Student Communications. Due to the introduction of blended and remote learning for this academic year, we felt it was more important than ever that the College and SA were visible and available for our students. The aim of this was to tackle feelings of isolation or loneliness due to the increase in working from home. We introduced several new communication tools such as the following: ✓ Weekly SA emails which highlight all the events and news relating to the SA ✓ Increased social media posts via Facebook and Instagram. ✓ A shift towards using video as a way of sharing important information. ✓ Creating virtual events such as our Care Experienced students’ lunch or during Estranged Students Solidarity Week. ✓ Launching the dedicated Student Wellbeing Teams page, including the introduction of our Friday Student Lunch. Measures of Success • Quarterly newsletters sent out to all students outlining the mental health support in place and introducing new initiatives such as yoga classes. • Weekly SA emails sent to over 4500 students directly. • Attendance at virtual events, such as the Care Experienced lunch, was hugely successful with follow-up lunches scheduled. Peer support network created where students can chat with each other whenever suited. • Monitoring of social media channel usage and interaction, including feedback, statistics, etc to ensure relevant and useful information provided in a timely manner.
Student Communications. Notifications were sent to all students when applications were made available. The screenshots below show the verbiage from those notifications and responses the student would get to their application. Spring 2020 Application Notification Summer 2020 Application Notification Fall 2020 Application Notification Spring 2021 Application Notification Application auto reply response Approved applications response
Student Communications. 4.1 Consulting with students Prior to completing and submitting our Access Agreement for 2012-13 the University consulted widely on the fees and National Scholarship criteria to be introduced. This consultation included discussions at the Board of Governors, whose membership includes the Students’ Union President; the University Senate, which has Student Union sabbatical representation, and the Corporate Management Group, of which the Students’ Union General Manager is a member. The University Directorate also held a meeting with the Students’ Union sabbatical team and the Vice-Chancellor held a separate meeting with the President of the Students’ Union. The Vice-Chancellor attended an open student question and answer session, held before the Students’ Union AGM, to explain the University’s approach to fee setting for 2012 and answer questions both about that process and about the agreed fee levels. This has become an annual event, with the Vice-Chancellor and Pro Vice- Chancellor (Student Experience) attending the meeting in 2012. The Students’ Union General Manager is a member of the University working group on the National Scholarship Programme, chaired by the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Student Experience). The Students’ Union attends separate, regular monthly meetings with the Pro Vice- Chancellor (Student Experience) and prior to the submission of the 2012-13 Access agreement both fee setting and National Scholarship criteria were discussed. Both parties are in agreement that the fee setting process was fair, transparent and consultative and the Students’ Union has not challenged either the process or the outcome. There was, and continues to be, a difference of opinion about the National Scholarship Programme; both parties are in agreement over the additional criteria introduced by the University in order to target the scholarships more specifically. However, the Union would wish to see the scholarships awarded as cash to support living costs rather than fee waivers.
Student Communications
