What is ‘student voice’? Why is it important? How to participate?
The Fine Art department believes deeply in the process of working together as a community of Students and Staff because we take the view that the Fine Art educational journey prospers and is stronger when approached in partnership and where is can involve all members of our community. Nick Fox is the Student Voice facilitator and you can email him for more information about the different ways to have voice heard and how to take part this year.
Student Voice refers to the values, opinions and perspectives of students on an educational journey. It involves taking part in processes where students are consulted on their learning experience – or debate issues that are affecting them and other channels whereby the students voice can be heard.
Student Representation is one of the primary mechanisms for this aim and this puts students at the heart of decision making processes and enables students to work in partnership with staff. We involve students closely with Student Voice activities like the SSC and our other listening mechanisms like the SV comments box , DPD and Module Leader meetings and breakfast club (with the head and deputy head of Department) because we think these are important consultation processes and for coming together as a Student & Staff community to identify issues and develop & take positive action together to make improvements to the student experience and to our course. Course Reps are students who have been elected to represent the views and interests of the students on their course . It is a voluntary role which provides an official link between students and staff and, as such, can positively influence the academic experience of those they represent. The main part of the role is to attend Student-Staff Committee (SSC) meetings where Course Reps pass students’ views to staff and work together to develop solutions to issues identified by students as requiring attention. Course Reps then feedback on any actions agreed at the SSC keeping your cohort informed on important University issues or decisions that will affect them. All students shave the opportunity to nominate themselves to become a Course Rep- contact Nick Fox If you would like more info on becoming one. The Student Staff Committee (SSC) is a place where staff and Students (course reps) work together to listen and develop solutions to issues identified by students as requiring attention and make positive change to the course and the student experience. The SSC meet twice per terms and consults the student body via Student reps who directly represent them. Minutes and You said/we did actions are shared with the students . The Student Voice Box. This is a mechanism for Students to make comments and suggestions (anonymously if they wished) about any aspect of the course or your experience. This is done by completing a paper form with your comments and then putting this in the wooden SV box. The forms and the Box are located in the FA Cafe and It is fielded by the course reps and a limited number of staff who check the box on a regular monthly basis and this feeds into the SSC.
from 2023-24 The Head of Department and Deputy Head will also hold Open Forums with each stage so that we can hear directly from you on the things that are important to you about the Department or about improvements we can make. The open Forum This is devised as an informal space where you can chat directly with the department about anything that comes to mind and where we can listen, answer questions and resolve concerns together .
How to participate and use your Student voice 2024-25 You can: Become a year rep Speak to your course reps (They represent your views ) Use the Student Voice Box. Come to the Open Forums You can also : Speak to your module leaders/staff Participate in module review at the end of your module. Participate in NSS at the end of your course.
Course reps represent your views at the Student Staff Committee (SSC) so…get in touch with your reps if you would like to bring any matters or ideas forward for Discussion to the Fine Art SSC- this can be anything relating to the course, or your educational experience, or it might be something that you feel is important for our community to talk about, resolve and make positive change together- we want to hear from you. Want to become a course rep or get involved in representaiton? Visit the Student Union website on representation or See the Joint NUSU/NU Policy on Student Representation:http://www.ncl.ac.uk/ltds/assets/documents/qsh-studentrep-pol.pdf or Speak to Nick Fox about whats involved nick.fox@newcastle.ac.uk
The Course reps 2024-25 are:
Photo credit: Mira Schor’s Critical Annotations of the New York Times
Meetings and Documents
Click the links to view the latest Student Staff Committee Discussions. SSC Minutes, SSC agenda, You Asked/We Did Actions & External Examiner Annual Report :https://teams.microsoft.com/_#/school/files/General?threadId=19%3A77ba46f7c8014367bbf4e69c44b10a0f%40thread.tacv2&ctx=channel&context=General&rootfolder=%252Fsites%252FSSC2020-21StudentStaffCommittee%252FShared%2520Documents%252FGeneral