Class Reps
We have made a series of reforms to improve the Class Rep experience, including improved trainings and a new School Roles system.
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, and learning resources. They are trained and led by the Director of Education (DoEd), and work closely with their School President to deliver change. Class Reps sit on their school's Student Staff Consultative Committee (SSCC).
Role descriptions
School Roles
Introduction
The School Roles (formerly known as 'Expansion Packs') are additional positions that Class Reps can take, each with a different focus and which develops different skills. Some positions can be co-opted from the wider student body (see the role descriptions below for more information). Reps with School Roles support your School President 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 at the first Class Rep Training session through co-option of the newly-elected Class 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, but rather to advocate on behalf of the student and signpost to the relevant resource. 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, wellbeing and disability
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.
How to become a Class Rep
Undergraduate (UG) Class Rep nominations will be advertised in Week 1 of Semester 1. Voting takes place in Week 2 via the online elections portal.
Prospective Class Rep candidates are encouraged to read the role descriptions (above) 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 Research (PGR) Class Rep elections differ, instead beginning in Week 3, to accommodate the later starting date of PGR students. Voting takes place after nominations close in Week 4.
Questions about Class Rep elections can be directed towards School Presidents, Faculty Presidents or the Director of Education.