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February has been an eventful month as we continue to extend unwavering support to students facing academic challenges, in collaboration with our dedicated advice team.
Started the month off with a productive meeting with the Vice Principal of Education (Blair Grubb) to finalise the papers for our proposed scholarship initiative aimed at bridging the gap for home students from underprivileged backgrounds. With Dominic’s (SP Medicine) assistance, we conducted a survey to gauge student preferences for a Ninewells breakfast club and made steady progress with the Kirkcaldy breakfast club. A comprehensive proposal, in collaboration with the NHS, has been submitted to university management. Discussions also centred around implementing a no-detriment policy for exams, particularly for students affected by international conflicts. We concluded by emphasizing the significance of integrating internships into university education, ensuring students gain valuable work experience alongside their studies.
In our ongoing efforts to support students academically, I partnered with Dani (SP HSSL) and Matthew (SP Dentistry) to organise referencing sessions, while also exploring innovative initiatives with the Cybersecurity team, such as escape room sessions focusing on cybersecurity and academic integrity. Our collaboration with EIS (English for International Students) continues to provide weekly opportunities for language improvement. Additionally, discussions with Vice-Principal International (Wendy Alexander) regarding Academic Timetabling and Friday Prayers have been elevated to a formal agenda item.
February witnessed engaging events, including the AFCON watch party at the Liar, organised by SRC TPG Rep Samuel, which brought together students from diverse backgrounds, fostering community spirit. Collaborating with Tosan (SRC General), we crafted a proposal to address cost-of-living issues by advocating for free on-campus haircuts, awaiting approval from the SRC.
As part of ongoing work with the SRC Palestine group, we organized a dinner event in partnership with the Islamic Society, Malaysian Society, and other stakeholders. This event aimed to discuss academic and well-being support for fasting students while fundraising to provide free meals in our city and support displaced children in Gaza.
In Attendance:
Mubarak (VPA), Marlon (SP SSEN), Dominic (Medicine), Erin (HSSL), Connor (Business), Joanna (DJCAD), Lucas (Health Sciences), Ridvan (Life Sciences), Marcus (SRC L&T), Samuel (SRC TPG Rep)
Apologies:
Matthew (SP Dentistry), Tosan (SRC General), Prashant (SRC Employability)
The group convened for its 2nd meeting on March 7th. During the session, the group undertook a comprehensive review of its action tracker, assessing the progress of events planned, with each project either completed or underway. Among the long-term projects discussed, the group focused on advancing the QAA Hybrid Learning Space recommendation. Drafts of questions were formulated for surveys to be conducted within each school, with plans for circulation and approval slated for the next meeting. Each School president was designated to spearhead the collection of feedback from their respective schools.
Deliberations extended to matters pertinent to student welfare however impacting academia; the proposition of dedicated water cleaning facilities, such as bidets, in libraries and other campus spaces. The objective is to foster a welcoming and conducive environment for students to study comfortably. While the idea garnered enthusiasm, it was deemed essential to engage in consultations with the chaplaincy and various student groups. The VPA is tasked with leading these discussions. Concerns regarding potential misuse of such facilities and resultant workload implications for cleaning staff were noted and will be factored into subsequent proposals.
A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to scrutinizing the current mitigating circumstances (mit-circs) process, recognizing its inadequacy in addressing academic equity concerns uniformly across all schools. The VPA presented a brief outlining potential enhancement, including a provision for limited non-evidence-based mitigating circumstances. While this proposal was generally well-received, several considerations were raised, such as ensuring students are adequately prepared for professional environments, addressing scenarios of overlapping issues impacting multiple deadlines, and handling recurring circumstances. While existing university policies address recurring circumstances, other concerns pertained more to practical application than conceptual endorsement. Tthe group unanimously agreed that the proposal holds merit, albeit acknowledging the need for substantial groundwork in its implementation. The L&T representative notably highlighted that such measures align with prevailing institutional standards, as several universities have already adopted similar policies.
Additionally, preliminary discussions were held on devising engaging escape room activities centred around student concerns such as Academic Integrity, Use of AI, and Cybersecurity, with further updates anticipated as plans progress.
