Handout 1: the Role of a Star

Handout 1: The role of a StAR

StARS are there to protect, defend and extend the rights of the students on their course!

Handout 2: Identifying Issues: Widely, Strongly & Winnable

Think about the issues affecting you and your fellow students on your course. Can you identify any issues that are Widely Felt, Strongly Felt and Winnable?

Your Issue:
Widely / Strongly / Winnable
Your Issue:
Widely / Strongly / Winnable
Your Issue:
Widely / Strongly / Winnable

Handout 3: StARs Training 2012

Dealing with issues:

Case study 1:

You’ve had a bad lecture – no one really understood what was going on

•Talk to students, see if others were struggling

• If it is a group issue – approach the class tutor and ask them to either clarify the points in the next lecture, or put something online

• Make a mental note about the module, in case it becomes a reoccurring issue

•Keep a log to see if there is a pattern emerging

Case study 2:

Students have an issue with a lecturer

•Talk to students, see what people specifically have an issue with – clarity, attitude, use of technology, language barrier etc.

• Talk to your Faculty attached Sabbatical about the lecturer – it may be an issue affecting all years of study. They will take the specific concerns to the head of your course

• Do NOT raise this at Course Committee meeting or discuss this
openly – remember confidentiality!

Case study 3:

Students are not happy with feedback

•Talk to students, see what people specifically have an issue with – timeliness, effectiveness, fairness etc.

• Raise this with the marker and ask for a resolution

• Raise this with your Faculty attached Sabbatical

• Discuss the issue of feedback more widely at
a Course committee meeting – is this the only instance of bad
feedback? How can it be improved?

Handout 4: SMART Objectives

Setting objectives will help you to clarify what it is that you want to achieve – objectives are more precise than general overall aims. They can help you stay focused in working out the specific tasks and activities that are needed to fulfil you campaigning aims. They also allow you to keep track and assess how you are doing.

When setting objectives, its good practice to use the SMART Acronym.

SMART: The Explanation

S / SPECIFIC / The objective should be precise to avoid ambiguity
M / MEASURABLE / It should be measurable so that you can assess success
A / ACHIEVABLE / It should be attainable and set at a level that is achievable
R / REALISTIC / The objectives should be realistic and achievable; otherwise it will be pointless and frustrating
T / TIME-BOUND / It should have a time frame as well as a defined deadline

SMART: Your Turn

S
M
A
R
T

Handout 5: Meetings

Who Does What?

Before meeting / During meeting / After meeting
The Chair
Person / Circulating information
Accepting apologies
Communicating with secretary
Becoming familiar with the agenda
Communicating with key speakers
Highlighting controversial areas
Being aware of time constraints / Ensuring that there is a balanced debate
Being impartial
Keeping time
Summarising and clarifying when necessary
Re-ordering the agenda
Setting the date for the next meeting / Communicating with secretary
Check that decisions are acted upon
Set agenda for meeting with reference to the last meeting
The
Secretary/
minute taker / Collecting agenda items and supporting papers
Putting the agenda and papers together
Distributing the agenda and supporting papers
Liaising with the chair about time, venue and booking rooms
Accepting apologies / Registering attendance
Accurately recording the events of the
Being concise
Noting action points
Noting the date of the next meeting / Type minutes and action list circulate these to all members
Book and confirm next time and date of meeting
The
Participants / Reading the documents
Formulating opinions / questions / matters
Seeking the views of other people / Listen to other’s views / Reflect on the meeting
Carry out relevant points

Committees and meetings: Etiquette

It is important that everyone who attends a meeting or committee acts in a professional and appropriate way. This means that the meetings will run smoothly, efficiently with everyone present able to have their say.

Before the meeting:

Make sure you have read the agenda and papers for the meeting you are attending
Take notes which maybe helpful to you during the meeting
If you have a number of points of issues to raise, list them and then tick them off during the meeting as you raise them
If you are not sure of anything contact or meet with the Chair or Secretary before the meeting to ask advice.

During meetings:

Turn your mobile phone off. Do not check texts, send emails, play games or write letters. This will look very bad and is extremely unprofessional.
When you arrive at a meeting, sit in a position where you can easily catch the Chair’s attention.
To speak you must first raise your hand to attract the Chair’s attention who will then call you to speak at an appropriate moment.
Address your comments to the Chair, whilst speaking loudly enough so that everyone can hear you
Agendas are there to give meeting structure and to make sure the meeting does not go ‘off the subject.’ If there is something you want to raise and it is not on the agenda it is best to ask the chair before the meeting when it should be raised, or raise it in ‘Any Other Business’ at the end of the meeting
Listen to what other people are saying and respond appropriately. If you want to disagree with someone, remember to be polite and respectful when you make your point.
Be assertive not aggressive when putting your point: it can be a fine line when you feel

Passionately about something.

Don’t lose your temper, it can mean you and the point you are making may lose credibility. If someone else loses their temper with you, don’t react just stay calm, it puts them in the wrong.
Don’t speak while other people are speaking, or interrupt them.
Don’t hold separate conversations with anyone during the meeting!
At the end of a meeting, say thank you to the Chair
Some one at the meeting will be taking ‘minutes.’ These are official notes of the decision and action of the meeting. It is good to take you own notes but remember you will receive copy of the minutes so don’t worry too much about taking your own notes.

After the meeting:

If you have any concerns after the meeting, discuss them with the chair and/or a Students’ Union Officer or staff member.
Write up any important notes/decisions/actions right away so they are fresh in your memory. Pay attention to decisions made and ‘actions’ – these are steps which the meeting decided will now take place.
Inform all the student you represent of anything mentioned in the meeting which may affect them. You could email round your notes for example.
Feedback to the Students’ Union points of interest and other StARs and Faculty StARs.

Handout 6: Feedback, Communication Hints and Tips

StARs Feedback

What areas could you feedback on?

Teaching on the course
Assessments (exams and coursework)
Academic feedback from lecturers
Academic support
Learning resources (such as the Library, Weblearn)
Organisation and management of your course / University experience
Personal development
Mitigating circumstances / appeals
General University Services
Student welfare issues

How can you feedback?

Course StARs:

Please see the Course StARs chart below for suggestions on how you could feedback to the University.

Faculty StARs:

Please see the Faculty StARs chart below for suggestions on how you could feedback to the University.

Communication is the key to being a successful StAR. You need to be able to:

Communicate with the students on your course
Raise the issues that matter with your department, the Student’ Union and the University as a whole
Communicate or ‘cascade’ information from your department, Students’ Union and University to your course mates so they know what is going on

Face-to-face

Ask your lecturer if you can make announcements at the beginning of class. They should be fine with this. Chat you your student informally, be seen to be accessible.

Business cards

The Students’ Union can provide you with business cards you can give out with your name, email etc on.

Gather the email addresses of the student on your course

Make a group in your address book of all your course mates

Keep your emails short and simple

Don’t send too many though as people may be less likely to read them

Surveys and questionnaires

Suggestions box (ask dept first)

Phone/Text

Ask your course mates if you can share mobile numbers, if you feel comfortable advertise your mobile number so student can get in touch with you.

Facebook

Set up/Join the facebook group for all the StaRs in your department.

A ready made student forum and a great way to gather opinion

Join the other relevant face book groups:

London MetSU - London Met Students' Union

London Met International Students

Notice boards

Ask in your department if you can use all or part of a notice board

Advertise yourself and you role as a StAR. Photograph, contact details etc