Presenting the views and opinions of other students to academic staff can feel intimidating and stressful, and that’s okay! It’s best to prepare for a new situation rather than confront it without having prepared. Negotiation with staff and the presentation of feedback require you to be assertive – confident, clear, and respectful communication through both your words and your body language.

To prepare, you can let staff know via email that you have some topics to discuss with them as a representative of other students, and then find a good time for both you and the staff member to meet and review this in more detail. Then, take stock of how you’re feeling. It may be helpful for you to practice taking some deep breaths, to write and bring notes, or to practice with someone you trust to ensure you’re communicating what you hope to, while also keeping proper eye contact and speaking clearly.

To be most effective, you can also structure the conversation so that the students’ opinions and your goals remain the focus, thereby also being depersonalised and solution-focused. When you focus on solutions rather than problems, a positive outcome is more likely. This will require assertive negotiation towards the shared goal of improved student learning experience, whether you achieve your ideal solution or come to more of a compromise. Keep notes of what was decided during the meeting while also making the agreed outcomes as clear as possible; consider not only what will be done, but who will do it and on what timeline.

Relating over a shared goal of improved course experiences, as well as beginning from a place of mutual respect for the work you and the staff team are doing, are important first steps to assure a cordial and professional relationship. If you do find any issues with problem-solving that feel intense or personal, please reach out to the Academic Representation team for support on representation@exeterguild.com.