2. Committees

The Student-Staff Committee (SSC) is a formal programme-level committee that provides an official and recognised forum for the consideration of student feedback from student representatives. As Programme Director it is likely that you will lead in identifying and appointing a student Chair and Secretary for the SSC. These students will be both be responsible for the operation of the SSC meetings, recording of minutes, managing the reporting of issues and responses, and tracking the progress of on-going actions.

SSCs should be held at least once a term and at least three times per academic year. Attendance at meetings should include all student representatives and the Student Liaison Officer (SLO, see the Aston Student Engagement Strategy). As the Programme Director it is likely that you will want to also attend the meeting. The agreed dates/times should be publicised to all SSC members for the academic year ahead by the Chair and SLO. See also the Student Representation Framework.

The SSC should facilitate the discussion of topics relating to learning and teaching, student support and services, and provision for postgraduate researchers. This may include, but is not limited to:

• Content of programmes and modules
• Assessment methods
• Learning and  teaching methods
• Programme-related information provided to students (module specifications, student handbooks, Programme Specifications )
• Feedback methods
• Student support
• Employability
• Personal tutors
• Pastoral care
• Professional development planning
• Learning spaces  and resources
• Research skills support

These discussions should inform curriculum design/redesign at the appropriate points in the curriculum design life cycle. Additionally, the SSC should be involved in the identification of potential student collaborators for curriculum design/redesign.

At least once per year the following areas (as appropriate) should be discussed as they become relevant to the programme that the SSC is representing:

• External Examiner reports and responses
• National Students’ Survey (NSS), Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education (DLHE) and other student survey results
• Relevant NSS Action Plan
• Relevant Postgraduate Taught Education Survey (PTES) results and corresponding action plan
• Relevant Postgraduate Research Education Survey (PRES) results and corresponding action plan
• The Annual Review Report and action plan relating to the appropriate  academic area
• The School’s Annual Review of postgraduate research provision and action plan

The default arrangement is for each programme to have a dedicated SSC. It is recognised that in some cases suites of programmes or collections of ‘named routes’ or ‘pathways’ may be deemed as a more suitable level for an SSC – but in these cases, a request for such an arrangement needs to be made jointly from the student body and staff body to the University Student Representation Group.