Aberystwyth: Student Representation System

Key Words: Student representation, Empowerment, Student feedback

Was the initiative introduced throughout the institution? Yes.

Description/approach: Aberystwyth University has long had structures in place for student representation throughout the institution: at departmental, Faculty and senior committee level.

In recent years, it was increasingly felt that, in order to be more effective in their role, student representatives would benefit from a standard programme of training.

Initially, this training was delivered by the Sabbatical Officers of the Guild of Students. In 2010, this was developed further with the appointment of a full time Student Representation and Experience Coordinator, based in the Guild but managed in partnership with the University.

The post holder is required to ensure the election of representatives to departmental committees, to deliver a programme of training, and to oversee the student representation structures throughout the University. 

The student representation structure, as it stands in Aberystwyth, is comprised of three conjoining yet distinct entities: Students are elected within their departments onto Staff-Student Consultative Committees (‘SSCCs’) by a popular vote of their peers.

These representatives, known as ‘Course Representatives’, canvass opinion within their departments and bring issues, concerns, and general feedback to regular meetings between departmental staff and representatives.

From each of the SSCCs across the University, two delegates – known as ‘Senior Representatives’ – are chosen to attend Course Representatives’ Council, held after each cycle of SSCCs.

The Council is chaired by the Guild’s Education Officer and brings together all the departments in order to pinpoint University-wide issues that can be brought to the attention of the Senior Management Team.

The final tier in the student representation structure is at Faculty level. From Course Representatives’ Council, Senior Representatives are elected to sit on Faculty boards as full voting members. 

Anticipated outcomes: The aim was to enhance and develop the role of the Student Representatives within departments and faculties, to ensure that proper and effective representation occurred.

It sought to make student representatives more than “lone individual voices” in such consultative meetings and to improve the level of staff-student interaction over the range of issues that affected student learning, environment and curriculum matters at both departmental and faculty level.

An additional impact was on the wider student community – it showed that students’ concerns could be dealt with as part of a much wider system – i.e. issues were actually going somewhere. Part of this is publicising to reps and the wider student community the processes involved (i.e. SSCC minutes to Dept. boards, Senior Reps). 

Evidence of actual outcomes:

1. The Guild intends that Faculty Representatives are intended to complement, rather than replace, Guild Officers. The Faculty Representatives are drawn from within its own student base, bringing knowledge of the necessary business and procedures – previously a problem if the Guild Officer had not been a student within a particular Faculty.
2. A co-ordinated approach to student representation has enabled issues to be filtered through to the appropriate management structures in an efficient manner – flagging up issues affecting the student experience. One example is the annual digest of the Council’s deliberations that is sent to the Deans’ Committee.
3. Evidence gathered from student representatives also enables the Guild to report effectively and with confidence to the relevant Senior University Committees. 

Reflection/impact: include reference to environmental factors such as empowerment, autonomy, approach to innovation which proved influential. 

The Student Representation system has benefited enormously from a coordinated approach. The system is now more robust, with representatives empowered by the structures beyond their own departmental committees.

Representatives also benefit from the network of peers and enhanced support from the Guild and University.