The My Warwick Life feature gives an insight into staff and students’ lives at Warwick, considering both their work and social life on campus. This week we hear from Louise Poole, Student Records Assistant, Academic Office.

There’s no such thing as a typical day, but, in a nutshell, my job involves…

keeping personal and course-related information accurate and up-to-date for all students in the University’s Central Administration. I also provide policy guidance to both students and colleagues in academic departments. One of the key projects I worked on recently was a staff procedures guide, to improve our understanding of roles and the interdependence we have on each other so that we perform in the students’ best interests. After all, they are the lifeblood of the University.

It would be really useful to work more closely with…

academic departments and the International Office regarding UKBA requirements at the University. Now that students are paying increased tuition fees it is more important than ever that the information we hold is current and accurate. It's crucial that departments and students understand what our role is and why we need the information because our work impacts on many other areas of the University (e.g. exam results, student finance, International Office and immigration, admissions, etc.).

I'm really enjoying working on…

a project to improve access to our webpage. This involves researching and investigating different kinds of social media such as live chat, blogs, twitter feeds, Facebook, etc. that would enable us to reach a wider audience, and to interact more with interested parties. Live chat in particular would be an interesting facility. Social media is an immediate and cost-effective way of reaching out and engaging students so that we can provide a high quality, professional service. The project is still in its early stages and it remains to be seen whether any of the ideas are taken forward.

Warwick's unique because…

it has a plethora of student support services for both international and home students to ensure they have the best student experience possible. For example, Warwick established it’s own temping agency, Unitemps, and has franchises with several partner institutions which specialise in the provision of temporary staff for Universities and commercial clients throughout the UK. It gives students, recent graduates and experienced candidates from the local community the opportunity to gain valuable skills and experience.

The best thing about working at Warwick is…

the people I work with. There is an open and friendly atmosphere between colleagues. I feel really privileged to work with these people at such a prestigious and outstanding world-class institution that is admired the world over. Also, the University is situated in an area of outstanding natural beauty with many nature walks. It's environmentally conscious and has entered into a Countryside Stewardship Scheme to reduce damage to wildlife by replacing and improving hedgerows and creating ‘buffer strips’ along existing hedges and watercourses.

If I could change one thing about Warwick is would be…

to replace all the windows in University House with ones that open to allow fresh air to circulate freely.

I'm really glad I got involved with…

University Open Days. I regularly volunteer to help out at this and other University events. It allows me to interact with students, staff and guests and become familiar with different areas of the University that I wouldn’t normally have seen such as student accommodation and the Digital Lab. One department I particularly enjoyed working with was Warwick Manufacturing Group staff at the International Manufacturing Centre. It was interesting to see the innovative projects students were working on. I also recently joined a book group and my first meeting is this month.

I recently had a meal at…

Xananas with my friend and colleague, Anne Dabrowa, PA to the Deputy Academic Registrar, Academic Office. I was pleasantly surprised at the variety of different food available. It was delicious and we had 10% discount by using the ‘eating at Warwick’ card.

I usually travel to campus by…

car, although I occasionally walk. Although I live three miles from the University my journey is generally straightforward. So much so that I am thinking of buying a bike and cycling to work.