s det tur

h na kd oobpen

usu Students’Associationat Unitec

contentsWelcome!

Expectations: What does a Rep do?

The Rules! Policies and Guidelines at Unitec

The Rules: How they affect your daily life

Feedback at Unitec: Sources and Types

Feedback at Unitec: Academic Roles and Responsibilities

How To: Approach a Programme Committee

How To: Deal with feedback from students

How To: Approach a Staff Member

How To: Deal with Conflict/Resolution

How To: Behave at Meetings

How To: Communicate with Students

Feedback at Unitec: Academic Roles and Responsibilities

Useful Contacts

3

4 5

6

9

10

12

14

15

16

18

19

20

21

CONTACT: USU Student Rep. Coordinator

usueducation@unitec.ac.nz

(09) 815 4321 x7380

Office in B180-1035, available by appointment at Waitakere and Albany

Search ‘students at unitec’ on facebook

UsU is here to help make your life as a student Rep. easier and to fully support you in your role. If you need help - please ask us.

Being a student Rep. should not interfere

with your studies.

If you don’t have the time to help students in ways suggested in this

handbook, please refer them directly to the UsU student Rep. coordinator.

By taking a leadership role in receiving and passing on the feedback of their class or programmes at Unitec, Reps. have the opportunity to work together to make recommendations and highlight areas of excellence. As leaders, Reps. will also be a point of contact for their peers about services and information across Unitec.

This handbook, the Rep. Training Scheme and the USU Student Rep. Coordinator aim to help support you alongside some awesome benefits along the way including;

• Having an active role in your own education; • Developing your self-confidence;• Developing transferable skills such as communication, leadership and conflict resolution;• Receiving an e-certificate and being able to list

thank you for becoming a student Rep! You have stepped up to an important and rewarding role. Being a student Rep. is an awesome way to get more out of your time here at Unitec - leadership starts right here, right now!

your role and responsibilities on your CV;• Having training opportunities;• Becoming eligible for a letter of recommendation from a Unitec staff member; •Standing up for people who are less confident or assertive than you; • Seeing what the Student Executive and President do and see how you can run for an Executive position yourself in future;• Improving the quality of your programme by being a part of feedback mechanisms at Unitec; • Being a valuable resource for your Programme Leader and Department as a whole;• Being part of the Student Rep. Incentive Scheme with the potential to receive vouchers, event passes and more;• Involvement with Unitec and USU projects.

3

Welcome!

What

4

YoU wIll: • Undergo an Introductory Training Session. There are a

variety of session times available;

if you can’t attend one, the USU

Student Rep. Coordinator will see

be happy to see you individually

for training. • Participate in at least 3 meetings

a year. • Let your peers know that you are

a Rep! See page 19 for some ideas

or talk to the USU Student Rep.

Coordinator.• Refer students to the appropriate services if you’re

unable to assist or need additional support• Communicate with the USU

Student Rep. Coordinator throughout your term• Work constructively with other

students, Reps and staff in your

department• Keep students’ confidentiality if

requested• Be honest and respectful of the

diverse range of students that are

a part of Unitec. Discrimination

isn’t acceptable from anyone in

the Unitec community.

At All times you cAn count on the following from usu:• Support! USU is here to help

you in any way we can, or find

the right person who can, more

specifically;• The USU Student Rep. Coordinator can attend meetings

with you, speak on behalf of you

and answer any questions about

processes and wider feedback;

their role is to support and guide

you.• Introductory training and more

targeted sessions if you would

like them• Assistance with communication

to classmates• Relevant information from feedback sources that USU employs;• Facilitation of the Student Rep.

System.

Reps shoUld not: • Work on serious cases of harassment or conflict• Deal with students’ personal

problems• Be involved in employment

concerns of staff members• Have their Rep. duties interfere

with their studies• Teach their peers. While some

Reps. have positions at Unitec

you are not expected to be an

additional teaching assistant

for the class you are elected in.

