Vision statement for class reps

Rhodes 老虎机游戏_pt老虎机-平台*官网 requires of Academic Departments to appoint class representatives for each of their courses. The School of JMS follows the university guidelines regarding the role of class reps in our courses. As such, we understand that a class rep is there to represent the interests of students in a particular course. The purpose of the class rep is to facilitate communication with the teacher of that course about a class’s experience of the teaching and learning process within the course.  If appropriate, the class rep also communicates about these matters with the year co-ordinator and Head of Department. 

Class reps should never feel that it is their responsibility to solve problems.  Instead, their job is to stay informed about students’ experience of a course and to alert staff of any concerns that the class may have about the course. This should happen as early as possible so that teachers can take responsibility for sorting problems out before they impact on the quality of teaching and learning. Staff reps should, equally, let teachers know when students are happy with the way a course is proceeding.  Class reps should take initiative, looking for opportunities to exchange ideas and opinions that can feed into the way in which courses are run in the School of JMS.

The university guidelines also state that the class rep system is there to provide students with an opportunity to take on leadership roles in departments. With this goal in mind, the we encourage class reps to make full use of their agency in order to participate in the improvement of our courses. In addition, we encourage class reps to help us to ensure that JMS students participate fully in the School as an academic community, contributing to intellectual debate and strategic discussions.   

In this way, class reps help the School to better understands its students, and ensure that students feel better aligned with the school.

Election of class representatives

Class reps should be elected by the second week of the first term of the academic year. This will be facilitated by the year co-ordinator and usually takes place in a  lecture. Nominations are put forward and these are followed by a voting procedure.

Suitable candidates should be:

• confident (show the ability to speak in public)
• determined (be prepared to stand up for student interests)
• academically strong
• mature (interested in finding solutions to problems)

Orientation for class representatives

Within the first few weeks of Term One, once class reps have been selected, all reps will attend an orientation meeting. The aim of this session is to prepare student reps for their responsibilities and to make them aware of their rights and duties. It can also be a forum in which to reflect on ways in which these systems can be strengthened. Students who formed part of the representative system in the previous year (who are still at Rhodes) are invited to this meeting, to help brief the new generation of student reps.

Facilitating communication

Student reps are expected to play a proactive role in identifying any issues/questions that students may need to communicate about with staff.

This should happen on a day to day basis, as needed. Reps should stay in close communication such issues and questions with the teachers of relevant courses about and also (where appropriate) the relevant year co-ordinator.

In addition, in the middle of each term (week three or four), a section of one of the Media Studies lectures in each year (in other words a lecture attended by all students in that year) will be used by class reps to consult formally with their classes.

Reps should liaise with lecturers regarding which section of the lecture they would like to make available for this purpose. Given that there is no Media Studies course in JMS4 in the second half of the year, class reps should convene a meeting with students for this purpose during terms three and four. The class reps are required to prepare for these meetings by identifying questions that need discussion. They should record any comments or questions made at this meeting and share these with the member of staff who serves as their year co-ordinator. The year co-ordinator will share the minutes with the Head of School and staff who teach in that year. It is the year co-ordinator’s responsibility to ensure that any issues and questions raised in this way are properly attended to.

A system of redress

When a student wishes to communicate a concern about a course, they are expected to approach the relevant teacher first, or (if appropriate) to ask their class rep to do this for them. If the student or the class rep feels that the issue has not been dealt with adequately, they should speak to the relevant year co-ordinator. After this, their next point of recourse is the Head of School and finally the Dean.

In some instances, a member of staff may hold more than one of the above portfolios.  A course teacher may, for example, also be a year co-ordinator or they may also be Head of School.  When this happens, another member of staff (such as another Year Co-ordinator or Deputy Head of School) will be asked step into the role of mediator for the class. Class reps can ask for such an arrangement to be put in place.  

Class rep responsibilities

As a class rep, you are responsible for identifying and communicating the general interests of your class. Your tasks are to:

• Represent your class to individual lecturers, the year co-ordinator and with the Head of School.
• Find out the concerns and issues of your class. This could include matters such as workload, timetable, course structure, assessment problems, communication concerns, deadline extensions and course material.
• Gather information from the students about what they think is and isn’t working well.
• Act as a liaison between students and staff.
• Attend meetings with the year co-ordinator at least twice a term.
• Interact with the class, gather students’ input for meetings, and give them feedback.
• Ensure that students are informed about developments and decisions that concern them. This includes decisions made in the meeting with the Head of School and at meetings with the year co-ordinator; and
• Actively look for ways to solve problems faced by the students and make recommendations to the Head of School.

How to go about it:

• Have a positive attitude. The school stands to gain from hearing the voices of the students. And you build a relationship with the school.
• Make yourself known to the class and the lecturer. Make sure students have your email address. You and your class make this system work.
• Take the concerns of the class seriously and respond effectively to student issues.
• Assess if the responses you are getting are representative of the class at large.
• Make use of email to elicit feedback from the students. You can also circulate questions on a piece of paper in class, or ask for a show of hands, depending on the nature of the issue.
• In bigger classes, use the tutorial groups to make the process of gathering feedback easier.
• Make sure you have a good understanding of the issues at hand. Ask for clarification from students if necessary.
• Plan and prepare for meetings with lecturers, the year co-ordinator and the Head of School.
• If a lecturer is not responsive, you may take up your issue with the year co-ordinator.
• Do not be intimidated by the school or your lecturers. This relationship should be one of mutual respect.

Things class reps are not expected to do:

• Champion your own cause.
• Handle harassment cases and serious issues of conflict. (In these cases, refer students to an appropriate support body.)
• Assist students with personal, emotional or psychological problems. (Again, rather refer students to an appropriate support body.)
• Approach your year co-ordinator before you have engaged with your teacher, and have convinced yourself that the issue under discussion will not be resolved at that level.
• Approach the HOS until you engaged with your year co-ordinator.

Last Modified: Wed, 24 Jul 2024 18:19:47 SAST