Concluding the session, the VPA presented a paper addressing the current DUSA executive structure, particularly in response to earlier concerns raised by school presidents regarding student involvement in commercial services provision. The proposal recommended incorporating a position within the sabbatical group responsible for overseeing commercial services, including retail, bars, and night-time events. The group unanimously endorsed this proposal, expressing optimism about its potential to yield positive outcomes for the student body.
VICE PRESIDENT OF ACADEMIA
The Student Partnership Agreement (SPA) outlines mutually agreed priorities and actions for delivering measurable and tangible improvements to the student experience.
VPA January Academic Report Table of Contents VPA Update February has been an eventful month as we continue to extend unwavering support to students facing academic challenges, in collaboration with
February Academic Report from your School Presidents Table of Contents School Presidents Update DJCAD With elections coming up and the NSS survey in full swing it has been a month
An update this month from your School presidents.
With elections coming up and the NSS survey in full swing it has been a month full of promotion and trying to increase engagement. The best thing to happen this month was the confirmation of plans to install microwaves within the DJCAD canteen! These will be a great addition to the canteen encouraging students to eat healthy, homemade, and hot meals. Our SSLC meeting went well, and many different points were discussed that can be worked through and improved for DJCAD. The risk assessment has been completed for the next DJCAD Christmas market and it will be exciting to see it happen next semester. There is growing excitement for the degree show and students and staff are working together to make it a wonderful experience for everyone involved. It has been a great experience working with a variety of staff members and students around the school and helping to make it a more collaborative and engaging environment. If anyone is reading this and is thinking about going for the presidency then I would say, just do it! It is such a valuable experience, and you gain so many transferrable skills.
Joanna Walke
President of Art & Design
president.artdesign@dundee.ac.uk
Â
School of Life Sciences
The School of Life Sciences recently hosted its first in-person Careers Fair since the onset of the pandemic, held in the Dalhousie Foyer. The event was meticulously organized, with roles delegated among the Employability VPs, Digital VP, and the rest of the Careers Fair team to ensure its smooth execution. Featuring a lineup of 9 speakers exploring various career paths and opportunities, the fair garnered an impressive turnout from students.
Additionally, I had the pleasure of being a guest on the Get to Know series on DUSA radio, hosted by Callum Valentine and the DUSA President. This provided a platform to engage with the student community and share insights.
Attending the SLS Staff Student Liaison meetings for Levels 1 and 2, I participated in conveying feedback on Semester 2 modules for the respective levels. This exchange was crucial in enhancing the learning experience for students.
Furthermore, I collaborated with the VPR to set up a stall focusing on representation awareness, elections, and the National Student Survey. This initiative aimed to promote engagement and awareness among the student body on pertinent issues.
Ridvan Kucuk
President of Life Sciences
president.lifesci@dundee.ac.uk
Â
It has been a productive month as the school President. I have been in the process of planning several events for students within the School of Business and University wide events.
The Student Commerce Fair planned for March 26th, 2024. This is a place where students can create, market and sell their products to fellow students and students at the University. A portion of the proceeds will be going on to CANDU the DUSA Charity of the year.
Academic events run with DUB’s, DUSA and careers centre are in the works for march so please keep an eye out on your emails and social media! The likely events will include referencing workshop, Essay Writing and more!
As for International students who are wanting to get UK work experience, I am working with the careers centre to run a workshop where you can get involved and get an idea what it would be like to have a day in the life as a professional.
This month has many exciting events/workshops to look out for so please stop by and try them out!
Connor Heward
President of the Business School
president.business@dundee.ac.uk
Â
School of Medicine
February marks another busy month in the school of medicine. Firstly, congratulations to our fifth years who passed the first round of the PSA and good luck with area allocations coming soon. We’ve managed a phenomenal number of events for the shortest month; that extra day coming in handy. Across the student groups and societies, there were 17 revision sessions, 6 skills sessions, 2 conferences, a party with the lawyers and a fun yet educational evening with everyone’s favourite sexual health consultant Dr.Allstaff. Our medical students continue to impress presenting at the national Inspire Conference a joint project of Scottish; medical, dental, nursing and veterinary schools so well done to all those who attended either as delegates or presenters. Good luck to those fifth years still to sit the PSA and hope everyone has a great Paddies day; we all know what that means St. Patrick’s will pass and we will be hitting the books.