Remember – there are always

other places your classmates can

go for academic support!Should you not be satisfied with the

delivery of the above or have any

concerns please get in touch with

the USU Education Manager on

(09) 815 4321 ext. 7924

what aBoUt UnItec? Student Reps. elections are

facilitated by Departments, while training and support is

the responsibility of USU. Reps.

are very valuable as they form

part of the student feedback

that is counted on to help Unitec

enhance the student experience,

be innovative with teaching and learning, meet the needs of

communities (students are one

of these!) and be an excellent

business to create a sustainable

future. These values form the

vision of Unitec and help guide

decision making. Reps. often work closely with

Unitec staff; they should be treated with respect at all times

and vice versa.Got some more questions? See the

USU Student Rep. Coordinator.

Will i doas a student rep?

There are a wide range of policies and

procedures that operate at Unitec, covering

everything from parking to grade appeals.

Below is a short rundown of some of

them: note that these are only summaries

and the current documents should also

be consulted. The USU Student Rep.

Coordinator or USU Advocates are available

to discuss further details. Policies are

updated from time to time and are available

through www.usu.co.nz. Examples of how

these policies can be applied can be found

on the next page.

• Your Programme Handbook: This

contains information about your specific

programmes (like attendance requirements)

and should be kept by all students to refer

to throughout the year. If anything in your

Programme Handbook contradicts anything

in the Academic Statute (below), the

Academic Statute overrides the Handbook.

If anything in the Handbook seems unfair,

try talking to your Programme Leader about

it. However, you can also check it out with

the USU Student Rep. Coordinator.

• The Academic Statute: The Academic

Statute is the overarching document of

Unitec. It has information on rules for

assessments, examinations, and procedures

for appeals. It is available by contacting

the USU Student Rep. Coordinator

(usueducation@unitec.ac.nz) or on www.

usu.co.nz. New rules and policies are written

from time to time but the Academic Statute

is updated and amended every year, so

it is always worth checking for the latest

policies.

• The Assessment and Feedback Policy:

This policy requires that all Unitec

programmes should have fair, consistent

processes for assessments and that

feedback is provided no later than three

weeks after the due date. It looks to

ensure all students are treated fairly in

group work situations, and that students

have an understanding of assessment

requirements. It also requires that the

weightings/proportions of marks in

assessments are notified to students at the

commencement of the course.

• The Student Disciplinary Statute: This

statute covers processes of investigating

and dealing with student misconduct

and gives relevant examples. The statute

encompasses on-campus actions, things

that occur in the context of Unitec

activities (eg: practicums), or actions that

are directly connected with being a Unitec

student. Complaints can be registered by

both staff and students.

• The Student Complaints Policy: This

policy allows students the right to give

constructive feedback, express concerns,

and have grievances resolved. These may

concern another student’s behaviour,

Unitec services or admin, academic

decisions or staff behaviour. The policy

has a form (Student Complaints Form)

which students can fill out to have their

complaint investigated. This is a formal

route for resolving feedback and requires

students to be named, but also requires

Unitec to provide a full reply and updates

on the process.

• Te Noho Kotahitanga: This is Unitec’s

bi-cultural partnership document,

incorporating the values of the Treaty of

Waitangi. These include authority and

responsibility, legitimacy, guardianship,

co-operation and respect. 5

policies and Guidelines at Unitecthe rules!

here’s a quick summary of some o

f the policies that

relate to assessments, check out

if your programme

is following the standard (and

get in touch if it’s

not!);

• Course outlines, sometimes called ‘myCoursedetails’, must be provided to all

students at the commencement of a course with details of summative (graded)

assessment dates and times, the types of assessment to be carried out (tests, essays,

exams), along with weightings or percentages and any must-pass or minimum

attendance requirements clearly stated. These must not be changed after the course

has started.

• Assignment questions and marking criteria (for assessments which are not exams)

should be made available to students well before the assignment is due to be

handed in; four weeks should be considered a minimum.

• Assignments which are not exams must be returned to students with a grade and

include meaningful feedback within three weeks.

• A student has the right to receive and keep a copy of their exam scripts after their

grade is officially approved free of charge. The Department must not charge you a

photocopying fee.

