the role of student affairs and services in higher education

• Providing regular external supervision/consultative support for the
counsellors, and internal team supervision including on-going psychiatric
consultancy support from a regional senior consultant psychiatrist.
• Participating in student induction and welcoming programmes.
• Providing developmental and preventative workshops throughout the
academic year in response to student needs including such examples as
transition from culture to culture, assertiveness training, stress management,
support for adult returners, and time management
• Offering liaison and consultancy to tutors and others concerned about a
particular student’s personal or academic situation.
• Offering a relevant programme of professional development workshops,
conferences, and activities for tutorial and counseling staff and student
services colleagues related to good practice in providing support for students.
• Contributing to institutional, faculty and departmental planning, policy and
developments through participation in university committees and workgroups.
• Offering feedback to faculty/staff on factors that promote or hinder learning.
• Continuously monitoring and evaluating the work of the counselling service
through identified quality assurance systems and client research.
Developmental Learning Centres
Purpose/functions –
• To provide educational support in a flexible manner to enrolled students
regardless of age, stage and background.
• To assist in the identification of core groups of students in need of specifically
designed learning programs.
• To provide an opportunity for individual students to achieve academically to
their fullest potential.
• To assist individual students in becoming autonomous, confident and
effective learners in order to successfully meet academic standards.
• To provide advice, assistance and resources to faculty seeking to embed
ways of improving student learning strategies in curricula.
• To work with faculty and students on providing peer support opportunities.
• To work with faculty/staff on student cultural diversity and learning styles.
Typical Activities –
• Consulting with faculty and students regarding student learning needs.
• Designing/delivering seminars and workshops to support student learning.
• Providing facilities for students and faculty that access learning support
materials and programs.
• Providing a service to individuals seeking assistance with academic tasks.
• Providing or making available through a flexible range of media and delivery,
options, appropriate materials and support mechanisms for student learning.
38