I am aware that the debate around value-for-money is heated in the current climate at all UK Higher Education institutions, especially after the strikes affecting the last academic year. Students lost a lot of money due to this and has brought the value of our degrees into question. In response to what I see as value-for-money at Southampton is to work with the current plan that the SAABs this year have put into place if a strike happens and improve resources.
I would want to improve the plan where needed with the help of the other SAABs, as it is a team effort to improve the question of value-for-money. To counter act the value-for-money lost from the strikes, I propose to invest it back into the university where it is needed, such as into the student hardship funds, funds for printing etc. Currently, Evie (VP Democracy 2018/19) is looking at this issue in detail.
Whilst this is a universal issue, I have found that as a humanity student, I often question the value of my degree for the amount of money I pay. Essentially, I pay for access to and use of resources when outside lectures and seminars. With that in mind, I propose to combat the issue around the value-for-money debate is to improve resources that can be rolled out to ALL degrees such as setting up an automated email system that will tell students when work is overdue/ send a reminder 24 hours prior to hand-in. It might seem simple, but it is about the little actions that can be taken to increase the value-for-money of all degrees.
As I have stated in my manifesto, I would work with other UK university SAABs to improve higher education for all. As someone who have many friends across the UK at university, I often find issues that rise at one, is the same a others. Even if our university is not affected by that issue specifically, it is about helping other universities improve and they will also do the same. Furthermore, it is about really listening to students and having their input taken seriously as sometimes it feels as if it is ignored, this needs to change.
This question was also asked to Sebastian Graves-Read, Jess Harding, Evelyn HayesAnswered by Joanne on 25/02/19 17:09