• Students can apply for Special Assessment Circumstances when there are

factors outside of their control which affected them. Forms to do this are available

at Student Central, and are forwarded to your Programme Committee for

consideration. See the USU Student Issues Advocate for more information and

support.

hoW they affect

assessments

the rules!your daily life

6

class conductthere are some rules and behaviour which help guide actions in the classroom including;

• Lecturers should answer students’ emails or messages within a reasonable timeframe, depending on the urgency of the issue.• Lecturers should come to class on time and be prepared and organised.• Lecturers should show care and consideration to students with disabilities and offer appropriate extra support to them if needed.• Lecturers should inform the class of their office hours at the start of a course and should ensure that they are in their office during these times. If a student is unable to make these office hours, lecturers should be reasonably flexible about making another time to see them.• Lecturers should facilitate group-work sessions and group projects so that no students feel uncomfortable, disadvantaged or left out, and in a way that is fair to all students.

• Students should be allowed reasonable breaks within long teaching periods. A guideline would be 5 or 10 minutes within a one hour class, 20 minutes within a two hour class, and 25-30 minutes within a three hour class. Lecturers should not finish the class early as a substitute for giving you a break in the middle.• All students and staff at Unitec need to show due consideration to Te Noho Kotahitanga, which is Unitec’s bi-cultural partnership statement.• Students should not disrupt or monopolise teaching sessions. If this happens in your class, and other students complain to you, try approaching the lecturer about it.

7

how theY affect YoUR daIlY lIfe

the rules!

8

Racism, sexism, or discrimination on the grounds of culture, ethnicity, religion, and sexuality, or harassment and intimidation in any form, are not tolerated at Unitec. Contact the USU Student Issues Advocate or the USU Student Rep. Coordinator if you are concerned about anything like this. It doesn’t have to be happening to you, you may have witnessed something or had another student approach you about it.Members of the Unitec community are required to treat each other with dignity and respect at all times. Harassment or discrimination perpetrated by

• Students may have concerns about facilities or resources on a programme or course. Any resources needed for you to complete coursework to a high standard should be easily available. If not, you can talk to the lecturer and/or USU.• Problems with facilities may extend beyond your academic studies, and may include toilets, parking, catering outlets and so on. These can be raised with the USU Student Rep. Coordinator.

staff or students is unacceptable and could result in disciplinary action against those concerned.• Your role relates to your programme and education only, but students may come to you with issues which are not about their education. For example, they may be having trouble with enrolment, fees, visas or accommodation. They may also come to you with other personal issues such as financial hardship or depression. Issues such as these can be dealt with, in confidence, by the USU Student Issues Advocate or by the services listed on page 22-23.

wellBeInG

facIlItIes

feedbackat unitecsoURces and tYpes

academIc feedBack:

non academIc feed

Back:

9

when the feedback concerns a collective of

people (eg: a class)

when the feedback concerns 1 or 2

people and is usually particular to their

circumstances

feedback happens in lots of different ways at Unitec, and student Reps. are an awesome option. at Unitec all students are able to provide feedback at any time and are entitled to receive a response from providing the information.

Reps. are given the opportunity to work together to make recommendations and highlight areas of excellence in their department, their area of campus or across the institution, using feedback from a variety of sources. These aspects are often tangled together, so try and separate them out where possible. Don’t forget to see the USU Student Rep. Coordinator for help when you need it.

when feedback is related to everyone on a

course or programme

when feedback is related to things outside

the classroom (eg: parking).

GRoUp feedBa

ck:

IndIvIdUal feedBack:

USU Student Issues Advocates are able to help with everything from Special Assessment Circumstance Forms to legal advice.

Students are able to give feedback on their courses at any time after being in their paper for 3 weeks on Rate My Course, the online course evaluation site for Unitec students. See www.usu.co.nz/rate-my-course for more details.

are run by your department and can be on anything from teaching to content.

Can happen any time, see the USU Student Rep. Coordinator for some options.

Both USU and Unitec undertake research projects from time to time that you may be invited to be a part of.

are a chance for students to give feedback about their learning experiences in the form of a focus group to a specially trained lecturer from a different part of Unitec.

feedbacknot all students will feel comfortable or

have access to talk to a student Rep., so

all the following options are great ways

to get student views out there.

10

advocacY

coURse evalUatIons

petItIons

Rate mY coURse

ReseaRch

small GRoUp InstRUctIonal dIaGnoses (sGIds)

11

other optionsat Unitec:

These can be completed in regards to a range of feedback.

