Community Reps
Current position
It is becoming more and more widely noted throughout the Union and the University that
there is a distinct lack of ‘community feeling’ within the campus. In this sense,
‘community feeling’ can be described as a sentiment of belonging, an over arching
identity currently lacking in University life at Essex. This has lead to not only the
alienation of students from their institution, but to the disengagement of students and a
lack of University pride on graduating. On the subject of life after the University of
Essex, certain connections are made to groups or departments1 rather than the University
as a whole. A product of this is that it is less likely for Alumni to support general
fundraising or the opportunity to share life experiences with those other than the
connections previously mentioned.
The recent call for a ‘Disruptive Behaviour Strategy’ group by the University highlights
the need for a change. Despite involvement in this group the Union is determined to take
a responsible lead towards addressing the lack of ‘community feeling’. The Union
identifies the problem to be a lack of identity within the campus itself. Therefore there is
a need for something to bring people together, removing flat divisions and creating more
awareness of alternative events, whether they are educational or social. The recent move
of Top Bar from an alcoholic venue to a non-alcoholic venue in the day goes towards
creating a social atmosphere away from solely alcohol-based activities but there is still a
lack of such feeling within accommodation.
How is this achieved?
By introducing a network of representatives that have the appropriate training2, the Union
will be able to tackle this problem the best way it can. It is important to note that these
reps will differ from the University’s RSN in the way that they are not there to solve the
problem or quash any complaints; they would simply be there to encourage engagement
within the Union, an additional dimension when these reps are established would be for
other students to report less personal issues3. (Appendix A highlights in more detail the
difference between the Community Reps with the RSN.)
Another way for there to be a community atmosphere in accommodation is from the
creation of internal sports tournaments aimed at those accommodation groups such as the
Rounders tournament, taking place in Weeks 2 and 3. Through this and other events there
is a sustained feeling of camaraderie that is currently missing. It will also give flatmates
the opportunity to unite in a team, allowing them to gain a single identity as well as
allowing individual characteristics to shine through, creating more respect towards each
other with the hope that this will resonate within the University.
For example, a Sports team, a certain Society such as those in the Union’s Media Guild or PG students
and their departments.
2
Given by the Students’ Union,
3
‘Less personal’ can be taken to mean complaints other than noise and disagreements with flat mates. The
issues the Community Reps would be concerned with would be those that reflect poor service, for example
a faulty appliance that has stayed faulty for more than a week so the union would have a clear idea of the
problems in accommodation, rather than for social reasons.
1
Another way to improve the atmosphere on campus is to create inter-flat socials, study
groups and interest groups. This will involve the accommodation reps talking in-depth to
students to find out which events people are planning to attend and subjects they’ll be
taking. They will then be able to recommend getting in contact with other students who
plan to attend the same event or do the same course. It will be extremely beneficial to a
single student who doesn’t have anyone in their flat doing their course or attending an
event. Such a system would also increase advertising for internal events, giving an
additional benefit to societies organising smaller events that didn’t make it on to the
Union’s term planner.
Organisation
The internal tournaments will be organised by the Welfare and Community Sabb. The
inter-flat socials will be a co-operative between the different flats and the community rep.
The ideal reps would be those who would live in that building so that they will be known
for the whole year as the welfare community rep and could easily be asked about what is
going on in the coming week. In theory, they should be outgoing, friendly and sociable. It
is not necessary for the reps to have an in-depth knowledge of the Union or the
University as they will gather information rather than be experts. They will be a point of
contact for the students living in their accommodation and will be part of a system to
allow students to find other students with similar interests and courses.
The current proposal is for there to be four community reps per tower. In order to pilot
the scheme it is necessary to choose an area of accommodation which is not only easy to
coordinate reps within but which has a simple structure to avoid any over complicated
difficulties, from these requirements the towers would be ideal. One is able to reach large
numbers of students in the kitchen, there is a wide spectrum of backgrounds and students
are all contained within a manageable block. On the basis that there are fourteen floors in
the towers on average, it would be quite difficult for one or even two reps to cover the
whole building therefore a proposal of two reps per half tower. By having four reps in
one building there is an average of 56 students per rep. This may sound like a large
number but say only 20%4 of these students actively engage with the reps then that leaves
11.2 students per rep, which is far more manageable. Obviously the aim is to reach every
student, and with the appropriate training the reps will be able to manage 56 students.
This should make it an efficient system and will ensure the students will be able to get the
maximum benefit from the system.
The schedule of these rep visits would be fortnightly either leaving a feedback sheet 5 or
give short talks in each kitchen during peak times, such as dinners. This information
would be received by the Union via an accommodation rep forum held monthly in which
an exec member of the Union would chair6. These forums would provide the opportunity
for the Union to gather the information from the reps and also provide the reps suitable
outlet to share any difficulties they may have encountered or any theories of best practise
that may be shared within the group. From the first forum, there will be two people
4
Value taken from the number of people who voted in the last sabbatical elections,
To be drawn up at a later date.
6
By the ‘Union’ it is meant that the Welfare and Community officer would chair this forum.
5
elected by the rest of the reps to bring the issues to council7. These two reps will sit on
council for the whole year and report to council any major issue that has been raised at
forum. (This is represented in figure 1.)
Figure 1. Pictorial structure of the community reps
Two Reps
4 reps from each tower. There will be a total of 24
community reps
Two Reps
24 reps have a
monthly forum in
which 2 reps get
elected to sit on
council to outline
any serious
problems
Union
Council
Appendix A: How the RSN and community reps differ.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
RSN ROLES
COMMUNITY REPS ROLES
Solve flat disputes
Create social networks
Formal
Informal
Part of the University
Part of the SU
‘On demand’ service
No contact details given, just frequent visits
Ensures a minimum level of welfare, Will increase welfare and social cohesion in
e.g. protects from bullying
terms of introducing people to other people
6. Professional service provider
7. Allows the University to track
complaints and behaviour of students
8. First port of call for worries and
support
7
Familiar friendly face, a good ‘mate’
Ensuring an element of transparency for the
Union, breaking down layers
Information service and social co-ordinator
The reason behind having two elected reps is that they will represent the views from North Towers, and
the other representing South Towers.