The wee Tartan Ibook

2015/2016

A Guide to being an Effective Class Rep

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Contents

Our Priorities for the Coming Year . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

The Role of the Class Rep . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Get Yourself Known . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Skills Required . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Rep Tick List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Don’t be a Hero! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Training for Class Reps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Basic Class Rep Training . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

What Happens at Faculty Council Meetings? . . 12

Before the Meeting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

During the Meeting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

After the Meeting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Rep Stories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Commonly Used Meeting Terms . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

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Our Priorities for the Coming Year

Vision and Mission

We commit to

Representing the student voice

Vision

Enhance the student experience at Borders College

We commit to

Offering independent support and advice

We commit to

Providing opportunities to enhance and develop

transferable skills

We commit to

Communicating openly and effectively

We commit to

Developing a sustainable and autonomous

Students’ Association

We commit to

Promoting an atmosphere of belonging

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The Role of the Class Rep

As a Class Rep you will:• Identifystudentissuesandneeds• AttendandparticipateinFacultyCouncil

meetings• Consult,involveandreportbacktothe

students you represent• Referstudentstoappropriatesupportin

College• LiaisewithotherClassReps,theStudents’

Association and College staff on the issues affectingstudentsandensurethestudentviewis considered in College issues

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Onceyouhavebeenelected,makesurethatyour class knows that you are their Rep and how they can get in touch with you . Sometimes students are not sure how to feed back their concerns . Make sure that they know you are theirfirstpointofcontact.AClassRepshouldalways make time to listen to what their student peershavetosay,especiallybeforeaFacultyCouncil meeting .

Ways to keep in contact:• E-mail• Informalchats• Socialmedia(setupaclassFacebook

account)• Classmeetings(arrangewithyourCourseTutor)

Get Yourself Known

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• Goodcommunication(verbalandwritten)• Sensitivitytotheneedsofothers–takingtheclassview,notmerelyyourown!

• Listening• Assertiveness• Problemsolving• Goodtimemanagement• Negotiation• Approachability• Friendliness

Asthestudentrepresentativeforyourclass,youmust always remember that every student has an opinion and that they elected you to represent them.Itisalwaysworthbearinginmindthatyouarerepresentingadiversegroupofpeoplewithdifferentneeds,forexample:• Schoolleavers• Maturestudents• Internationalstudents• Studentsfromdifferentculturalandreligious

backgrounds• Studentswhohavedifficulties

Skills Required

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Here is a quick check list of things to work through as a Class Rep:

Speak to your class and introduce yourselfIntroduceyourselftotheStudents’Associationofficerswhocansupportyouduringyourtimein the postFindoutthedateforthefirstFacultyCouncilmeetingFindminutesfrompreviousFacultyCouncilmeetings on the College website to see what happened last year

Use Course Tutor/guidance time to collect feedbackfromyourclassmates–youcanarrange this with your Course Tutor

Keep a note of what your class members think about their time in College

Arrange an informal meeting with your Course Tutor(discusswhatwentwellintheBlockandwhathasn’tgonesowell,soyouhaveanearlyunderstanding of common issues that may arise)

Set up a forum for discussion outwith class time (e.g.ClassFacebookgroup)WatchoutfortheStudents’Association-ledmeetings and coffee mornings

Rep Tick List

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AsaClassRep,youmayfindthatyouwillbeasked about many different types of problems . IssuesrelatingtoyourcourseandCampuswillbe brought to your attention . Being a student yourself,youhavefirst-handexperienceoftheproblemsthatmayarise,suchas:• Financial• Completingandmeetingassessment

deadlines• Illness(missingclasses,notesandtryingto

catch up)• Problemsathomeorwork• Equalitiesmatters

Don’t be a Hero!

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The list is endless and can include many personal problems.Itisimportantthatyoudo not try to solve any of these problems on your own . There is a network of support within the College and students should be referred to any of the following:

Student President

Course Tutor

Student Liaison Officer

Student Welfare Officer

Student Advice Centre

SeekadvicefromtheStudentLiaisonOfficer(Students’AssociationOffice,Room0.061fromthe area outside the shop; phone the direct line 01896 662586ore-mailbcsa@borderscollege.ac.uk) .

Ifyouareaskedforhelp,youshouldrememberthe following points:• Respectconfidentiality• Alwaysgetthestudent’sapprovalbeforeyouseekoutsideadvice

• Remembertogobackandtellthestudent(s)what was said

Don’t be a Hero!

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TheStudents’Associationwillprovideyouwithon-goingsupportduringyourtimeasaClassRep and will organise basic training sessions throughout the year .

Training for Class Reps

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Basic Class Rep training will outline the responsibilities of being a Class Rep and the type oftasksyouwillbeexpectedtocarryout.Youwillalsobegivenabriefoverviewofhowtodeal with Faculty Council meetings and what to expectatthem–forexample,learningmeetingskillsanddealingwithminutesfrompreviousmeetings . There will also be discussions based on common problems faced by Class Reps . These sessions will take place by the end of October and you will hear about it through your College e-mail,postersdisplayedaroundthecampusesandthroughyourCourseTutor.Itisimportantthat you attend one of these training sessions .

