First nomination:

ZAK LIDDELL, President Marjon Students’ Union

Beyond the Call of Duty

As Chair of the Board of Governors of the new University of St Mark & St John (Marjon) and on behalf of both my Board and the senior management team, I should like to nominate the retiring President of our Student Union as a quite exceptional candidate for your award. Zak is a remarkable young man, having revolutionised the relationship between the student community, the Governors, management and the staff during a period when the University was without a Principal/Vice Chancellor, Head of Marketing, Head of HR and Clerk to the Governors. He helped us all to fill those gaps by forging an enduring and productive partnership between the students, the Acting Principal/Vice Chancellor and myself to become a pivotal pillar in the University’s day to day management.

In addition to the more conventional responsibilities of his Presidential status, Zak played an essential part in the recruitment of our new Vice Chancellor, eventually becoming a member of the interview panel. Not only did he step into the breach to address the students during graduation with a compelling speech worthy of a Vice Chancellor but also led a substantive student engagement in the University’s branding review that has ensured the retention of the heraldic elements in a simplification of the original crest. Those elements had been lost in earlier branding and it has been the student voice, articulated by Zak, that has seen a universally welcomed return to our roots. Further, this University is challenged by finding an interpretation of the values and traditions of its Anglican foundation that resonate with a 21st Century student and staff community and the maturity of Zak’s leadership and judgement is playing a critical role in creating a suitable voice.

A Sustained Source of Inspiration

Zak is an inspiration to us all and has created an enviable relationship between our student body and our many stakeholder publics. He has championed volunteering and as such, prompted not only a dramatic increase in student engagement with both internal and external communities but also, the Student Union’s democratic processes. There has been a 100% increase in the number of course representatives on the Student Experience Council (SEC) and over 30% of students now vote in student elections. The SEC has real teeth and as a result of the innovative manner in which students now participate, it is perceived throughout the University as an important and authoritative student contribution both academically and pastorally. Under Zak’s leadership student concerns reach, and are resolved, at such as Academic Board and the Learning Quality and Standards Committee.

Strategic Planning and the Student Experience

We are all proud of Marjon’s 2012 NSS student experience rating at 46th nationally and no mean achievement for one of the smallest UK universities with a Student Union staff of only three plus a part-time administration assistant. Despite this having seen Marjon climb that particular league table, it is not good enough for Zak and his team who have worked with the University to create and complete action plans for each department to resolve outstanding issues. Thus, in 2013, over 70% of our students have completed the NSS survey.

Under Zak’s leadership the Student Union has its own vision for the future with a strategic plan to direct its implementation. It is the work of the officers who have ensured that the plan has been fed by contributions drawn throughout the student community. It promotes the treatment of students as partners in their education, shares with the University the development of those attributes associated with optimising employability and seeks to forge a student union that is recognised as a ‘student family home’.

An Inspiration to Students: a Student Icon

Zak may be iconic in the minds of many members of the student body but he is eminently approachable and worked tirelessly to secure external sponsorship where that has been the only way in which his resources could be increased and applied across a wide project portfolio. There are now more clubs and societies outside sport, a review of staff performance that has turned into an annual affair, charitable status has been achieved and an impressive communication strategy has had the affect of engaging even the most reluctant among our students. Only last week Zak hosted the Inspiring Student Awards and the students’ Teaching-Led Awards to staff.

Zak has also made improved engagement with the NUS a priority. He has taken previous complacency by the throat to create a presence nationally on behalf of Marjon students by attending conferences, utilising projects and submitting motions for consideration by National Conference. In the majority of HEIs these actions may appear of small consequence but at Marjon they have made a significant contribution to the Students’ Union becoming a throbbing heart at the centre of the institution.

Improved Student Participation in Union and University Affairs

In commending Zak to the NUS Awards judges, I can only reiterate everything that has gone before in making this nomination. It may well be unusual for the Chair of Governors together with the senior management team to make a nomination such as this but it is merely reflective of the esteem in which Zak is held throughout the University. Few can have played so a significant role in engaging the student community with such a broad range of interventions. Zak has brought the students to the table in the recruitment of a Vice Chancellor, the re-branding of the institution, finding a pathway through the sensitivities associated with redefining engagement with our religious foundation and importantly giving us an active presence on the NUS map.

Such is Zak’s contribution to Marjon as Student President that the Nominations Committee of the Board is considering taking the unprecedented step of extending his Student Governor membership of the Governing Body to give him a permanent position on the Board.

