What are School Conveners?
School Conveners work in partnership with the Vice President for Education to ensure that the views of all students within your School are effectively represented, both to the University and to the Students' Union.
They will take proactive steps to ensure that all voices are heard, reaching out to Class Reps and other students and facilitating their involvement in School-wide issues and campaigns.
They provide appropriate opportunities for students in your School to come together in a student-led space to discuss issues that concern them in their School, and to organise projects and campaigns that will make positive changes happen.
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Benefits of Becoming a School Convener
Being a School Convener is an excellent opportunity to gain skills in areas such as leadership, project management, campaigning, publicity, and teamwork.
A key element of this role is working in partnership with academics and administrative staff in your School, which will give you experience in negotiating and managing relationships.
These are skills that are particularly valued by employers.
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Commitments and Responsibilities
School Conveners are tasked with the following:
- Represent the views and needs of all students in your School, by taking issues and ideas forward to relevant staff in the School, up to and including the Head of School.
- Coordinate and organise meetings of students and Reps within your School, and represent the views of the student body in meetings with staff and academics.
- Coordinate and bring together Class Reps in your School to help prepare for Student Staff Liaison Committees and other opportunities to offer feedback.
- Work with academic societies within your School.
- All school conveners are members of the Senatus Academicus (University Senate), where they represent respective student views. Therefore you will need to prepare for, attend and participate in Senate and other, related meetings (usually twice per semester, around 2 hours per meeting).
- Attend and participate in relevant School level committees.
- Work with other School Conveners and the Education Committee across the University on issues and projects which mutually affect you.
Additionally, they may be called upon to represent your School’s interests at College-level University committees about the student experience. (This involves reading committee papers and attending one or more committee meetings per semester).
The Students' Union will provide support and flexibility to make sure that your role does not conflict with these commitments. This is where support from the Students' Union Vice President for Education is vital to help ensure the representation of students.
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Training and Support
- Schoool Conveners receive an initial welcome to the role with the Students' Union at an event held shortly after elections are held.
- In Semester 1 of the new academic year, we provide training designed to equip you with the knowledge and tools to carry out your role.
- School Conveners will work closely with the Vice President for Education who will have experience and knowledge in this area.
- School Conveners receive support from representation staff at the Students' Union. They can provide guidance on running campaigns, and information and advice on how to take forward projects within the University and beyond.
- There will also be the opportunity to take part in a wide variety of Students' Union events as part of their development.
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Further Information
If you are interested in becoming a School Convener at the start of teh year, or wish to get in touch with your School Convener, please get in touch with ausareps@abdn.ac.uk, or alternatively visit the Students’ Union Building for further information.
Resources for reps: www.ausa.org.uk/representation/academicreps/