Dominic Lee
President of Medicine
president.medicine@dundee.ac.uk
Â
This month in SHSL academics, aside from our usual SSLCs, Boards, and other meetings, we began a social media campaign to increase awareness of different kinds of academic misconduct. This started with a post on collusion vs. collaboration, and will be continuing until the end of the semester!
We’ve also been in touch with CTIL, especially on the topic of AI and academic integrity, looking at resource development for the next academic year. This was also a wider discussion at our most recent School Board.
Also working with CTIL, we have been invited to help with the implementation of pronouns on University systems, following our successful motion at SRC, led by Erin. This will also involve creating resources to share with students and staff, to educate them both on how to add their pronouns and the importance of doing so.
Finally, this week, Dani held a workshop on MHRA referencing, the main style used in Humanities, following ongoing worries students had about getting it right.
Dani McFawns and Erin MacInnes
Presidents of Social Sciences & Law School
president.hsl@dundee.ac.uk
Â
My recent survey targeting second-year students has yielded excellent feedback, reflecting their satisfaction and engagement with the programme. Their valuable insight will guide the school in enhancing our offerings and providing an even better experience for all along with promoting positive conversations.
In the spirit of giving back to our community, we’re excited to announce the launch of a clothing drive to support Togs for Tots. As the weather transitions, let’s come together to make a difference in the lives of those in need. We invite you to participate by donating gently used clothing items to 11 Airlie place. We are looking for clothing for all ages.
Your contributions will directly impact the lives of individuals in our community, providing warmth and comfort during challenging times. Let’s work together to spread kindness and support those who need it most.
Lucas Fonseca
President of Health Sciences
president.healthsciences@dundee.ac.uk
Â
This month we had our first SSLCs meetings in all disciplines to hear about your concerns and raise them with the staff to get these resolved. There were a few issues that are very module/discipline specific, but some were more on a broader level. There were plenty of issues with licencing of specific software for some engineering disciplines. These should now be fixed both in the library and in the Fulton building. Furthermore, we managed finally establish the social room for the students. It will be Lab 3 in the QMB. We are currently waiting for the furniture to be moved in, so students can use this space for its intended purpose. On a different note, the nominations are open to apply as a new president for the School of Science and Engineering. Please apply, we are eagerly looking for someone to take this role.
Marlon D’Ambrosio
President of Science & Engineering
president.scieng@dundee.ac.uk
Â
There has been plenty going on in the dental school this last month.
We had reps from Clyde Munro dental group come visit us this week, where they gave us an insight into how they use digital solutions and artificial intelligence to improve their patient experience. They also provided a demonstration on 3D printing and digital scanning, as well as being a great day for networking as well as learning.
We had a visit from Professor John Gibson who came to chat to us about The Canmore Trust. The Canmore Trust is a suicide prevention charity set up by Professor Gibson after his son Cammy took his own life in 2019. Suicide and mental health issues are all too common in the field of dentistry, so this talk helped raise awareness, as well as educating us on what to look out for within themselves as well as others.
The Dental Student Society organised a fantastic trade fair, where sponsors came to say hello, network and as always provide us with some excellent goodies.
On the 10th of March, a charity football match between staff and student will be held at ISE Riverside, with kick off at 1pm. Money raised will go to Dental Connect, an initiative set up by our own students to provide oral supplies as well as education on how to look after your mouth. This will allow them to continue the great work they do in our community with those experiencing homelessness, service users and refugees.
Finally, we had our annual Dental Ball this month, where we ventured to Glasgow for a night of luxury. I think I speak for us all when I say the event was a great success, in no small part to this year’s Ball Convenor Priya.
Matthew Fancourt
President of Dentistry
president.dentistry@dundee.ac.uk
Â
The Student Partnership Agreement (SPA) outlines mutually agreed priorities and actions for delivering measurable and tangible improvements to the student experience.
