StARs Training 2013

1. StARs Training 2013 Your guide to being an effective Student Academic Rep

2. Introduction Thank you for volunteering to be a Student Academic Representative (StAR) As a StAR, you are responsible for making sure that the views and concerns of the students you represent are listened to and responded to by the University The Students’ Union supports StARs and helps them to be effective and influential StARs are key to what the Students’ Union does, so you’re very important to us and we want you to feel a part of the Students’ Union We’d like you to get to know us a bit better, so try out our quiz

3. How much do you know about your Students’ Union? Click on the answer you think is right • Worcester Students’ Union is:

4. That’s right Worcester Students’ Union is an independent, registered charity. This means that all of our income must be used to fulfil our charitable objects. It also means that we can support students if they have a complaint about the University, if they are unhappy with their student experience or if they want to see changes made which will improve their course or other areas of student life.

5. How much do you know about your Students’ Union? Click on the answer you think is right 2. Worcester Students’ Union’s objects (the reason it exists) are:

6. That’s right Everything we do as an organisation must, ultimately, benefit our members and have a positive impact on their student experience.

7. How much do you know about your Students’ Union? Click on the answer you think is right 3. The members of Worcester Students’ Unionare:

8. That’s right Everyone who is registered for a course of study with the University of Worcester is automatically a member of Worcester Students’ Union, unless they choose to opt out of membership. The only thing you need, to show that you are a member, is your University ID number or card.

9. How much do you know about your Students’ Union? Click on the answer you think is right 4. Worcester Students’ Union gets most of its income from:

10. That’s right The University awards a block grant to the Students’ Union every year and this makes up the bulk of the organisation’s income. Any profits from the upstairs bar (the downstairs is run by an external company which runs the University’s catering provision, so we don’t make anything from that) and the shop are ploughed back into the organisation too and we receive £4.70 for every NUS Extra card sold too

11. How much do you know about your Students’ Union? Click on the answer you think is right 5. The governance, strategy and budget of the Students’ Union (SU) is the responsibility of:

12. That’s right Like every charity, the SU has a board of trustees, who have responsibility for the governance, strategy and budget of the charity. The board is make up of the three officer trustees (sabbatical officers), four student trustees and three external trustees. Every year, student trustee vacancies are advertised on our website and via email and social media

13. How much do you know about your Students’ Union? Click on the answer you think is right 6. The SU holds elections every March for three full-time paid sabbatical officer positions, as well as voluntary part-time officer positions. Who can stand as candidates to be sabbatical officers?

14. That’s right Any registered student can stand as a candidate to be a sabbatical officer. You don’t have to be in your final year – you can take a “sabbatical” year off if you’re elected and then return to your studies. Part-time students and those based in partner colleges are all eligible to stand for election and, of course, to vote too.

15. How much do you know about your Students’ Union? Click on the answer you think is right 7. The current elected Vice President Education is:

16. That’s right Sam Uppal was re-elected last March to serve a second term as Vice President Education, but she left to take up a job at another university and a by-election was held to replace Sam, which Tom Clarke won. David Green is the University’s Vice Chancellor and Chief Executive

17. How much do you know about your Students’ Union? Click on the answer you think is right 8. Student Academic Reps (StARs) should be:

18. That’s right Every year, students should all have the opportunity to stand to be StARs and to have a say in who should represent them. We know that in some cases, any students who volunteer are accepted as StARs, that first-year and second-year StARs may continue, without challenge and that sometimes individual students are invited by members of staff to be StARs. The SU, with support from the University, is committed to working towards a system which allows students to elect their representatives, but we recognise that this may take some years.

19. How much do you know about your Students’ Union? Click on the answer you think is right 9. The key responsibility of StARs is to:

20. That’s right StARs should do their best to see that students’ positive and critical comments, questions and issues are raised and dealt with as quickly as possible. The course management committee is an important, formal forum for discussing the quality of the course, but many matters can be addressed outside this meeting. Do try to take positive comments, not just complaints, to the course management committee. StARs should not try to deal with individual students’ personal problems – students should be advised to seek help via Firstpoint in Peirson or to contact the SU’s Student Advisor, Jane Murray jane-alice.murray@worc.ac.uk if they need support with a disagreement with the University.

21. How much do you know about your Students’ Union? Click on the answer you think is right 10. StARs are volunteers. They can have their voluntary activities recognised by:

22. That’s right StARs are encouraged to log and reflect on their volunteering using any or all of these three options. If you undertake at least 20 hours’ volunteering, you’ll get a certificate and be invited to the VoScAs evening in May. If you log over 50 hours, this will be recognised on your Higher Education Achievement Report (HEAR). You may choose to work towards StARs accreditation using the format developed by the SU – successful completion will be rewarded with a certificate and recognition on your HEAR. The Worcester Award is the University’s “employability” scheme and your activities as a StAR can also count towards this prestigious award.

23. That’s wrong Worcester Students’ Union is not a department of the University. Do you want to try again?

24. That’s wrong Worcester Students’ Union is not a private company. Do you want to try again?

25. That’s wrong The SU does support student-led sports clubs and societies, but that’s not the organisation’s primary aim. Do you want to try again?

26. That’s wrong Worcester Students’ Union is affiliated to NUS and members may choose to support national campaigns, but that’s not its primary aim. Do you want to try again?

27. That’s wrong Students who buy an NUS Extra card enjoy a range of discounts, but this is not a membership card and you don’t have to buy one to be a member of Worcester Students’ Union. Do you want to try again?

28. That’s wrong Around 1,400 students are members of at least one student club or society, but you don’t have to join one to be a member of Worcester Students’ Union. Do you want to try again?

29. That’s wrong We don’t charge membership fees. Do you want to try again?

30. That’s wrong All profits from the bar and the shop are ploughed back into the organisation, but this is not our main source of income. Do you want to try again?