Second nomination:

Zak Liddell was elected as Deputy President of Marjon Student Union (MSU) in 2011. Zak made his mark quickly, bringing passion and enthusiasm to his new role. Before long, Zak’s watchwords became ‘student engagement’, a focus he retained and developed during that year and the next when he was re-elected to President and able to lead Marjon Student Union into a new era. This nomination can only provide a flavour of the tremendous impact Zak has had in furthering this ‘cause’ and changing the university’s perception of MSU.

ENGAGING WITH STUDENTS…

Zak has been integral to the production and development of the ‘How to Survive Student Life’ resource. The guide provides top tips on well-being - tips provided by students through a video ‘shed cam’ where students shared their experiences of university life (eg tackling first assignments, managing work and social life, being safe, sensible drinking, living on a tight budget).

The first booklet was rolled out in 2010/11 where 86% of 67 respondents stated that the resource was helpful but the format could be improved so the booklet became a folder of photo-copiable resources that included time-tables, menu plans, budgeting sheets for example and a “Flatmates From Hell” video was made to show students how to manage conflict within the living environment.

Under Zak’s leadership, the MSU has contributed to the development of the resource to include a ‘How to Survive Student Life’ on-line resource. Another video was added this year presented by Zak on our Student Support services – the new students were certainly ‘engaged’! (please see supporting documentation http://vimeo.com/marjonuni/review/65377591/efdf1303e3)

The success of these resources improves the student experience by raising awareness that a happy and healthy well balanced student who knows how to seek support when they need it is more likely to succeed. This directly impacts on the economic contribution to the university through good occupancy rates and the progression of students.

As co-chair of the Student Experience Council (SEC), Zak instigated ‘World Café’ feedback sessions for students (where students are invited to contribute their views on specified topics by writing on paper table cloths). These are fed back to the Principal and Learning Quality & Standards Committee, the outcomes of which have directly influenced learning and teaching, for example: a review of the assessment feedback form to ensure it is much more specific and helpful to students; a review of module evaluation to include mid-module evaluation and regular question and answer sessions at the SEC with Senior Managers at the SEC to improve communications between the University and students.

Zak is also a founder member of the Student Feedback Implementation Group, where he supports and encourages active participation of students and ensures outcomes are acted on. For example, this year, he and the Deputy spear-headed a T-shirt campaign to drive up NSS responses, resulting in the highest response rate ever at 75%, thus ensuring that three-quarters of those eligible ‘had their say’.

Under Zak’s leadership mature students now actively participate due to his support of the Mature Students Officer in setting up the Mature Students Group and by developing a greater variety of social events for mature students. International students too now feel a much greater sense of belonging thanks to Zak’s encouragement and willingness to change the very culture of the Student Union.

ENGAGING WITH STAFF…

Zak was key to gaining NUS funding for the first ever Student Led Teaching Awards at the University held recently, ensuring it was well-organised and promoted to both staff and students, making it a highly successful evening. The awards were promoted by Zak and the Deputy President dressing up as a Lion and a Lamb (as on the Marjon crest – please see supporting photograph) who ran around campus ‘looking for something’ which caused a huge buzz, eventually telling everyone that they were looking for outstanding staff and needed student help and the nominations followed.

These awards have had a huge impact by showing students in a very public way that their opinions are listened to. The student nominations and comments will also be taken to relevant committees, after which the SU will release a statement to students at the end of the academic year to feed back what has changed as a direct result of the SLTAs, ensuring this project impacts in a practical way on the student experience. These awards also have had a fantastic impact on the morale of staff within the institution, showing them that their work is appreciated by students.

One nominated member of staff said: “I didn’t come down for days – such a great evening!”

ENGAGING WITH THE COMMUNITY…

Zak’s engagement with students has extended far beyond the campus and into the community. He was instrumental in setting up a student safety committee in Plymouth. Working with Plymouth University and local police the two unions developed messages on student safety for nights out on topics such as drink awareness, making sure students get home safe and handing out hundreds of ICE cards (in case of emergency). Zak also co-led on regular anti-burglary campaigns around campus and the City which involved putting balloons through open windows saying ‘’you could have been burgled’’ ‘’and they didn’t look like this’’ with a picture of the stereotypical man with striped shirt and swag bag. Attached was a leaflet with information about keeping valuables safe.

In short, Zak’s leadership of MSU has changed the University’s perception of the Student Union from one which was seen as largely focussed on social events to a union that truly serves and reflects the whole student body and is seen as a serious source of information and representation by the most senior members of staff. The above achievements reflect only a small number of the actual roles Zak has embraced as these also include all the usual sabbatical tasks (eg advocating for students, sitting on committees and membership of internal audits and complaints panels) – and all despite there only being two paid officers!