Hello everyone! Here is a quick update on what I have been working on during the first semester as the School Rep for Engineering, Computing & Mathematics.
Wins:
- Student concerns and guidance: I have been actively addressing student concerns, guiding them on academic and non-academic issues, and ensuring their feedback reaches the right people. Whether it has been helping course reps with issues (such as talking to module leaders) or escalating concerns to the school or faculty level, I have been making sure students feel supported and heard.
- Discovery Weeks: I have contributed to discussions about how Discovery Weeks can be more engaging and beneficial for students. By gathering and passing on feedback, I have helped shape future improvements to ensure these weeks are valuable rather than just seen as time off by the students
Things that could have been better:
- Course Reps Photo Board: I had planned implement photo board for course reps to increase visibility and accessibility for students on all courses. However, this turned out to be more challenging than expected. The goal is to implement this at the beginning of the next academic year when everything is fresh, making it easier for students to recognise their reps and know who to contact for support, but also when the elections are held, and along with the application form to be a course rep, we can collect whether these people want to be on the photo board or not.
Next steps:
- International Student Representation: I will on ensuring international students feel included and represented. To quickly define the international rep role is to engage with international students, addressing unique concerns such as visa issues, and making sure their voices are heard at the school level, but also to show empathy and redirect students to relevant services.
- Campus Safety – New Park: I have escalated safety concerns about the new park near campus, including poor lighting and security. I will continue to push for improvements to make the area safer for students.