Welcome to the StAAR Academy

StAAR stands for Student Academic & Activities Representative. The StAAR Academy was launched in 2021-2022 to create an organised system for student representation at Ravensbourne University.

StAARs are students who have been elected as academic representatives on their specific course or as activities representatives to lead and serve in a club or society. You represent the interests of your peers within your sphere of influence.

You can become a StAAR in two ways:

• Academic Rep: Be elected by students on your course to represent them in academic matters
• Activities Rep: Be elected as President or Vice President of a sports club or society

Elections typically happen at the beginning of each academic year. Contact staars@rave.ac.uk for more information about upcoming opportunities.

All StAARs must attend mandatory StAAR training sessions provided by Ravensbourne SU. These sessions will help you:

• Understand your role and responsibilities
• Learn effective communication and feedback collection techniques
• Develop problem-solving and teamwork skills
• Understand confidentiality guidelines
• Learn how Higher Education works

Training is free and includes plenty of cake and doughnuts! You'll receive a certificate of completion at the end.

As an Academic Rep, you're expected to:

• Introduce yourself to students, tutors, and other reps - everyone should know who you are!
• Gather balanced feedback (both positive and negative) about student experiences
• Attend regular informal meetings with course leaders/tutors
• Attend Student Voice Meetings to present feedback (once per semester)
• Participate in Student Parliament meetings (once per semester)
• Report back to students about outcomes and actions taken
• Signpost students to relevant services for personal issues
• Follow confidentiality guidelines and set clear boundaries

There are several effective methods to collect feedback:

Face-to-Face Conversations

Pros: Personal, builds trust, allows follow-up questions
Cons: Time-consuming, hard to reach large groups

Surveys/Questionnaires

Pros: Anonymous, reaches many students quickly, easy to analyze
Cons: May get low response rates, lacks context

Email

Pros: Professional, everyone has access
Cons: Students may not check regularly, concerns about monitoring

Social Media

Pros: Informal, can see when viewed, groups and polls
Cons: Privacy concerns, blurs work-life boundaries

Tips for Success:

• Ask lecturers for 5 minutes at the start/end of class
• Create a Teams chat for your course
• Set regular 'office hours' in the library or workshop
• Let students know about upcoming meetings where you can raise their feedback

Focus on these key areas:

Assessment and Feedback

• Do tutors provide timely feedback on work?
• Is the feedback useful and clear?
• Are learning outcomes for assessments understood?

Teaching and Learning

• Any unexpected challenges encountered?
• Changes that could improve course enjoyment?
• How do expectations match course content?

Course Organization

• How does the course respond to feedback?
• Any timetable problems?
• Is communication clear when changes are made?
• Are extension/extenuating circumstances processes clear?
• Experience with Canvas and course materials?

Resources and Support

• Access to books, materials, computers, software?
• Are additional course costs explained in advance?
• Usefulness of University support services?
• Do students know how to access support?

Required Meetings:

• Student Voice Meetings: Once per semester - formal meetings with course staff and university departments
• Student Parliament: Once per semester - broader student issues and policy discussions
• StAAR Training: Mandatory attendance for all representatives
• Regular informal meetings: With course leaders/tutors (frequency varies - could be fortnightly or monthly)

Student Voice Meetings

These are course-specific meetings where you present feedback to lecturers and other university professionals (Library, Estates, Student Services, IT, Kit Store). Come prepared with summarized feedback and specific examples.

Student Parliament

Platform for influencing university-wide change through policy proposals (motions). You can submit motions to propose changes or improvements based on student feedback.

As an academic rep, you must be trustworthy so students feel confident sharing concerns. Follow these guidelines:

• Treat all information as confidential unless the student explicitly states otherwise
• Explain confidentiality when students talk to you about issues
• Get consent before consulting anyone else about the issue
• Don't mention names when discussing issues - maintain anonymity unless consented

As a rep, you speak on behalf of your cohort, not just yourself or friends. Key principles:

• Stay neutral - you're a messenger, not a decision-maker
• Be honest - don't exaggerate or soften feedback
• Be inclusive - reflect all student experiences, not just loud voices
• Be evidence-based - back up statements with examples or numbers

How to Stay Fair:

• If there are mixed views, say so: "Some students feel X, but others said Y"
• Avoid personalizing: say "students feel" instead of "I think"
• Represent minority views too, especially from underrepresented students

Remember: Your credibility grows when you're seen as balanced and fair, even when views differ.

Closing the feedback loop is crucial for building trust and showing the system works.

