STUDENTS' ASSOCIATION OF THE UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST OF SCOTLAND - SAUWS
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2018-2019
STUDENT
REPRESENTATIVE
HANDBOOK
STUDENTS' ASSOCIATION OF THE
UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST OF SCOTLAND
www.sauws.org.uk
sabina.lawrie@uws.ac.uk
STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE 2
HANDBOOK
CONTENTS
Welcome! 3
Student Rep of the Year Welcome 3
VP Education Welcome 3
The Role of Student Reps 4
Student Rep Cycle 4
Purpose of a Student Rep 5
Rep Tasks 5
Get started 5
Help! How do I... 6
Gather student opinions? 6
Provide feedback to staff? 6
The A, B, C, D of effective feedback 7-8
Talk about my learning experience? 8
Curriculum 9
Learning Resources 10
Learning and Teaching Process 10
Assessment and Feedback 10
Student Progression & Achievement 10
Guidance and Support 10
Quality Enhancement and Assurance 10
Participate in meetings? 10
Before a meeting 11
During a meeting 11
After a meeting 11
Close the loop & feedback to students? 11
Pass issues on to the Student’s Association? 12
Key Contacts and Partners for Representatives 12
SAUWS 13
Membership Team 13
Sabbatical Officers 13
School Enhancement Developers 14
Course Leaders 15
Rewards for being a student rep 15
HEAR – Higher Education Achievement Report 16
Student Rep of the Year Award 16
Student Rep Key Dates 2018 – 2019 16
Where can I find help? 17
18
STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE 3
HANDBOOK
WELCOME
Welcome student reps of the 2018- workplace, and so this role really
2019 cohort. We’re really pleased does set you up for success in the
to have you on board this year and future. For me my student rep
with the aid of this handbook will journey meant becoming a student
help to guide and support you officer and being elected as VP
through the year. We’ll let two Education – and now I get to
very important people welcome spend at least a year working to
you first, before you get stuck into improve the educational
your role as a student rep. experience of all students at UWS.
One of our students even went
onto be the NUS Scottish
SAUWS President just a couple of years
ago – that could be you!
Hi, my name is Margo MacMillan
and I am your Vice-President I am here for you, and being
Education (2018-2019). Like you, I passionate about Class Reps makes
am a student and was a Student- supporting reps a very easy part of
Rep for four years whilst at UWS my role! I work together with
studying Sociology. Sabina Lawrie, the Student Rep
Coordinator to make sure that
I believe that Student Reps are the students at UWS are well
foundation of the student represented, have their voices
movement and that makes you a heard, and are able to really have
vital part of our team. a positive impact at UWS.
There are many advantages to I will be at Rep Conference which
being a Class Rep! One of the best will be my first opportunity to talk
things about being a class rep is to you all in person, and then at at
getting to meet new people many class rep training sessions as
including new friends. This can I can possibly attend – even if I
therefore help you to develop just pop in to say hello!
support networks which in turn
may help you to feel part of both Enjoy your role as a student rep, I
the Student Association and the Iook forward to meeting you all
University community – It and remember, I am in your
certainly did for me. corner!
The skills you will learn can be
easily transferred to any
STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE 4
HANDBOOK
5M 25M
IDENTIFY
ISSUES
FEEDBACK
(TO STUDENTS)
STUDENT
REP
CYCLE
37M
DEVELOP &
IMPLEMENT
SOLUTIONS
WITH STAFF
THE PURPOSE
1. To improve the student learning experience
in partnership with UWS and SAUWS
OF A REP HAS 2. To represent your classmates’ views and
opinions in relation to learning and teaching
FOUR KEY 3. To provide both positive and negative
feedback to staff
ELEMENTS 4. To act as a communication channel between
students and staff
STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE 5
HANDBOOK
PURPOSE OF A
STUDENT REP
Although representing students is the
role of a Student Rep, your purpose is
not to represent students in all areas. As
a rep you are concerned with the
academic learning experience of the
students you represent. Therefore,
although you may agree that the coffee
offerings on campus could be improved,
as a student rep you are not responsible
for improving this!
