Why recruit Class Reps?


Having Class Reps allows you to receive feedback more frequently and provides an additional channel for addressing students' concerns. This approach has proven to be an effective way to increase student engagement in the class and to identify potential issues before they develop into generalised problems or escalate into formal complaints or grievances. Historically, most student complaints have originated from classes without Class Representatives. Conversely, students report higher levels of satisfaction in courses with Class Representatives. 

The Class Representative system fosters goodwill among students and enhances lecturer-student relationships. The value of such a system should not be underestimated. 

College Staff/Student Liaison Committees typically recruit student participants from their pool of Class Representatives. There is a strong correlation between the number of Class Representatives recruited by individual academic units and the likelihood of successfully running Student & Staff Liaison Committees. 

 

How to promote Class Reps for your class


We encourage you to show our introductory promo image and video (provided in the next section) during the first class of the semester. This can be an excellent icebreaker and works best if you recruit your Class Representatives during this initial class or, at the latest, within the first three weeks of lectures. Further down the page, you’ll find a list of the benefits students gain by engaging with the programme. 

Teaching staff are responsible for requesting that at least one student from each paper volunteers as a Class Representative. For large classes, we recommend a ratio of no fewer than one representative per 40 students. Students can self-nominate, and the more representatives per class, the more effective the system becomes, as responsibilities and workload are shared. Unless there are objections, all volunteers should generally be accepted as Class Representatives, as this role offers valuable opportunities for developing co-curricular skills.  

Please allow your Class Representatives a few minutes to introduce themselves to the class. 

Te Tira Ahu Pae will coordinate the programme and provide training for the Class Representatives. 

Class Representative training will take place in Week Three of the semester. Please ensure your Class Representatives have registered well before this date, so they receive an invitation to the training session. 

If you are unable to recruit a Class Representative, please let the Class Representative Administrator know. 

 

Promotional video and slides


Click the links below for our promotional video and slides, to show in your first class of the semester. 

 

Benefits for students


There are a whole heap of intangible benefits for students who engage with the programme, but some of the things you may wish to highlight are:

  • A way of getting to know the lecturer and support teaching staff

  • That they will learn more about Massey than they would have known otherwise

  • The opportunity to meet class mates or fellow Representatives and make new friends

  • Training provided (1 hour only) but with the potential for further optional training 

  • Helps them to develop communication and advocacy skills

  • A certificate provided at the end of the year

  • Looks good on their CV and is very useful when applying for scholarships as it demonstrates co-curricular and community involvement

  • An awesome end of year recognition event