The first month of the year was a very busy one for our academic reps, and VP Education Kate Roberts is excited to congratulate January's Rep of the Month, Sara Haase.
Term Two is in full swing and campus is buzzing! With elections, the launch of the Student Voice Report, the Inclusive Education campaign and of course the Academic Rep Conference, there’s been tons of exciting stuff going on.
On top of all this, we’re still working hard to represent your academic interests and that’s why we’re thrilled to announce January’s Rep of the Month: Sara Haase who is a Contemporary Britain course rep at CeDAS!
Sara was nominated for her passion for the role, her ability to always make time to listen to students’ concerns and her effort to close the feedback loop on her course. Letting students know how their feedback has been used to shape their course is key to the success of academic representation! I met up with Sara to congratulate her and find out more.
Why did you want to become a Rep?
“The concept of an academic representation system is brand-new to me, as the university system at home in Germany doesn’t have anything like this. I saw this as a fantastic opportunity to make a positive impact directly on the class and on other students!”
What have you been up to this term?
“So far, I’ve been mediating between students and tutors regarding deadline issues. I raised the issue of class sizes being too big, and they’ve now been divided in two, so students can discuss things better and receive more personal attention.”
How do you see being a rep impacting on your future?
“This role has really helped develop my skills. I’ve become a more active listener, ensuring I pay attention to all opinions rather than just the loudest, and making sure to listen to quieter students as well as I understand that their opinions are just as valuable.
"I’ve gained lots of experience in speaking up for other students and representing their opinions through the process of collating individual’s opinions to get a sense of what the whole group feels.”
What’s the best thing about being a rep?
“I’ve loved the opportunity to meet new people, especially students who I wouldn’t otherwise have engaged with. It’s been a really interesting experience encouraging other students to speak up, especially international students, as our voice matters too!
"I love the thought that our opinions will have a positive impact on future students studying my course, so they can have as good an experience as I have had, or even better. I also really enjoyed Academic Rep Conference as I felt it was really thought-provoking!”
We love to see it! I’m so pleased to see that Sara’s academic rep role has been such a positive experience, both for her personally and for the students she represents. Well done Sara!
Find your academic rep on the Find My Rep page and nominate them for Rep of the Month below!
Nominate a rep!
Kate Roberts // Vice President Education