REP TASKS
So now you know the role and purpose of a student rep, you might like to know the sort of
things you’ll be doing. You will often need to:
Gather student opinion
Provide feedback to staff and students
Attend meetings such as Staff-Student Liaison Groups (SSLGs)
Present student views at meetings
Develop solutions to issues
Pass issues on to the students’ association
GET STARTED
The first thing you should do is
introduce yourself to your class. You
could ask your lecturer for time to talk
to the class, or send an e-mail. Think
about how you would like students to
hello!
contact you – and how you will stay
visible through the year so students can
approach you.
STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE 6
HANDBOOK
GATHER STUDENT OPINIONS?
There are two situations in which you will want to
gather the opinions of your classmates. Generally
you will be the first contact point for students who
want to share their opinions so you need to make
sure they know where to come. Once you’ve
introduced yourself at the new rep, continue to
remind your classmates that you are the student rep,
by speaking at the start or end of classes (with your
lecturer’s permission of course!), and sending e-
mails. You could also start a comments box within
your department. This is passive collecting of
opinions: waiting for people to approach you.
However, you will also want to actively collect
opinions.
...I DO WOH !PLEH
The easiest way to find out what people think is to
talk to your classmates, but you may want to use
other methods to gather the opinions of your whole
class. If there is a specific issue that has been raised
and you want to find out what people think about it
you could use a poll or survey in class or use a free
website like survey monkey. You could also use
these methods to ask what elements of the class
students would like to stop, start, and continue. You
could also gather quick feedback in class by giving
out pieces of paper and asking students to write one
thing that is going well and one thing that could be
improved. Finally, of course you can use online
spaces such as Facebook, twitter or Moodle. It is
always good to know whether the opinions you
gather are representative of the whole course.
PROVIDE FEEDBACK TO STAFF?
Providing feedback to staff can be intimidating but
don’t worry – staff are here to work with you to
improve UWS for everyone. You will have
opportunities in organised Staff-Student Liaison
Group (SSLG) meetings to give opinions. You could
also e-mail staff, or arrange meetings with staff if
you feel something cannot wait until the next
scheduled SSLG.
STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE 7
HANDBOOK
THE A, B, C, D OF EFFECTIVE FEEDBACK Here at SAUWS we work in
partnership with an organisation
ACCURATE
called sparqs (Student PARtnership
in Quality Scotland) who have
created this model for giving
feedback. This model can help you to
DEPERSONALISED EFFECTIVE BALANCED give feedback in a way which ensures
relationship with staff remain
positive, and in a way which
encourages working together on a
CONSTRUCTIVE process of continual improvement.
B is for Balanced
Nobody likes to receive negative
feedback, and both staff and
students work hard and want
courses and the university to work
for everyone. Remember, staff are
people too (!) and you want to be
able to work together productively,
so you should gather opinions
about what is going well as well as
the things you would like to
A is for Accurate improve.
The more accurate and factual your
feedback, the stronger your The whole course is really not well
feedback is. For example, how many put together and the assessments
students are you representing, and don’t fit well with the teaching.
how did you gather the information?
The theory elements of the course
I have spoken to some of my class are taught well, are interesting and
and we think that there is not understandable to the majority
enough practical work on the x (17/20) of the class but the same
module. number feel that it would be
helpful to have more practical work
I have had a discussion with my to back up the theory. Practical
class group and we agreed by show assessments would also help us feel
of hands that 18/21 feel that there is confident that we can perform the
not enough practical work on the x tasks well.
module.
STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE 8
HANDBOOK
Talk about my learning
experience?
Our partners at sparqs have created this student learning experience diagram which helps
when formulating questions to ask your course mates or articulating your experiences in
SSLGs. These categories are all of the elements which make up your learning experience,
and using them can help you to identify and communicate positives, problems, and
solutions.
C is for Constructive D is for Depersonalised
As student reps it is part of your Remember that as a student rep
role to work with staff to form you are working on a team with
solutions to problems. Coming to staff, so it’s never a good idea to
meetings with an idea of what you make personal attacks! Focus on
want, rather than focussing on the module and the specific
problems is great for two reasons. problem – if there really is a
Firstly, it means that you already problem with one particular staff
have a solution, and secondly it member then it will be clear from
shows that you are invested in which module you highlight who
working together with staff to that is.
improve things.
