Dear Colleagues, 
 
This is to share with you my comments forwarded to my Access Centre colleagues and to DSA-QAG in response to the new Student Survey details of which were recently distributed. 
 
This is not to make DSA-QAG or it's staff the stooges of my consternation. It is vital that we stop organising our way of doing things in this mechanistic way. If it happens, we are all responsible for it in as much as, we either stay silent and let it happen, or we enjoy the problem more than it's solution by engaging in endless acrymony against some supposed other who is at fault. 
 
The repetition of this message to those enrolled on more than one forum is unforgiveable, but neither is it  unavoidable. 
 
Yours,

Penny Georgiou
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The prospect of a student survey was a happy one. Looking at the detail, students will give up the will to live while trying to work through this obstacle course. In order to remedy this, there needs to be a comment box at the beginning where students can simply write about their experience in their own words, prioritising their own concerns, if that is what they choose to do. 
 
It should not be compulsory for students to be put through this maze. We must remember that many of our students have specific learning difficulties, mental health issues, experience fatigue, problems with concentration. This survey commits the unforgivable sin of boring the respondent to death, which is the current way of automated systems, and how responsibility is evaded ie, by being anonymised, it is also what prevents issues from being resolved quickly, simply and easily, with the onset of acrymony, distrust and wholesale waste of time, money and talent and, last but not least, discriminatory. 
 
A colleague recently put out this weblink, which I am now forwarding to students:  http://www.nationalstudentforum.com/ <http://www.nationalstudentforum.com/>  (see details below)
 
I look forward to seeing further developments in the QAG survey. 
 
Kind regards, 
 
Penny Georgiou
North London Regional Access Centre
Middlesex University, 
Hendon Campus
The Burroughs, 
Hendon NW4 4BT
Tel: 0208 411 5366
Mobile: 07708791880

	 
	The National Student Forum was formed in February 2008 to give a greater voice to students on Higher Education courses in England. 
	 
	http://www.nationalstudentforum.com/ <http://www.nationalstudentforum.com/>  
	 
	Vision for better student experience (disabled students): 
	 
	http://www.nationalstudentforum.com/report2009/visions/disabled-students/ <http://www.nationalstudentforum.com/report2009/visions/disabled-students/>  
	 
	Ideas for how universities and colleges can better support disabled students:
	 
	http://www.nationalstudentforum.com/report2009/ideas/disabled-students/ <http://www.nationalstudentforum.com/report2009/ideas/disabled-students/>