Welcome to Student Representatives Induction Training!

1. Welcome toStudent Representatives Induction Training!

2. Congratulations on your election as Student Rep!

3. FORMS, FORMS, FORMS…!

4. Why are we here?!To give you the informationyou need to start ReppingTo help you develop skills to be effectiveTo give you the confidence to use these, to make a difference to students experience this year

5. More specifically... • Student Engagement at RVC • How does it work: Students’ Union, Rep system, College Committees, Student Surveys • How to be effective • Rep Handover and Action Planning • Student Support: Advice Centre, Learning Development, Careers

6. Meet your presenters! Charlie Mays Joon Park Sam Hornsey David Church Imelda McGonnell SU President SU Deputy President SU Vice President Vice Principal for Learning Associate Dean for (Hawkshead) (Camden) and Student Experience Student Experience Paul Probyn/Maxine Bailey Sophie Pullen Fiona Nouri Gemma Ludgate/Kirsty Whitelock Academic Quality Learning Development Advice Centre Manager Careers

7. What is Student Engagement at the RVC? David Church Vice Principal for Learning and Student Experience Imelda McGonnell Associate Dean for Student Experience

8. What is Student Engagement? ‘…the participation of students in quality enhancement and quality assurance processes, which includes but is not restricted to representation of the student view through formal representation mechanisms…resulting in the improvement of their educational experience’ [Quality Assurance Agency]

9. All students being actively involved in shaping and improving the RVC student experience

10. RVCs commitment to Student Engagement At the heart of RVC life are our people; without them we are nothing and it is for this reason that this plan commits us as an organization to the wellbeing and satisfaction of both students and staff. [RVC Strategic Plan 2013-18] All students…have a right to express their views about their learning experience, for those views to be listened to, and for the College to respond where appropriate. [RVC Quality Strategy 2013-18]

11. Student Engagement in Action • Student Evaluations • results considered by senior staff at committees and low scores • have to be responded to • RVC Governance • Course Management Committees/College Services • Forum/Student Development Committee • Quality Assurance Processes • e.g development of new courses/’Periodic Reviews’ of existing • courses, External Examiner Reports) • Student Reps support these processes and act as the voice of • their fellow students

12. How Does it Work? Students Union and the Rep System Charlie Mays SU President Joon Park SU Deputy President Sam Hornsey SU Vice President

13. Your Students’ Union What’s the SU all about? Basically, it is our job to do 3 things: • Represent the students’ interests both within college and outside. • Organise social activities throughout the year. • Provide funding to the various clubs and societies

14. Reps 3 Key Responsibilities 1. Be proactive in collecting your fellow students views, concerns, suggestions and present their feedback effectively. 2. Contribute to improving students experiences by resolving issues and delivering change through workingin partnership with theCollege and Students’ Union. 3. Report back to your year group/SU on issues raised and decisions made and actions taken.

15. Reps Job Spec • Be proactive in collecting your fellow students views • Build positive relationship with College and SU • Meet staff to discuss students feedback • Sit on committees and provide students’ perspective • Attend SU activities and represent your year • Report back to your year group on outcome of discussions and changes made inc ‘You Said...We Did...’! You will be in post until 31st Dec 2015 in order to handover to new Reps next Autumn

16. As Student Rep you have ‘... a crucial function in providing your institution and students' union with valuable feedback.....as well as acting as a powerful tool to promote and secure change’ [National Union of Students]

17. Benefits of being a rep Professional & personal development • Meet and work with students from other courses • Be involved with College/SU... behind the scene stories!  • Make contacts for future….networking • Leadership Training - (save in your diary Sat 15 Nov!) Remuneration • £20 for committee meetings • ‘Reps Socials’ free food/drink • Discounted SU Ball tickets + free drinks SU events • ‘Student Rep Awards’ and ‘Certificate of Recognition’

