2023-24

  • Ensure safer sport through developing match day medic schemes.
  • Develop a range of activities to reduce isolation and improve overall experience for PGT students.
  • Increase the range of inclusive study spaces that meet the needs of all students.
  • Ensure that all students can easily access recordings of all their lectures throughout the year.
  • Ensure that students receive constructive assessment feedback that helps them improve.
  • Develop doctoral professional development through work-based opportunities.
  • Develop a housing strategy covering both University managed and private accommodation.
  • Pilot early move in and arrivals week for new international students.
  • Ensure all students have access to a financial safety net when needed, through a range of accessible scholarships, bursaries, hardship funds and other support.
  • Working with First Bus to develop an accurate GPS service and live capacity information to keep students informed.

2022-23

  • Develop and commit to a five-year transport strategy to improve provision and find a permanent solution. 
  • Improve campus food and drink provision in line with student feedback, including consideration of affordability, and provision for those with dietary requirements. 
  • Demonstrably respond with scale and urgency to the climate emergency, and to increase the use of transparent and credible sustainability impact statements in decision-making.
  • Develop further support and opportunities for students on non-placement courses to gain workplace experience and skills.
  • Review and improve the quality, quantity and consistency of assessment feedback across all departments. 
  • Create a three-year costed action plan to address all findings of The Buildings Accessibility Audit (2019) with a ring fenced budget.  
  • Develop robust mechanisms for measuring and reporting the effectiveness of mental health services to ensure students are satisfied with the provision.
  • Commit to increasing the provision of study space according to student need, including provision for group work and virtual activity.
  • Improve the doctoral student experience by providing tailored support specific to their needs, so that their wellbeing and the quality of research is not adversely affected. 
  • In recognition of the cost-of-living crisis, reduce the impact for students by minimising additional course costs and other costs incurred by students within the University’s control. 

2021-22

  • Create departmental specific attainment action plans and KPIs that identify meaningful actions and timescales based on interrogation of data and sharing practice.
  • Tackle gaps in support through the Personal Tutor system by increasing capacity for students to meet departmental staff to discuss pastoral and non-academic issues.
  • Invest in the refurbishment of the Sulis Club to enable student use within 18 months.
  • Create a transparent sustainable practice policy and plan; including demonstrating positive steps to divest from companies with poor sustainability practices.
  • Expand preventative mental health provisions to identify early signs of wellbeing issues, in line with Student Minds’ Mental Health Charter.
  • Commit funding to projects which will provide more inclusive spaces on campus.
  • Actively communicate how international student fees are calculated as well as the additional benefits and support available to international students.
  • Create University harm reduction policies around recreational drug use and commit to resourcing activities that support this work.
  • Demonstrate spaces, services and facilities provided on campus are sufficient to the changing profile and needs of our student body in a post-COVID landscape.
  • Introduce mandatory training for all supervisors and review the complaints process to ensure an independent and effective approach.

2020-21

  • Commit to sustainable investment practices and divest from all companies with links to the fossil fuel industry. 
  • Create and commit to a specific action plan for decolonising the curriculum. 
  • Enact a universal Trans Policy, developed with students and staff. 
  • Provide additional, sustainable staff resources to ensure the delivery of Mental Health First Aid training to at least 10% of students and staff. 
  • Ensure good supervision practice through the provision of training to all supervisors.
  • Enhance case management of Report and Support to provide a swift and effective resolution to cases. 
  • Introduce a policy for all students to be able to access recordings of all their lectures. 
  • Produce clear guidance and communication with our placement students to ensure that impacts due to Covid-19 are mitigated as much as possible. 
  • Design a specific support plan for students from low-income backgrounds in order to provide jobs and support in light of Covid-19. 
  • Create a list of additional costs from the University experience and look to reduce these costs on an annual basis to ensure equity of experience.

2019-20

  • Commit to building a floodlit 3G pitch with students as priority users by the start of the 2021/22 academic year.
  • Ensure there is an effective, reliable and affordable bus service for students.
  • Prioritise urgently the continuation and development of the #NeverOK campaign.
  • Improve policies and procedures around the pastoral aspects of personal tutoring.
  • Ensure that students aren't financially disadvantaged by the University's business travel provider.
  • Create a culture where students where students feel confident to raise supervisory issues.
  • Improve transparency and monitoring of complaints and disciplinery process and procedures to ensure effective support for students involved.
  • Take steps to address student loneliness.
  • Involve students effectively and early in key decision making.
  • Commit to radical action in its university strategy to combat the climate crisis.

