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Dear all, sorry but I'm currently updating this site. I will have it up and running and more beautiful than ever soon ... I promise.
Any problems or queries please contact me - education@susu.org
Becky
Vice President Education 2009/2010.
Welcome back to another year at Southampton University! My name is Joe Leigh, and I am the new Vice President Education and Representation, and this is a quick email to let you know the things that I am planning for the up coming year.
The first thing is the Representation Development Plan (or RDP). This was developed by Claire and Max last year, and is set to go to the first Union Council of the year to be ratified. The RDP is aimed to make your role as Course Rep easier, as it introduces a new position; School President. Each School will have one President, who will act as a liaison between the Course reps within that School and the Faculty Reps, making the line of communication clearer and quicker. They will also sit on Education Committee and Union Council, and so will ensure that issues affecting students’ courses are heard not only throughout the University but on every level within the Union too. School Presidents will be elected in November, and the ideal candidate is someone who has experience of being a Course rep! So, if you think this is for you, drop me an email, or keep an eye out for the School President posters that are going out soon.
In regards to my manifesto, there are several areas that I will be asking you for feed back from your students. The main area of this is personal tutors; the Union is now involved in a group that is re-evaluating the role of the personal or academic tutor, and the University wants to know what it is that the students want. Is a simple person to provide a reference enough, or do students require a level of support and advice on a much greater scale, and on more than just academic issues? The aim of this group is to re-write University policy on this, and to provide all Schools with a minimum standard of tutor support that their students must be provided.
Other areas that I will be looking to you to work with are the provision of core texts and assessment feedback. These are issues that students have raised time and time again, and I shall be working closely with the University to ensure that what is provided is actually what the students want. The University reports that it is trying a wide variety of feedback methods but to not effect, and it is through you and your links with your students that SUSU can best provide the students voice on these issues. The Vice Chancellor has also expressed a concern in regards to the provision of core texts, and has announced that a policy needs to be drawn up, again your feedback is essential in getting this right.
All in all this looks to be a very exciting year, and I need your help to make it as successful as possible. The Excellence in Volunteering Awards (EVAs) are being opened up even further this year to recognise the hard work of Course Reps, with open nominations in the category for the first time ever! We are also continuing to develop the nationally recognised, Investing In Volunteering (IIV) Course Rep certificate,
which will provide you with a document detailing all the transferable skills that you have developed throughout your role.
I hope to see you all soon; details of this years Course Rep Liaison Groups are set to follow soon. If you are not continuing as a Course Rep this year then please can you let me know by sending an email to education@susu.org.
I hope you have all had a fantastic summer, here’s to a brilliant year ahead!
Joe Leigh
Vice-President Education & Representation
Southampton University Students’ Union