18. Joon ParkSU Deputy President How can I be an effective Student Rep? • Ms Fiona Nouri • Advice Centre Manager

19. Being effective….. • Make yourself known to students & staff • Talk to Student Reps from year before • Be truly representative - ask students for their feedback, it’s not just about your opinion • Participate effectively – be positive and clear when making your point in meetings and refer to evidence • Feedback to your year group on decisions made and actions taken • Look at the big picture – change may be slow, not everything can happen over night • Keep on top of your commitments and manage your time • Be proactive, not just reactive

20. Who to contact with issue? ‘999’ urgent issue Course specific issue Personal issue College wide issue Contact college staff Refer to Advice Centre/SU Welfare Officer/ RVC complaints process Contact course staff or Course Director to discuss Contact SU Deputy/ Vice President Raise at relevant committee (Student Development Committee/College Services Forum) Raise at Course Management Committee If appropriate, SU will raise with David Church, VP Learning and Student Experience

21. College Committees As Student Rep you are automatically: - member of Course Management Committee - invited to attend College Services Forum Your responsibilities at committeesare to: 1. represent views of your fellow students 2. provide student perspective on committee business and proposals 3. after meeting, report back to students on issues raised and any decisions taken or changes made

22. How to be effective at committee meetings Before... • Collect student feedback/evidence any points/issues they want raising? Anything you want to consult on? • Arrange pre-meet with other reps/SU are issues truly representative of your year? Work as a team? • Submit items for agenda send to secretary • Read agenda/papers make notes of comments you plan to make. Ask committee secretary's which papers most important for you to read • Send apologies if you cannot attend identify deputy and notify secretary

23. During... • Don’t be afraid to speak up the student voice is greatly valued at these committees • Raise your hand the chair will note you have something to contribute • Participate effectively pay attention, make notes and contribute by raising your hand • Be positive and clear when making your point, don’t be confrontational • Refer to clear evidence when presenting to the committee • Take notes inform your peers of any relevant discussion

24. After... • Feedback to students let them know what’s happening! Let them know what was discussed and what decisions were made/actions taken. You can forward sections of the minutes. • Identify any ‘Actions’ assigned to you in the minutes and take them forward asap • Put the date of next meeting in your diary

25. Paul ProbynHead of Academic Development How Does it Work? College Structure and Committees

26. Senior Staff Structure

27. Committee Structure

28. Committees - a few rules! • Deputies must be nominated if you cannot attend • Quoracy the minimum number of members needed to be present at meeting to make decisions • Starred Items (*) agenda items not for discussion unless specifically requested • Reserved Business student reps must leave meeting, unless the Chair requests their attendance • Any Other Business

29. Course Management Committees What does it do? • Approve changes to course • Respond to feedback from students • Receive student survey results and college responses • Monitor summative and formative assessments Members inc: Student Reps for course, Course Director, Module/Strand/Year Leaders, External Rep, Rep of partner colleges Heads of Departments, Departmental Teaching Co-coordinators When meet? • Each term (except some PG) Who contact with issue? • Committee secretary

30. College Services Forum (CSF) • What does it do? • supports enhancement of college-wide services/ • facilities including IT, Library, Estates, Parking • When meet? • x2 each term, 1 at each campus • Who to contact with issue? • committee secretary (Sandra Ward), Camden SU Vice President (Sam Hornsey), Hawkshead SU Deputy President (Joon Park) • at least 1 Student Rep from each year, of each course is required to attend each meeting (at campus of normal study)

31. Student Development Committee (SDC) • What does it do? • ensures support services meet needs of all students including Tutorial system, Advice Centre, Finances • When meet? • Each term, video link between campuses (17:00-18:30, • 6 Nov/3 Feb/21 May) • Who to contact with an issue? • committee secretary (Shelley Richards, • smrichards@rvc.ac.uk) • x4 Student Rep members (tell Joon/Sam today if you want to be member!)