Talking directly to lecturers and tutors can be a great option, should you feel comfortable doing so.

Student Reps. can bring up issues at the USU meetings.

This is run annually by USU to measure how satisfied students are with services.

Students can ask quick questions or start discussions.

Students can raise topics to be discussed in a public forum with other students on the student media site.www.studentmediahub.com

For more details about when, who and what these things are, see the USU Student Rep. Coordinator, who is also here to support you at any stage of giving feedback.

stUdent complaInts foRms

staff memBeRs

stUdent Reps

the stUdent satIsfactIon sURveY

UsU faceBook

stUdent medIa foRUm

• Develop new courses in the programme.

• Ensure the assessment system is efficient and fair.

• Ensure students receive written information about

course requirements.• Monitor students’ academic progress and approve

final grades.• Implement programme regulations.

• Enable the student elected to the committee to

provide and receive feedback about the programme.

The Programme Committee will not usually discuss

things like: facilities, course fees or individual

lecturers. They also do not discuss students by name

(only ID number) for privacy reasons.

the deal

committees?If you are elected by students to sit on a Programme

Committee then you should ask your Programme

Leader for details of the meetings, and let them

know where to send you the electronic agendas

and minutes for the meetings. You should also ask

them about any particular protocols they have for

bringing issues to Programme Committee. Generally

speaking, you should be able to add issues to the

Programme Committee agenda which relate to

any of the areas above. If you want to submit a

discussion paper to your Programme Committee,

come and see the USU Student Rep. Coordinator for

tips on how to do this.

1212

What's

Withprogramme

In the wide range of committees at Unitec, programme committees

are the ones Reps. are most often a part of. every course has a

programme committee, and their job is to:

Issues, grades, potential new courses, and any other matters raised at Programme Committee are to be kept in confidence. This is so matters can be discussed freely among the necessary parties - including the Student Rep. As well, information that other students want kept private may be discussed, such as applications for extensions based on personal reasons. However, you do not need to leave a meeting for this reason unless there is a direct conflict of interest (ie: your grade is being approved). If this ever happens, the Chair of the Committee should politely ask you to leave the meeting while this is discussed.

Because of this, you may be asked to sign a Confidentiality Agreement by the Chair of the Programme Committee before you join the meeting. The below example is one that USU has approved. USU can always help should any problems about confidentiality arise. If unsure, don’t be afraid to ask to USU Student Issues Advocate.

Programme Committee – Confidentiality and Conflict of Interest Agreement

“I understand that as a member of this Programme Committee I will sometimes be part of confidential discussions, and that I must not share the details of these Programme Committee discussions, including matters relating to individual students or sensitive issues, with my peers. I understand that failure to do so may affect the conditions of my Programme Committee membership.

I also understand that when the Programme Committee discusses matters in which any member has a direct conflict of interest, that member may be asked to leave the room. This also extends to students (for example, if my own grade changes or SAC applications are being discussed).”

It is important you maintain the confIdentiality of programme committees.

signed:

13

feedback from studentswhen feedBack Is BRoUGht to YoU BY a stUdent

, YoU maY fInd It

UsefUl to do the followInG:

Allow the students to speak

Take notes, and try not to

interrupt. Make sure this is at a

time that is good for you too.

Recap the feedback to confirm it’s

correct

SUGGeStiOn:

Use open-ended ques

tions

(questions not invo

lving a

‘yes/no’ response, an

d end

with “Is there anyt

hing else

you would like to a

dd?”

can you deal with the feedback?

There are many things that can inform the answer to this question; do you have the time? The specific skills?

Is it a part of your role? Are there any conflicts of interest? See the USU Student Rep. Coordinator for help

answering this question

yes

no

IndIvIdUal oR class

feedBack (academIc)

Identify the level of

confidentiality the

student(s) want

Arrange a meeting with the

staff member.

Feedback to the student(s)

the result of the meeting.

Outline the action (if any)

that will be taken.

Resolve - are they satisfied?

If not take it to the USU

Student Rep Co-ordinator.

class, pRoGRamme oR

non-academIc feedBack

Consider the feedback

alongside other feedback

mechanisms with other

Student Reps. For the

next chance to do this

see the USU Student Rep.

Coordinator.

