This term has been something of a rollercoaster, to use a well-worn cliche. I'm taking a few days off over to Christmas to relax, recharge and refocus.
What has my term been?
Sociology has dominated my agenda, well before the announcement was leaked by staff back on November the 10th. That doesn't feel like six weeks ago; everything that's happened since feels like it's been enough to fill six months of a normal calendar. Meetings with students, the Student Reps, the Head of College, the College Head of Learning and Teaching, the University Registrar and Secretary, the Head of Finance, one Pro-Vice-Chancellor and his former deputy, the VC himself, Senate, Council, our student Senate reps, internal Guild staff, UCU reps, hundreds of emails from individual students, their parents, sociologists and UCU members from other unis...
Sociology is now in a relatively quiet place. We will hold elections to elect students onto the discussion panels that have resulted from the review process, and these will report back late March... Just need to arrange these elections.
Appeals, College Misconduct Hearings and Fitness to Practice all took so much more time and emotion than I ever anticipated, but was worth every second of it to help those students.
So what about the old manifesto points?
Feedback has made good progress; I sit on a working group looking at exam scripts in feedback and Fab and I have had a lot of input into proposals to improve feedback going through the Uni committees. Just needs a push in the right direction...
Libraries is an area I've had to save off launching myself into until next term, thanks to a certain troubled department.
Access I am also going to have to wait before tackling, there's been so much on this term it's been hard to get going on it.
Student Reps have a lot of exciting developments coming their way this year, including online training, meaning all of you can access it for the first time ever (and have no excuses!), PSA accreditation, and MyStudentRep, a confidential discussion forum you will soon be able to access via MyBham for just Student Reps and those they represent.
.... The Book Exchange is doing great!
So, thoughts so far, any any questions?
Digital Marketing in Pakistan
3 years ago
As one of the Sociology Reps that you had the most contact with, I would like to say thank you for all the hard work you put in and I was also particularly pleased to discover you had been commended for this in the December Guild Council. I, more than anyone, understand what a difficult job you undertook but you worked extremely hard and always put the students of the Department of Sociology, their views, issues, concerns and welfare at the centre of everything you did. I am pleased that we have made progress in organising proper representation and engagement with students and am confident that the changes that we have already seen have benefitted students.
ReplyDeleteAs the only Sociology SH Rep who attended the Undergraduate Social Sciences forum I am also looking forward to seeing the results of your campaign for improved feedback - a need for which was echoed by so many of us.
Many thanks,
Rep1