VPA January Academic Report Table of Contents VPA Update February has been an eventful month as we continue to extend unwavering support to students facing academic challenges, in collaboration with
February Academic Report from your School Presidents Table of Contents School Presidents Update DJCAD With elections coming up and the NSS survey in full swing it has been a month
An update this month from your School presidents.
It’s been a busy month of getting back into the swing of things and starting to plan the semester ahead. After the success of our Christmas market in December I, along with my committee, have now started to plan DJCAD’s 2024 Christmas market and hope to make it bigger and better than last years! I am also in the planning process for a careers week which would include talks from businesses, staff and alumni that are all DJCAD specific. This will build on skills students need for life after university.
Another exciting development this month has been the filing of a motion to get microwaves within DJCAD, this would be a small but significant change that would benefit many students. One of my main aims for this semester is to draw attention to the student representative system that the university has and encourage people to get involved more within DJCAD. I hope to pop into year lectures to chat about the presidency and information sheets have gone up around DJCAD to inform people of our committee. I have continued to meet with members of societies to encourage collaboration and hope to see more of it in the future!
Joanna Walke
President of Art & Design
president.artdesign@dundee.ac.uk
Â
School of Life Sciences
I collaborated with my Learning and Teaching VPs to emphasize the significance of becoming a module rep and encouraged students to undertake the role. Additionally, I appointed a module rep for nearly all semester 2 modules across Levels 1-4. I assembled a team to coordinate the School of Sciences Careers Fair, dividing them into three groups responsible for communications, logistics, and advertising respectively. We convened a catch-up meeting with the Careers Fair team to discuss progress and plan our next steps. Furthermore, I attended the SLS Staff Student Liaison meeting to gather feedback on Semester 2 Block C modules for Levels 3 and 4.
Ridvan Kucuk
President of Life Sciences
president.lifesci@dundee.ac.uk
Â
I engaged with various module leads to discuss adjustments to specific modules in both undergraduate and postgraduate pathways. These modifications encompass incorporating feedback received in the SSLC, particularly concerning coursework, and integrating sustainability aspects into the modules. Additionally, I focused on developing coursework that would be more captivating for students as they prepare to enter their professional careers. I convened meetings with class reps to provide updates for the upcoming semester and to solicit their feedback, including their thoughts on both academic and non-academic events. Furthermore, I organized the next two SSLCs where class reps can offer feedback regarding their modules, aiming to enhance the student experience at the University of Dundee. As a result of this feedback, changes were made, such as increasing the weighting of coursework assessment for the 2024/25 semester to better align with students’ requirements. These changes directly impact students at the class level. Looking ahead, more developments are expected in February as we all settle back into the rhythm of the semester.
Connor Heward
President of the Business School
president.business@dundee.ac.uk
Â
School of Medicine
Things have gotten off to a flying start since we started back in 2024. Our peer teaching has started strong with 5 events already this year from various medic societies, the sex talk Q&A run by DUMS and the ever helpful Dr.Allstaff. We’ve a successful charity ceilidh by our very own Teddy bear hospital and rounding the months off with Farkin (enjoy your quiet family time). Like many school presidents there is ongoing work with the school representative structure (out beloved MSC) in how we deal with student feedback to try and bring transparency to decisions. As a final note there is the ongoing collaboration with Kamuzu University of Health science in Malawi; the first event a comparative open day on how our schools, medical systems and medical practice differ.
Finally good luck for our Y5s sitting their PSAs.
Dominic Lee
President of Medicine
president.medicine@dundee.ac.uk
Â
In January, we held our first-ever Humanities Expo, which was an event geared towards considering what opportunities and career paths can come from a Humanities degree. This event was co-created with our School’s Lead for Employability and Graduate Skills, Nicola Tully, in response to feedback and to concerns as perpetrated in the media that Humanities degrees are ‘less employable’ or ‘less practical’ than vocational degrees such as Law or Medicine. The event was a huge success and has received incredibly positive feedback, so much so that we have already begun thinking ahead to next year.
