Rise of the course rep
Promoting reps
Once reps have been elected, students need to know who they are and how they can be contacted, and for what purposes to enable them to be truly effective.
A number of unions provide resources to their reps to help them promote themselves, as well as incorporate this into their introductory training.
Ways that reps can promote themselves
- Produce a poster template (with union branding) for reps where they can write their names or attach their photos or contact details – give these out at introductory training
- Provide reps with business cards to give out to their course mates
- Ask reps to send emails or e-cards at key times of the year with their details to remind students of their presence, or provide them with templates for these
- Set up a generic email address – e.g. mathsreps@fibchesterunion.ac.uk so that staff, unions, and students don’t need to remember individual reps names, and establish continuity.
- Arm reps with the tools to engage with students. Help them to create, design, analyse or print surveys or produce them online, or petitions to collect opinion before a meeting
- Ask reps to create a manifesto before election, and circulate these to students in their department so that they become accountable representatives
- Start a ‘course rep of the year award’ and get students to nominate their favourite reps. It’s a great way to collect examples of good practice, and get students talking about student representation and who their reps are.
- Design template questionnaires for reps to distribute before a meeting to students, where their classmates can state what they would like to be raised at the next meeting
- Advertise the contact details and even pictures of your reps on the union website
- Get reps to make a promotional video or posters to advertise themselves at introductory training, or a meeting - put this on the union website and circulate this among students.
Examples of rep promotional materials and activities
Reading University Students’ Union – Poster
Kent Union – Flyer
Kent Union - Law students' flyer
Sparqs resources - you will need to sign up to the site to access these materials.
Kent Union powerpoint presentation
Newsletter from Sheffield Students’ Union
Course rep of the year awards
Glamorgan notice board.
UWESU (The Students' Union of the University of the West of England, Bristol).
For details of the NUS Course Rep of the Year Award, please visit the NUS Awards website.
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