If the feedback requires

more immediate action

please see the USU Student

Rep. Coordinator for more

options.

Refer the student to:-USU Student Issues Advocate: Harassment,

grade appeals, serious conflict,

accommodation, legal issues, 1-1 advocacy.

Health Centre at Clinic 41 or Counselling

Centre: Cases where the student’s physical or

mental well-being is affected.

Student Funding: financial harsdship,

Studylink, scholarships and financial advice.

Disability Liaison Office: If the student needs

special assistance in class or for exams, eg:

reader/writers or sign interpreters.

International: Support for International

students: Immigration, visas, fees.

MAIA: Support for Māori students and

information about scholarships.

Pasifika Centre: Support for Pasifika students

and information about scholarships.

See pages 21-23 for more services and contact

info

HOw tO: Deal witH

14

• Identify the feedback; lots of things are often tangled up in one another. Try putting it into bullet points.• Decide who to approach; page 20 may be able to help you with this. It’s often more effective to try to resolve the feedback at the lowest level possible. If you’re unsure of this process please see the USU Student Rep. Coordinator (who may be able to help resolve the feedback too).

• Send an email to the staff member to book an appointment. If you’re not sure what their address is, a good rule of thumb is that Unitec staff member emails are the first letter of their first name followed by last @unitec.ac.nz (eg: jbloggs@unitec.ac.nz). There are a range of non-academic contacts on pages 21-23.• In your email, introduce yourself, give a brief outline of the reason for the appointment and some times that you would be available to meet. Also let the USU Student Rep. Coordinator or any other support person know if you’d like them to attend with you. • When outlining the reasons for the appointment, make it clear to the staff member whether the issue is a personal matter, or in your capacity as a Rep. on behalf of others.

• Try to be diplomatic and non-confrontational. You can aim to do this by focusing on the reasons for the meeting.• Outline the feedback for the staff member (keeping the names of students anonymous if requested).

• Give the staff member an opportunity to respond to any points; you can either request they wait until you are finished speaking or by letting the staff member respond to each point when raised.• Suggest ways you feel the feedback could be resolved. If you’re having trouble deciding on these or would like to check if they are possible, see the USU Student Rep. Coordinator and check out page 10.• The staff member may need to go away to find more information or conduct some further investigations. If this is the case, ask for a timeline outlining when they will get back to you.• If possible, work with the lecturer to reach a solution or develop some options (instead of demanding change) with a timeline for when and how action will be taken.

• Make sure the staff members come back to you in the timeframe suggested. • Check that the feedback loop has been closed to the students concerned.

If the lecturer is uncooperative or defensive and you find the result unsatisfactory then it may be appropriate to take the feedback to the next level; speak to the USU Student Rep. Coordinator about the next step.

15

so: you’ve received some feedback, and you think you can sort It out. how do you actually approach a staff member about it?

fIRstlY:

make an appoIntment:

at the meetInG:

afteRwaRds:

a staff member?hoW do i approach

16

be resolved?

hoW can

conflicts

asseRtIve

A policy or person in a position of authority decides the

outcome of a conflict. Eg: A class decides that they need

a waterfall in the corner to help them concentrate. The

Department refuses to approve the budget and Health and

Safety decline the application based on risk.

when dealInG wIth conflIct theRe aRe often a nUmBeR of GRoUps oR peRsons Involved. a solUtIon Is GeneRallY soUGht to help move foRwaRd, theRe aRe fIve standaRd waYs feedBack can Be Resolved. thIs can Be Between staff and stUdents oR amonGst stUdents themselves - theRe Isn’t necessaRIlY one ‘RIGht waY’ a conflIct can Be Resolved, BUt dependInG on the sItUatIon some mIGht Be moRe effectIve than otheRs.

17

accommodatInG

avoIdance compRomIsInG

collaBoRatIve

Each person involved in the conflict concedes partially to get a portion of what they want.

Eg: A class is struggling with the content of a course and talk to the Department about whether it’s being taught at the appropriate level. Students and staff work together and decide to add weekly tutorial sessions in the short term and review the paper in the long term.

Either one or both of the parties doesn’t deal with the issue and it is left unresolved. Eg: A student is being teased by others in the class. Instead of speaking to someone they avoid areas where the bullies may be, including the classroom.