Basic Class Rep Training

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YouwillbeinvitedtoattendthreetofourFacultyCouncilmeetingseachyearviaCollegeemailandyourCourseTutor.Theinvitationwillgiveyou details of where and when the meeting will takeplace,andcontactdetailstoletusknowwhether or not you can be there .

The Faculty Council meetings will be led by the FacultyCouncilChair(astudent)andinvolve:• AllClassReps(DeputesiftheRepisunavailable)

• HeadofFaculty• ProgrammeLeaders• ClerktotheFacultyCouncil• Students’AssociationRepresentatives

If you will miss a class to go to the meeting, please remember to let the lecturer know where you are and make arrangements to catch up on that day’s work.

What Happens at Faculty Council Meetings?

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Here’s what to do before each meeting:• Collectandnotepositiveandnegative

feedback from your class• Bepreparedforthemeetingbyreadingtheminutesofthepreviousmeeting

• GetintouchwiththeFacultyCouncilChairifyou would like to add to the Agenda

• ReadthroughtheAgenda–isthereanythingyouneedtoprepareinadvance?

• Doalittleresearch–askotherClassRepsif something has been brought up at the meetingsbeforeand,ifso,whatwastheoutcome?

• MakesurethattheClerkknowsifyoucan’tbethere

Before the Meeting:

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Here’s what to do during each meeting:• Bepunctual• SitwheretheChaircanseeyou• Speakup• Giveaccurateinformationfromyourclass• Askaboutanythingyoudon’tunderstand• Keepyourphoneinyourpocket

During the Meeting:

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Here’s what to do after each meeting:• Scheduleaclassmeetingtofeedbackon

what was said• Checkiftheclassishappywiththeresult,orif

you need to do more• SpeaktotheChairifyoudon’tfeelyourproblemwasresolved

• Makesureyoudoanytaskssetatthemeeting

After the Meeting:

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“SincetakinguptheroleofClassRep,Ihavecome to understand that not only is the responsibilityvariedandimportantingivingstudentsavoice,butitisalsointegralintheforwardevolutionanddevelopmentofCollegecourses on the whole . Being a Class Rep is a rewardingrole,andIwouldencourageanyoneto go forward for it . There are few better ways ofdevelopinghigherself-confidence,andrecognisingworthinyours,andotherpeople’sthoughts and opinions .

Deliveringsuggestions,comments,andcriticismsrelatingtomycourse,onbehalfofmypeers,haspavedthewayformanypositivechanges.Duringfacultymeetings,itiscontinuallydemonstrated how eager the College are in strivingforwardswithstudentfeedbackinmind,and treating that feedback with the utmost respect .

Rep Stories

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Rep Stories

WhileinitiallyIwasn’tsureifIshouldnominatemyselffortheroleofClassRep,inhindsight,I’mgladIdid,andwilldosoagain.Itisn’talwayspossible to play a key part in change for the better,sowhentheopportunityarises,itshouldbe seized .”

Roderick Glass, Class Rep 2014-2015, NC Business Management

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“DuringmytimebeingaStudentRepIhavebuiltmyconfidenceforsure.OriginallyIdidn’tvolunteerforthepositionbutmyclassthoughtitwouldbeagreatideaifIdidtheroleasaStudentRep.Iwasreallynervousanddidn’tfeelIwasabletodoit,butIattendedthetraining,which changed my mind .

AtmyfirstmeetingIfeltthatitwentreallywellandIwasproudofmyselfbecauseIhadtheresponsibility of passing on issues/problems and achievementstotheFaculty.

IamgladItookontheroleastheStudentRepand would fully recommend any student to think abouttheroleasit’sagreatexperienceandyouget it put on your CV .”

Veronica Forbes, NC Administration and Technology, Class Rep 2014-2015

Rep Stories

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A minute – nottimingsomething,thisisthewritten record from a meeting

Apologies – noneedtosay“sorry”,thismeanspeople who can’t be at the meeting

Agenda – the list and order of what will be discussed at the meeting

The Chair – aswellassomethingtositon,thisisthe person who leads the meeting

AOB/AOCB – initials for Any Other Business or any Other Competent Business andcoversanythingthatcouldbediscussedthatdoesn’thaveitsowntitle on the Agenda

Quorum – Latin! This means the number of people that need to be present for the meeting to go ahead

Golden Rule – if you’re not sure, just ask!

Commonly Used Meeting Terms

Borders CollegeStudents’ Association

Providingadvice,supportandsignpostingfor all Borders College Students .

Tel: 01896 662586

www .tartanmonkey .co .uke: bcsa@borderscollege .ac .uk

www .facebook .com/tartanmonkeywww .twitter .com/tartanmonkey11