It’s been another big term for the UCSA when it comes to representing your academic needs. Here’s an update …

• We sent a comprehensive submission to the Ministry of Education on how well the Tertiary Student Voice is heard.
  You can read it here. We’ve also contributed to further conversations around the issue of Tertiary Student Voice at the annual Academic Quality Agency’s Student Voice Summit and the NZ Union of Students Associations Congress, both in Wellington, where we networked and shared information and best practice with our counterparts from other unis.
• You want ECHO, so we’ve submitted to the University asking for a policy for uniform recording.
  We’ve finalised a submission to the Assistant VC (Academic) and the Learning and Teaching Committee on ECHO360, where we’ve proposed a UC policy on universal lecture recording. We were able to use feedback gained through the student survey done for the UC Academic Strategy to back up the points made, and it was great to be able to incorporate your feedback on a topic that’s relevant to all students. Watch this space for 2020.
• Your voice is important, so we represent students on close to 45 boards and committees across the university.
  To ensure there’s a seamless transition from year to year, the 2019 UCSA reps have been handing over to the incoming 2020 reps. They provide their replacement with a handover document covering all the key contacts, background on meetings to attend, and issues and priorities for the year ahead. They also accompany them to a meeting to ensure they’re familiar and comfortable with being there – so they can be a really strong student advocate for you and the things that matter to you.
• Your feedback helped shape UC’s future.
  Over 2000 of you fed back into the UC strategy and said these things mattered to you:
  • supporting student success and wellbeing
  • a sustainable uni by 2030 (socially, financially and environmentally)
  • improving UC’s teaching and research.

It’s amazing to see it all come together, and you can read the strategy here!

• We recruited for our 2020 advisory groups: International, Postgraduate and Equity and Wellbeing.
  These three advisory groups are another avenue to get input and ideas from passionate students who are committed to making a difference to student life on campus. You can learn more about them here.

As the year draws to a close, it’ll get a little quieter on the academic side of things, but we’ll be back in 2020 to ensure we’re representing your views strongly across the uni.

Have any feedback? Get in touch! vice.president@ucsa.org.nz