Introductory training for StARs

StARs Training Quiz 2014 Continue

How much do you know about your Students’ Union? Click on the answer you think is right

1. Worcester Students’ Union is:

A department of the University

A registered charity

A private company

That’s wrong Worcester Students’ Union is not a department of the University. Do you want to try again?

Yes

No

That’s wrong Worcester Students’ Union is not a private company. Do you want to try again?

Yes

No

That’s right Worcester Students’ Union is an independent, registered charity. This means that all of our income must be used to fulfil our charitable objects. It also means that we can support students if they have a complaint about the University, if they are unhappy with their student experience or if they want to see changes made which will improve their course or other areas of student life. Continue

How much do you know about your Students’ Union? Click on the answer you think is right

2. Worcester Students’ Union’s objects (the reason it exists) are: The advancement of education of students of the University of Worcester

The provision of sports clubs and societies for students

The advancement of political campaigns on behalf of the National Union of Students (NUS)

That’s wrong The SU does support student-led sports clubs and societies, but that’s not the organisation’s primary aim. Do you want to try again?

Yes

No

That’s wrong Worcester Students’ Union is affiliated to NUS and members may choose to support national campaigns, but that’s not its primary aim. Do you want to try again?

Yes

No

That’s right Everything we do as an organisation must, ultimately, benefit our members and have a positive impact on their student experience.

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How much do you know about your Students’ Union? Click on the answer you think is right

3. The members of Worcester Students’ Union are: Students who buy an NUS Extra card

Students who have joined a student club or society

Everyone who is a registered student of the University of Worcester

That’s wrong Students who buy an NUS Extra card enjoy a range of discounts, but this is not a membership card and you don’t have to buy one to be a member of Worcester Students’ Union. Do you want to try again? Yes

No

That’s wrong Around 1,400 students are members of at least one student club or society, but you don’t have to join one to be a member of Worcester Students’ Union. Do you want to try again? Yes

No

That’s right Everyone who is registered for a course of study with the University of Worcester is automatically a member of Worcester Students’ Union, unless they choose to opt out of membership. The only thing you need, to show that you are a member, is your University ID number or card.

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How much do you know about your Students’ Union? Click on the answer you think is right

4. Worcester Students’ Union gets most of its income from: The membership fees it charges

A block grant from the University of Worcester

Profits from the bar and the shop

That’s wrong We don’t charge membership fees.

Do you want to try again?

Yes

No

That’s wrong All profits from the bar and the shop are ploughed back into the organisation, but this is not our main source of income. Do you want to try again?

Yes

No

That’s right The University awards a block grant to the Students’ Union every year and this makes up the bulk of the organisation’s income. Any profits from the upstairs bar (the downstairs is run by an external company which runs the University’s catering provision, so we don’t make anything from that) and the shop are ploughed back into the organisation too and we receive £4.70 for every NUS Extra card sold too Continue

How much do you know about your Students’ Union? Click on the answer you think is right

5. The governance, strategy and budget of the Students’ Union (SU) is the responsibility of:

The board of trustees

The executive committee

The University

That’s wrong The executive committee is made up of the three sabbatical officers and nine part-time officers. Their activities and priorities are determined by decisions made by students through Student Council. Do you want to try again?

Yes

No

That’s wrong The University has a legal duty to ensure the SU operates in a fair and democratic way, but decisions about the way the organisation is run are made independently of the University. Do you want to try again?

Yes

No

That’s right Like every charity, the SU has a board of trustees, who have responsibility for the governance, strategy and budget of the charity. The board is make up of the three officer trustees (sabbatical officers), four student trustees and three external trustees. Every year, student trustee vacancies are advertised on our website and via email and social media Continue

How much do you know about your Students’ Union? Click on the answer you think is right

6. The SU holds elections every March for three full-time paid sabbatical officer positions, as well as voluntary part-time officer positions. Who can stand as candidates to be sabbatical officers? Students in their final year of study

Any student registered with the University of Worcester

Full-time undergraduates

That’s wrong You don’t have to be a final year student to stand – you can take a “sabbatical” year away from your studies to take up a sabbatical officer role. Do you want to try again?

