Every year over 1,000 students volunteer as Reps at Coventry University. Some students volunteer as Service Reps, speaking to staff at Coventry University about students' experiences of the IT services and the Lanchester Library. 

This term, Service Reps have met with staff from both the IT Services and the Library and have put forward students' ideas and concerns. Read on for more information...

Library

Service Reps met with the Academic Liaison Manager and some of the Academic Liaison Librarians this week. The Service Reps heard about some of the things raised in the previous term and how the Lanchester Library's staff had responded:

• Students told their Service Reps that too many students were sitting at library computers but using the computers for web surfing, entertainment, games, YouTube videos. Other students were sitting at the computers but not using them, depriving other students of a space to work. This term, library computers now display a notice asking students to use the computers responsibly.
• Service Reps reported that some students have been leaving their bags around the library. Staff will create more notices to remind students not to leave their baggage unattended.
• The library staff have looked into dysfunctional printers around the building. The printers should now be fixed!
• After students reported to Service Reps that too many students were ignoring the rules on silence in the silent section of the library, staff in the Lanchester building have increased their patrols of the silent section. Staff believe that silence has returned to the library!

In this week's meeting, Service Reps were invited to comment on Coventry University's new referencing system, which will come into place in the next academic year. The Service Reps spoke about the information that students will need as they move away from the Harvard style of referencing and adjust to APA.

The Service Reps took a look at Aula, a new item of software that will be introduced to Coventry University students in the next academic year. 

Finally, the Service Reps suggested some themes for books in a "wellbeing" section of the library, where students could find support and advice on managing stress, developing skills, coping with anxiety and maintaining good physical and mental health.

IT Services

On Wednesday this week, Service Reps met with the Service Delivery Manager of Coventry University's IT Services.

Following our meeting with staff from the Lanchester Library, the Service Reps spoke about Aula and what information students would need to get used to the new software. Service Reps suggested training for staff, an introductory video to Aula for students and a "frequently asked questions" section. Going forward, IT Service Reps have been invited to take a further look at Aula, acting as a focus group to see the new software from the perspective of Coventry University students.

The Service Reps drew on students' comments and concerns about Moodle:

• some students are not receiving notice when their grades are released
• students find the Moodle app for mobile phones hard to use
• some students believe that not all academic staff are skilled at using Moodle
• some students would like their final grades, or the total grades from all of their assignments, to be calculated and presented by Moodle

All of these concerns were heard by the Service Delivery Manager.

The Service Reps also reported students' experiences of printers and loanable laptops in the Lanchester library and other buildings on campus. They noted that students will soon enter assessment periods, meaning that printers and laptops will be in high demand. Thanks to the Service Reps, IT Services staff are now aware of this and will look into making special preparations for the assessment period.

Do you want to be a Service Rep?

If you want to be a Service Rep and speak about your experience of the Lanchester Library or the IT services at Coventry University, please click here to complete a Service Rep application.

Did your Service Reps raise the right feedback?

If you would like to discuss your experience of the services at Coventry University, please email reps.su@coventry.ac.uk. We will be happy to put you in touch with the relevant Service Rep or pass on your comments.