About

Bonjour tout le monde! I'm Richard, and I'm your French Union Councillor for this academic year. Thanks for voting for me, and I'll be working hard to improve the department for the better.

Here are some of the issues I want to work on, but don't forget that I'm your councillor - I'm here to be your voice on Council, so get in touch if you want change in the department or help with how to do it yourself:

- Personal Tutoring
- Accommodation
- Timetabling
- Co-operation between SOMLAL Departments
- Links between the SU/Cercle Français/The French Department

Latest Updates

So, here's what we've been up to on council, and how I've been voting!

26th October: Staff-Student Committee - Emily mentioned the idea of a Year Abroad Wiki, which is a fab idea - we're going to get a working group together next semester to start the ball rolling. We also talked about getting Reading Lists published earlier so students can get a head start.
27th October: First Council Meeting! - Council voted to bring the current ban on Nestlé products in the Union up for referendum. I also nominated myself and was successfully voted as Arts and Humanities Faculty Rep at the University Senate (the highest decision making body at the University. It'll be great to see things higher up! :)
10th November: Council Meeting - I was unable to attend this meeting due to being in France, but a proposal to remove from sale The Sun in the Union Shop (Hillsborough tragedy) was defeated, and a proposal to return two votes in Union Council elections to dual-honours students was passed, this will now go to constitutional committee :)
24th November: Council Meeting - A proposal for a ~£20 allowance for Councillors to sponser a departmental event was defeated. I felt that sum of money would have little use, and as a CF Committee Member I try to make my support felt regardless. A new higher education funding policy was proposed in the light of increased fees, campaining against all forms of tuition fees (but not necessarily a graduate tax.) The Union Councillor mentioned that the previous policy made specific mention of vulnerable groups (female students, for instance, who on average earn less after graduation making paying off a loan harder) and asked for this to be reinstated. I voted against the proposed policy to allow the policy to be rewritten in time for the next meeting, but policy was passed by a majority. Council also voiced our support for the Forge Press campaign to get refunds from the University gym. Finally, I nominated myself to form part of a sub-committee to discuss the creation of a housing and communities officer, a previous recommendation. As French Councillor I felt it was important to make my voice heard, given the difficulties of finding a house when on your Year Abroad and the need for additional support.
30th November: Staff-Student Committee - Personal Tutoring took up a large part of the meeting, so I'm going to survey the students to find out how the department is doing, and what needs improving. There's a faculty review ongoing which I knew nothing about, so I'm going to chase Jon (Education Officer) to find out how students are being involved in the process.
2nd December: In my other capacity as a Level 3 Course Rep, I attended a Course Rep conference! Great to hear how other departments function. I picked up lots of information on Personal Tutoring which will be appendixed in my report for the next Staff-Student Committee, as well as information on the National Student Survey. Are you a final year? Look out for more on this in the New Year.
7th December: A bit of a whopper council day! First stop was the housing sub-committee. We interrogated Mat Denton on his work (busy busy!) It seems there is a need, but we have a large officer team as it is - so could this be fulfilled by a new member of admin staff or a housing committee? We're going to investigate further after the holidays.
Then it was onto the Arts and Humanities Faculty Student Forum. I asked if students were being involved in the faculty review of Personal Tutoring. They seem to be primarily using the National Student Survey, which I think is a bit passive. Good thing I'll be doing a report! I'll be sure to forward them a copy ;). We're also organising a faculty careers event, which would be really useful - Sheffield isn't all Engineering and Business students!
Finally, onto the big bad University Senate. Most policies at Senate have already been passed provisionally, so it's more of an update on what the university is doing. Lots of mentions of the new teaching strategy, so I'm going to grab a copy to read. Oh, and look out for a namechange in SOMLAL!...

Want to know what I'll be debating next? Follow my council persona on Facebook! I'll be asking for your input regularly :)

So Richard, what are you doing for us over the Christmas Break?

- Preparing a report for Staff-Student committee on Personal Tutoring.
- Helping Emily Davies to get the ball rolling on a Year Abroad Wiki - would any 4th Years like to get involved? Let me or Emily know :)
- Reading the Learning and Teaching Strategy, if I can find a copy!
- And perhaps some revision...

Contact Information

frenchcouncillor@shef.ac.uk
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100003206563914
www.twitter.com/richardalderman Follow @richardalderman