Yes

No

That’s wrong You don’t have to be a full-time undergraduate to stand for a sabbatical position. All members, including parttime students and those based in partner colleges, are eligible to stand for election. Do you want to try again?

Yes

No

That’s right Any registered student can stand as a candidate to be a sabbatical officer. You don’t have to be in your final year – you can take a “sabbatical” year off if you’re elected and then return to your studies. Part-time students and those based in partner colleges are all eligible to stand for election and, of course, to vote too.

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How much do you know about your Students’ Union? Click on the answer you think is right

7. The current elected Vice President Education is:

Wes Hudson Tom Clarke

David Green

That’s wrong Wes Hudson is the President of the Students’ Union.

Do you want to try again?

Yes

No

That’s wrong David Green is the University’s Vice Chancellor and Chief Executive. He was a course rep when he was a student, so he understands the vital role played by StARs and also how being a StAR can contribute to your own personal development. Do you want to try again?

Yes

No

That’s right Tom Clarke was re-elected as Vice President Education in March. Wes Hudson is the elected President of the Students’ Union. David Green is the University’s Vice Chancellor and Chief Executive. Sabbatical Officers cannot serve for more than two years, so early in 2015 we’ll be opening nominations for a new Vice President Education. Just think – it could be you! Continue

How much do you know about your Students’ Union? Click on the answer you think is right

8. Student Academic Reps (StARs) should be:

Selected by their tutor or course leader

Elected by students

Anyone who volunteers

That’s wrong We know that some of you will have been invited by a member of staff to be a StAR, but this process is not the one favoured by the SU. Do you want to try again?

Yes

No

That’s wrong All StARs should be volunteers, but some courses have more volunteers than they need for adequate representation. Do you want to try again?

Yes

No

That’s right Every year, students should all have the opportunity to stand to be StARs and to have a say in who should represent them. We know that in some cases, any students who volunteer are accepted as StARs, that first-year and second-year StARs may continue, without challenge and that sometimes individual students are invited by members of staff to be StARs. The SU, with support from the University, is committed to working towards a system which allows students to elect their representatives, but we recognise that this may take some years.

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How much do you know about your Students’ Union? Click on the answer you think is right

9. The key responsibility of StARs is to:

Help individual students with their personal problems

Make sure that students’ complaints about their course are taken to the course management committee

Ensure that students’ suggestions and issues about their student experience are raised and responded to swiftly and appropriately

That’s wrong StARs are not expected to deal with students’ individual and personal issues. Students can get information, advice and support through Firstpoint and also from one of the SU’s Student Advisors. Do you want to try again?

Yes

No

That’s wrong Playing a full part in course management committees is an important part of a StAR’s role, but some issues can’t wait until the next meeting. StARs should also be sure to feed back positive comments and views at course management committee, not just complaints. Do you want to try again?

Yes

No

That’s right StARs should do their best to see that students’ positive and critical comments, questions and issues are raised and dealt with as quickly as possible. The course management committee is an important, formal forum for discussing the quality of the course, but many matters can be addressed outside this meeting. Do try to take positive comments, not just complaints, to the course management committee. StARs should not try to deal with individual students’ personal problems – students should be advised to seek help via Firstpoint in Peirson or to contact one of the SU’s Student Advisors, by making an appointment through the SU Welcome Desk, if they need support with a disagreement with the University or have a complaint about their student experience.

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How much do you know about your Students’ Union? Click on the answer you think is right

10. StARs are volunteers. They can have their voluntary activities recognised by: Logging their activities through the SU website at www.worcsu.com/volunteer/hours/

Applying for StAR accreditation at bronze, silver or gold level

Registering for the Worcester Award

That’s right StARs are encouraged to log and reflect on their volunteering using any or all of these three options. If you undertake at least 20 hours’ volunteering, you’ll get a certificate and be invited to the VoScAs evening in May. If you log over 50 hours, this will be recognised on your Higher Education Achievement Report (HEAR). You may choose to work towards StARs accreditation using the format developed by the SU – successful completion will be rewarded with a certificate and recognition on your HEAR. The Worcester Award is the University’s “employability” scheme and your activities as a StAR can also count towards this prestigious award.

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Thanks for taking part in the quiz!

We hope it’s helped you to understand your Students’ Union a bit better and to see why you’re such an important part of what we do.