Wins

Gathered 40+ student opinions about recent Computer Science coursework across two different modules to relay back to module leaders!

Addressed widespread student confusion regarding the new attendance policy by pushing for a school-wide reminder to all staff. This ensured that all lecturers provide attendance codes consistently, making it easier for students to log their presence and ensuring the policy is applied fairly.

We had approx. 200 students attend our Housing Fair on 4th November, where they had the opportunity to meet estate agents and housing organisations, and enjoy free hot drinks and pastries. We had our dedicated Housing Hub marquee onsite as well as a plant sale and stall from the Community Hub. A big success!

Developed a mentoring scheme for Bioscience students that covers both academic content and employability skills. I presented the proposal at the SSLC (Student Staff Liaison Committee) where it received positive feedback from staff; it is now ready to be launched across several courses within the school to provide a new layer of peer-to-peer support.

Has listened to and responded back to common student issues in student life

As part of our ongoing work around the cost of living and sustainability, we hosted a Preloved Bike Sale at the Community Hub. We had 50 bikes that had been abandoned on campus, sent away to get fully refurbished at a local prison, and brought back to be resold for just £20 (including a bike lock and front and rear lights). It was a huge success!

Deeya was recently nominated for a Nursing Times - Student of the year award. This award doesn't only show her commitment to nursing, but as a course rep to improve experience for other student nurses at the School of Health Sciences.

Following concerns from our LGBT+ Society, Luana worked with the University to add a "prefer not to say" option into relevant questions in student registration.

Jenny has been an excellent Rep over the last few years. They have advocated for student views in meetings and offered guidance to students in need of support!

1. Academic guidance: Helped students understand the tasks they were expected to complete when a scheduled teaching session was missed and clarified upcoming coursework arrangements. Resolved student queries on exams. 2. Collecting Student Feedback: Created an additional Microsoft Form alongside the Course Rep Feedback Platform to gather further student feedback ahead of the SAPF meeting.

I raised concerns about people from diverse backgrounds experiencing unfair treatment because of their race. I encouraged the placement leads to review and update their Trust’s anti-racism policies to promote inclusive practice and ensure students have fair and supportive placement opportunities.

Worked with the Support Zone to enhance housing events following student feedback. This included hosting follow up events to our housing fairs, such as our 'Housemate House Party' to help students find people to live with as well as helping them to find the place to live.

As Rep for the School of Mathematics & Physics, Sian has shown exceptional commitment to the role, and consistently goes above and beyond to ensure all students' voices are heard.

I’d like to recognise Nat for all the effort she has put into being an outstanding course representative this year. Nat has consistently kept students informed, sharing helpful reminders via WhatsApp about upcoming deadlines and key course information, which has been especially valuable during such a busy semester.

Deeya is an excellent course rep and has represented her cohort for the past three years as well as being head rep for one year. She always engages well with her reps and ensures that she raises any feedback she receives to the appropriate staff as well as at our course rep meetings.

Staff to enable automatic uploads of Panopto recordings to ensure they are available promptly after each lecture.

Collected data from the student cohort, and has been able to provide actionable feedback and identify flaws in any lecturer’s teaching processes, and has allowed to create plans for lecturers to help facilitate student life.

In my 2nd SSLC, I raised that it is frustrating when we do not receive feedback for an assignment before the next assignment in that module is due. Lecturers were not aware that this was the case in a couple of modules, and now actively ensure this is not happening for the second semester.

Jess has been working very hard to support new Course Reps across the University to be effective in their roles. She's provided guidance about how to gather student feedback and how to communicate well with other students and staff, and has been a vital source of advice and experience as a long-serving Course Rep and as Education Officer!

Has helped and supported many students in settling into student life

Heer is a fantastic course rep and is always advocating for her students. She recently spoke with the union regarding some health science reps who could not meet some of the course rep award criteria due to their clinical placement commitments. This has ensured that students can still be recognised for their hard work and not miss out on this opportunity. I feel that Heer is very deserving of this win and recognition :)

Directly contributed the creation of the University's cross-institutional INTERNATIONAL STUDENT experience group to develop more coordinated and targeted approach to International student services, guidance and engagement.

Luana has advocated for Union representation at important EDI meetings, including the Race Equality Charter and Athena Swan Charter, to better recognise and reflect the Unions extensive contributions to university-wide initiatives and goals.

Made Whatsapp group chat, collecting over 60% of the student cohort into the group chat. (189/305 at the time of writing)

Waleed the current VP Voice ran in-person Course Rep training for over 200 Reps.