We also presented our Academic Misconduct Report, completed in November, to our School Board, and this has now been distributed to the Digital Skills Team and to CTIL following positive feedback from staff. We hope to integrate some of our next steps from this report into the AcadeMix project.
To keep up to date with what we’re up to in SHSL, follow us on Instagram @schoolpresidents.shsl – or read our reports on our Linktree – linktr.ee/presidentshsl
Dani McFawns and Erin MacInnes
Presidents of Social Sciences & Law School
president.hsl@dundee.ac.uk
Â
I have been setting up the nursing society to work as both an academic support and as a community, this is an ongoing effort and I will be releasing more on this very soon! As well as this I have been working with students and clinical skills team to develop a simulation activity. I have been working on setting up clinical skills nights where myself and the VPs will provide support and added sessions for students who may require an extra session to consolidate learning. I will also be running safe medication support sessions for first years.
Lucas Fonseca
President of Health Sciences
president.healthsciences@dundee.ac.uk
Â
Mental Health Awareness has been enhanced through the installation of posters in every bathroom. Additionally, a motion was successfully passed to create a university-wide scholarship aimed at providing equal opportunities for financially disadvantaged students aspiring to become school presidents in the future. Moreover, a President has been appointed for our degree program in China, establishing a representation system similar to the one implemented here. Each degree program now features a Feedback Hub accessible under the organization tab of MyDundee, where feedback gathered during SSLCs is aggregated and archived. We are currently seeking approval for a recreational room to offer students a space to unwind between lectures and to host events for societies within the SSEN.
Marlon D’Ambrosio
President of Science & Engineering
president.scieng@dundee.ac.uk
Â
Students vs Staff Charity football match is a go! Pitch booked for the 16th of March 12-2pm, so I’m now working on getting teams together and advertising the event. Hoping to raise money for Dental Connect, a student led initiative aiming to provide oral care supplies to the marginalised in our community. They rely on fundraising and charitable donations to carry out their work, so I feel it is fitting we support them in helping those who need it most.
Dundee Diversity Initiative, an Instagram page ran by students to promote equality, diversity and inclusion, is now back active after the previous admins graduated from dental school. I helped organise a group of students who would be keen to take over the page, and continue the good work that was started a few years ago.
The SSLC this month was fairly unremarkable. 1st-4th year students are all currently working towards exams next month, so they were making requests for specific revision lectures and further guidance on exam format. This meeting occurred a few weeks before the 1st year semester started, so no rep was present from their year to voice concerns. I met with the two first year class reps to hear their concerns after receiving that email from Parissa a few weeks ago. I have fed back their concerns to the ADL&T, so I hope now progress can made to bring their year group up to the level expected of them from senior staff members.
Current priority is having as high a completion rate on the National Student Survey as possible. The dental school always scores highly on this survey, and we intent on remaining one of the top ranking in the UK.
Matthew Fancourt
President of Dentistry
president.dentistry@dundee.ac.uk
The Student Partnership Agreement (SPA) outlines mutually agreed priorities and actions for delivering measurable and tangible improvements to the student experience.
VPA January Academic Report Table of Contents VPA Update February has been an eventful month as we continue to extend unwavering support to students facing academic challenges, in collaboration with
February Academic Report from your School Presidents Table of Contents School Presidents Update DJCAD With elections coming up and the NSS survey in full swing it has been a month
An update this month from your School presidents.
The past month has been quite eventful. In addition to my regular meetings, I’ve been actively involved in several initiatives:
I proposed the introduction of limited evidence-based mitigating circumstances (mit-circs) within the Assessment Policy Group. The goal is to support our students, alleviate the emotional toll and workload on academic staff, and raise awareness among students about mit-circs. Currently, I’m working on a report, which will be presented to Quality and Academic Standards Committee (QASC) for further discussion. I’ll be happy to provide updates as this initiative progresses.
I took the lead in initiating and leading discussions on the establishment of the Kirkcaldy Breakfast Club, with the support of the University and its administration by Student Services. This initiative has successfully made the breakfast club available at no cost to nursing students on the Kirkcaldy campus. Presently, I am actively collaborating with both the NHS and the University to explore possibilities of extending this valuable service to our students on the Ninewells Campus.
