Hey June

Hey June

 

June has been a fairly strange one with students having left to go home, the Union tying up lots of work and saying farewell to this year’s officers.  We’ve had students’ union reviews, student casework and hearings, meetings, STAR awards, QAA preparation and handover preparation. All that on top of getting the good news that I've passed my masters and finally having a weeks break in Spain. Here’s a little detail on some of what I got up to this very quiet but busy month. If you’d like to know what else I’ve been working on/would like to ask a question then please do not hesitate to contact.

 

 

 

#TimeTabling/RoomBooking

I’ve been pushing to try and get it implemented that students get their academic timetable around May/June time. This will allow prospective and current students to plan in advance for work experience/other commitments. I’ve also been trying to combat the issue of room booking through having an e-mail reminder/do you still need it system. The University are currently looking in to systems that can be put in place to best utilise these rooms.

 

 

 

#Sponsorship

I’ve been working hard with staff in the Union to offer sponsorship opportunities for our Sports teams and societies (much like Glam have offered previously). Hopefully we’ll have some pleasing news to deliver over the summer.









# Change Agent Reports

With two of our regional Change Agents dissapearing, I took on the research work that should have been completed. A number of surveys were given to students in the Cardiff and Pontypridd regions through our SVR's and were collated and summarised in a report. This report will inform the University on it's next steps in relation to Feedback on asses
sment and student support and belonging. I also oversaw the Newport region change agent who also produced a very detailed report on feedback on assessment, using data collected in both previous and current years. This report will also be handed to the University to aid with it's developments in learning and teaching.



#QAA institutional Review

We will be going through an institutional review in 2015. Not only will this allow for a detailed analysis of everything in the University but it means a lot of extra work with little staff for the students' union. I will be leading
the student submission element, utilising data gathered by Union staff, sabbaticals and students. I've began preperation for this having gone to some conferences, intitial meetings and writing preparation documents for planning the next steps.



#Stakeholder analysis

I developed a questionnaire to be distributed by student council officers to students. This contained a detailed reflection on students union services, what it does well and what it c
ould do better. This will inform the students view in the students' union stakeholder analysis. This will inform the vision and strategy of the Union going forward.





#SU/University Review

We've now had three meetings and have began writing our drafft report. We initially thought that we would have the report finished by now, however the review was larger than anticipated and has taken a whi
le longer. We are currently in the process of going over a draft report with reccomendations for future practice looking at things such as a joint strategy for sport, a different funding model for the Union and a varied support and advice strand that would suit both part time, full time, undergraduate and postgraduate students. This report will go to the Union's trustee board for ratification before going to the Universities Board of Governors.



#Annual Report

I'm taking a different approach to the annual report this year. In the past it's been a reflection on various events and occasions that have happened in the Union. With the Union reterning to it's core values - Representation, Campaigning, Democracy and Welfare, I intend on de
veloping an impact report. This will be very difficult and time consuming as we do not have a staff member looking at analytics and research, but I believe it will be one worthwhile giving an idea on what the Unions impact over the year has been in comparison to past years.

#OfficersElect’Induction

Induction in the past has compromised of a very un-organized brief hand over, a talk-through of different representative groups and the signing of contracts and forms. I’ve been working on a transformation of inductions. Each officer elect’ will be provided with a folder containing all the information needed to carry out the role effectively. Each contains regional details and useful contacts within the union, university and the sector. I am also organizing individual induction meets with each member of staff to go through their roles and responsibilities and how they can help.  The folders will form the basis of induction week, with campus specific handovers happening in each of the roles in their respective regions. I’ve also  planned group handover, trustee training and officer training ready for the new academic year. Individual regional handover has began and I’ve booked the incoming sabbaticals summer NUS training.

Apart from that I’ve fought a number of student cases, replied to millions of e-mails and attended millions of conferences, talks and events (slight exaggeration, but you get the picture).

 Keep Peeled for more developments and the next update :).

 For more frequent updates, follow me on twitter @USWSU_Presand add me on Facebook - Carys Rhiannon USWSU.

 Carys Rhiannon Thomas :D xx

 P.s. A list of meetings I've attended since the last blogg...

 #Representation #StickItToTheMan

 

June 2014

02.06.2014                  Wise Wales Confrence, Cardiff

02.06.2014                  STAR Rep announcement, Treforest

03.06.2014                  DISAG, Treforest

04.06.2014                  FCF, Treforest

04.06.2014                  STAR Rep announcement, Glyntaff

05.06.2014                  Graduation Meeting, Treforest

11.06.2014                  FCF, Treforest

11.06.2014                  Academic Board, Treforest

12.06.2014                  SU/Exec 1-1, Treforest

13.06.2014                  Students' Union review group meeting, Treforest

30.06.2014                  Student Disciplinary Committee, Treforest