Kade has prioritised getting information properly communicated to Clubs & Societies, through informative Standings and bringing extra attention to available Scholarships and Bursaries. This has led to several clubs/socs receiving additional funding through these schemes.

Has planned on making a course Rep poster which details into what steps are being taken from student feedback

As your VP Community I have been working with the University to make Manor Park safer by introducing more speed bumps to improve road safety.

As a course representative, I regularly check in with students to see how they are getting on. When I asked about our first assignment, students told me they felt unsure where to start because the guidance was spread across different areas of SurreyLearn. I shared their feedback with the Year 3 teaching team and suggested a simple flowchart that would bring the assignment requirements and practical tips together in one place. The team is considering the suggestion and plans to update us in the final week of November. I also passed the teaching team’s feedback on to students, highlighting how attending sessions regularly, taking part in discussions and asking questions can support everyone’s learning.

I worked in collaboration with the International Student Advice Team, our International Students Subnetwork Leader, Marc, and other student volunteers to host our annual celebration for the international student community at Surrey, International Students' Day.

This year, your Support Zone has launched a new Wellbeing Champion homepage full of resources and information to help better support our Wellbeing Champions!

Jenny led on the installation of new study pods in the main academic buildings across campus, designed for individual study, phone calls and interviews, or just taking some quiet time in a private space. Free to book and open to everyone!

Nat has worked incredibly hard, being regular and consistent in contacting the students, offering to share their thoughts and have a voice. She has updated us EVERY WEEK on what deadlines, experience opportunities and labs we have. Utterly amazing and I know she puts a lot of time into each message. Very thankful for her!

Has attended their first SAPF, showing excellent remarks from all lecturers

Launched our Union2U project with great engagement and success- bringing the Union to students across campus. From welcoming students at the Freshers BBQ to providing topical information outside the HIVE and the Library- hundreds of students have engaged and found out new information about the Union. We cant wait to see how this project can evolve.

I brought up to our module leader that accredited modules did not inform students which professional body they referred to or how they contributed to the professional exams we would take after graduation. After discussing this with the Accreditation expert, our module leader agreed to share links to the professional bodies' information pages and create a simplified Excel spreadsheet presenting the details in a different format, allowing students to analyse their optional module choices more effectively.

Established a more transparent approach to exam feedback to help students understand the marking process. This includes clearer information on how results are quality-checked and the role of external examiners, which helps manage expectations and reduces student stress while waiting for results.

Ran a course introduction session for the first-year Biochemistry cohort to explain how the course is structured and why having a voice matters. This student-led approach was highly successful and resulted in 100% rep coverage for the course, ensuring every student in that year is represented!

Identified and escalated a significant academic concern affecting students from Business Economic regarding the compulsory optional politics module introduce in the second semester of the final year.

The win or achievement is her outstanding impact as Course Representative in strengthening communication between students and faculty while driving meaningful improvements to the academic experience. She proactively gathered structured feedback from across the cohort through surveys and informal discussions, identified recurring concerns around assessment clarity and feedback timelines, and presented clear, evidence-based proposals at Staff–Student Liaison Committee meetings.

Matt is a passionate advocate for Commuting students based on his own experience. He worked with the Voice Zone, Networks and Future Leaders to organise a Commuters Event. From coming up with the idea, to planning to supporting on the day- it is clear Matt cares about Commuting Students and goes above and beyond to bring attention to this group. He also has helped lead to the potential creation of a Commuter Lounge and also raised Commuter issues at Student Voice Forum.

Emma has been very well engaged with her cohort and has frequently raised issues affecting the mental health nursing students as well as our wider health science community. She always raises her concerns in a professional manor and has been able to bring many important topics to my attention as Head Rep as well as to our meetings including our recent SSLC meeting.

I acted as a reliable link between students and staff by clearly communicating updates, feedback, and outcomes. This ensured transparency and helped students feel heard and informed, contributing to a more supportive and responsive academic environment.

Jamie has gone above and beyond to represent and support our PGR community at Surrey. In his role as Rep, he has consistently escalated student feedback on several topics; including support available for postgraduate researchers, accessibility of our report and support service, and the need to include PGR voices before enacting change.

For the Black Sport Collective Relaunch we hosted a Barbershop, where we brought in a local Afro-specialist barber, Mayur, who offered free haircuts and advice around hair care. We also created space for students to meet one another, have conversations and engage with organisations that could provide further opportunities and support. We invited two organisations who aligned with the wider purpose of the collective - Black Tennis Mentors UK and Black Minds Matter UK in conjunction with the Student Equality Network.

Kade has worked with Team Surrey to launch the Black Sport Collective, a new initiative focused on increasing Black student representation in sport!

