First Year Student Experience Project
The Vice-Chancellor's Group has approved a set of proposals to enhance support for the transition of first year undergraduate students into higher education in relation to the key themes of academic skills, student life, extra-curricular activities and development, and employability.
The original proposal and terms of reference about the aims, objectives, outcomes, and delivery of the First Year Student Experience project, is available via these links.
Keeping informed
Regular updates on the progress of the project will be posted on these web pages and highlighted through the internal staff and student home pages, as well as via relevant committees and forums.
1. FYSE Project Board
Terms of Reference:
The Project Board will be responsible for providing a strategic steer and overseeing the implementation of this project, ensuring the overall coherence of the various induction strands, the fitness for purpose of the resources developed and their implementation.
Membership:
| Mark Ames | Head of Student Services (Chair) |
| Scott Burfiend | Students' Union, Sabbatical Officer |
| Jenny Childs | Project Lead, Student Life |
| Susannah Doyle | Student Services Manager (Disability and Community) |
| Christine Edmead | Senior Tutor/LTEO |
| Anne Marie Hartland | Director of Administration (Humanities and Social Sciences) |
| Annette Hayton | Head of Widening Participation |
| Ellie Hynes | Students' Union, SU President |
| Tim Kaner | Director of Marketing & Communications |
| Nick Kinnie | Associate Dean (UGT) |
| Frances Laughton | Project Lead, Employability |
| Nicola Peacock | Student Services Manager (International and Helpdesk) |
| Richard Prowse | Acting Head of Web Services |
| Ian Robinson | Chief Executive, Students’ Union |
| Oliver Schofield | Students' Union, Peer Support Coordinator |
| Eliza Shaw | Student Experience Officer (Management) |
| Sarah Stead | Student Experience Officer (Engineering and Design) |
| Maggie Ward Goodbody | Project Lead, Academic Study |
| Mandy Wilson-Garner | Project Lead, Extra-Curricular Activities |
| Kirsty Denley | Secretary |
Getting involved
Project Leads and Student Experience Officers will work with staff and students to ensure the development and delivery of new induction resources are informed by local views and settings, as well draw on good practice across the sector.
In addition to responding to the opportunities that will be created to engage with this project over the remainder of this academic year and beyond, interested staff and students are invited to make direct contact with relevant Project Leads and Student Experience Officers to offer their views and assistance.
| Academic Study | Maggie Ward Goodbody (Project Lead) Eliza Shaw (Student Experience Officer) |
| Student Life | Jenny Childs (Project Lead) Sarah Stead (Student Experience Officer) |
| Extra-curricular Activities and Development | Mandy Wilson-Garner (Project Lead) Cath Haines (Student Experience Officer) |
| Employability | Fran Laughton (Project Lead) Kate Hamilton (Student Experience Officer) |
2. FYSE Project Group
Terms of Reference:
The Project Group will be responsible for developing and supporting the effective use of agreed resources in consultation with internal stakeholder groups including students and staff from the Faculties, School, Central Services and Students’ Union, and external stakeholder groups including WP partner schools, Bath Educational Trust Schools and Independent Schools.
Membership:
| Mark Ames | Head of Student Services (Chair) |
| Jenny Childs | Project Lead, Student Life |
| Catherine Haines | Student Experience Officer (Science) |
| Kate Hamilton | Student Experience Officer (Humanities and Social Science) |
| Tim Kaner | Director of Marketing & Communications |
| Frances Laughton | Project Lead, Employability |
| Carol Price | Web Services |
| Ian Robinson | Chief Executive, Students’ Union |
| Eliza Shaw | Student Experience Officer (Management) |
| Sarah Stead | Student Experience Officer (Engineering and Design) |
| Maggie Ward Goodbody | Project Lead, Academic Study |
| Mandy Wilson-Garner | Project Lead, Extra-Curricular Activities |
| Kirsty Denley | Secretary |
3. FYSE Communications Steering Group
Terms of Reference
1. Agree in the form of a comprehensive communications activity plan the outline schedule and content of key messages for first year undergraduate students to support their transition into the University from when their offer becomes Unconditional Firm (UF) and throughout the academic year.
2. Agree guidelines for communicating with students to ensure consistent and appropriate approach which allows for both planned and ad hoc activities and makes effective use of all available communications channels (including but not limited to Applicant Tracker, email, social media, web pages, Electronic Service Desk, electronic signage, print and face to face contact).
3. Agree guidelines for coordinated use of shared communications channels. (e.g. social media, web pages, electronic signage, email) to maintain levels of audience engagement.
4. Ensure planned and ad hoc communications content from individual departments is made available, as agreed.
5. Ensure process and resources (including staff where relevant) are in place to provide timely and effective feedback to students, as agreed.
6. Monitor and evaluate effectiveness of communications plan activities in terms of delivering to project objectives of informing and engaging students with information relating to key transitions during their first year.
Membership
| Tim Kaner | Director of Marketing & Communications (Chair) |
| Mark Ames/Ian Robinson | FYSE Project Board |
| Claire Nicholls | Accommodation/Hospitality/Security |
| Liz Simmons | Admissions |
| Matt Mitchell | BUCS |
| Sue Briault | Careers Advisory Service |
| Ben Harris | Corporate/Internal Communications |
| Sarah Stead | Faculty of Engineering and Design |
| Kate Hamilton | Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences |
| Catherine Haines | Faculty of Science |
| Rachel Potter | ICIA |
| Claire Tylee | Library |
| Sarah Turpin | LTEO |
| Eliza Shaw | School of Management |
| Miles Peyton | Sports Development |
| James Arthur | SREO |
| Nicola Peacock | Student Services |
| Ellie Hynes | Students’ Union |
| Carrie Blake | Students’ Union |
| Richard Prowse | Web Services |
| Kirsty Denley | Secretary |
4. Communications Coordination Group (Shared Channels)
Terms of Reference
1. On a monthly basis, collate from stakeholders* the schedule and detailed content of messages within the scope of agreed comprehensive communications activity plan where shared channels are to be used (e.g. social media, web pages, electronic signage)
2. Manage effective tactical implementation of communications activity plan across shared channels.
3. Pro-actively identify opportunities to improve effectiveness of both messages and channels, making recommendations to Communications Steering Group as appropriate.* The term ‘Stakeholders’ means all parts of the University with a requirement to communicate key messages to first year students using shared channels
Membership
| Richard Prowse | Web Services (Chair) |
| Steven Lawrence | Admissions |
| Nicola Peacock/ Mark Skinner | Student Services |
| Helen Freeman | Students' Union |
| Martin Cornish | Internal Communications |
| Carol Price | Web Services |
| Kirsty Denley | Secretary |