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Department Reps (Paid role)

The role of Department Reps was revised for the 2020/21 academic year.

There is one paid Department Representative for each Academic Department. These roles are recruited as student staff at the beginning of the academic year.  Department Reps provide Course Reps within each Department a single, named student contact to report Department-wide issues to, and to form a professional relationship with as a group. This will also help to ensure that students’ feedback is addressed effectively, and at the right level.

Department Reps are recruited and employed by Sheffield Hallam Students’ Union.

A Department Rep is expected to:

  • Be a voice for students in the department and college, working with Course Reps to ensure student feedback is heard at appropriate levels.
  • Provide a student perspective on issues affecting the student experience and policies at a departmental and college level.
  • Communicate with and back to students and Course Reps, letting them know what happens in response to student feedback.
  • Work to improve the student experience at Sheffield Hallam (in partnership with the University, Sheffield Hallam Students’ Union, and other students).
  • Meet regularly with other Departmental Reps within the college, to ensure issues can be heard at college level.

To do this, Department Reps should:

  • Attend an initial training session to prepare them for the role.
  • Gather feedback from students in the department on issues that are not course-specific but may affect students across a Department or College (e.g. university services such as learning centres, catering, sports facilities, IT, timetabling, learning and teaching experience, specialist facilities, plus additional learning and teaching issues that cut across courses).
  • Be a point of contact for students and course reps who want to raise issues or give feedback at departmental or college level. Help them to direct their feedback or raise it in the relevant forum.
  • Communicate with Course Reps to provide information and updates.

Department Reps are also required to:

  • Attend relevant department level meetings and represent student opinion at department level.
  • Attend at least one additional University and/or Students’ Union meeting to put forward student feedback and to give a student perspective on any issues/policies discussed.
  • Attend any other formal meetings as required e.g. meetings with Head of Departments, Department Student Boards.

Department Reps may also have the opportunity to:

  • Take part in other training and development opportunities, e.g. further training, course rep conference.
  • Help support and mentor course reps, for example by attending course rep training sessions (this is also an opportunity to meet course reps).
  • Take part in the Hallam Award.

 

For more information on Department Reps, view the Department Rep Job Description or visit the Sheffield Hallam Students’ Union website.