31. That’s wrong The executive committee is made up of the three sabbatical officers and six part-time officers. Their activities and priorities are determined by decisions made by students through Student Council. Do you want to try again?

32. That’s wrong The University has a legal duty to ensure the SU operates in a fair and democratic way, but decisions about the way the organisation is run are made independently of the University. Do you want to try again?

33. That’s wrong You don’t have to be a final year student to stand – you can take a “sabbatical” year away from your studies to take up a sabbatical officer role. Do you want to try again?

34. That’s wrong You don’t have to be a full-time undergraduate to stand for a sabbatical position. All members, including part-time students and those based in partner colleges, are eligible to stand for election. Do you want to try again?

35. That’s wrong Sam Uppal was elected to be Vice President Education for 2012-13 and was re-elected for 2013-14, but she left to take up a job with another university, so there was a by-election to find her replacement. Do you want to try again?

36. That’s wrong David Green is the University’s Vice Chancellor and Chief Executive. He was a course rep when he was a student, so he understands the vital role played by StARs and also how being a StAR can contribute to your own personal development. Do you want to try again?

37. That’s wrong We know that some of you will have been invited by a member of staff to be a StAR, but this process is not the one favoured by the SU. Do you want to try again?

38. That’s wrong All StARs should be volunteers, but some courses have more volunteers than they need for adequate representation. Do you want to try again?

39. That’s wrong StARs are not expected to deal with students’ individual and personal issues. Students can get information, advice and support through Firstpoint and also from the SU’s Student Advisor, Jane Murray. Do you want to try again?

40. That’s wrong Playing a full part in course management committees is an important part of a StAR’s role, but some issues can’t wait until the next meeting. StARs should also be sure to feed back positive comments and views at course management committee, not just complaints. Do you want to try again?

41. Thanks for taking part in the quiz! We hope it’s helped you to understand your Students’ Union a bit better and to see why you’re such an important part of what we do. Continue reading for more information about your role and the support available.

42. How students’ views are represented at all levels across the University

43. Do’s and don’ts for StARs • If students have individual/personal issues and concerns which just affect them, it is not the role of StARs to deal with these – please encourage individual students to seek information, help and advice by talking to Firstpoint staff in the Peirson building, calling 01905 542551 or emailing firstpoint@worc.ac.uk • If a number of students have shared issues and concerns about their experiences on their course, it is the role of StARs to ensure that these are raised as soon as possible and that the response is fed back to students

44. How to deal with comments and concerns from students about the course

45. How to deal with comments and concerns from students which can’t be dealt with at course level

46. Key contacts for StARs Institute Reps Every Institute has at least two Institute Reps, who have all been StARs themselves and who were recruited and selected by the Students’ Union and University to represent students at Institute level. All can be contacted using the generic email addresses as shown below. Institute of Education: Abbie Jeffries and Helen Manners IErep@worc.ac.uk Institute of Health and Society: Michael Anslow, Stuart Frost, Clair Medhurst, Elizabeth Taylor IHSrep@worc.ac.uk Institute of Humanities and Creative Arts: Hannah Brockbank and Alejandra Girigan IHCArep@worc.ac.uk Institute of Science and the Environment: Charlotte Goss and Cat Lodge ISErep@worc.ac.uk Institute of Sport and Exercise Science: Lauren Adams and David Millward ISEreps@worc.ac.uk Worcester Business School: Alexa Moor and Edwin Tamasan WBSrep@worc.ac.uk

47. Key contacts for StARs StAR Coordinators StAR Coordinators are named members of staff with responsibility for supporting StARs and Institute Reps: Institute of Education: Joy Carroll joy.carroll@worc.ac.uk Institute of Health and Society: Tina Dennis t.dennis@worc.ac.uk Institute of Humanities and Creative Arts: Lesley Spiers l.spiers@worc.ac.uk Institute of Science and the Environment: Tory Milner v.milner@worc.ac.uk Institute of Sport and Exercise Science: Lerverne Barber l.barber@worc.ac.uk Worcester Business School: Sue Barnes (Computing) s.barnes@worc.ac.uk Roger Saunders (Business) r.saunders@worc.ac.uk

48. Key contacts for StARs Students’ Union The elected Vice President Education is the key contact for StARs and Institute Reps. The person in this role takes part in a range of University-level meetings and committees and is a Governor of the University, so is expected to know what concerns and priorities students have. This relies on StARs and Institute Reps making sure that the VP Education is made aware and kept informed of what students think. Your VP Education for 2013-14 is Tom Clarke – email t.clarke@worc.ac.uk The Membership Services Manager is a permanent member of staff at the SU and is responsible for working with elected officers, StARs and Institute Reps to ensure that students are represented and to increase students’ engagement with the SU and the University. Contact Ruth Christie via email r.christie@worc.ac.uk

49. Key contacts for StARs University The key point of contact with the University is the Pro Vice Chancellor (Students), John Ryan. The SU has regular meetings with John Ryan, including StARs Forums and meetings with Institute Reps and StAR Coordinators. Email j.ryan@worc.ac.uk Will Bowen-Jones is the Head of the Educational Development Unit and is keen to develop opportunities for students to get involved in genuine partnership projects with academic staff. Email w.bowen-jones@worc.ac.uk

50. How to find out what students thinkStARsare meant to represent students’ views, but how can you find out what students think? It may sound obvious, but you have to ask them what they think. Experience shows that you’re much more likely to get a response if you ask direct questions, rather than just asking “Do you have any issues?”. Try asking questions such as: • What do you like most about your course? • If you could make one change to your course, what would it be? • How could your course be improved? • Do you have access to the resources you need for your course? • Are you confident about referencing? • Is the feedback you receive helpful?