I introduced a new project, AcadeMix, with the hope that it will become a cornerstone for hosting engaging events tailored to the academic interests of students. Launched in January, the project has already established collaborations with the Academic Skills Centre and Careers Service, with plans for more partnerships with several teams across the university. This initiative aims to be a focal point for academic projects.
I’ve been actively working on empowering the Educational Subcommittee by meeting with representatives and School Presidents. A new steering group for the Education is in the works, providing a space for School Presidents to discuss academic issues, nurture thoughts on academic projects, and enhance transparency in academic endeavours.
Over the winter break, I connected with Dundee Bairns, who expressed their willingness to support our student parents facing the cost-of-living crisis. This follows the pause of the childcare initiative mentioned in the last update.
I initiated the creation of a monthly academic report to be distributed to all students, demonstrating transparency from both myself and School Presidents on matters related to academic interests.Â
The nomination period for the SLTA Awards is now open. You can find the description of each award and the nomination link on dusa.co.uk/sltas
Membership: VPA, VPF, All School presidents, SRC Learning and Teaching Representative, Employability Rep, General Rep, Taught Postgraduate Rep.
This marked the inaugural session of the Education Steering Group, setting the tone for future collaborative efforts among school presidents and education-focused SRC members. Our collective objective is to discuss pertinent academic matters within the student community, exchange best practices, spearhead academic initiatives, and provide students with a direct avenue to engage with us, facilitated through the Academic Monthly Report newsletter.
During our initial meeting, we discussed the structure of our meetings and established action trackers to ensure equitable progress and active participation from each member. Several key topics were addressed.
We started off by discussing Project AcadeMix – a blend of Academic, Digital, and Employability skills. This is a new project with various events occurring monthly in collaboration with other departments in the university designed to help students elevate their skills while giving them a well- rounded experience. For details, head over to our Events page.
The group agreed to undertake a project aligned with the QAA theme, aiming to propose inclusive hybrid study spaces catering to the diverse needs of students across various schools. This project will kick off with a survey led by the school Presidents, followed by a comprehensive report, accessible to all students for transparency and this would be presented to the University.
We also spoke about the importance of classroom etiquettes, emphasizing the need for all students to receive the education they invest in. Discussions included issues such as student punctuality, SEATs attendance, and mitigating unnecessary disruptions during class. We discussed potential referencing workshops for students. The Vice President Academia (VPA) was tasked with speaking with library services to incorporate referencing sessions, and potential collaborations for specific referencing styles, providing valuable assistance to students.
Updates were provided on the Upgrade of Student Windows Devices project, spearheaded by Digital and Technology Services (DTS), with further details slated for the upcoming months. Additionally, we spoke about further employment opportunities for students. The SRC Employability Representative is tasked with working with the VPA on an upcoming job fair led by the Careers Service on March 12th. This highlights that although career-focused events are important, part-time job opportunities are also extremely important to support students in managing their living expenses.
Note: Financial assistance is available for students facing extreme hardships. Details can be accessed through the following link: Student Funding
For academic and thesis support, appointments with academic librarians can be scheduled using this link: Academic Librarian Appointments
VICE PRESIDENT OF ACADEMIA
The Student Partnership Agreement (SPA) outlines mutually agreed priorities and actions for delivering measurable and tangible improvements to the student experience.
VPA January Academic Report Table of Contents VPA Update February has been an eventful month as we continue to extend unwavering support to students facing academic challenges, in collaboration with
February Academic Report from your School Presidents Table of Contents School Presidents Update DJCAD With elections coming up and the NSS survey in full swing it has been a month
An update this month from your School presidents.
The Student Partnership Agreement (SPA) outlines mutually agreed priorities and actions for delivering measurable and tangible improvements to the student experience.
VPA January Academic Report Table of Contents VPA Update February has been an eventful month as we continue to extend unwavering support to students facing academic challenges, in collaboration with
February Academic Report from your School Presidents Table of Contents School Presidents Update DJCAD With elections coming up and the NSS survey in full swing it has been a month
An update this month from your School presidents.