2018-19

  • Take action to alleviate current pressures around bus travel between campus and key city zones
  • Improving provision and support for student parents and carers
  • Ensure all current and future doctoral students are provided with appropriate work space
  • Improve current library study space provision
  • Make sure doctoral students are safeguarded in their work off campus
  • Ensure students' views are clearly evidenced in the Curriculum Transformation process at both departmental and University level
  • Ensure the ongoing review of University governance enhances the role of student opinion in decision making processes
  • Improve students understanding of where their money is being spent
  • Ensure effective and transparent expenditure on new buildings and estates projects
  • Remove all unnecessary single use plastics across the University

2017-18

  • Improve the quality and quantity of study spaces
  • Reassess the requirement for students to submit hard copies for printed coursework and dissertations
  • Ensure the quality of supervision is consistently high for all doctoral students
  • Embed sustainability within the formal curriculum and wider university environmental practices
  • Secure commitment to a location and timeframe of building full sized 3G sports facilities on campus
  • Enhance the conditions, training, and development opportunities for postgraduates who teach
  • Provide focused mental health support across the student community
  • Improve space provision for students in the Edge
  • Ensure that students with disabilities have equal access to the university infrastructure
  • Review current processes to ensure students have an effective understanding of plagiarism

2016-17

  • Campaign for sustainable student recruitment policies in relation to housing availability
  • Make it easier for students to locate available study space
  • Improve University and Students Union provision for students outside of term time
  • Secure a physical expansion of the gym
  • Ensure that students receive constructive assessment feedback that helps them learn
  • Campaign for the curricula to reflect the diversity of the student body
  • Reduce waste across campus
  • Ensure the personal tutoring system is effective for students and staff
  • Tackle postgraduate isolation
  • Secure an extension of the Library

2015-16

  • Lobby to increase space to work in the Library
  • Secure fixed fees for international students for the duration of their programme
  • Campaign to improve exam feedback
  • Ensure easy access to effective mental health support
  • Increase support for postgraduate students who teach
  • Challenge costs on campus
  • Develop clear group work policies in each department
  • Improve prayer room facilities on campus
  • Make sure unit evaluations are effectively addressed and actions communicated
  • Lobby for improved housing standards

2014-15

  • Increase and improve access to recreational sports opportunities for all students
  • Improve and clarify the use of student feedback to enhance the quality of teaching
  • Increase the provision of recorded lectures
  • Develop a housing guarantor scheme for international students
  • Increase the provision of free drinking water on campus
  • Expand the use of paperless online submission for written assessments across the University
  • Provide personalised academic timetables for students
  • Enhance induction and integration to improve the postgraduate student experience
  • Provide an open and flexible learning and social space in town
  • Engage students to secure a University free from harassment, bullying and discrimination

2013-14

  • Increase provision for recreational and performance sport through the development of a 3G pitch
  • Improve access for disabled students at the University
  • Expand the use of anonymous marking across the University
  • Increase Bus Provision at peak times
  • Improve Cash Machine Facilities on Campus
  • Ensure that all students receive constructive feedback which helps them to learn
  • Help students make their finances go further
  • Increase provision of fresh and healthy food on campus
  • Develop policies on fairer group work marking
  • Ensure the role of Personal Tutors is clear and meets the needs of students

2012-13

  • Increase access to, and information about core texts
  • Ensure the timely provision of lecture notes and contextual solutions on Moodle
  • Ensure that students receive timely, constructive and meaningful feedback on their work
  • Bring about improvements to the cost and quality of food and drink provision on campus
  • Ensure students feel well supported whilst on placement
  • Ensure that student feedback about the quality of teaching is effectively acted upon
  • Increase the number of jobs for students on campus at a living wage
  • Support students to manage their University workload, and create a good work/life balance
  • Engage with local bodies to campaign for improved standards to student accommodation and against planned restrictions to shared housing
  • Improve bus provision to campus through working with the bus companies and the local Council

2011-12

  • Transport
  • Money and Cost of Living
  • Recreation and Activities
  • Assessment and Feedback
  • Housing
  • The Digital Environment and Learning Resources
  • Placements
  • Induction and Transition to Higher Education
  • Timetabling
  • Teaching

The themes were kept broad and each theme had a set of specific objectives for the year.

 

2010-11

This was the first year that a Top Ten was created. The Top Ten themes were:

Higher Education Funding

We will campaign locally and nationally for a fair and sustainable solution to the higher education funding issue that does not put further financial pressure on students.

Social Space

Through a comprehensive audit, we will continue to prioritise the amount of non-commercial social space available to students.

Timetabling

We will lobby for a reduction of 8.15am and 6.16pm lectures, a positive solution to lecture overcrowding, and an increase in useful module information.

Assessment and Feedback

We will continue to lobby for better feedback and fairer assessments for students.

Group Work

We will work towards addressing the concerns that students have with group work through robust and representative research and lobbying.

Housing

We will strive to increase the support and information available to students on housing issues.

Transport

We will continue to push for an efficient and effective bus service and an increase in support for cycling.

Food Provision

We will campaign for better food provision that provides students with a wider range of healthy food at reasonable prices.

Sport and Recreational Facilities

We will campaign for fairer access to sports facilities and a student focussed arts complex.

Library and Learning Resources

We will lobby the University to increase the amount of library and learning resources in line with students needs.