Friday, 19 September 2008
The sabbatical team, 08-09
Q, A, eh???
If you have been around my office over the past few weeks you will have heard me incessantly talking about an obscure acronym, the QAA.
Every four years the University is audited to measure the academic quality and standards by an independent body called the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA). The purpose of this is to safeguard the public interest in sound standards of higher education qualifications.
This audit will take place between the 29th April and the 1st May. Before then the QAA will be visiting the University to prepare. As part of the audit process the University submit a self-reflection document informing the QAA of what they think are their strengths and weaknesses. The Guild also make a submission, the student written submission, highlighting what students believe to be the University's strong and weak points. This is due in Febuary though it is our intention to complete a first draft in November so it can go to students for consultation.
You will be hearing more on this issue in the future...
Every four years the University is audited to measure the academic quality and standards by an independent body called the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA). The purpose of this is to safeguard the public interest in sound standards of higher education qualifications.
This audit will take place between the 29th April and the 1st May. Before then the QAA will be visiting the University to prepare. As part of the audit process the University submit a self-reflection document informing the QAA of what they think are their strengths and weaknesses. The Guild also make a submission, the student written submission, highlighting what students believe to be the University's strong and weak points. This is due in Febuary though it is our intention to complete a first draft in November so it can go to students for consultation.
You will be hearing more on this issue in the future...
Getting ready for freshers...
Tomorrow students start moving into university halls. For over a week Selly Oak has seemed increasingly busy, students are coming back and gearing up for the new academic year.
In the Guild a lot of preparation has, and still is, going on for Welcome Week. On Monday will be the Wellbeing fair which is your opportunity to find out about healthy living and sport. On Tuesday there will be the Community Fair where you will be able discover more about the area where you live. Also on Tuesday is the Change the World Fair where you can find out about the various campaigning opportunities in the Guild to make the world a better place. Wednesday sees the Volunteering Fair, the first opportunity student have to find out about the ways to get involved in volunteering. On Wednesday and Thursday there is the Jobs Fair, for students who think they will have to earn while they study. Also on Wednesday up at the Munrow Sports Centre is the Sports Fair.
On Tuesday and Wednesday is the Freshers Fair. This is your opportunity to pick up all the amazing freebies you think you need but may eventually throw away. There will be a range of local and national companies with amazing offers for various bars, nightclubs and entertainment. On Thursday and Friday is the Societies Fair. This is the big opportunity students have to see all the societies within the Guild, sign up for emails, and get involved! With over 160 societies there is something to suit everyone...
Whatever you do over the next week, make sure you pop along!
In the Guild a lot of preparation has, and still is, going on for Welcome Week. On Monday will be the Wellbeing fair which is your opportunity to find out about healthy living and sport. On Tuesday there will be the Community Fair where you will be able discover more about the area where you live. Also on Tuesday is the Change the World Fair where you can find out about the various campaigning opportunities in the Guild to make the world a better place. Wednesday sees the Volunteering Fair, the first opportunity student have to find out about the ways to get involved in volunteering. On Wednesday and Thursday there is the Jobs Fair, for students who think they will have to earn while they study. Also on Wednesday up at the Munrow Sports Centre is the Sports Fair.
On Tuesday and Wednesday is the Freshers Fair. This is your opportunity to pick up all the amazing freebies you think you need but may eventually throw away. There will be a range of local and national companies with amazing offers for various bars, nightclubs and entertainment. On Thursday and Friday is the Societies Fair. This is the big opportunity students have to see all the societies within the Guild, sign up for emails, and get involved! With over 160 societies there is something to suit everyone...
Whatever you do over the next week, make sure you pop along!
Wednesday, 10 September 2008
HE funding: Broke and Broken
The NUS have produced a new report on the state of Higher Education funding in England and Wales. Entitled Broke and Broken, it is an damning inditement of the consequences of variable fees and the marketisation of HE. This report has been written in anticipation of the 2009 review of HE funding. It lays out the pitfalls in the various aguments that may be used by those who want to see the cap lifted.
Over the next few weeks I will write a series of blogs setting out the main themes of Broke and Broken. At some point over the next semester this issue will also be coming to Guild Council.
Over the next few weeks I will write a series of blogs setting out the main themes of Broke and Broken. At some point over the next semester this issue will also be coming to Guild Council.
Tuesday, 2 September 2008
The most interesting part of my job so far...
...signing cheques. I have now personally seen off over £100,000.