One person in the conflict gives way to the other.

Eg: One student demands to ‘share’ the assignment they

haven’t done any work on, the other student gives the work to them despite feeling uneasy.

The persons involved in the conflict work together for a solution that pleases all.

Eg: Students failed an assignment due to a late hand in time which

staff recognised as being unprofessional. To help resolve this,

students agreed to write a reflection piece on professional practice to be re-marked.

18

There’s heaps of different kinds of meetings happening at Unitec everyday; committees, panels, working parties…the list is endless! This page is meant to give you a quick guide on the basics of general processes and purposes. If you are invited to a meeting, please get in touch with the USU Student Rep. Coordinator to touch base first to discuss the specifics; they are there to help you feel confident while present. The first thing to check out when going to a meeting is what the agenda is. Normally if you’d like something to be talked about you would need to have it added to the agenda about a week before the meeting. If not, there is a section called ‘general business’ which is open for other discussion points or for things to be tabled (when documents are added to the meetings). Other parts of the meeting include;

mInUtes: These record the discussion at the meeting and are normally approved as being correct at the next meeting. It’s important to make sure that these are an accurate record of what was said as they can be referred to in future.

actIon poInts: These are specific tasks that are assigned to people at meetings; they often have a timeline on them as well. Students should not be given strenuous tasks, and if you are concerned about the jobs being given to you please see the USU Student Rep. Coordinator.

chaIR: This is person who ‘runs’ the meeting, keeping it on track and calling for motions to be passed.

motIons: When decisions are being made or written documents approved, motions are required. These are a majority vote which the chair will call; you can also abstain or object when voting.

what happens at meetings?QUoRUm: when more than half of the members of the meeting are present. Committees cannot go ahead unless this is reached.

If you receive papers (eg: agendas/minutes) for a meeting you can talk to the USU Student Rep. Coordinator about the contents. We’ve also got a jargon buster to help with all the other terms and acronyms that occur in meetings – just ask!

who’s GoInG to Be theRe?Some meetings will be mostly students and others will often consist of Unitec staff who come from a range of areas. From academic, to administrative to human resources, there are a range of roles involved on decision-making boards. To understand who will be at your upcoming meeting see the USU Student Rep. Coordinator. If you can’t be there (remember your studies come first) you should send your apologies ahead of time to the person who organised the meeting.

what shoUld I saY?There isn’t anything you shouldn’t specifically say, unless it could be considered as discriminatory or abusive. At any meeting your role is to be yourself – a student! Members of any meeting will be coming from lots of different perspectives on the same thing. For example; when considering starting a new course, staff may be excited by new teaching opportunities, communication staff may be interested in how it fills a gap in the market but a student may be interested in where the class is going to be taught and what resources they’ll need. You can also submit papers (written documents) to various meetings for the group to have a discussion around. See the USU Student Rep. Coordinator for how to go about this.

• Participate in communication! It’s your

chance to take a view on feedback.

• Take 5 minutes at the beginning of a

compulsory class to introduce yourself as

Student Rep, or use this time to check in

with students. This could occur 2-3 times per

semester, as necessary.

• Have lecturers introduce you.

• Send an email to the students in your

course. See your Programme Leader for help

with this.• Create an anonymous drop box in

common spaces; request that students leave

any feedback in them.

• See if your Department has a newsletter

that you can get involved in.

• Ask your Programme Leaders to post

your name on Blackboard/Moodle – should

you be comfortable with it.

• Get to know your classmates by hosting

an event. USU offer event grants for student

run events. So if you want to have a party,

a ball, or any type of get together, USU can

help find it. Apply for an events grant on the

USU website or email usu@unitec.ac.nz

• Collaborate with your classes to suggest

a positive change, highlight areas of

excellence or any other student-initiated

activity. • Talk to your peers!

• Add your class mates as friends on

facebook so they can send you messages.

• Create a Facebook group for your course

It’s ImpoRtant to make YoURself known and accessIBle to

YoUR classmates. Firstly, choose a communication method that works for your

programme; is it a small course where everyone knows everyone? Great! Talking in person may

work for you. Other programmes are big with students all in different classes; Moodle/Facebook

messages may work better for them. For others, a noticeboard may be the best tool.