After discussion with the class we
As a class we never know what we want to tell you that Mr Smith is a
are supposed to be doing from week terrible lecturer who never gives
to week in our x module classes. assessments back on time.
The class are keen to have a plan of After discussion with the class we
work and assessments given to us at want to say that the return of
the beginning of each semester in assessments in our x module classes
our x module classes. is always too late to enable us to
learn from our mistakes for the
next assessment.
Curriculum
Learning
Resources
Learning & Teaching
Process
Assessment &
Feedback
Student Progression
& Achievement
Guidance & Support
Quality
Enhancement &
Assurance
STUDENT
LEARNING
EXPERIENCE
STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE 10
HANDBOOK
STUDENT
LEARNING
EXPERIENCE
Curriculum assessments for the module, unit
This describes the content and or course are used. It also includes
structure of the course. For the quality of feedback, and
example, does the curriculum whether feedback provides ways
being taught match your for students to improve.
expectations from the information
provided about the course? Are the Student Progression and
learning objectives clearly stated Achievement
and being followed? This is about how you move
through the course. For example,
Learning Resources progressing between modules,
This describes all of the different evaluating your own personal
resources which facilitate your progress through the course, and
learning. It’s the obvious items whether further course
like text books, equipment, tools. opportunities and pathways are
and appropriate clothing. made clear.
However, it also includes the
spaces you learn in such as Guidance and Support
classrooms, labs, lecture theatres, Again this is self-explanatory! It
and libraries. Finally there are the includes the academic support is
less obvious resources such as available for your work, the advice
virtual spaces like moodle and my provided, and the guidance given
day, and of course the university on what is expected of you as a
staff – both academic and support student.
staff who can help you with your
learning. Quality Enhancement and
Assurance
Learning and Teaching Process In Scotland universities take an
This describes how teaching and enhancement approach – this
learning is done. This includes means that universities work on
how students are taught and how continual improvement rather
they learn, the range of teaching than fixed outcomes. Student reps
methods that are used, whether take part in this by
they are the right method for the communicating concerns and
type of course and whether the suggestions. So you can ask if staff
teaching is accessible. and departments are receptive to
student concerns and suggestions,
Assessment and Feedback are students’ opinions listened to,
This is self-explanatory but can and whether improvements have
include spacing of assessments and been made to your course during
whether appropriate your time of study.STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE 11
HANDBOOK
PARTICIPATE IN MEETINGS?
?SGNITEEM NI ETAPICITRAP
There are three stages to participating in meetings –
split into things to do before, during and after. Look
at our guidance for each specific school to find out
who to get in touch with and when meetings are
usually scheduled.
BEFORE A MEETING
Find out when and where meetings are going to
take place – you can look at the information
specific to your school to find out who to get in
touch with and when meetings are usually
scheduled
Find out what your classmates think about their
learning experience
Speak to other course reps to see what is
happening
Ask for items to be put on the agenda – this
means getting in touch with the chair or secretary
and giving them the topic you want to discuss (e.g.
assessment in module 3). This means there will be
specific time set aside in the meeting to talk about
this topic
Read any papers that have been sent around and
read the previous meetings minutes – this can
help remind you if you need to follow up on
anything
DURING A MEETING
Take notes – this will help you to follow up later
Remember the A, B, C, D of effective feedback
Ask questions if you do not understand anything
Support other course reps in the meeting
AFTER A MEETING
Report back to your classmates
Check the minutes
Do any actions that you are responsible for
Follow up any areas of concern
Did you achieve what you wanted to achieve? If
not, what are you going to do about it?STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE 12
HANDBOOK
CLOSE THE
LOOP AND
FEEDBACK TO
STUDENTS?
Remember that after you have meetings
you should feedback to your classmates.
You are the link between the students
and staff which means you should
communicate the outcomes of meetings
to students. You can do this in class, by
email, or on social media forums.
PASS ISSUES ON TO THE
STUDENT’S ASSOCIATION?
