We have around 500 Student Academic Reps working with UCSU and the University every  year. They are students like you, who care about their course, their studies a
nd the views of other students in their group. They volunteer their time to gather feedback from your class and discuss any current issues with tutors, in order to make changes to your course on a day-to-day basis. Examples could be extensions to deadlines, additional materials/teaching time to strengthen student understanding, extra hands-on opportunities to add to the curriculum and so on.

Student Academic Reps are selected from volunteers within a class and chosen democratically by a quick class vote. This process usually starts after the second week of your course if you are a first year, but may happen at the tail end of the previous year, for continuing students.

Reps are there for you to use, so make sure you know who the representative in your class is and help them by giving them your feedback.

If you volunteer as a rep, you will get:

• Access to practice skills such as negotiation, mediation, advising, reporting, presentation and a lot more - these are valuable skills which will help you stand out in an interview!
• Specific training, a dedicated Blackboard resource area and specific staff support.
• A recognition certificate, countersigned by the University and the satisfaction of being a key player in bringing about positive changes for yourself and other students, present and future.
• Other opportunities to develop the role by moving on to become a Departmental rep or possibly a future Officer. This will help you to gain a broader view and understanding of how the University works, as well as help you to enrich your Professional Development. 
• Why not make it count towards your Career Ahead award (UoC) or use your hours for your Volunteering certificate?

If you’d like to become a Student Academic Rep for your course or want to know who your rep is, speak to your tutor, pop in to one of our UCSU offices, or send our Student Voice Facilitator, Katia an email - katia.riley@cumbria.ac.uk