19

here’s some ways to make yourself known and interact with your peers;

hoW do iWith students?communicate

When talking to other students, remember to:

• Be professional.• Listen.• Recognise that some students will prefer to use other feedback mechanisms.

• Put your studies first! 19

when considering feedback from any of the suggested sources on page 10-11 its important to note where, or who to request a response from. this page outlines the different roles which make up

the management of the academic side to Unitec.

When dealing with any feedback, always approach the structurally lowest appropriate member of staff (or USU) where possible. Going ‘to the top’ can sometimes be ineffective. For instance, if students are having trouble with group work it is the Lecturer’s responsibility to resolve the issue; the Head of Department will not always know the details of both the assignment or the individual students.

ceo of Unitec: Rick ede.

It’s the CEO’s job to oversee all of Unitec as both a place of learning and a business. They also liaise with external groups like government, other institutions and the wider community.

faculty dean: ___________________There are 3 Faculties at Unitec and each has a Dean who oversees all the Departments in their area (Trades and Built Environment, Creative Industries and Business and Social Health Sciences). It is their responsibility to work with various industry groups, monitor student levels, look into the strategic direction of the faculty and manage resources.

head of department: ________________________ Each Department (eg: Department of Computing) has a Head who is responsible for overseeing a number of programmes and their effective delivery. They also monitor student success, develop relationships with industry, help set budgets and manage resources.

programme leader/curriculum leader: _________________Every programme (eg: Bachelor of Computing) has a leader who is responsible for the day to day running of a course. They oversee things like assessments, timetables, resources, course content and monitoring student progress.

lecturers: Each class has a lecturer who is primarily responsible for the delivery of teaching and learning alongside effective classroom management and marking of assignments.

these roles are all involved in a hierarchical committee structure which governs

academic processes;

FeeDback at Unitec:

20

academic roles and responsibilities

programme committee: Approve grades, monitor progress and more for a group of courses in a department. (see page 12-13)

faculty academic Board (fac):

Advises Academic Board on matters relating to the faculty by bringing departments together to approve and monitor all programmes and decisions relating to teaching and learning. It also monitors and approves

decisions from Programme Committees.

academic Board:

advises Council (an external governing group of Unitec) on matters relating to Programmes of study or training, qualifications, and other academic matters. It also monitors and approves decisions from a FAC level.

contactsuseful

21

USU Student Rep. Coordinator:

is here to support you as a

Student Rep. Please feel free to

get in contact at any time.

Bldg 180 and by appointment at

Waitakere and Albany Campus

(09) 815 4321 ext. 7380usueducation@unitec.ac.nz

USU Student Issues Advocates:

are here to support students

with harassment, grade appeals,

serious conflict, accommodation,

legal issues and one-on-one

advocacy.Mt Albert Campus: Bldg 180

Waitakere Campus: Bldg 510,

Student Central. Tuesday, Thursday

and by appointment.Albany Campus: By appointment.

(09) 815 4321 ext. 7386usuadvocate@unitec.ac.nz

USU President: is elected to

speak on behalf of all students at

Unitec and is involved in lots of

forms of feedback including Reps.

Bldg 180(09) 815 4321 ext. 7929usupresident@unitec.ac.nz

22

informAtion Points USU Reception: for information and booking appointments for all USU services(09) 815 4321 ext. 8600usu@unitec.ac.nz

Student Central: for information and support on enrolling, changing programmes, assignment drop in and more. 0800 10 95 10Mt Albert Campus: Bldg. 3 & Bldg. 180Waitakere Campus: Bldg. 510Albany: Bldg: 610

Safety and Security: for information and support on parking, access and feeling safe on campus.Mt Albert Campus: Bldg. 16Waitakere Campus: Bldg 510(09) 815 4321 ext: 7116security@unitec.ac.nz

International Office: information and support for international students on immigration, visas and fees.Bldg. 180, Level 2, Room 2093(09) 815 4302international@unitec.ac.nz

ASK IT: information and support on log ins, computers, internet and IT related concerns.Bldg. 180(09) 815 4321 ext. 8484askit@unitec.ac.nz

