Welcome to your Student Representatives Training!

1. Welcome to your Student Representatives Training!

2. Congratulations!You got elected!

3. Why are we here?!To give you the information you need to start ReppingTo begin to help you develop skillsto be an effective Student RepTo give you the confidence to use these to make a difference to the student experience this year

4. More specifically... • How does it work? Students Union, Committees, Student evaluations • How can I be an effective rep? • What happened last year? How will we move forward? • What student support exists? Advice Centre, Learning Development, Careers • What happens next?

5. Meet the team Charlie Mays Benjamin Kennedy Joon Park David Church SU President SU Deputy President SU Vice President Vice Principal for Learning (Hawkshead) (Camden and Student Engagement) and Student Experience Paul Probyn Maxine Bailey Rachel Davis Fiona Nouri Gemma Ludgate Head of Academic Academic Quality Learning Development Advice Centre Manager Careers Consultant Development Officer Manager

6. How Does it Work? Students Union and the rep system Charlie Mays SU President Joon Park SU Vice President

7. You have a crucial function in providing your institution and students' union with valuable feedback.....as well as act[ing] as a powerful tool to promote and secure change [NUS]

8. What is the job spec of reps? • improve the student experience by developing solutions to issues and identifying what is working well • play a pivotal role acting as a bridge between the student body and the rest of the College • represent your peers in College committee meetings, as well as being involved with SU • be a part of a team to provide positive and constructive feedback to the College You will essentially be the voice of your year!

9. Responsibilities of reps • Be proactive in collecting your fellow students views, concerns, praise and suggestions • Build a positive relationship with the University and the SU (be approachable and friendly) • Meet with course staff to discuss student concerns (directly influence how your course is run) • Sit on RVC committees and provide the student body's perspective • Attend SU related activities representing your year • Report back to your peers on how their student experience will be enhanced! 

10. Benefits of being a rep Professional & personal development • Great for your CV • Best way to be involved with the College/SU... get to know all the behind the scene stories!  • Make contacts for the future….networking • Improve communication/presentation skills • Meet students on other courses

11. Benefits of being a rep Remuneration • Free food and drinks at some events • You will be paid £20 for every committee meeting you attend • Free drinks from SU Bars for SU related events • The most active Reps will receive discounted ball tickets

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

13. Senior Staff Structure PRINCIPAL Professor Stuart W J Reid PA: Justine Young x6960 Vice Principal LEARNING & STUDENT EXPERIENCE Professor David Church Sec: Sue Dillon x6234 Vice Principal Clinical Services Mr Graham Milligan PA: Leigh Muggridge x6324 INTERIM HEAD OF ACADEMIC SUPPORT Mr Ian Darker PA: Debbie Avenell x6322 Vice Principal Research & Innovation Professor Jonathan Elliott PA: Liz Wilkinson x5300 DEPUTY PRINCIPAL Professor Stephen May PA: Rosemary Forster x6270 Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning Academic Development Research Office Academic Registry Biological Services Unit Vice Principal Strategy & Governance Vacant Library & Information Services Graduate School LBIC E-Media RVC Enterprise Development Office HEAD OF DEPARTMENT Comparative BioMEDIcal Sciences Dr Nigel Goode Sec: Amanda Taylor x5304 Head of Department Pathology & Pathogen Biology Professor Declan McKeever PA: Susan Porter x6572 Head of Department Production & Population Health Mr John Fishwick Sec: Hilary Sharp x6281 Head of Department Clinical SCIENCE & SERVICEs Professor Dan Brockman Sec: Hilary Sharp x6281 Diagnostic Laboratories Service Equine Hospital Food Animal Practice & Farm Animal Clinical Centre Small Animal Hospitals RVC Farm INTERIM Director Finance Mr Andy Riggs PA: Carole Brendish x5133 INTERIM Director Human Resources Mrs Karen Overton PA: Pauline Ashley-Spike x6379 Director Estates Mr Alasdair Esson PA: Jenny Bacon x6220 Safety KEY: denotes members of Vice-Principals Team (& Senior Management Group) denotes members of Senior Management Group (Updated: September 2013)

14. Committee Structure CollegeServices Committee (CSC) Vice-Principals’ Group SMG

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

16. Course Management Committees Who sits on CMCs? • Student Representatives for course • Chair • Course Director, Module/Strand/Year Leaders • Admissions Tutor • External Representative • Representative of partner colleges (if applicable) • Heads of Departments • Departmental Teaching Co-coordinators • Vice-Principal for Learning and Student Experience • Committee Secretary

