Wednesday 11-07-2018 - 10:40

"This is one of the questions I asked several stakeholders at MMU. Straight after the exam period most students go on holiday or start summer jobs before the next academic year starts in September. Ever wondered what our lecturers are doing in this time? Well, they start planning their reading lists and the curriculum.

I took the opportunity to tell them about our project and represent the student voice at Manchester Met.

I talked to four different committees, presenting the outcome of the Inclusion and Diversity focus groups we ran in the Faculties of Business and Law, Science and Engineering and Arts and Humanities.

In my first presentation, I fed back the student voice from our focus groups relating to the Union. I talked about the lack of halal food at the union, the consequences of removing the table tennis and the request for more inclusion in societies and clubs. I felt like the committee members were grateful for the feedback and showed commitment to address these issues.

I delivered my next presentation to the Diversity and Equal Opportunities Committee, not knowing that the people in this committee are very, very important people at MMU! I started introducing the project and then I gave a summary of all the criticism and issues that were raised in the focus groups. I asked for more diversity in the staff body, more awareness of BAME issues and a curriculum which represents a more diverse range of authors. Once I had finished criticising MMU for these issues, I was told that I just talked to Professor Jean-Noel Ezingeard, the Deputy Vice Chancellor at MMU. Of course, I got more nervous and realised that I could have been more sensible in delivering my presentation as I talked to a senior person at MMU! However, I think it was just right the way I did it. The issues that students face are important issues and we cannot continue to pretend to be inclusive or diverse when there are still a lot of students who feel discriminated against, excluded or who simply fail because no one supports them. It felt good knowing that the student voice made it to a top level. I hope something will change from now on.

After this presentation, we got more invites to deliver our talk in other committees (so I must have done it well). I talked to the Science and Engineering Faculty Education Committee and the staff in this committee agreed with me that more has to be done. They then decided to start a sub-committee on issues relating to diversity and inclusion within the Science and Engineering Faculty. For all the scientist at MMU - things will change and they will get better! It was a pretty good feeling to know that they are not just listening to what I say but also acting on it and acknowledging that there are still some issues that have to be addressed.

My last presentation was on the BTEC Attainment Gap. Helen Laville, the Pro-Vice-Chancellor of Education organised a workshop on the BTEC Attainment Gap. The workshop started with a lot of data. During the well-researched data presentation, attendees asked how come the attainment gap is so big for certain groups at university. While they were guessing the answers to this question, Beth, Claire and I just smiled because we actually had the answer. Claire Hamshire is the Head of Education in the Health, Psychology and Social Care Faculty and asked us to deliver our presentation at this workshop to represent the student voice. Delivering the same presentation I've done a couple of times so far, I actually understood that although data can tell you on an analytical level how many students are affected by the attainment gap, it cannot tell you why. Listening to experiences students had is so important and very valuable. The attendees at this workshop appreciated that we came with real student stories and presented more than just numbers.

Claire believes that it is vital to hear about student stories to help them but also to empower other students. That's why Claire, Christopher Wibberly and Catherine Player worked on a research project involving a diverse range of students over a period of 3 years. The students' stories are told in their own voices but illustrated by Catherine. I read the booklet and I can guarantee that every student can relate to any of these student insights. The book includes tips from the student and relevant help they received at university. It is worth looking out for these booklets in September - you are not alone with your problems. We are committed to give every student a voice at MMU and make sure it's being heard - not just heard but also valued."

 

Sandra