If you are waiting, then please make sure that you have…

1. Welcome to SSLC Training! If you are waiting, then please make sure that you have… filled in your details on the attendance list

2. SSLC Training 2010 Sean Ruston Education Officer

4. Objectives of SSLC Training Equipping Reps to understand… • The role of the SSLC • The role and responsibilities of an SSLC Rep, SSLC Secretary & SSLC Chair • Students’ Union Support for SSLCs • Where to access further help and support • How to use the SSLC Portal • The Students’ Union’s Education Strategy

5. What is the SSLC? • Student-Staff Liaison Committee • Collaboration between Union & University • Student-led • It exists to provide a forum for staff and students to discuss issues relating to a course, department or centre and this is important for the following reasons: • It provides staff and students with the opportunity to discuss new ideas and solve problems. • It provides an opportunity for student views to be taken to senior university committees. • It ensures student input into degree programmes and syllabi

6. How does the SSLC System work? • Each department has an Academic Convenor… • Each SSLC has a student Chair and a student Secretary… • Reps sit on departmental staff meetings. • Each SSLC should meet at least 4 times a year. • Whilst the physical committee meeting is the most visible presence of the SSLC, work can and should be done outside meetings where necessary.

7. Issues discussed at SSLC Meetings Assessment and examination Careers and skills development issues Library Services Needs (which may not relate to teaching & learning) specific to students of that department Teaching Curriculum development Personal Tutor System Wednesday Afternoon & other timetable issues Computing & e-learning issues

8. What’s your role? SSLC Reps need to: • Make sure students in your year know who you are • Canvas fellow students to find out what they would like raised at meetings: -E-mails through departmental secretaries -Notice boards -Lecture shouts -SSLC Portal -Feedback box -Facebook Group • Attend meetings! • Feedback to the cohort about the outcome of each meeting • Ensure that your contact details are available online and on a departmental notice board

9. What’s the Secretary’s role? • Write up the agenda for the meeting and post on Portal • Take minutes at the meeting • Ensure that minutes are approved by committee members and then uploaded to Portal • Other administrative tasks, as decided by committee • Attend Faculty Forum meetings (once a term) in the absence of the Chair

10. What’s the Chair’s role? • Call meetings, run meetings and ensure fair treatment of all committee members • Make sure committee decisions are actioned • Oversee Portal page, particularly ensuring that up-to-date details are available on the Portal and on departmental notice board • Ensure that the annual report form is completed and submitted on time • Attend staff meetings as Student Rep • Attend Faculty Forum (once a term)

11. Dealing with common problems

12. Remember1 Golden Rule: Don’t get personal

13. Looking at the scenarios you have been given, decide which action(s) need(s) to be taken: • Use the Chair’s Authority • Approach an individual member of staff • Approach a Senior member of staff • Contact the relevant University staff (eg. Faculty Librarian, IT Services Representative, Careers Advisor) • Raise the issue at the SSLC Meeting • Hold a Pre-SSLC meeting for Student Reps only • Go to the Departmental Office • Ask some more students to get a wider view • Speak to a Faculty Rep or the Education Officer • Take another action

14. SU support for SSLCs • A Union representative will try and visit your SSLC at least once during the year • We are here to help, so please keep communicating with us

15. SSLC Procedure • Depending on the nature of the issue, sensitive issues that come to SSLC may be discussed at the meeting for signposting only. (ie. they will not be minuted) The SSLC should use discretion here. • Complaints involving named members of staff or named students should NOT be raised in the public forum of SSLC • i.e. student has problems with their personal tutor • Students are unhappy with the teaching of a particular member of staff

16. Complaints Procedure There may be situations where reps are unable to handle issues or where complaints need to be made. It is important to be aware of the alternative routes: Director of Graduate/Undergraduate Studies Heads of Department Personal Tutor Departmental Senior Tutor Education Officer University Senior Personal Tutor Welfare Officer

17. The SSLC Portal:go.warwick.ac.uk/sslc

18. SSLC Portal Info • The Portal was designed to centralise information relating to the SSLC, and make it easy to find reps’ details • Each department has its own page • It is the responsibility of each SSLC to oversee its own page - making sure all reps’ details are correct - uploading minutes and agendas • Editing permissions can be obtained by emailing Antony Bounds at antony.bounds@warwicksu.com • Guidance on how to edit your page is available on the SSLC Portal.

20. Questions? It is crucial that we have accurate contact details for all SSLC reps, so please fill in the attendance sheet and use the portal!

21. Thanks for coming and all the very best for your year as SSLC Rep! Sean Ruston, Education Officer: education@warwicksu.com Antony Bounds, SSLC Coordinator: antony.bounds@warwicksu.com www.warwick.ac.uk/go/sslc