If you are unsure what do to about something, and need
advice, or think that something is bigger than you as a rep can
deal with, then contact the student representation coordinator
sabina.lawrie@uws.ac.uk.
SABINA
COME SAY HELLO!
Our main office is in Paisley and is located on
Level 4 of the Students' Union (weird looking
purple building).
The Students' Union
Storie Street
Paisley
PA1 2HBSTUDENT REPRESENTATIVE 13
HANDBOOK
SAUWS is the Students’ Association at
the University of the West of Scotland.
We are here to support and represent
KEY CONTACTS AND students, and are responsible for student
PARTNERS FOR rep training, systems, and support.
REPRESENTATIVES SAUWS is made up of elected officers
and support staff. The membership team
and the sabbatical officers are those you
are most likely to engage with or
contact.
MEMBERSHIP TEAM
Sabina Lawrie – Student Representation Coordinator
Sabina is your first point of contact at SAUWS as it is her
job to support student representation across the university.
She is also responsible for student rep training, and is here
to help if you need anything or have questions about your
role. You can contact her at sabina.lawrie@uws.ac.uk.
Claire Lumsden – Membership and Engagement Manager
Claire is the head of the SAUWS membership team, and is
responsible for promoting democratic, representational and
other membership activities. She co-ordinates membership
services, conducts research into improving meaningful
student engagement. You can contact her at
claire.lumsden@uws.ac.uk.
Barbara Robertson and Heather Ward – Case Workers
Heather and Barbara are SAUWS case workers. They provide
information, advice, representation and advocacy to
students. They deal with issues of extenuating circumstances
and appeals, complaints, plagiarism and disciplinary issues,
fitness to practice, hardship, personal issues and hate crime,
student health, and accommodation advice. You may want to
refer students to the case workers if they are having
individual issues which are not your responsibility as a
student rep. You can contact them at
barbara.robertson@uws.ac.uk or heather.ward@uws.ac.uk.STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE 14
HANDBOOK
The Sabbatical Officers are students who are
SABBATICAL elected to serve the student body. They each
OFFICERS have different roles and responsibilities, but
VP Education has the most responsibility for
the student rep system.
Emma Shotter – President
The President is the Senior Student Representative of SAUWS and
ultimately responsible for the actions of the Students’ Association
jointly with the Board of Trustees. They lead the team of sabbatical
officers. Emma’s priorities for 2018-2019 next year are improving
student mental health as well as student housing conditions. You can
contact her at emma.shotter@uws.ac.uk.
Margo MacMillan – VP Education
The Vice President Education is the primary representative on all
matters related to education and the learning experience at UWS.
Their role is to ensure the continued quality improvement of the
curriculum at UWS and that the feedback from Student Reps is
acted on. Margo is going to focus on really communicating with
students at UWS to ensure that she truly represents the views of the
student body. She also wants to strengthen the rep system as the
foundation of student representation within the university. You can
contact her at margo.macmillan@uws.ac.uk.
Franklin Jacob – VP Societies and Citizenship
The Vice President Societies & Citizenship is the primary
representative on all matters relating to non-sporting activity. The
role works closely with our societies and ensures their continued
growth and development. The position also helps to ensure that all
students at UWS are active citizens within wider Scottish Society.
Franklin’s priorities are societies, student welfare and strengthening
UWS as a truly global institution. You can get in touch with him at
franklin.jacob@uws.ac.uk.
Merle Hill – VP Sport and Wellbeing
The Vice President of Sport & Wellbeing is the primary
representative on all matters relating to sport and physical and
mental wellbeing. The post holder also acts as the Sports President
of the Sports Union. Their role is to ensure continued growth in
participation in all physical activity at UWS, and to ensure the Team
UWS clubs are supported to be able to do their activities. Merle
promises to develop opportunities for clubs and committees and
create a Team UWS coaching academy. You can get in touch with
her at merle.hill@uws.ac.uk.STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE 15
HANDBOOK
SCHOOL ENHANCEMENT
DEVELOPERS
The School Enhancement Developers are
support staff within schools who liaise with us
here at SAUWS to work together to strengthen
the rep system. They are also the people who
facilitate SSLG meetings within schools. They
are good people to know so make sure that
you’re nice to them! Details for each schools
contacts can be found in the school specific
information packs on Moodle.
