Two months ago the Guild was provided with the results of the Student Satisfaction Survey. These were general questions on the attitudes which students' have of services provided by the Guild of Students. The results confirmed what most of us already know; that the Guild suffers from its location on campus and while many students use the services and entertainments, more can be done. The survey also generated vast amounts of qualitative comments and one afternoon I made some time and read through them all. To no surprise there were a vast number of comments relating to the Guild's ability to communicate with its members, the student body, and this is something we have to improve.
This year we have piloted a newsletter called The GOS. You can check out the archives here. This was an idea developed by the sabbatical team. Over Welcome Week we signed people up to receive these newsletters and we collected over 2,000 email addresses. Since then we have been in discussions with the University about getting the academic email addresses of all students and ensure every member of the Guild gets these updates.
Also, with a new website provider we have enhanced our online presence. Our current website is a vast improvement on what we have had previously.
The issue of communication is a tough nut to crack.
The key is developing channels of communication, in other worths methods of communicating. We cannot rely on word of mouth, or officers popping on to campus to talk to the students they can grab hold of in a short space of time. We need to have systems in place to promote the message of the Guild. Therefore we need processes in place to ensure that the Guild is visible to our membership as part of our normal activities.
The sabbaticals have continued working on this throughout the year. We have been exploring how we can use Student Media Groups to provide alternative mediums for students to find out about the Guild. Our very own VPSAD has some exciting ideas about promoting student group events in the pipeline. Redbrick is also a vital method of communication, providing not just news but analysis and comment.
More then anything I am keen to hear what you think about communication. How should we do it? What methods can we use that we haven't thought of yet? I genuinely want to hear the thoughts of our students.
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6 comments:
Though I understand that communication with students is something you wish to focus on here, for me, communication within the guild itself is a real issue. As a first year, my experience of the guild is of employees and volunteers who are unsure of their roles and responsibilties. To me, there seems to be a lack of communication between teams and sections of the guild, and being passed around with a query from person to person put me off ever being involved with the guild, when previously, I thought it might be something of interest to me.
With regards to having the academic email addresses for all students, I think this would definitely be the best way to keep in touch with students. I also think the website could be more informal. Perhaps take a look at a good example I found: www.byc.org.uk.
I suppose this crosses over with Rich's campaigns but it's still relevant...
If you really want to get students involved in the Guild, making the most of its resources and accessing it on a regular basis (whether through societies, volunteering or anything else) you need to campaign outside of the Guild.
Get into all schools and departments- put up posters, get student reps involved, leave leaflets in accessible locations.
I use the Guild regularly and am a committee member so have a lot to do with various branches. It frustrates me enormously when I see these really good events or ideas fall on their face because people don't know they're going on!
Engaging students inside the Guild isn't enough, we're already there! Which I guess is the point of your blog.
I think everyone can agree that the Guild lacks strong communication with its members; let alone internally between departments, officers and studdent groups.
It is however, truly shocking that the Guild is giving away £1000 for answering a survey- surely this money can be better spent!
When prizes for surveys are high, the majority of people, inlcuding myself, rush through the survey, ticking the first box for every question simply so one can get to the end as soon as possible to submit your email address and be in the running to win the prize.
Therefore, the survey will have a large ammount of useless feedback. Furthermore, Officers are elected on their manifestos and throughout their term of office should do everything they can to fulfil their pledges. This £1000 should be spent on allowing Sabbs to complete their objectives and create the campaigns that they were mandated by the membership to do.
A Guild Councillor asked Jen at the meeting last night why the decision was made to crazily allocate this amount of money to this prize for a single student. Yet, typically, she failed to asnwer the question at all.
What is the VPEA's view on this decision, especially considering the current campaigns on HE funding which he could really use £1000 for to further its promotion throughout the Guild and across campus?
Hey there.
I am a postgrad. international student at UOB. I got to know about this blog through a massage I received on FB from one of the Uni. groups.
Anyway, from my experience;
With regards to the Guild, I probably utilized the ARC, Job Zone and Fairs only and that's about it.I guess the problem surpass the issue of communication. I would assume many activities are going on at the Guild which I may not be aware of. Yet at the same time even if I was, would I as a student really feel that welcomed to join in??
I ask a simple question, does the guild for example arrange any event for "Making new friends" for those who are coming from abroad who practically may not know many and would feel "lonely" to participate? Yes I know the international office does networking events sometimes but that is for international students only and not much mixed with the British ones.
I guess I am going off-topic am I!!
So you want better means of communication.
* Enhance internal communication as the others said.
* Try to have some more welcoming staff at the doors rather than a couple of students sitting behind a desk!! make it less formal.!!
* Organise events that make the Guild more appealing for students. Let it prove more why it is existing. Especially for the new ones. I don't mean a powerpoint presentation!!.
* Umm fascinating, 100+ groups and then....?? did they seek to reach students? Only once I have been aware of one group and that's all!!!
If groups and societies don't campaign to get students to join them and nourish them what's the point of their existence!!? We are here in case you want to join?!! or is it just something that they do to put on their C.V.s or for their inner circle?
My apologies for being critical, I know some societies are doing great and some events are fab. but not the majority.
On a more personal level. I hope you can pass this massage to the LGBTQ group, "Though I would want and love to be a member in your society, I won't be doing so not until the day that I see your presence on campus. A room at the guild is not enough!! Your website is out of date since Sept.!! I study at Edgbaston Park Road and seen and heard nothing that prove that you even exist, neither has the students around me. Your msg is not reached and actually I wonder whether this is partly to blame on you or the Uni but I don't feel the Uni is gay-friendly on a student level at all. Having equality roles in place is not enough, who knows about them? Yes I heard abusive comments from a colleague but would I report it??!! and what!! make a fuss out of it and put myself in a position that I may be hated. Why don't they know from the beginning that it should be a tolerant place!! I am sure you can do better than that LGBTQ."
My apologies OP for putting this here. but it is my only way of maintaining confidentiality and honesty.
Regards
A student.
I think what the previous responses have all said is generally correct. Whilst I do not wish to offend anyone, the Guild can be a very insular building and community. The problem largely is that anyone involved in making decisions (sab. team, Guild council, staff) are all involved in the Guild - they know people there, they understand the system, they know their way round the building and they go to the Guild and talk to people who go to the Guild. These are probably also the people who check the Guild website and sign up to newletters.
I am quite sure that there is a very large student population who simploy do not know what is going on at the Guild. They may enter the building occassionally if certain needs drive them there, but not on a regular basis atall. As has already been said - you need to advertise events and anything else where people actually are, not just a few posters up in the Guild itself.
I think personally that there is far too small a range of activites available at the Guild for the general populus. It seems thatGuild-run events can be divided into 2 categories - those designed to make money, and those designed to try and address some welfare issue. There don't really seem to be that many events designed just for students to develop in themselevs and have a good time. An argument I've heard in the past is that no-one turns up to events liek this... I am entirely certian this is becasue so few people actually know they are happening!
Whilst not wishing to be rude or cynical... for The guild to meet any communication aims it has communication is required on ALL LEVELS by ALL MEMBERS of staff. Would it not be appropriate to respond to the comments that have been made?
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