► Course Reps

Welcome to the Course representative page. Are you looking for something different to improve your skills for your future job? Then here's the place for you! In this page, there is a variety of information about the course rep system, the benefits of becoming a course rep, and how being a rep can enable you to improve your course and the student experience.

What is course rep? Who can be a course rep?

Anyone can be a course rep in their own course/department; Course reps are students who are elected by their peers to represent all students on their particular course. He/she is in post for one year but has the opportunity to be re-elected the following year.

What exactly does a course rep do?

A course rep provides consistent, well-informed opinion about the quality of teaching and learning on their course, and also on the overall student experience gained whilst at the University

Main roles of a course rep are:

•To take complaints, queries, ideas, and suggestions from their course/department to the department and faculty meetings.
•To endeavour to ensure students are getting what they expect from their course/department;
•To provide academic staff and the university with a balanced view from the student body, on the quality and standard of the education and services being provided, and where improvements are needed.
•To refer students to the student union education and welfare officer or advice centre where they have specific issues they want to raise.

Why should I want to be a course rep? - The benefit of being a course rep!

•Training sessions set by Student Union to teach you important and valuable skills such as how to participate in meetings, and how to best represent peers.
•You will get a certificate at the end of the academic year as proof of your work.
•The experience can be used as a learning opportunity to gain important skills, such as being assertive, communicating, listening, public speaking, time management, stress management, lobbying, negotiation, being a team member, referral skills, confidentiality, report writing.
•These skills are transferable and you'll find that they will prove useful whatever profession you end up working in.
•Finally, being a course rep looks excellent on your CV as it shows you are willing to take on and deal with responsibility.

Course Representatives

Course Representatives are the vital link between students and staff ensuring that the student voice is heard and that the university is student driven. It is a great way to...

* Affect decisions made about your education - consult with course mates to get their views on
issues affecting them
* Develop effective working relationships with teaching staff
* Develop inter-personal skills for yourself and prospective employers - e.g problem solving,

communication, negotiation skills and working with others
* Work with other course reps to negotiate improvements for students

The unions role with course reps is to help and support them by providing training and being a resource to help with issues that arise. From time to time we also ask the course representative for feedback on issues and papers that are going on in the University and its committees. As a union we are working with the university to try and improve the university and what you as students are receiving.

For any enquires, problems with your course or support please email: vpedandwelfare@su.plymouth.ac.uk

Network Meetings

What is a Network Meeting?

A network meeting is where all the Course Reps from your Faculty meet with your Sabbatical Officer and School Reps. You have the opportunity to raise any issues that you are encountering, the Sabbatical Officer will offer advice on the best course of action for you to take to resolve the issue. In addition notes of all the issues you raise will be taken and then at a later meeting the Sabbatical Officer and School Reps will meet to discuss any trends both within the Faculty and also from the other Faculties. Any trends may then be resolved by an academic campaign by the elected officers.

Why should you come?

These meetings have a variety of functions.

Firstly it is an opportunity for you to meet other Course Reps across the University.

Secondly, you will be able to hold the sabbatical team to account for any action they have taken since the previous meeting on issues that you have raised; you will also be able to seek support from your nominated sabbatical officer at this meeting.

Thirdly, it is an opportunity for School or Faculty Reps to gather issues from students to take to Faculty Board.
How often are the meetings?

You should have at least one network meeting per term, although it hoped that this academic year 2011/2012 will see at least two meetings a term. The dates for these meetings will be listed below and also on the Course Rep notice board in the Students' Union.

Course Rep Network Meeting Dates 2011/12

Faculty of Arts
Monday 5th December, 18:00, Roland Levinsky 303

Plymouth Business School
Tuesday 6th December, 18:00, The Hive, UPSU

Faculty of Health, Education and Society
Monday 5th December, 18:00, Roland Levinsky 304

Faculty of Science and Technology
Monday 5th December, 18:00, The Hive, UPSU

Please email to confirm your attendance, send your name, course title and year to coursereps@su.plymouth.ac.uk

Member Login