AcAdemic suPPort Te Puna Ako Learning Centre: provide 1:1, group sessions, workshops and drop in tutorials on academic writing and reading, mathematics and statistics and English language skills. Mt Albert Campus: Bldg. 180Waitakere Campus: Bldg 510Albany Campus: Bldg 610 Mon/Fri(09) 815 4321 ext. 8611 TePunaAKO@unitec.ac.nz

MAIA Maori Development Centre: provides support for everything from enrolling, to counselling, to advocacy and study space. While coming from a Maori cultural perspective, MAIA is open for all students. Mt Albert Campus Bldg. 171Waitakere Campus: Bldg 500 (check at Student Central for times)(09) 815 4321 ext. 8416

Centre for Pacific Development and Support: provides support for everything from enrolling, to counselling, to advocacy and study space. While coming from a Pacific cultural perspective, the centre is open for all students. Mt Albert Campus: Bldg. 111 (check www.unitec.ac.nz for times)Waitakere Campus: Bldg 500 (check www.unitec.ac.nz for times)(09) 815 4321 ext.7349Email: pacific@unitec.ac.nz

Career Centre: provides workshops, events and support with CVs, interviews and job opportunities. Mt Albert Campus: Bldg 28Waitakere Campus: Bldg 500, Tuesday and ThursdaysAlbany Campus: Bldg 610, Wednesdays. (09) 815 2948career@unitec.ac.nz

Academic Department: each student belongs to a department in which your course is based.

wellbeing Counselling Centre: is a free, confidential service provided for all Unitec students. Call or email to make an appointment. Mt Albert Campus: Bldg. 28Waitakere Campus: Bldg 510 Student CentralAlbany Campus: Bldg 610(09) 815 4321 ext. 8160counselling@unitec.ac.nz

Unitec Chaplain: is a free, confidential, non judgemental service that also oversees the Chapel, Muslim Salaat Hall and prayer rooms.Mt Albert Campus: Bldg. 28. Call (09) 815 4321 ext. 7899 or email chaplains@unitec.ac.nz for an appointment,Chapel Bldg 162 and Muslim Salaat Hall Bldg 160Waitakere Campus: Bldg 500. Call (09) 815 4321 ext. 5202 or email waitakchaps@unitec.ac.nz for an appointment.Multifaith Room Bldg500-5003. Reserved for Muslim prayers 12.30-4.30 daily. Albany Campus: Bldg 610. Email nschaps@unitec.ac.nz. Multifaith Room Bldg 610.

Disability Liaison Centre: is available for support with note taking, readers/writers, sign language interpreters and more.Bldg. 28 and by appointment at Waitakere/Albany campuses.(09) 815 4321 ext. 8606disabilitysupport@unitec.ac.nz

23

Health Clinic: providing nurses,

doctors and osteopathic support.

Discounts available for students

when registered at the clinic as

your primary health care provider.

Mt Albert Campus: Bldg. 28(09) 815 4321 ext. 8407osteopathy@unitec.ac.nz

Student Funding: for support

with budgeting, finances and

hardship. Bldg. 28(09) 815 4321 ext. 7876studentfunding@unitec.ac.nz

Residential Village: for accommodationBldg. 313 & 300(09) 815 4321 ext. 8930accommodation@unitec.ac.nz

student rep video

sociAl USU Events: Get involved in the

events going on around campus, or

apply for a grant to host your own

student event.Bldg 180(09)815 4321 ext. 7925

usuevents@unitec.ac.nz

USU Sport Coordinator: to get

involved in sport teams or casual

sport at Unitec.

Bldg 180(09) 815 4321 ext. 7930

ususport@unitec.ac.nz

USU International Programme: takes international and domestic students on trips around New Zealand. (09) 815 4321 ext. 7932Bldg 180usuinternational@unitec.ac.nz

Script Magazine: to get involved in contributing with writing, photographing or reviewing for ScriptBldg 180(09) 815 4321 ext. 7927studentmedia@unitec.ac.nz

usu Students’Associationat Unitec

contact: UsU stUdent Rep. cooRdInatoR

UsUedUcatIon@UnItec.ac.nz

(09) 815 4321 x7380

offIce In B180-1035, avaIlaBle BY appoIntment at waItakeRe and alBanY

seaRch ‘stUdents at UnItec’ on faceBook