The Chair and Secretary
The SSLC Chair
A Student Representative takes the post of SSLC Chair. The Chair should be elected by the new SSLC as early as possible in the Autumn Term.
The Chair’s role is:
- To bring the meeting to order and regulate the conduct of the meeting.
- To follow the agenda and control the amount of time spent on each item, leading the committee towards a decision.
- To ensure that agreed actions are delegated and implemented within an appropriate timescale.
- To check all minutes prior to issue and ensure they are circulated to the members of the committee, as well as the Faculty Representative, Students’ Union Academic Voice Coordinator, and Departmental Secretary.
- To ensure the Students’ Union is aware of meeting dates and times, by emailing the Students’ Union Academic Voice Coordinator and posting the dates on the SSLC’s webpage.
Checklist for Chairs
At the first meeting of the year:
- Elect or appoint a Secretary; a student.
- Elect or appoint a representative from the SSLC to attend departmental/centre meetings to discuss SSLC business.
- Ensure all SSLC representatives are aware of their responsibilities and decide a committee-wide strategy for communicating with other students.
- Set provisional dates for meetings for the year and have the Secretary circulate these to members, your Faculty Representative, the Students’ Union Academic Voice Coordinator, Subject Librarian Careers Advisor.
Throughout the year:
- Communicate with the Students’ Union via your Faculty Representative, the Education Officer or’ Union Academic Voice Coordinator to ensure they are aware of issues raised by your SSLC.
- Ensure your Faculty Representative and the Students’ Union Academic Voice Coordinator is aware of meeting dates and times, and receives copies of agendas and minutes and that the Faculty Rep has been invited to the meetings.
- Check your departmental Notice board and Departmental page on the SSLC Portal to ensure that all Reps’ details are up-to-date and clearly displayed.
- Attend Faculty Forum meetings.
End of the year:
- Complete the Annual Report, sign it and submit it prior to the deadline, preferably with the approval of the entire committee.
The SSLC Secretary
The Committee Secretary is normally elected at the first meeting of the year and should be a student. The Chair and Secretary should communicate regularly to ensure:
- That Committee meetings take place.
- That members are aware of the date and location of meetings.
- That members are provided with the best information available on the subjects to be discussed.
- That accurate records are maintained of meetings, decisions made and actions taken.
- That the Annual Report is completed and agreed by the student representatives and submitted on time.
The Chair and Secretary should try to ensure that pre-meetings are held when appropriate. These afford an opportunity for student members of the committee to meet before the main meeting to clarify issues among themselves. They also ensure that all student representatives are aware of issues being raised, and provide them with an opportunity to canvass the opinions of other students prior to the SSLC meeting.
Duties of the SSLC Secretary, in consultation with the Chair and with support from the department:
- Book room for meetings
- Collect items for the agenda and circulate the agenda
- Circulate papers; use e-mail where possible
- Create an attendance sheet
- Arrive early to check room layout
- Make brief notes of discussions - Record all decisions of the committee, seeking clarification from the Chair when a decision is unclear. You do not need to take verbatim minutes or name individuals when recording decisions.
- Draft the minutes as soon as possible following the meeting. Ensure that the attendance is recorded on the minutes, that items indicate who will follow-up.
- Ensure all minutes, agendas and meeting times are updated on your SSLC's Portal Page.