Announcing January's Rep Of The Month

We’re back with January’s Rep of the Month!

January has a reputation of being a relatively quiet month. Assignments are in, exams (if you have any) are done, and you’re settling back into the routine of classes again.

Unless you’re our January Rep of the Month.

Ali Tariq, Master of Business Administration course rep, had a very busy month changing assignment deadlines, requesting extra resources for classmates and making sure that lecture slides are available in the best format for the class.

We caught up with Ali last week to chat about what he’s been up to.

Why did you want to become a rep?

“I could see that some people in my cohort were hesitant in putting forward their ideas, while others were very vocal. I felt like there was somewhat of an imbalance and that their voice needed to be heard. I enjoy helping others and being in a position where people could count on me. In addition, most of the people rather pushed me to become their representative and I had to say, yes!”

What have you been up to this term?

“Two of our assignments were due the same day. So I requested the tutor to push the deadline for one assignment by a week.

“Classroom size was a major issue for my cohort in the last term. I had our classes timetabled in bigger rooms.

“Students were accustomed to taking notes on PowerPoint slides as we listened to the lecture, however, the tutors would upload them in a PDF format. So I requested them to make the lecture notes available in relevant format.

“There are only three PCs in the library that have the Bloomberg software, and they were mostly occupied by students not even using the software. I requested the library to put up posters so that non-users would allow Bloomberg users to get to work immediately instead of waiting for the PC to be free.

“I notified the Programme Director that students needed another debriefing session for the final dissertation project.

“I started posting reminders on the WhatsApp group for required readings and other relevant news, as most students do not check Moodle.

“Most people approach me for guidance. So generally, I help them with day to day queries and, where applicable, redirecting them to the administration team”

How do you see being a rep impacting on your future?

“Being elected an Academic Rep is a massive feat in your university life, and it enhances the resume. The position allows you access to multiple contacts, enhances your problem solving, communication and negotiation skills. It also gives you insight to broader perspectives and you learn a lot working with different people.”

What’s the best thing about being a rep?

“People trust and rely on you for getting things done. There’s nothing more satisfying than being able to deliver what was requested of you. In addition, the broader access to other students is also a plus.

“My programme is rather demanding and we don’t really get the time to socialise with people outside my cohort. Being a rep, I have to go to regular meetings and interact with other people. I got on friendlier talking terms with the Professors and university staff as well”

Don’t forget, you can find out who your course rep is by heading to our Find My Rep page and you can nominate your rep for the final Rep of the Month prize below! 

Nominate a rep

Jack O'Neill // Vice President Education