Elections for Photography, Music, Creative Arts and Textiles

Being part of the OCASA Committee

These are exciting times for the OCA and being part of the OCA Student Association Committee (OCASA) puts you in a position to influence the way students can experience their studies with the college for the better. If you have the time, interest and drive you can make a real difference to the way the college works and the way a student experiences their studies. As well as having the opportunity to influence the overall student experience you would also be giving a direct voice to your study area via the representative role.

Student representative activities are necessarily flexible as they evolve to keep pace with changes as a result of new degree pathways, student demographics and OCA/UCA operating processes. OCASA is also in a position to encourage a growing level of student initiated activities and student networking to supplement course content and enhance the learning experience further.

If these sound like the sort of areas you would like to be involved in then you may be interested in the following openings on the committee that are shortly to become available for Photography (currently including the Vice President role) and Music (currently including the Treasurer’s role). These are key positions on the committee due the extra dimensions of the roles. We also have existing openings for positions as Textiles and Creative Arts representatives. Further information on the representatives role can be found below.

If you are interested in any of the roles above you can contact Teresa Lanham, President of OCASA at president@ocasa.org.uk

There is not a set description of the representative role as it tends to be quite flexible depending on what is going on in any given year. However below is a summary of the type of flexible activities we get involved in and the fixed subject area activities:

Flexible activities

• Form sub groups of representatives to discuss particular student issues
• Formulate new OCASA administration processes e.g. as a result of OCA process changes for approval by the committee
• Research new areas on behalf of students and the committee e.g. we took a look at Q-Art and critical reviews and NUS card revenue recently
• Review and comment on changes to OCA processes that change in year
• Student Survey analysis when required
• Take part in OCA development discussions on an ad hoc basis

Study Area Responsibilities (fixed)

• Attendance at up to four OCASA committee meetings per academic year in person or via video conference. This is a key requirement for the role and so if you were unable to attend then a written report for your area would be required. The committee meetings are OCASAs main form of communication and so although these are agenda led meetings all committee members raise suggestions or issues for discussion.

• Actively suggesting areas where improvements to the student experience could be made
• Responsible for monitoring any on-line forums for your study area and if necessary escalating issues to the committee
• Communicating with OCA support to resolve student issues if necessary and if the normal OCA student support processes don’t seem to be working for a particular student
• Responding to requests for funding student initiated activities, e.g. study visits, study groups or workshops within the agreed financial approval process
• Ensuring students provide write-ups for OCASA funded events for posting on the OCASA website and WeAreOCA where appropriate
• Reviewing and writing commentary on the student survey feedback bi-annually  (next due in 2018 if managed under UCA in the same way as previously)
• Providing a quarterly report for the OCASA committee meeting