What to Share:

• Key outcomes from meetings (not full minutes, just main points)
• Changes being made - or explain why something can't be changed
• What happens next
• Thank your peers for sharing their views

How to Share Updates:

• Post in course group chats
• Send short email summaries
• Create "You Said, We Did" visuals
• Announce in class or on Canvas

Checklist for Closing the Loop:

• ✓ What was raised?
• ✓ What was the response?
• ✓ What's changing (if anything)?
• ✓ What happens next?

You are NOT expected to handle:

• Personal disputes between students and staff, or between individual students
• Harassment, discrimination, or victimization allegations
• Formal procedures: extensions, extenuating circumstances, academic misconduct, appeals, complaints, disciplinary procedures
• Financial queries: student finance, debt, funding issues
• Health issues: housing, employment, immigration, wellbeing problems
• Individual academic difficulties or personal problems

What to Do Instead:

If students bring these issues to you, refer them to:

• RSU Staff team: staars@rave.ac.uk
• Student Services: studentservices@rave.ac.uk
• Other appropriate university services

These issues require different expertise and in-depth knowledge to ensure students get the most appropriate advice.

EDI means ensuring every student—regardless of background, identity, or ability—has an equal opportunity to succeed and be heard.

Your Role in Promoting EDI:

• Listen to all voices - make effort to hear from students who may not feel confident speaking up
• Challenge bias or exclusion - raise unfair treatment or barriers respectfully
• Be mindful of diversity - consider how experiences differ across race, gender, disability, sexuality, socioeconomic background
• Speak up for accessibility - ensure courses are accessible to students with different learning needs

Practical Ways to Promote EDI:

• Create anonymous forms for feedback
• Include questions like "Do you feel represented and included?" in surveys
• Reach out to quieter students or underrepresented groups
• Work with inclusion officers or EDI leads in the Students' Union

Absolutely! As an academic rep, you've gained valuable insight into how the SU operates, putting you in a great position to run for election.

Types of Roles Available:

Sabbatical Officer Roles

• Full-time paid roles carried out outside of studies
• Represent all students and advocate for student rights
• Promote involvement in student union activities

Student Officer Roles

• Part-time paid roles (20 hours per week)
• Carried out during study time
• Amplify student voice in specific areas

Elections: Nominations open in early January with elections held in March each year for the following academic year.

For more information visit: https://www.ravesu.co.uk/elections/

Elections decide who will represent and make decisions on behalf of students in the coming year. Every student has a vested interest in the outcomes because elected officers represent you on issues covering the entire student experience.

Your representatives will influence policies on:

• Academic quality and course improvements
• Student welfare and wellbeing services
• Campus facilities and resources
• Student activities and societies
• University-wide policies affecting students

The question is: why wouldn't you vote?

Student Parliament meetings provide a platform for students to influence change at the University through their representatives. They occur twice per year, once per semester.

What Happens:

• Representatives discuss and debate motions (policy proposals)
• Motions are voted on to decide if they should be accepted
• Approved motions may require the Students' Union or University to take action
• Broader student issues and concerns are addressed

Your Role:

As a StAAR, you're expected to attend these meetings and can submit motions based on feedback from your peers.

What is a Motion?

A motion is a formal policy proposal discussed and debated at Student Parliament. If approved, it may require the Students' Union or University to act.

Who Can Propose Motions?

• All StAARs (Student Academic and Activities Representatives)
• All registered Rave students (although they cannot vote)

Rules for Motions:

• Must follow the law, including charity and education laws
• Must respect RSU Constitution rules and responsibilities
• Must follow set format for clarity

How to Submit:

Invitations to submit motions are sent to all students including StAARs. Motions must be:

• Written in the required format
• Submitted via email to staars@rave.ac.uk
• Received by the submission deadline

Don't Wait for Meetings

Raise feedback at the earliest opportunity with staff on your course or the Students' Union. Issues resolved early often prevent bigger problems later.

Mix Up Feedback Methods

Whether it's social media, emails, or talking to students before lectures, find at least two ways that work for both you and those you represent.

Work with Fellow Reps

Meeting and talking with other reps on your course helps you:

• Get feedback from larger numbers of students
• Share the workload more effectively
• Compare notes to understand issues and solutions

Share Your Successes

We know many reps work hard to influence positive change on their courses. Make sure others are aware of these achievements!

Seek Support When Needed

Don't be afraid to ask for help. Attend training sessions and if unsure who to speak to, email staars@rave.ac.uk

Create Regular Habits

Develop a weekly habit of checking in with peers to avoid last-minute scrambling before meetings. Share information with course leaders regularly - don't wait for formal meetings.