► Changes we have achieved

//Poor or no use of Blackboard

We’ve pushed the University to make the use of Blackboard compulsory for all tutors – as of this year all new students enrolling will be automatically registered on to Blackboard and there will be a certain amount of standard information on there for all students to access. We’ve also worked in partnership with the University to develop the Portal which can now be found at my.arts.ac.uk/student. The Portal is being developed further and in the future instead of blackboard you’ll be able to visit the portal for e-mail, academic stuff, and any number of things all in one place!

//Course Content and Grading Structures

Lack of clarity around assessment and feedback is a problem across many courses at UAL. As of this September, all non-final year Students will receive a standardised marking criteria and feedback will be given under seven defined categories, ensuring it is more targeted for student’s development and progression. We hope that this will have a dramatically enhance the feedback students get, but will continue to push the University on this, as there is a long way to go!

//Lack of funding for final degree and MA shows

We have ensured that the University now give students more practical examples of how to fundraise for their shows. We’ve also pushed for the University to publish clearer costs to reflect the real cost of an art degree to prospective students through UCAS and other means. Good practice in some Colleges of giving back to students has seen Wimbledon donate the money raised from the pool table to final year shows.

//Cleanliness of UAL

We collected student views on the upkeep of UAL’s buildings and its front of house staff through surveys, forums and other methods to input into the Estates Strategy that resulted in an organisational review which has identified cleaning contracts as a priority.

//Library Opening Times

This continues to be a big issue, and we have been calling for a provision of 24hr access to the Learning Zone centrally. Issues around opening times also had a great deal to do with access to resources such as printers, in Colleges such as LCF much discussion has taken place around printers being available in other locations, such as the canteen, which is a strong possibility for the future.

//UAL GOING GREEN!

The Students’ Union held the first ever Arts London Go Green Week in May this year, which included activities such as Swap shops, film showings, Lectures, Workshops, a Green Opportunities Fair, a Vintage Sale, a ‘Stitch ‘n’ Bitch evening, a bike ride etc. Throughout the week there was also various campaigning activities, raising awareness of Green Issues, and lobbying the University to commit to being Greener. The week was well received by both staff and students, and as a result the University has made many different commitments, which are inclusive of but not exclusive to providing widely available recycling facilities for paper, glass, cardboard across all UAL sites from September 2009, run Student Switch Off in 2009/2010 in all eligible halls managed by UAL, Unite, Opal & Cordwainers Educational Trust and to work with Transport for London install bike stands at various sites across the institution. For more info see www.suarts.org/green.

/Limited contact time with Tutors

We inputted into an organisation strategy that is being put together by the University to highlight contact time as a major issue for UAL students. This has resulted in some quick wins to, with a lot of departments making changes to the way that they run, taking administration away from the tutors, to free up their time for you! Course Organisation and Timetabling Surveys that have been carried out this year have gathered information from students about the organisation of their course and issues such as timetable problems were highlighted in both the Camberwell and LCC School of Media’s student written submission report from the Union to the University. Taking this on board the University has ensured that the organisation strategy that they have produced has highlighted issues such as this as key areas to be resolved and plans are being put in place to rectify problems.

//Lack of Water Fountain Provision

We raised this issue with Estates and they are now conducting reviews of all the buildings – testing all the taps for drinking water and ensured that all taps that can be used for drinking water have been labelled as such; this will vastly increase the number of places to get a quick drink from.

//Communication from the Students’ Union

We now have a promotions team who distribute information across all of the sites and halls at UAL by putting up posters, handing out flyers and of course talking to students about the latest events and campaigns at the Union. We have also regularly sent out an e-newsletter to keep you updated and use social networks, like Facebook more.