17. Course Management CommitteesWhat do they do? • Respond to student representatives’ feedback • Approve any changes to course • Receive stats on admissions/exams • Monitor summative and formative assessments • Receive student evaluation results and college responses • Take action as result of External Examiners' reports • Monitor student placements • Approve new Curriculum Managers

18. College Services CommitteeWhat does it do? • discusses proposals for enhancement of college- • wide services/facilities e.g new buildings • provides forum for consultation of staff /students by • external service providers • makes recommendations to Senior Management • Group (SMG) about college services • Who to contact with issue? • committee secretary (Sandra Ward) or SU Vice President (Joon Park) • one student rep from each year, of each course is required to attend each meeting

19. Student Support Committee • What does it do? • develops and monitors student support services including Accommodation, Financial advice, Counselling, Learning • support, Disability services, Careers service etc • oversees tutorial system • oversees APRICOT/PRUNE • Who to contact with an issue? • committee secretary (Hayley Barnett - BVetMed)/Claire Hogg - BSc BioVetSci/Maria Johnson - Postgraduate) • each meeting focuses on certain courses and those course student reps are invited

20. Teaching Quality Committee • What does it do? • recommends College's teaching quality strategy and • promote and monitor its implementation • operates schemes to gather evaluations from students, • graduates, employers and ensures that they are • responded to and acted upon • operates processes for comprehensive periodic review of • taught courses • oversees arrangements for delivery of courses run in • collaboration with other institutions • Who to contact with an issue? • committee Secretary (Cheryl Jackson) • student Rep members (tbc)

21. Learning, Teaching and Assessment Committee (LTAC) • What does it do? • recommends the College’s learning, teaching and • assessment strategies • recommends the student admissions policy • promotes development of taught degree programmes • promotes recruitment, development and retention of • teaching staff • monitors teaching facilities • monitors procedures for Jim Bee Educator awards • Who to contact with an issue? • committee secretary (Maxine Bailey) • student rep members (tbc)

22. Committee Secretaries • BVetMed Course Management committee – Richard Sherry • BSc BioVetSci Course Management committee – Ana Filipovic • Vet Nursing Course Management committee – Maxine Bailey • MSc WAB/WAH Course Management committee – Roger Smith • MSc Vet Epi Course Management committee – Maria Johnson • MSc One Health Course Management committee – Maria Johnson • MSc Veterinary Education Course Management committee – Lucy Jackson • MVetMed Course Management committee – Cathy Crane • Distance Learning Course Management committee – Ruth Chandler • Learning Teaching and Assessment Committee – Maxine Bailey • Teaching Quality Committee – Cheryl Jackson • Student Support Committee – Hayley Barnett (BVetMed)/Claire Hogg (BSc BioVetSci)/Maria Johnson (Postgraduate) • College Services Committee – Sandra Ward • RVC Council – Ian Darker • Academic Board – Paul Probyn • Research Degrees Committee – Lisa Shaw

23. Joon Park/Sabrina Castro How can I be an effective rep? • Ms Fiona Nouri • Advice Centre Manager

24. Being effective….. • Make yourself known to students & staff and talk to previous student reps • Be truly representative: Ask fellow students for their input, it’s not just about your opinion • Feedback to your year group on decisions made, 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 –know your limits, especially around exam time

25. Who to contact? SU/Rep and committee system/ advice on how to deal with any issue Personal issue ‘999’ urgent issue raised by number of students Course issue College wide issue Relevant committee Student support College services Teaching quality Course Director other staff/ Course management committee Joon Park, SU Vice President Joon Park, SU Vice President Advice Centre/ SUS Welfare Officer David Church VP Learning and Student Experience

26. Committee Meetings!

27. How to be effective at committee meetings Before... • Read committee minutes What issues have been raised previously? • Communicate with your peers What kind of problems are your peers having? • Discuss with fellow reps and the SU Are the problems truly representative of your year? Are they relevant? • Collect evidence Send a survey out if necessary! • Submit items for the agenda Send them to the Secretary by the deadline

28. 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 • Base your contributions on evidence/feedback what do the rest of your peers think? • Be as positive and constructive as possible do you have any suggestions/constructive feedback? • Take notes inform your peers of any relevant discussion

