The University of Edinburgh
College of Humanities and Social Science
Quality Assurance Committee
17 September 2014
Paper 14/15 2e
For action
The University of Edinburgh and EUSA’s
School-Level Student Representation
Submitted by: Matjaz Vidmar (College Quality Assurance Student Representative), Dash Sekhar (EUSA Vice
President Academic Affairs), Philip McGuinness (EUSA School Councils Coordinator), Tanya Lubicz-Nawrocka
(EUSA Academic Engagement Coordinator)
Description of paper: After meeting with many Heads of School over the summer, EUSA is looking to clarify its understanding of the variety of representation structures within Schools. Part of the remit of the School
Council project this year is auditing existing forms of student representation to see where we can add value to existing processes. It is important for each School to take responsibility for their own student representation structures and to assess them continually with the aim of quality improvement.
Aim: To ensure that Schools, Colleges, and EUSA are all clear about each School’s student representation structures and mechanisms, we would like each School to submit a brief report to EUSA outlining their structures. Furthermore, in order to best support students representatives, both Schools and EUSA need to be absolutely clear of the links between different School Committees and SSLCs, as well as clarifying the composition of these important bodies, which understandably vary from School to School. EUSA will share any responses with the Colleges.
Action required: The Quality Director of each School is requested to answer the following questions about student representation and SSLCs and return their brief report to Class.Reps@eusa.ed.ac.uk
by 15 December
2014.
Name of School:
Name and email of Quality Director:
Student Representation
Structure: Does your School have course, programme, or year representatives at the undergraduate level, and what structure of representation exists at the postgraduate level?
Selection: Are Class Reps (the name used generally to include course, programme, and year reps) selected for the role by being appointed, volunteering themselves, or being elected?
Support: Who is the School’s academic or student support staff member who is responsible for working with and supporting Class Reps and School Conveners?
EUSA/October 2014

Admin: Who is the member of staff who collates and manages the list of Class Reps within your
School?
Student-Staff Liaison Committees (SSLCs)
What is the structure of your School’s SSLCs (do they cover a specific course/number of courses/whole programme and are there different levels of SSLCs within your School)?
How often and when (approximate week of the semester) do SSLCs tend to take place?
Who chairs your School’s SSLCs (student or staff member, and names)?
Do SSLCs include Online Distance Learner (ODL) students (if applicable)? If not, is there capacity to include these students?
Generally, how many staff members attend and how many students attend?
Are minutes taken and, if so, are they available to staff and students?
How are issues fed back to students and staff?
What is your experience of students’ and staff members’ engagement with SSLCs?
How would you improve your School’s SSLCs?
School Committees
Which School Committees have student representation?
Are these members elected or appointed, or do they volunteer?
EUSA/October 2014

Do the School Committees link in to SSLCs?
EUSA/October 2014