General

Information about the course will be given to you in two ways: Messages on RUconnected, and email. Please check all of these regularly. Note that it is University policy to communicate with you by your Rhodes email address: (student-number@campus.ru.ac.za).

Student course evaluations may be done at the end of each component and at the end of the course. Please use this time to provide constructive feedback. Administrative problems should be referred to the course coordinator in the first instance. Problems relating to course material should be referred to the lecturer concerned. As a last resort, refer to the Head of Department. You can also raise concerns through your representative on the staff-student committee. Dates of staff-student meetings are given below. 

A meeting to discuss staff-student matters is held once a term towards the end of each Term. All teaching staff, senior technicians and student representatives should attend this meeting. Six students represent Geography 1, two for each practical group. Geography 2, 3, Honours and Masters/PhDs are each represented by two students. Representatives will be elected early in the first Term. Please find out who your representative is and raise any issues of concern with him or her before the scheduled meetings. Staff-student liaison meetings will be held online (until in-person meetings are allowed) on the following dates at 13:00 (1 pm) unless otherwise instructed:

• Wednesday, 28 February 2024;

• Wednesday, 8 May 2024;

• Wednesday, 31 July 2024; and

• Wednesday, 25 September 2024.

It is the responsibility of the class representative to ask the class for issues of concern that they would like to be raised in the meeting. These should be emailed in advance to your course coordinator so that they can be put on the agenda. Staff should email the class representatives if they have concerns that they wish to raise so that these can be discussed beforehand with members of the class.

Common Issues Raised by Students:

• Lecture presentations: clarity, speed, interest;

• Workload: overload, the timing of due dates;

• Feedback: is it sufficient, do you get feedback quickly enough?

• Marking: assessment criteria, consistency, fairness; and

• Examinations: structure of examinations, mark allocation

Common Issues Raised by Staff

• Poor attendance;

• Poor marks;

• General course progress.

While meetings will normally focus on problem areas, it is also good to give positive feedback where due.