29. After... • Feedback to your year group let them know what’s happening! • Read through the minutes if you have any issues contact the secretary • Identify and any actions assigned to you that’s your task • Put the date of the next meeting in your diary

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

31. As student reps, how will you deal with this issue?

32. 1 Possible steps to take: • College wide issue? Ask other students/student reps • IT already aware? Contact IT helpdesk • If widespread/common, raise at College Services Committee. Check previous committee minutes to see if ongoing issue • After committee meeting, track action points and follow up. Feedback to year group/other reps with conclusion of committee Reps might also wish to check with the students again just before the next meeting to ensure that students feel the issue has been resolved

33. As student reps, how will you deal with this issue?

34. Possible steps to take: • Ask others concerned to be quieter (without revealing who asked them to do so) • Alternatively, ask the lecturers to ask the students to be quieter • Ideally, this really shouldn’t come up at a Course Management committee, but if it is felt that the problem is sufficiently bad and previous attempts to resolve things have failed then the problem may need to be raised there to facilitate a review of procedures for dealing with this sort of thing • 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 • There is a complaints procedure for both the SUS and the RVC – in extreme cases this may need to be looked at 2

35. As student reps, how will you deal with this issue?

36. 2 possibilities: 1) the student’s complaint speaks of a wider marking problem (e.g problem with wording of exam questions) • Reps may ask student if they know of others who have had poor marks - this may indicate a wider problem • If there does seem to be a wider problem then students can approach the staff member 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 OR 2) there is a personal problem between the student and lecturer: • If it seems to be a personal issue 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 SUS welfare officer for advice and make them aware of complaints procedure on intranet 3

37. Maxine BaileyAcademic Quality Officer, Academic Development How Does it Work? RVC Student Evaluations

38. RVC Student EvaluationsHave Your Say through....

39. Survey Pop up Message

40. What happens to student feedback?

41. RVC Learn/Quick Links

42. Your role in student evaluations Encourage year group to complete surveys Promote the impact surveys can have in prompting changes/improvements Disseminate survey results to your year group Feedback any responses/actions taken to year group

43. Everyone! What happened last year? How will we move forward? • Ms Fiona Nouri • Advice Centre Manager

44. Grab a drink...Find your course table…3 tasks... • Introductions introduce yourself, why do you want to be a rep? what do you want to achieve? • What happened in 2012-13? consider handover form/former reps update (where available), committee minutes • Moving forward in 2013-14? Discuss and complete action plan

45. Fiona NouriAdvice Centre Manager What student support Exists? • Ms Fiona Nouri • Advice Centre Manager

46. Rachel Davis What student support exists? Learning Development • Ms Fiona Nouri • Advice Centre Manaer

47. RVC Learning Development Team Rachel Davis rcdavis@rvc.ac.uk Hawkshead Registry Office Tuesday-Thursday Maria O’Conor moconor@rvc.ac.uk Camden G29a Monday-Thursday Jane Tomlin jtomlin@rvc.ac.uk Hawkshead Registry Office 1 day per week Kim Whittlestone kwhittleston@rvc.ac.uk Hawkshead LIVE Centre 1 day per week

48. What Do We Offer? • Timetabled sessions related to specific courses e.g. referencing and plagiarism • Optional sign-up workshop smart study, academic writing, exam strategy, • One-to-one appointments Book online for face to face, telephone or Skype • Online advice and guidance materials ‘Academic skills’ module in Learn

49. Additional Advice and Guidance Study Texts • Cottrell, S. (2013) The Study Skills Handbook, 4thEd.,UK: Palgrave Macmillan. • Cottrell, S. (2005) Critical Thinking Skills, UK: Palgrave Macmillan • Evans, D. and Brown, J. (2009) How to Succeed at Medical School An Essential Guide to Learning, UK: Wiley-Blackwell. • McKissock, C. (2009) Great ways to Learn Anatomy and Physiology, Hampshire: Palgrave-Macmillan. • Race, P. (1992) How to Study, Oxford: Blackwell Publishing On the web • http://www.learnhigher.ac.uk/Students.html • http://library.leeds.ac.uk/skills-students • http://www.vark-learn.com/english/page.asp?p=questionnaire • http://www.focusboosterapp.com

50. Gemma LudgateCareers Consultant What student support exists? Careers Service • Ms Fiona Nouri • Advice Centre Manaer