Am I “Putting the student back into Students’ Union” as promised? I sure am!

My manifesto ended with the slogan “Put the STUDENT back into Students’ Union… vote Dan Derricott for SU Student Officer” and I guaranteed that I would prioritise the following;

• The development of a reformed Course Rep system that WORKS FOR THE STUDENTS;
• An effective student voice with true representation for all;
• The development of Student Council;
• Continuous support of all students;
• Ensuring all Students’ Union Officers are accountable to the Students!!

I’m pleased to say that I’ve already made massive progress with the first of my priorities; Course Reps.

Before the elections, I’d been working as part of a team that was reviewing the Reps system at Lincoln but it wasn’t until my election that our work stepped up a gear.  In the months since election results on March 6th, I have led the Union’s work on Course Reps along with Kayleigh Turner and Beccy Rock (SU Staff) and we have made substantial progress;

We now have a final proposal document for ‘Lincoln Student Reps’; a system that works for students and encompasses all reps from the ‘ground troop’ course reps through to the School Liaison Reps who will sit on Student Council, through to Faculty Reps who will have responsibility for helping to manage and develop the system as a whole.

We’re addressing the fundamental need for sound training and support throughout the year and we’re working on getting a sponsor which should see every trained rep receive a t-shirt or hoody to help promote themselves. As well as allowing Reps to promote themselves, we’re putting together a plan to market the whole system and the concept of representation to Students.

Alongside our work on looking after the Reps, we have lots planned to make sure Academic & Non-Academic staff are fully aware of what reps are, how they work and how to respond to what they ask for, this should ensure that Reps are treated with the respect that they deserve. This is supported by University Senior Managers who describe the views and actions of reps as important as the National Student Survey and any Institutional Survery!

From September, ‘we start a new journey’ and a what a journey it will be, with a base of well trained, well support, engaged and effective Student Reps who can make a real difference and with another QAA Audit in a few years time, this is something that the University cannot and are not ignoring.

Even though I haven’t started my term of office, I’m working for students and making a real difference! To be able to write this feels great and I have to finish by expressing my thanks to Kayleigh & Beccy, and to a special young lady; Laura Driscoll – without her enthusiasm and determination we wouldn’t have been in the fantastic position that we are now.