7.4
University-wide Representation

Kent Union Officers and staff have an excellent working relationship with the University and attend most senior committees within the Institution. Officers are able to provide an insight into the student experience and raise important issues which effect students. Officers attend meeting such as the Library User’s Group where they are able to comment on issues which student representatives have raised with them. In the 2007/ 08 academic year Kent Union has been particularly pleased that senior members of University staff have attended Education Forum in order to speak directly with students. On both occasions, staff have listened to the students and fed back appropriate action; we hope that this has set a precedent for future practice.

Results from the Kent Union Satisfaction Survey indicate that 66% of students feel that the University listens to the views of students. Whilst this is a satisfactory figure there are still a number of measures which the Institution could take to ensure that the student voice is listened to. Feeding back to students on issues which they have raised is one major area which Kent Union urges the University to improve on. At University level there appear to be few signs of action plans being communicated to students. The only University wide plan which is available is from 2006 and entitled What you’ve said and what we’ve done? This is a useful summary document indicating how the University listens to the student voice; however, it is not updated regularly enough.