Another two weeks have whipped by as we’ve got into the second half of term 2. Here’s what I’ve been doing for the last two weeks.

Too long didn’t read

• BE431 feedback delay work
• Residential Internet Tender complete
• VONC Procedures
• SU Strike Support Policy
• Equitable Examinations Policy
• Regular meetings, groups, and committees
• PGR Feedback work

Overview

The biggest news is of course that myself and Adrian represented your voices and views on residential internet in the tender process – we have received a preliminary decision and we will be able to share it as soon as it becomes official! In addition, I introduced, and passed, a new Strike Policy that requires us to support striking lecturers in many different circumstances and support students in supporting strikes if they happen.

We’ve also nearly finished the Student Parliament review of the Vote of No Confidence procedures and the plan is to take this to March Parliament for approval.

Something I’ve worked on this week is of course feedback speed. We’ve raised repeatedly to the University that feedback needs to be timely – and where it isn’t – there need to be proper reasons given (and work needs to go into things to ensure that it isn’t repeated).

And something I’ve been working on the last couple of updates – the Best Practice Guide for Supervisors/Supervisees is now basically complete – we are in the process of organising a meeting with the University to discuss it and how we can push it.  

Policies

February Parliament discussed two policies – both education related – one I was introducing, and another from our Students with Disabilities SCO (with LGBQ+ SCO and PGR SCO) that I was pleased to endorse.

The first, as mentioned above, was around our new Strike Policy, and requires the Students’ Union to support the strikes so long as it is on the grounds of health and safety or under the UCU’s 4 fights. As the situation changes, we can amend it to ensure that we can support students educational outcomes both short and long term.

The second was an Equitable Exam Policy that asks the SU to lobby the University for online exams to be 24hr in length where possible, and where impossible, put be more flexible around exams to ensure students aren’t disadvantaged.

Both these policies passed and I look forward to enacting them where we can.

Big Plan

As mentioned, we had some big progress on WiFi – the University have reached a tentative position on their residential internet contract and we will be sharing this as soon as possible. This meant we attended a day of presentations and discussions all about WiFi and internet access in Towers, Houses, and South Courts. One big thing that I made clear was the University needs to be honest and accurate about the real speeds of the internet – not theoretical possibilities.

On COVID Learning – myself and Alex are continuing to look at next Academic Year as we work out what the Universities plans are with learning in the “new normal” especially given the new roadmap made by central government recently for how we’re getting out of COVID.

Referendum

Work has continued on this – we have joined a campaign to pressure the CMA to do more to support students, I demanded at Education Committee that the University invite the CMA to assess whether consumer law compliance was met.

We are keeping the referendum organisers in the loop on this progress.

Committees/Groups

In the last two weeks I have sat on the Residential Internet Supplier group, Bounce Back Education Steering Group, Education Committee, and chaired the Audit and Risk Committee.

Regular Meetings

I continued to have my regular meetings where I have raised student concerns to the University and continue to represent your educational interests. I have also had my regular meetings with the Sabbs and other SU staff.

Other

I’ve had meetings with our PGR team on the issues that PGR students are having and agreed to have a forum in the near future with PGR students to fully discuss these matters.  As many of you will have seen, I have been working on BE431 to find out why there has been such a delay – it has something to do with University internal systems which reportedly has a workaround and marks should be released soon.  

Next two weeks

• Rules of Assessment Group
• Meeting with EBS about BE431
• Exams Campaign
• Trustee Board
• Library catch up
• Regular catch ups
• Meeting with HSC students about fees
• WiFi Everywhere work
• And much more!