Class Rep Elections
Are you interested in promoting and addressing the concerns of students to the wider university? Would you like to represent your programme?
We are working in partnership with the SRC to deliver an effective and coherent system of student representation; the contributions of our Class and PGR Representatives are essential for us to enhance the student learning experience.
We set out a number of overarching principles:
- All students have the right to representation at the SSLC
- All Class and PGR Representatives have the right to attend training offered by GUSRC
- Recognition of training and completion of the role will be provided on the HEAR
Nominations for class reps and GUSRC reps open 21st September.
For more information head to student representation and my class reps
Or contact our Student Support Officer at education-student support@glasgow.ac.uk
What is a class representative?
Class and PGR Representatives exist to represent the students in their class, course, programme, or subject. Schools/Research Institutes are expected to engage Class and PGR Representatives routinely in the decision-making committees and processes and to consult them, formally and informally, on decisions with an impact on the student experience. As a minimum, Class and PGR Representative should be invited to, attend and contribute to two Staff-Student Liaison Committee (SSLC) meetings per year.
Good practice indicates effective student representation will go further than this with an effective formal and informal partnership developed between the Schools/RIs and Class and PGR Representatives.
There is more information about the Class Rep system in the Code of Practice on Student Representation and on the Students’ Representative Council website.
To be an effective class rep, you will be expected to undertake the following tasks:
- Make yourself known to your classmates and peers who you represents as well as the best way to contact you with any issues they may have.
- Undertake Class Representative Training run by the Students’ Representative Council.
- Proactively collect feedback from your classmates throughout the year.
- Attend SSLC meetings, bringing items to the agenda based on student feedback.
- Work with other class representatives and School/RI staff to resolve any issues either at SSLCs or through communication throughout the year.
- Follow up on actions allocated to you and keep the students you represent in the loop with your progress.
- Liasise with your GUSRC School Representative or Convenor on any issues out of your remit or you need support in tackling.
- Support key GUSRC academic campaigns and activities such as the Student Teaching Awards.
Class representatives are chosen in School of Education through election within the first few weeks of teaching. Information on the role will be part of the class induction.
Being a class representative is a great way to:
- make positive changes in your subject or school for your fellow students
- find out more about the university’s structure for decision making
- develop skills such as communication and problem solving.
Your role as a class rep can also be officially recognised by the university and added to your transcript, also known as your Higher Education Achievement Record (HEAR), when you graduate which can look great to potential employers.
How to nominate yourself
In order to nominate yourself you need to do submit a 100 word statement to education-classreps@glasgow.ac.uk before 4pm BST on the 2nd October telling students why you are well suited to the role. You can include any relevant experience you have and ideas you have to make positive changes for your fellow students.
The statements will then be displayed on the School of Education’s Student Hubs so that students can read these before voting.
Any questions about the nomination process should be directed to education-classreps@glasgow.ac.uk
Voting
Class representatives are elected into the role as stated in the Code of Practice for Student Representation. All elections will be held by secret ballot which will normally be online
Key Dates
Nominations open – 21st September 2020
Nominations close – 2nd October 2020
Information on candidates on School of Education Student Hubs – 5th October 2020
Voting opens – 7th October 2020, 9am BST
Voting closes – 8th October 2020
Results announced – 9th October 2020
Results
Results will be announced Moodle by 5pm on 9th October 2020 and the elected class representative’s details will be made public to the students they have been elected to represent, appropriate university staff and appropriate GUSRC staff.
Support Available
Class Representative Training
Training is available to all class representatives through the SRC. This two hour session will cover the role of the class representative at the University, how to collect feedback, how to feed this back to the university and how to convey changes made to students. Sessions are scheduled at various times during Semester 1 and 2 and can be signed up to via MyClassReps. Attending Class Representative Training is a requirement for your role to be recognised on your transcript, but you only need to attend the training once every four years so if you are studying a four year programme you only need to attend this once!
Student Representation Toolkit
This is an online resource, created by GUSRC and accessed through MyClassReps, which contains a variety of useful information to help you as a rep, and links to key University policies that are relevant to your role.
MyClassReps
This is an online portal where you can discuss issues with fellow class representatives, use as a tool to collect feedback from the students you represent and feed back any changes made. Relevant documents such as meeting minutes should also be uploaded to MyClassReps.
Within School of Education
Support is available within the Student Support Officer via education-classreps@glasgow.ac.uk
Glasgow University Students’ Representative Council (GUSRC)
GUSRC is the representative body for all students at the University of Glasgow and one of the four student bodies. Also known as the SRC, they exist to support all students as well as represent them at committees across the university on academic and welfare-based issues. GUSRC also provides support via The Advice Centre, services such as the second-hand bookshop, printing and binding, and serves as a hub for extra-curricular activities through 300+ clubs and societies, four student media bodies and GU Volunteering.
The SRC has a council made up of 47 student representatives, a mixture of academic and welfare/equalities positions. Each College has an undergraduate and postgraduate College Convenor and there is a Postgraduate Research Convenor for all PGR students.
Each School has a School Representative whose role is to support Class Representatives by identifying key issues in their School and take these to School Learning and Teaching Committees to be addressed and acted upon. SRC School Representatives meet with class representatives at least once a semester and will normally contact class representatives via their student emails.
Key Contacts
|
Name |
Responsible For |
Email address |
|
Kirsteen Fraser |
Administrative support of SSLCs |
education-classreps@glasgow.ac.uk |
|
SRC Vice-President Education |
Overseeing the class rep system |
vp-education@src.gla.ac.uk |
|
SRC School Representative |
Supporting and meeting with class reps |
Find details at SRC Website - Academic Officers |
|
SRC Representation |
Questions about class rep training and SRC-run class rep events |
representation@src.gla.ac.uk |