Class Reps
This year, a series of reforms to improve the Class Rep experience were made, including improved trainings, a new School Roles system, and postgraduate representative structures. There has never been a better time to join the Students' Association's community of Class Reps!
Class Representatives are elected student volunteers, tasked with enhancing learning and teaching at every level of undergraduate and postgraduate study. They work directly with teaching staff, providing feedback on the student learning experience within their School.
There are over 350 class reps: one for each degree title, at each year of study. To find yours, contact your School President.
Class Reps have the power to advocate on curriculum, assessment, progression, achievement, guidance, support, teaching, learning resources, among other things. They are trained by the Director of Education (DoEd), and work closely with their School President to deliver changes and act on student feedback. Class Reps sit on their school's Student Staff Consultative Committee (SSCC).
How to Become a Class Rep
Any matriculated student can run to become a Class Rep!
Undergraduate (UG) Class Rep nominations were held in Week 1 of Semester 1. Voting took place in Week 2 via the online elections portal.
Prospective Class Rep candidates are encouraged to read the role descriptions (below) and think about if any School Roles interest them.
Students are able to self-nominate for Class Rep elections and are expected to write a short personal statement indicating to their peers why they deserve to be elected as a representative.
Postgraduate (PG) Class Rep elections differ, instead beginning in Week 4, to accommodate the later starting date of PGR students and allow PGT students more time to settle in. Voting takes place after nominations close in Week 5.
Questions about Class Rep elections can be directed towards School Presidents, Faculty Presidents or the Director of Education.
Role Descriptions
Sustainability Rep Role Description
The School Sustainability Representatives (SSR) are a unique representative role in each School. They are elected during the same cycle as Class Representatives, but their position differs. SSRs underpin a pillar in the University’s strategy to become net zero carbon by 2035. They bridge between the Environmental and Sustainability Board, the Environment Team, and the Student Association to promote, drive, and support sustainable change in their academic school. The SSRs are line managed by the School President and supervised by the Environment Team’s Sustainability Coordinator. The SSRs meet with the Environment Team monthly and report back to the School President to liaise about best implementations in the particular school.
SSRs are responsible for running sustainability themed events, campaigning for sustainability in the curriculum, and being an agent of change in their schools. Their work can include everything from panel events, to workshops, analysis on school energy efficiency, liaising with estates and the council, and creating green reading lists.
They have the chance to network with professionals, academic staff, and students from across the university and will gain experience in event organisation, campaigning, and become educated in being an agent of change for sustainability. For more information, please contact the Environment Team's Sustainability Coordinator, Hannah Bowey, by sending an email to environment@st-andrews.ac.uk.
School Roles
Introduction
The School Roles (formerly known as 'Expansion Packs') are additional positions that Class Reps can take on, each with a different focus and which develops different skills. You can find more information in the role descriptions below. Reps with School Roles support School Presidents in specific areas of their remit, to ensure that a wide number of events and opportunities are provided throughout the academic year.
Each position is supported by a specialised training session and support network, in both the Students’ Association and the University. Positions are filled after the Class Rep election has concluded, through co-option of the newly-elected reps. To find out which students fill School Roles which affect you, email your School President.
Role Descriptions
The aim of this position is to represent your School’s students on employability and careers matters. The Careers & Employability Rep will improve their School’s careers services, host events with support from other reps and coordinate feedback on careers/employability. The role holder will have the power to lobby and influence careers services in their School, Faculty and St Andrews more broadly.
> Role Description (PDF)
Skills you can expect to learn and develop
- Coordinate and plan events, gather feedback and improve your communication skills
- Increase organisational skills and flexibility
- Gain experience working with a diverse team of other reps
- Gain a better understanding of the University and Careers Centre
The aim of this position is to support your School’s feedback processes and your School President. The Secretary will maintain an organised administrative system on behalf of the School President and attend SSCC meetings to minute them. The role holder will be in control of ensuring ‘you asked, we did’ feedback loops are maintained, so that students are aware of academic representative successes.
This Rep acts as secretary to the Student Staff Consultative Committee (SSCC) meetings, and supports the facilitation of Class Rep meetings by coordinating any administrative elements such as organising the meeting, inviting participants, and setting the agenda. They minute the meetings and formalise the document for wider circulation to students and staff where appropriate.
> Role Description (PDF)
Skills you can expect to learn and develop
- Develop the ability to minute and improve your communication skills
- Increase organisational skills and flexibility
- Gain experience in teamwork
- Get a better understanding of meeting etiquette and develop highly transferrable skills
The aim of this position is to improve your School’s sense of community and maintain the connections between students. The Community & Events Rep will host social events with support from other reps, maintain their School’s academic rep social media channels and support other School Role holders. The role holder will have the power to improve the sense of community within their School and focus on creating a unified environment.
> Role Description (PDF)
Skills you can expect to learn and develop
- Develop the ability to coordinate and plan events, gather feedback and improve your communication skills
- Increase organisational skills and flexibility
- Gain experience in teamwork
- Develop social media and advertisement skills
This Rep is responsible for collecting feedback from students regarding where disability provision might be weak and helping students get in touch with relevant staff members. They are also tasked with promoting School-specific resources and are linked with the Schools’ Wellbeing Officer.
This role does not require taking on any specific issue that students face or acting to provide pastoral support, but rather to advocate on behalf of the student and signpost to the relevant resource or staff member. They are able to raise any concerns or feedback at the University level through the Disabilities Forum, which exists to share best practice and promote crosstalk between student resources.
This role will also include gathering and presenting feedback on the Wellbeing Officer project.
> Role Description (PDF)
Skills you can expect to learn and develop
- Develop the ability to coordinate and plan events, gather feedback and improve your communication skills
- Increase organisational skills and flexibility
- Gain experience in teamwork
- Develop a better understanding of your School
This was a new position, proactively created in 2020-21 academic year as a result of COVID-19.
The aim of this position is to represent your School’s students on online learning matters. The Online Learning Rep will improve their School’s online services, coordinate feedback on technology-enhanced learning and the University’s virtual offering. You’ll also specifically represent distance-learning students. The role holder will have the power to lobby and influence online services in their School, Faculty and St Andrews more broadly. They will act as a central contact for remote students who want to raise feedback related to the unique nature of studying remotely. They will look out for remote students, ensuing that they are included in School events, and more generally focusing on collecting their feedback throughout the semester which can be fed straight to staff quickly for a rapid response. They will be able to raise feedback above the School level at the Online Forum, which is attended by the Proctor and Deans.
> Role Description (PDF)
Skills you can expect to learn and develop
- Develop the ability to gather feedback and improve your communication skills
- Increase organisational skills and flexibility
- Gain experience in teamwork
- Get a better understanding of the University and online resources available to students
The aim of this position is to promote and support mentoring schemes available to students in your School. The Mentoring Champion will recruit mentors for the CEED Mentoring Scheme, run events to help mentee-mentor matches get the most out of their pairing and offer feedback. The role holder will have the power to lobby and influence mentoring services in their School and potentially run their own ‘Transition to Honours’ mentoring scheme (if applicable).
> Role Description (PDF)
Skills you can expect to learn and develop
- Develop the ability to coordinate and plan events, gather feedback and improve your communication skills
- Increase organisational skills and flexibility
- Gain experience in teamwork
- Get a better understanding of mentoring schemes and your School's students
2021 Reforms
We undertook a review of the pre-existing 'Expansion Pack' system in March 2021, led by the Education Executive. The review recommended a number of changes, which we have put into place to improve the Class Rep experience, better support our School Presidents and create more fulfilling roles. You can see the review's executive summary here.