32. Teaching Quality Committee (TQC) • What does it do? • monitors and promotes implementation of College's • Quality Strategy • operates processes to gather evaluations from students • and ensures that their feedback is acted upon • operates processes for periodic review of taught courses • oversees arrangements for delivery of courses run in • collaboration with other institutions • When meet? • each term • Who to contact with an issue? • committee secretary (Cheryl Jackson) • x3 Student Rep members (tell Joon/Sam today if you want to be member!)

33. Learning, Teaching and Assessment Committee (LTAC) • What does it do? • recommends the College’s learning, teaching and • assessment strategy • recommends admissions policy • promotes development of taught degree programmes • promotes recruitment, development and retention of • teaching staff • monitors teaching facilities • When meet? • Each term • Who to contact with an issue? • committee secretary (Maxine Bailey) • x3 Student Rep members (tell Joon/Sam today if you want to be member!)

34. How to manage issues • Ms Fiona Nouri • Advice Centre Manager

35. As Student Rep, how will you deal with this issue?

36. 1 Possible steps to take Collect evidence • ask year group/other reps to find out if this is a college wide issue • contact college staff (IT helpdesk) to see if they are aware of issue Raise issue • If issue not resolved, raise at College Services Forum. Check previous committee minutes to see if on going issue Report back • After College Services Forum follow up any actions and feedback to year group/other reps on discussion/actions • Before next Forum meeting, check with year group to ensure that students feel issue has been resolved

37. As Student Rep, how will you deal with this issue?

38. Possible steps to take Raise issue • contact course staff to discuss - ask staff to ask the students to be quieter (without revealing who asked them to do so) • Ideally, this shouldn’t come up at a committee, but if problem is sufficiently bad and previous attempts to resolve things have failed then the problem may need to be raised at the Course Management Committee to facilitate a review of procedures for dealing with this sort of thing Note: The names of the students should not be raised at the meeting, though the student reps can make a record of them, in case things need to go further 2

39. As Student Rep, how will you deal with this issue?

40. 2 possibilities: Collect evidence: • Collect evidence to try and determine if this is a personal or course/college wide issue. Ask the student if they know of others who have had poor marks - this may indicate a wider problem with marking (e.g problem with wording of exam questions). Raise issue: • If there does seem to be a course/college wise issue contactcourse/college staff responsible for the exam (or Chair of Exam Board). Staff member/student reps may want to raise this at the Course Management Committee to say what will be done to improve the situation. • If it seems to be a personal issue between the student and lecturer then this should not go to a committee. This should be treated confidentially. Treat the student with tact, whilst remembering they are only hearing one side of the story. Suggest the student contact the SU welfare officer for advice and make them aware of RVC Complaints procedure on intranet. 3

41. Maxine BaileyAcademic Development How Does it Work? Student Surveys

42. RVC Student SurveysHave Your Say through....

43. External Student SurveysHave Your Say through....

44. Survey Pop up Message

45. Survey Results *Results are published on intranet Responded to in Module Leader Review/ Action Plans Discussed by senior staff/student reps at Course Management Committee Actions taken and changes made

46. ‘You Said…We Did…’ reports on College’s response to student feedback • We want students to know what action we have taken so that you know your voice has been heard • During 2013-14… ‘You Say, We Pay’ library book fund intro Sample exam papers published on Learn Exotics lecturer appointed

47. Your role in Student Surveys 1. Encourage youryear group to complete surveys and promote the impact surveys can have in making changes/improvements 2. Disseminate survey results to your year 3. Feedback any outcomes/changes made, to your year

48. Everyone! Rep Handover/ Action Planning • Ms Fiona Nouri • Advice Centre Manager

49. Grab a drink... • Introduce yourself - course/year you represent? • Work as a team to answer questions on prompt sheet • Discuss questions • Refer to Info Packs (Handover Forms/Course Mgmt Committee Minutes and Actions) • Make notes on your own ‘Action Plan’

50. What Student Support exists?