Matt has worked with the University to launch the Cauli cup scheme - providing students with reusable cups at catering outlets on campus to reduce waste and improve sustainability!

1. Collecting and Communicating Student Feedback on Test Formulas: A lecturer asked me to gather feedback from the cohort on whether formulas should be provided on a separate formula sheet or embedded directly into the test paper. I collected feedback from students and shared the cohort’s views with the lecturer to help inform their decision. 2. Improving Access to Lecture Notes: Students raised concerns that the lecturer’s handwritten notes were difficult to read when watching lecture recordings. I raised this issue directly with the lecturer, who agreed to upload the complete set of notes by the end of the semester to help students access clearer learning materials. The lecturer also emphasised the importance of students taking their own notes during lectures.

Sending out monthly newsletters to all reps in the school of health sciences to ensure that all students have regular contact and communication with their Head Rep. The email includes notices, key meeting and social dates, things to look out for or to try and complete in the coming months.

Following my presidential manifesto I managed to double the amount of train the trainer sign ups for our destination success and improve the website as a whole making it more informative of what the program is all about as well as making it more relatable including biography's of our current trainers.

Following discussion with several team members across the University and working with the wider Union team, there has been a direct increase of food options available in the Co-Op with a new Halal section and increased diverse food available.

Amber has worked throughout Freshers' Week, with our Events Assistants, to host a variety of Belonging Events over at the 'Welcome Lounge' at AP Piaza. There were so many nervous students who turned up alone and left with a group of friends, and even came to multiple events together!

Emma is a great course rep and is always very responsive over email. She escalates concerns to her head rep and her field lead. She has attended and raised key points at lots of meetings this year and always does so with confidence and professionalism, advocating for her cohort and ensuring that Mental Health Nursing students voices are heard.

Bassel, the Course Rep, contacted me after an exam was moved, causing considerable concern within the cohort. He asked for my assistance in building a case to present to the module leader. Together, we gathered evidence and student feedback, enabling Bassel to present a strong case. The module leader accepted the evidence and agreed to return the exam to its original date. Students were then updated and were greatly relieved!

Nat has worked incredibly hard, being regular and consistent in contacting the students, offering to share their thoughts and have a voice. She has updated us EVERY WEEK on what deadlines, experience opportunities and labs we have. Utterly amazing and I know she puts a lot of time into each message. Very thankful for her!

Kimberley and I worked closely last year to make big changes to the Psychology course structure, with specific emphasis on restructuring the Academic Tutorial scheme. This was a big task that took a lot of work, bit Kimberley consistently contributed and pushed for the changes.

Your VP Community Amber, worked with local developers to ensure students had a safe route home through the new development of flats just past Yorkie's Bridge!

Alessio did amazingly getting student feedback by using forms throughout the year. This helped us speak up about a variety of problems arising!

I’d like to recognise Nat for all the effort she has put into being an outstanding course representative this year. She consistently keeps us informed, sharing helpful reminders via WhatsApp about upcoming deadlines and key course information, which has been especially valuable during such a busy semester.

I sat on a panel alongside other members of staff to discuss my lived experience of ADHD in Higher Education. We shared guidance on useful coping strategies and revision techniques, as well as highlighting to students the support the University and Union offers.

I have created a jobs padlet for final year nursing, midwifery and paramedic science students to help students navigate finding and applying for jobs more easily. I update it regularly with jobs and have also posted lots of useful content for how to write applications and where to find open jobs. I have continued to build upon what is included in the padlet by having final year students send me resources or jobs or anything else they would find useful on there so I can upload it.

Viha has gone above and beyond with regards to collecting student feedback for their SSLC meeting. They not only achieved fantastic engagement but also prepared a detailed presentation for the SSLC breaking down percentages and groups of common issues raised by students allowing for an efficient and productive meeting.

Thero has proved to be a great rep through her engagement with the staff during JSSLC meetings and Board of Studies by providing valuable feedback, also she brought in positive attitude and great work ethic.

Waleed has been working to support PGR students, and hearing their views about how the Union can better support this part of the student community. The Union has therefore sent off the first PGR newsletter, with contributions from both the Support and Voice Zones, and including content about PGR Rep Elections, the PGR Support Hub, and belonging activities.

Along with the rest of the Sabb team, I spoke with the University Executive Board and raised the feedback from students regarding assessment and feedback, and the University has now published an action plan to improve this area of the academic experience! We've successfully introduced a mid module feedback system this semester, giving students the opportunity to share their experiences and raise concerns while their modules are still ongoing, allowing the University to respond and make improvements before the semester ends.

