Student Voice

The student representative system has been designed by GSASA and GSA in partnership with students to ensure as many decisions as possible made at GSA are informed by the Student Voice.

Class Reps
Class Reps are elected by students as a class, and act as a spokesperson for the students in their class and year group. They collate and feedback on issues affecting their programme and are there to ensure that student concerns (large and small) are acted upon by the School. The role of the Class Rep is vital for ensuring that your learning experiences are of a high standard at the School, and you play a key role in ensuring that student voices are acted upon by the School. You participate in Staff Student Consultative Committees and represent the interests of people on your course. 

As a Class Rep you are a member of the SRC and can participate in decision making in at least one of the three committees of the SRC. Through this you can get involved in programming, funding opportunities and collaborative projects and campaigns in the Students’ Association, and actively benefit students in the GSA community. By being a member of the SRC, you can put yourself forward for election to the Board of Trustees for the Students’ Association.

Being a Class Rep is an important role and one which can be rewarding and beneficial to students who take it on. They are essential to the running of the GSA and the Students’ Association and play an important role in promoting and championing the needs of student communities. 

As a rep, you develop professional skills and make decisions actively improving opportunities for your fellow students.
 

School Officers

School Officers are employed, salaried students in each academic school who work in partnership with staff on the development and delivery of enhancement projects each academic session.  

The purpose of the School Officer role is to harness student expertise to support school-wide educational enhancement projects. The role of School Officer supports the development and delivery of projects, providing an effective and authentic student voice in our enhancement work.  

School Officers work in partnership with key staff in their school to provide support in developing effective consultation activities with students and staff, contributing to enhancement activities, gathering evidence and developing case studies, resources and/or policies.  

Key responsibilities of School Officers include:  

• Collaborating with key staff and class representatives on enhancement projects within their School.  
• Co-leading the design and facilitation of consultation activities with staff and students.  
• Contributing to data collection and analysis from these activities.  
• Supporting reporting to institutional committees e.g. Boards of Studies and working groups.  
• Undertaking desk-based research to inform and support the production of student and staff-facing guidance and resources.  

Each school has a particular area of focus, and the jobs are advertised on the GSA recruitment site at the beginning of each academic year. 

Academic Council 
At the start of each academic year, the Students’ Association, and the school hold elections for students to nominate themselves for election to the school’s Academic Council. Academic Council is the most senior academic body in the school and reports directly to the school’s Board of Governors. Currently there is space for up to six student representatives (including GSASA's two Sabbatical Officers). Elections are held in September and October at the start of the Academic Year.