Sunday, 31 August 2008
Black history month
Black history month is October and in anticipation of this the Guild is planning a number of events and campaigns. We will be particularly looking to increase involvement of BME students in the Student Rep system. BME students make up very few of the Student Reps and for the system to be fully representative all groups, whether it be postgraduate, international or ethnic shoudl be represented. Also, at Guild Council we will also be looking to renew our committment to anonymous marking. It has been shown that where anonymous marking is in place the results of BME students improve by 12%. Keep an eye out for those campaigns.
Liberation is at the heart of the mission of the Guild of Students. While collectively we strive to defend and improve student rights we all seek to empower those very students with the ability to access a world class education. Despite this some groups still suffer discrimination because of their gender/sexuality/disability or ethnicity. While this discrimination exists at a university and national level we have a responsibility to make the case for equality. I hope everybody takes an interest in the upcoming black history month.
Liberation is at the heart of the mission of the Guild of Students. While collectively we strive to defend and improve student rights we all seek to empower those very students with the ability to access a world class education. Despite this some groups still suffer discrimination because of their gender/sexuality/disability or ethnicity. While this discrimination exists at a university and national level we have a responsibility to make the case for equality. I hope everybody takes an interest in the upcoming black history month.
Is it really that long since I blogged?
With it being over a month since I made a post on this site I thought it about time I added something.
Towards the beginning of this month I spent two weeks on annual leave. The occasion was an extended family holiday to County Cork in Ireland. The weather was nice and the food was good. I came back to Birmingham at the end of it refreshed and ready to go.
The I went on the second of my two NUS training courses. This one was called Action through Advocacy and held at the University of Hertfordshire (again). Whereas the first training course I attended (Active Political Leadership) was designed for all officers these sessions were designed to be useful for education/welfare/housing sabbaticals. Accordingly me, Hollie and Oggy went. I found this training particularly useful - the apathy staicase, communication action networks, a better understanding of the Bologna process - most of which I think should be helpful to me during the coming year.
Then finally I had my first day in the office. I have now replied to a huge backlog of emails and and started planning my campaigns. Importantly I have made the resolution to keep adding to this blog regularly.
Towards the beginning of this month I spent two weeks on annual leave. The occasion was an extended family holiday to County Cork in Ireland. The weather was nice and the food was good. I came back to Birmingham at the end of it refreshed and ready to go.
The I went on the second of my two NUS training courses. This one was called Action through Advocacy and held at the University of Hertfordshire (again). Whereas the first training course I attended (Active Political Leadership) was designed for all officers these sessions were designed to be useful for education/welfare/housing sabbaticals. Accordingly me, Hollie and Oggy went. I found this training particularly useful - the apathy staicase, communication action networks, a better understanding of the Bologna process - most of which I think should be helpful to me during the coming year.
Then finally I had my first day in the office. I have now replied to a huge backlog of emails and and started planning my campaigns. Importantly I have made the resolution to keep adding to this blog regularly.
Saturday, 19 July 2008
So what have I been getting up to in July?
Many people assume that as there are no students around the summer is a quiet time in the Guild. This has certainly not been the case. Throughout the month of July the officer team for 08-09 have been receiving training. This has included a behind the scenes tour of the guild building and sessions with the various departments. This week I attended 'Active Political Leadership', a training event run by the NUS. This was an intensive course in skills which are relevant to running a students' union.
On Friday Baroness Amos officially opened the Amos Room in the Guild of Students. Lady Amos is an alumni of the Unversity of Birmingham and was the first black female cabinet minister.
Below are a few pictures to give you some idea of what has been going on.
On Friday Baroness Amos officially opened the Amos Room in the Guild of Students. Lady Amos is an alumni of the Unversity of Birmingham and was the first black female cabinet minister.
Below are a few pictures to give you some idea of what has been going on.
Friday, 18 July 2008
Why I ran for election
On the right is a picture of me making a speech at a hustings event outside Avanti. My speech was about whether students are getting value for money in their time at the University of Birmingham. Although they pay fees of over £3,000 they still question the quality of feedback on their work, why they feel they do not get enough contact hours and why there are not enough core texts in the library.
I was a Student Rep and a Guild Councillor for history. Those were the kind of issues I used to raise. Now as Vice President I will campaign on those same issues and more.
My aim is to create a vibrant and responsive Student Rep system. Representation should exist at every level (from the lecture theatre to the Vice Chancellor's office) but it is in every school and department where students should feel empowered to be able to have an impact on the issues that affect them.
My election website
When I was running for election I created a website to display my policies.
Check it out here.
Feel free to pull me up on any of my promises which you feel I am not working on...
Check it out here.
Feel free to pull me up on any of my promises which you feel I am not working on...
My new blog
Hello and welcome to my blog. As the Guild's Vice President (Education and Access) it is my job to represent students to the university on academic issues. This blog will be a forum for feedback on what I am doing and the education campaigns that the Guild is running.
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