Officer Monthly Update January:
Welcome back to another update of my 25/26 elected officer term where each month, I provide an update summarising what I have been up to that month.
After a return from the winter break, January has been very busy with refreshers fair, weekly activities, meeting with the university, inductions and welcomes and getting out and talking to you all. Thank you to everyone who has joined the conversations, share feedback, gotten involved or suggested ideas. Your voice helps to shape the student experience.
A run down of the month:
Starting with my areas of focus:
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Campus Consistency: I continue to be involved in conversations with different departments to support the student experience. With direct feedback shared, the Aylesbury Community Space is opening this week. We have submitted a proposal for student spaces in Aylesbury which looks at creating study zones and a designated quiet space on the campus. If you have any suggestions for these areas, please get in contact. Kerri, Student Voice Officer has also launched a survey about the Aylesbury Campus experience, if you haven’t already filled it out, you can here: https://www.bucksstudentsunion.org/surveys/aylesburysurvey/. We are also gathering feedback and suggestions for a quiet space the Nottingham Campus. If you’d like to suggest ideas for this space, please get in contact to share these for the proposal. We are also looking at the Uxbridge campus spaces and revamping resources on offer in the quiet space. As usual, please check out the what’s on page to see what activities are taking place on or around campus.
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Mental Health and Wellbeing advocacy: I continue to meet with the university’s Mental Health Provision Team to discuss key elements of their support to students and how this can be accessed. This is a developing and ongoing discussion. Also, keep your eyes peeled for the events taking place across the year, with events taking place providing a key space for students to speak to others, build connection and find out information on support. We run wellbeing crafts, mindfulness activities (and sometimes with visits from Pets As Therapy too!) These activities will change and adapt across the year as well with each event taking on a particular theme (with University Mental Day taking place in March).
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Academic Experience: I am having ongoing discussions with university departments as they review and develop policies. As part of this work, I am encouraging departments to update and develop guidance available for students, as well as encouraging training for staff on this guidance. If you have any queries or want to share your feedback, please email surepresentation@bnu.ac.uk. We continue to work with the university’s teams to develop these areas of your academic experience and work to ensure that you are supported throughout your time here. I am also supporting the university in the process of developing Artificial Intelligence use and guidance for students. If you have any feedback on this, please contact bethany.jackson@bucks.ac.uk.
Assessment and Feedback Student Feedback Sessions: A massive thank you to all the students that attended the drop-in sessions to share your thoughts. It was great to hear what you had to say, how you think assessments should be conducted and how you’d like feedback to be presented. Your feedback will be used in shaping the new ‘Assessment and Feedback’ policy.
Programme Committee Meetings: January saw the Programme Committee Meetings (PCMs) window take place. This is a meeting with stakeholders in the academic experience (such as course leaders, library, DTS and SU, as well as Student Reps). This is a key opportunity to share feedback, identify clear actions to improve the student experience. These were positive meetings with clear actioned identified. If you have any other feedback to share about your student experience, please reach out to surepresentation@bnu.ac.uk.
The Midwifery society and I donated some crotched bonding squares to a local NICU ward. This great opportunity to speak to the ward, hear about the other services and support the charity BURPS offers. Thank you to all the students and staff who have gotten involved in the crocheting sessions and donated their squares for this. It has been a great opportunity for volunteering, sharing information and speaking with others as well. Thank you.
Activities: Building on feedback received, we have put together a yearlong calendar of events for the academic year, running during the day at the Uxbridge and Aylesbury campuses. You can view these on the What’ On page and your campus specific pages.
I am also working with different departments to expand the current offer, as well as exploring wider options in the local area to work to develop options as well. If you have any suggestions of what activities or events you would like to see, please reach out to surecactivities@bucks.ac.uk or bethany.jackson@bnu.ac.uk.
Taking place at Uxbridge this there is:
Taking place in Aylesbury there is:
Check out the What’s on page for recreational activities happening in the local area as well! If you have any questions or suggestions, email surecactivities@bucks.ac.uk. Some of these activities are:
Key Dates:
Here you’ll find a few dates that you might want to pop in your calendar. These are great opportunities to meet others, share feedback or get information. You can find out more information on the What’s On page.
That concludes another monthly update, be sure to check out our socials (@bucksstudentsunion and @buckssuvpew_au) for any quick updates and to see the day-to-day announcement.
As always, if you need anything please reach out.
See ya around,
Bethany