the role of student affairs and services in higher education

• To provide consultation and advice to campus staff and faculty and family
members to assist in dealing with students who have emotional problems.
• To provide psychologists, clinical social workers, and psychiatrists for the
treatment of students who are experiencing a wide range of problems.
• To provide opportunities that enable students who may be experiencing
personal, social, or educational problems to work towards becoming more
effective in their lives within and outside the institution.
• To assist and support students with the transition to university life.
• To provide developmental/preventative programmes and activities that assist
students to become more effective and resourceful in their personal, social
and academic lives.
• To provide a psychological consultative/advisory/voluntary training service to
teaching and other staff enabling them to maximise their effectiveness in
carrying out their guidance and learner support roles.
• To develop the highest level of professional standards to ensure delivery of a
high quality, cost-effective counseling and psychological services to students.
Typical Activities –
• Engaging in brief individual psychotherapy, crisis intervention, couples
counseling, group psychotherapy, behavior modification, hypnotherapy,
biofeedback, and medication therapy as needed.
• Selectively employing various modalities in combination into individualized
treatment programs for student clients.
• Providing outreach services to traditional and underserved student
populations including efforts to assist them to cope with typical
developmental and situational issues.
• Offering programs for the promotion of a healthier campus environment.
• Providing training placements and internships for graduate degree programs
and mental health professionals seeking licensure.
• Operating a confidential, after-hours telephone help-line/referral service to
assist students in crisis when no face-to-face counseling is available.
• Conducting group counseling programs on common themes.
• Providing intake procedures to make contact with walk-in clients.
• Preparing explicit and informed contracts with student clients concerning
clearly acknowledged boundaries, data protection issues, and commitment to
privacy and confidentiality.
• Having available a clear referral system that is accessible to all students who
may wish to make contact themselves or who may be referred by others.
• Offering advocacy on behalf of students who receive counselling when
extenuating circumstances may have an adverse effect on study and
assessment/exam results.
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