COURSE LEADERS
Your course leaders are those who deliver your
courses, so they are your key partners in
improving the courses and dealing with any
issues. However, they also want to hear what
they’re doing well so they can keep doing it!
Details of your course leaders can be found in
the school specific information packs on
Moodle.STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE 16
HANDBOOK
REWARDS FOR
BEING A
STUDENT REP
Being a student rep is great It is not simply enough to be
experience. It’s a bit of a cliché to elected as a student rep. You must
say that this experience looks also participate fully in the role.
good on your CV but it’s true. If This means fulfilling the following
you engage with the student rep conditions:
role fully you’ll gain experience in
communicating with peers and 1. Complete student rep training –
staff, negotiating, problem the will be held in person, but
solving, research, listening, online training will be an option
networking, organisation, and for those who cannot make the
time management. These are all space.
skills that look excellent on your
CV, but more importantly give 2. Participate in meetings with
you something to talk about in staff and in student council
interviews. It will be great to talk meetings, either in person or by
about how you managed to engaging in absentia where
achieve positive change which appropriate via. feedback tabled
benefited your classmates, or how with Chair.
relations between staff and
students improved due to your 3. Complete a reflective survey on
negotiation and communication their role as a representative. The
skills. However, there are also a link to this will be sent around to
couple of ways in which you can student reps who fulfil the first
be recognised more formally, and two conditions.
prove that you fulfilled your role
as rep. Student Rep of the Year Award
Every year SAUWS recognise the
HEAR – Higher Education excellent work that staff and
Achievement Report students at our Big Awards
The HEAR is a recognition of ceremony. You can be nominated
extra work which students put in by your classmates, or even
through activities such as being a nominate yourself. Our shortlist
student rep. HEAR activities go on last year had first time student
your university transcript when reps on it so even if you’ve just
you graduate – and there is a started, why not aim big and
separate entry for each year you maybe we’ll see you collecting an
do an activity. So if you are a award in March!
student rep for 4 years then you
will have each year recorded
separately on your transcript.STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE 17 HANDBOOK STUDENT REP KEY DATES 2018 – 2019 Make sure you get these dates in your diary as soon as possible! October 16th Student Rep Conference and Training Dumfries Campus October 17th Student Rep Conference and Training Paisley Campus October 18th Student Rep Conference and Training Ayr Campus October 19th Student Rep Conference and Training Lanarkshire Campus October 23rd Student Rep Conference and Training London Campus January 29th Catch up Training and Rep Networking Ayr Campus January 30th Catch up Training and Rep Networking Paisley Campus January 31st Catch up Training and Rep Networking Lanarkshire Campus February 4th Catch up Training and Rep Networking London Campus February 6th Catch up Training and Rep Networking Dumfries Campus March 28th SAUWS Big Awards April 4th HEAR survey opens May 31st HEAR survey deadline
STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE 18
HANDBOOK
WHERE
SHOULD I GO
FOR HELP?
Sometimes as a rep students may come to you with problems or
situations which are not related to your role as a rep, in these
situations you shouldn’t give advice but instead refer people onwards
to other support situations within the university.
Topic Help
Plagiarism and disciplinary issues SAUWS Advice Workers
Extenuating circumstances
Financial difficulties heather.ward@sauws.org.uk
Fitness to practice issues barbara.Robertson@sauws.org.uk
Emergency financial hardship needed
Personal issues and hate crime
Raising a formal complaint
Careers advice UWS Hub Services
Counselling
Study Skills support hub@uws.ac.uk
Disability services
Financial Advice
International student support
Urgent issues that can’t wait until the next SSLG If you feel comfortable, get in touch with your
course leader or personal tutor and talk to them
directly. If you don’t feel comfortable then
contact SAUWS student representation
coordinator sabina.lawrie@uws.ac.uk
Any other issues If you’re not sure what to do or need extra help
then Sabina Lawrie, the student representation
coordinator at SAUWS is your point of contact.
sabina.lawrie@uws.ac.ukYou can also read
