Further Education Course Rep Handbook by UCASU

e s r u coreps:FE Further Education Course Rep Handbook

Funded by the Student Engagement Project Group

CONGRATULATIONS ON BECOMING A COURSE REP! 03

Congratulations on becoming a Course Rep! Key contacts

What is a Course Rep?

Benefits of being an active Course Reps Solving Problems How the system works

How to be a Course Rep

Questions you may want to ask Working with your Course Leader The Feedback Flowchart

Paid opportunities

Common terms

Over the last year, UCA and the Students’ Union have been working together to improve the course rep system. We have changed the election process to keep it in class, we will be trialing a new training programme for you and introducing more recognition for your work! The course rep system ensures each student can influence and change their course for the better, and you will be the driving force. The system is jointly run by the Students’ Union and the University’s Quality, Assurance & Enhancement department (QAE), which means both UCA and UCASU are here to support you. This handbook is a guide to the world of course representation. It explains your role, how the system works and provide you with tools to be an effective course rep. Hopefully it will answer your questions but if it doesn’t please get in touch! Best of luck! Catherine Boyd

KEY DATES: FURTHER EDUCATION

Student Engagement Coordinator Email: cboyd.su@ucreative.ac.uk Direct: 01372 202 203 Skype: ucasu_catherine

Induction Training: Monday 7 - Friday 18 October Workshop #1: Week starting 2 December (Undergraduate only) Workshop #2: Week starting 3 February

CAMPUS OFFICER CONTACTS

HOW WE WILL CONTACT YOU

TWITTER @UCASU/@UCASU_BOYD EMAIL

FACEBOOK FACEBOOK.COM/GROUPS/UCACOURSEREPS TELEPHONE/SMS

Anthony Gray

Louise Green

Jayne Horswill

David Lewis

Canterbury Campus Officer Email: agray.su@ucreative.ac.uk Direct: 01227 81 7337 Skype: ucasu_anthony Farnham Campus Officer Email: jhorswill.su@ucreative.ac.uk Direct: 01252 89 2693 Skype: ucasu_jayne

Epsom Campus Officer Email: lgreen.su@ucreative.ac.uk Direct: 01372 20 2443 Skype: ucasu_louise Maidstone Campus Officer Email: dlewis.su@ucreative.ac.uk Direct: 01622 0013 (ext. 1013) Skype: ucasu_david

Jasmin Grimshaw

Rochester Campus Officer Email: jgrimshaw.su@ucreative.ac.uk Direct: 01634 88 8704 Skype: ucasu_jasmin

WHAT IS A COURSE REPRESENTATIVE? You are an essential link between students, their course and UCA. You role is to find out collective opinions, questions and experiences of those on your course and work with your course leader and UCASU to make positive changes to the University. Course representatives are essential to ensuring all students have their voices heard and acted upon. You will also need to actively encourage positive aspects of your course to make sure they are continued. You should communicate any changes and improvements back to the students.

WHAT WILL I DO? • • • • • • •

Represent the students on your course Publicise yourself to students Build your skills by attending training and workshops Gather feedback from students on your course Decide the top 3 Positives and top 3 negatives students think about the course Attend Course Board with your course leader Feedback any outcomes from Course Board back to students

BENEFITS OF BEING AN ACTIVE COURSE REP • • • • • • • •

Add a wide variety of new skills to your portfolio. Work towards official recognition from the University. Get onto our ‘wall of fame.’ Access to a full skills based training programme Opportunities for paid work within the University Meet new people and make friends Be the change that improves student experience for all. Develop stronger relationships with staff and academics.

SOLVING PROBLEMS If you are unsure how to deal with an issue, visit uca.su/problemsolver to use our problem solver tool. This will ask questions about your issue to work out who to talk to, whether you should be dealing with it and how to resolve it.

HOW THE SYSTEM WORKS This flowchart has been designed to map out how the course rep system works. The main focus is the Course Board, which is a key platform for the student voice to be heard on your course.

WHAT WILL I NOT DO? • Get involved with individual student performance If a student comes to you about a problem on the course that only affects them, then you should point them towards your UCASU Campus Officer. Your role is to represent the collective view not individual.

YOU MAY BE ASKED TO ATTEND SCHOOL BOARD

• Resolve allegations of bullying and harassment Students who allege they have been bullied or harassed should be encouraged to talk to their course leader or student services.

School boards are the committee that your Course Boards report to. At these meetings they discuss really important and big issues that may affect you.

• Deal with formal complaints Students wishing to make a formal complaint should be directed to the Campus Officer. •

Be responsible for punishing the actions and behaviour of your fellow students Students who have broken UCA regulations should be dealt with by UCA, not you.

If you are asked to attend don’t worry, there will be plenty of support there for you and you can ask lots of questions beforehand!

