Want to explore some of Faran's past progress updates? Here, you'll find a short profile of what he's been up to since starting his second term!
This regularly updated page will help you track what Faran has been up to since starting his second term in office...
08/07 - Last week, along with the new officers, I was in some induction sessions. We've been assigned to different boards and committees to represent students for the upcoming year. I attended a conduct panel, voted in the 2024 General Election (my first vote in the UK), and gave a presentation to Year 12 leaders of St. Peter's Academy. I wrote a paper on the International and Postgraduate student fund, which has been shared with university colleagues and will soon be presented to the University Executive Board to support our international and postgraduate students.
15/07 - During my last week, I attended a Graduation Planning Meeting and had some catch-ups with students facing academic issues. At the DTIB School Academic Committee, we reviewed school performance and reviewed many course approvals and closures. Along with other officers also met with the Union Marketing Team to finalise events for the year 24/25. With the release of the NSS results, officers are working on addressing some issues and will soon raise these with the university.
22/07 - Last week was bit quiet, but I made the most of it by volunteering for graduation. I was at Catalyst, assisting the Graduation Team in welcoming students and guests and signposting them to facilities.
29/07 - I joined the Graduation Team along with University Executive colleagues, celebrating and cheering as my mates graduated. Along with other officers and university colleagues, I attended the groundbreaking ceremony of our new student village. I also participated in a brief Digital Transformation Board meeting, which was focused on updates for existing projects. Additionally, I was part of a PGR virtual get-together with our team and PGR students, and I had a catch-up with the Greenpad team, listening to their needs for the year ahead.
05/08 - I have attended an engaging and informational session with our Voice Team Manager on "Supporting Individual Students." For the rest of the week, all officers were in Birmingham for the NUS Lead and Change event. We spent three days at the University of Birmingham with other officers from around the UK. The event included informational sessions and meetups with second-year and first-year officers, where we discussed ideas and strategies for achieving our manifestos. It was valuable to share experiences with first-year officers to help guide them during their term.
12/08 - This week, I had various officer induction activities. I had a meeting with Christina Matthews, the Executive Director of SaaS for sharing ongoing work updates, and also had a meeting with the International Support Team. Then, there was a Union Leadership Team meeting. One of our colleagues was leaving this month, so we held a small get-together. I met with the Director of Learning and Teaching to discuss my manifesto and raise some other concerns. I also participated in the Academic Transition and Welcome Community Team meeting, where we developed a plan to better support our international students.
19/08 - Last week, I attended the Student Voice Module Feedback Annual Reflection & Planning meeting, where we discussed both the closed feedback loops and those that still need action. The officer induction process continued, focusing on topics like "Presenting Yourself," "Engaging With Students," and "Dealing with Dissatisfied People and Students in Crisis." Unfortunately, the London Campus visit was cancelled but will be rescheduled. I also participated in the Neurodiversity Webinar, which was insightful and provided valuable knowledge on how to better support our neurodiverse students.
26/08 - I attended a briefing for the upcoming Continuous Monitoring meetings, focusing on the NSS results and preparing for the university's staff meetings. I also joined the "APP Introduction" meeting with university colleagues to understand the University's Access and Participation Plan's role and impact. In DTB meeting, provided some student-focused suggestions and received updates on ongoing digital projects at the university. I participated in a session with our Deputy Director to plan better support for our apprenticeships and distance learners. With other officers, I mapped out my Manifesto Timeline, setting a clear schedule for the year. I learned about an exciting new project, "Digital Front Doors", which will soon launch, enabling everyone to socialise over the university Teams channels.
Want to see more updates from Faran? Check out his previous update pages:
Faran's June Updates (use this page to explore through all of his 23/24 updates!)