Minutes of the Executive Committee Meeting Tuesday 5th November 2013 at 3pm, SU Hub
1.
In Attendance: Aedan McDonagh (Chair, SU President), Pietro Palladino (AU President), Donna Harrison (General Manager, note taker), James Anderson (VP Representation), James Turnbull (VP Communications), Ryan Bing (VP Community), Mike Moody (Student Trustee) Stephen Scott (Teaching and Learning), Liz Coombs (Centre for Workplace Learning) Apologies: Laura-Jane Gravett (VP Fundraising), Dan Smith (VP Entertainments)
2. Chairs announcements The chair advised that the visit from Racheal Mattey (VP Welfare NUS) had been extremely positive and that there would be future collaborations with NUS on projects around student welfare. 3. HEA Retention Project SS gave the committee an overview of the project which began in 2012. It involves 15 institutions and is a 4 year programme looking at student engagement and retention. SMUC are developing a 45 year strategy for retention and success which will include a focus on pre-entry experience, retention, and student voice. SMUC is now at the stage of drawing up an implementation plan in which students need to be involved. The committee suggested that a series of workshops with students and staff may be a beneficial way to kick start the process.
4. Student Entrepreneurship LC was welcomed by the chair. LC gave an overview of the initiative. SMUC are looking into aiding student entrepreneurial activities within the college by creating school enterprise centres. LC advised that a few years ago, there had been an Enterprise Club set up which consisted of a maximum of 10 students only. Recently, students have come forward with an interest in setting up a similar club again and many already have business ideas. LC questioned whether the club should be included as part of the SU as a society. The committee questioned whether students actually understood what ‘Enterprise’ meant and whether they realised that they may already be doing enterprising activity. The committee discussed the possibility of an online resource to showcase examples of ex-students who may set up
their own business and for students to connect with future collaborators, employers and investors. It was suggested that the committee could be used as a ‘core group’ for ideas, opening up opportunities for Programme Reps to be involved in the dialogue. ACTION: AM to contact Programme Reps about ideas 5. Module Evaluation SS advised the committee that the college was looking to revise how module evaluations are done and their effectiveness in making relevant change to academic programmes. At the moment, it is felt that the evaluations are problematic, especially for Joint Honours students. SS is looking to put together student working groups over the next 4-5 months. The group would be looking at the possibility of online and mid-semester evaluations. The invitation to the working groups would extend to SU Council and Programme Reps. ACTION: AM to forward names of interested parties to SS.
6. Executive Committee Activity reports Student Trustee: Had attended EDSC and found the committee very interesting. MM would like to continue to attend the meeting if there is opportunity to do so. MM has attended disciplinary hearings as a panel member and the panel has found it useful having a student point of view. VP Communications: Has attended E-Learning Sub Committee where the committee discussed a 4 year plan for introducing applications for Turn-it-in. VP Community: Is looking into creating more effective support and training for the Senior Residents. RB has attended a meeting with Kevin Germaine and Andrew Mensah about setting up Senior Residents meetings. KG offered to fund refreshments. VP Representation: Programme Rep training is this week. JA is looking at creating a Facebook Group for Reps.
7. Sexual Health Provision on campus DH asked the committee to consider what the college should provide in terms of sexual health awareness. The committee discussed the implications of being a Catholic institution whilst one that embraces equality and diversity with student welfare at its heart. The committee recommended doing research against other similar institutions. MM suggested that he would discuss this with the Catholic Society and Chaplaincy. ACTION: MM to organise meeting with the Catholic Society
8. Student Led Teaching Awards AM told the committee that the NUS and HEA were offering £1000 to Students’ Unions across the country to create and support teaching awards. AM advised the committee that he had taken a draft proposal to TLC about creating teaching awards at St Mary’s in which students would create the criteria and nominate their lecturers for. This project has got positive backing from the Vice Principal (Student Experience) and Director of Teaching and Learning. The application deadline is Friday 8 November. 9. SU Events AM advised the committee that the SU staff team were looking at ways to improve events including attendance and activities during the events themselves. The committee were asked to think of suggestions to improve events. 10. Hall-Stars PP advised the committee that attendance at Hall-Stars had been low and that there is a proposal to move the activity to once per month rather than every two weeks. Members of the committee felt that Hall-Stars should stay every two weeks and that advertising could be improved. ACTION: PP to work with DH on better advertising 11. Co-opt: VP Welfare After receiving official written confirmation of the resignation of Heather Kuhlman, the committee had received one nomination to fill the vacancy of VP Welfare. Unanimously, Mike Moody was co-opted VP Welfare for 2013/14. This would go to SU Council for ratification. 12. AOB There were no items for AOB.
Date and time of next meeting: 06 December 2pm K21