HOW TO BE A COURSE REP 1. TELL EVERYONE WHO YOU ARE • Lecture shout out • Put up posters of yourself • Ask your lecturer to email everyone with your contact details

2. LISTEN TO WHAT STUDENTS THINK • • • •

Email students with questions Questionnaires/surveys; through social media, SurveyMonkey, paper Organise times for people to see you in areas like the refectory Talk to as many students as possible

3. DECIDE YOUR THREE POSITIVES AND THREE NEGATIVES After talking to students write down the three most popular positive things students said about your course and three most negative things they said about your course.

QUESTIONS YOU MAY WANT TO ASK • • • • • • •

What one thing would make this course better? What information or resources do you need? What do you think about the timetable? Do you think about the feedback we get on our work? What is the best bit about this course? How could our lecturer improve this course? How could the course better prepare you for the next step (work or degree)?

WORKING WITH YOUR COURSE LEADER - THE FEEDBACK FLOWCHART Feedback or suggestion received Consideration at Course Board, staff or other committee... Can this be done? Yes

What is changing?

Can a similar alternative be developed or implemented?

Feed back to students

What can be done?

4. ATTEND COURSE BOARDS

Course Boards

• • • • •

Course Boards should be held at least once a term, but preferably once a month Course reps should bring three positives and three negatives about the course The Course Leader should be present Other staff members from your course may also be present There should two course reps for each year of your course

5. LET EVERYONE KNOW WHAT CHANGES ARE HAPPENING It is vital that the students on your course feel they have been listened to and see action being taken on their issues. You should always update your fellow students on any outcomes, changes or discussions happening on your Course Boards.

Yes

No Why?

This is to trace the journey of your feedback at Course Boards so you know exactly where it has gone and what the outcome is. It may not always be possible to change everything on your course but it will help if you understand why. Your course leader and team should go through this flowchart for each issue you bring to your Course Boards.

STRUGGLING TO WORK WITH YOUR COURSE LEADER? Attend Workshop #2 from 3 February as it will deal with negotiating and dealing with conflict effectively. To register go to uca.su/crtaining

CASE STUDY:

NEXT STEPS

A number of students were unsure what the next step was after their foundation course finished and asked their course rep what they could do. The course rep raised it at their Course Board and suggested the course leader should talk to the class. The course leader then arranged for some careers expertise to come and do a session with everyone about the future for UCA foundation students. 07

PAID OPPORTUNITIES

COMMON TERMS AND ACRONYMS

Chances will arise for you to be paid to represent students on some of the bigger committees within UCA. We will advertise these paid opportunities to you on the UCASU website, Email and Twitter.

ANNUAL ACADEMIC MONITORING (AAM)

These paid opportunities require you to have attended the introductory training and completed the online training about meeting skills at [uca.su/crtraining]. If you have any questions please contact Catherine Boyd at cboyd.su@ucreative.ac.uk or phone 01372 20 2203.

BOARD OF GOVERNORS (BoG)

Please note: Attendance at Course Boards and School Boards will not be paid. Only committees, meetings and panels beyond your role as a course rep will offer payment. Payment will vary between committees as it will reflect the time commitment required.

Pre-degree level education (A levels, Foundation, etc.)

ONGOING SUPPORT UCASU & WEBSITE – uca.su/coursereps

Here to help you when you need extra help. The SU acts as a neutral party here to support both course reps and staff. The website contains all the help you need with plenty of resources to use; • Extra online training • Problem solver tool • Case studies and useful examples • General dates and useful contacts • Places to register for training

A yearly review of how the course is doing looking at a range of factors including surveys, student feedback, dropout rates and results.

A group of internal and externally appointed individuals that guide the overall strategy of the University and approve or reject high impact financial decisions.

FURTHER EDUCATION (FE)

HIGHER EDUCATION (HE)

Degree level education, including Masters and Ph.D.’s

INTERNAL STUDENT SURVEY (ISS)

An annual survey of all students at UCA to track student satisfaction.

LIBRARY AND STUDENT SERVICES (LSS)

The new joint department of Library and Student Development Services. This includes advice, counseling, disability support, English for academic purposes, careers and more.

OFFICE FOR STANDARDS IN EDUCATION (OFSTED “off-stead”)

A non-ministerial government department for inspecting standards in schools and Further Education.

QUALITY ASSURANCE AGENCY (QAA)

Independent agency to ensure HE qualifications are at an acceptable standard.

STUDENT EXPERIENCE CONFERENCE

STUDENT EXPERIENCE CONFERENCE – Date TBC

This is held once a year and is a chance for staff and students to meet and discuss topical UCA issues. It is always full of activities and a chance to voice your opinions to the top dogs of the university.

CASE STUDY:

MAKE A CHANGE

Annual conference of UCA students and staff to discuss matters and developments around the experience of students.

VICE-CHANCELLOR (VC)

The leader of the University, Dr. Simon Ofield-Kerr.

A course rep was approached by a student who wanted to change the area they had specialised in but was unsure how to do it.

UCA LEADERSHIP TEAM

The course rep suggested this student should talk to their course leader about the possibility of changing. As it was early enough in the year, the student could change specialisms.

The Campus Officers working in the Students’ Union.

The Executive team who lead the University headed by the Vice Chancellor.

UCASU EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE