, Disability Officer, Money Advisers, Counsellors. • Quality Enhancement Unit. • Senior Residential and Residential Co-ordinators – resident in University provided accommodation. • Chaplaincy. • Medical Centre staff. • Students’ Union Representation & Democracy Coordinator. • The Students’ Union has Faculty Reps who can be approached to raise issues that need to go higher than course level committees. As a Representative you should talk to a student who approaches you and explain that you recommend speaking to another source where appropriate. In the past Representatives have either given details and the student has made their own way, or they have gone with the student to the relevant place. Occasionally, a Representative may ring the alternate source and with the students’ permission, give a few details as a ‘handover’ by way of introduction. You will gauge the best way for the student at the time.

Learning Information and Student Services (LISS). LISS are responsible for a variety of policies and procedures and the links for these can be found below. http://www.cumbria.ac.uk/Services/LISS/documents/Studentprocedures/StudentComplaints.aspx http://www.cumbria.ac.uk/Services/LISS/documents/Studentprocedures/StudentHarassmentBullying.aspx http://www.cumbria.ac.uk/Services/LISS/documents/Studentprocedures/StudentCodeofConduct.aspx http://www.cumbria.ac.uk/Services/LISS/documents/Studentprocedures/ProgressReviewProcedures.aspx And for awareness of the range of LISS services: http://www.cumbria.ac.uk/Services/LISS/home.aspx