Positive progress made on a potential Bidet pilot scheme- including fruitful talks with senior members of the University, undertaking extensive research and meeting with two other institutions to talk about practicality and process of bidet installation.

I presented key findings from student feedback directly to lecturers, clearly communicating student concerns and suggestions. This facilitated constructive discussions between staff and students and contributed to improving the overall academic experience through informed dialogue

I would like to celebrate Jaden as a committed course rep in the School of Health Sciences. Working recently with her at an interview day, I saw the compassion and dedication she has to encourage future students to join this course. as a Rep she has gone above and beyond to build a sense of community.

Toby has gone the extra mile when presenting feedback to module convenors regarding inconsistency with the stats workshops. Also speaking in person when advertising Rep surveys to make sure his name and face are known to the cohort. He has consistently handled feedback presented to him promptly and has advocated many times for the needs of neurodivergent students. Therefore, he has dedicated an exceptional amount of time to this role.

I designed and distributed a survey within my cohort to gather structured and representative feedback on students’ academic experiences. This allowed me to capture a wide range of perspectives, ensuring that feedback shared with staff was evidence-based and reflective of the cohort as a whole.

Created a list of wellbeing tips for the autumn months. I completed this on canva, and sent off to my line manager

Sam has made mental health and wellbeing engaging and accessible through her approachable energy and genuine passion for supporting students. She has helped to organise unique wellbeing events- bringing goats, cats, dogs and other farm animals to Surrey which have helped students to relax and take a break from the pressures of university life.

We have recently delivered a series of Club Culture Training sessions, with over 2,000 students trained to help build positive, inclusive and responsible cultures within our student sports clubs. The training focuses on setting clear expectations around behaviour, challenging inappropriate conduct, promoting accountability and ensuring that every member feels safe, respected and welcome within their club.

Collecting feedback from the aerospace engineering cohort for the Personal and Professional Development Module meeting with the student success coaches and sharing it with the student success coaches. Organising and conducting group study sessions with the students who prefer to have group study sessions.

Carter has been very helpful in gathering feedback from the students as well as helping to communicate with the other students on their course about any changes as a result.

Has been very proactive with organising questionnaires and sending them off to the cohort

The library had asked for feedback about their services ahead of the BioSciences SSLC Meeting. I asked my cohort of what they want to see improved and some of them mentioned having more snacks in the library. I submitted my feedback to the FHMS Librarian and a member of my cohort just confirmed that they’ve added a snack section to the library by the entrance - called “overnight snacks”!

As Course Representative, Nat provided clear and consistent weekly updates via WhatsApp, ensuring everyone stayed informed about upcoming deadlines, assessments, and exam details. Nat focused on keeping communication simple, timely, and supportive so the whole cohort could stay on track and feel confident throughout the year.

Has provided the student cohort with a self-made tool used to help navigate all the cohort’s Reading List, this same tool also provides students with a platform that allows for supportive peer review in a safe space

This year we have offered extra training sessions to our Reps to further help them develop and build skills which will support them both in their role and in the future when they enter the world of work!

Wrote and designed a Microsoft Form to engage with students in person, via email and via WhatsApp to ask for student feedback for our course. The other Rep on our course and I were quite successful with 34 responses.

I consistently went beyond formal responsibilities by maintaining regular contact with students and encouraging open discussions about their experiences. Rather than only relying on meetings, I proactively sought out student opinions, allowing me to represent a wider range of voices and contribute more meaningfully during staff discussions.

introduced myself to my representatives via email in accordance with the training. At the start of the academic year, I created a group chat for all engineering students in my cohort; the chat members make up the majority of the students in the course. I recently added a section to the chat for course rep feedback, where polls and discussions will take place.

Jess supported with Course Rep training and delivered a section all about Head Reps to over 200 students in attendance!

As a Rep I have written and designed a Microsoft Form to engage with students in person, via email and via WhatsApp to ask for student feedback for our course. The other Rep on our course and I were quite successful with 34 responses. Then we compiled feedback and met with our Programme Lead, to discuss the results!

Supported the Community Zone with One World Week Gala, encouraging Clubs and Socs to attend the event and leading to great turn out to this event.

We created a WhatsApp group and sent a link via email. With this method a total of 8 members joined, including myself and Vihanya, also a course rep for aerospace. So, instead we did a quick presentation in front of our cohort asking for them to join the group so they could insight to anything relevant to them. After the presentation a total of 68+ members were in the group. A huge increase!

Our recent cost of living week was a great success! We had so many students come along to our events, including huge crowds at the Community Hub! We will also be hosting more events throughout the year to help students beyond the campaign week.