Academic Student Representatives
Are you keen to spark change in your study programme? Are you committed to a high quality academic experience like no other? Are you eager to connect with others – students, staff - to see change at AUT? If so, we want you!
Academic Student Representatives – also known as ASRs - are AUT students volunteering to representing students at a school/major/year level. They provide feedback to programme and school staff to ensure the academic experience at AUT is upheld and continually improving.
How does the ASR model work?
Below are faculties involved in the ASR model:
• Business, Economics and Law
• Culture and Society
• Design and Creative Technologies
• Health and Environmental Sciences
Within these four faculties are a number of schools, major-focused programmes, and year groups. ASRs will dedicate at least two hours a week during semester to fulfil these purposes:
1. Reach out to their year groups for issues and feedback about major/school/course programmes.
2. Meet with school staff to pass on issues and feedback on their major/school/year group’s behalf.
3. Meet with their Student Representative Council Faculty Representative to pass on appropriate feedback to take to faculty-level.
4. Refer students with outstanding issues with their academic experience to AUTSA Advocacy
ASRs can expect to attend a brief training meeting in the first half of semester one to get the know-how on their role within their respective school, as well as ongoing support in their role with their Faculty Representative and Student Representative Coordinator.
Why are ASRs important?
With feedback, ASRs have the potential to help shape how papers, classes, and majors run for and in the interest of future students.
There is potential for AUT students to help shape courses, papers, lectures, classes, in a way that helps AUT students in the future. ASRs can make this happen.
What’s in it for me?
A big part of being an ASR is knowing they represent not how their personal study experience is going, but the academic experience of their respective cohort – that is a lot of people to represent!
Personal Student Experience
ASRs get an exclusive look at how study programmes are run and managed through meeting with school staff. Throughout the year, ASRs will discover how communication and collaboration is critical for ensuring achieving any improvements to study programmes for students today and tomorrow.
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Employability Boost
Being an ASR a commitment to forwarding student voice at AUT to spark change for students now and tomorrow. The skills and experience gained from being an ASR can be a valuable addition to a CV. For budding students working towards the AUT Edge Award*, being an ASR count towards the award! Please use ‘studentreps@autsa.org.nz’ as your contact for confirming hours.
Connect with
Others!
There are opportunities for ASRs to connect with each other, whether through meetings with all ASRs organised by AUTSA to gauge support areas, or informal meetups with fellow ASRs within their year groups or faculty. ASRs may also develop stronger connections between themselves and their programmes when feedback is passed and enacted as change.
Recognition and Celebration
ASRs are invited to receive a formal certificate of recognition at the end of year AUTSA Leadership Awards to celebrate their commitment to student voice and developing change and connections with AUTSA, AUT and their fellow cohorts, and one another.
*the AUT Edge Award is separate to the AUTSA ASR model. For specific questions about this award, please contact autedge@aut.ac.nz with questions or read more here.