Transcript The role of Student Well Being in boosting Retention

The role of
Student Well Being
in boosting
Retention
by
C F M Creasy, S Groves and P Slee
Top level commitment to Retention and
Student Well Being
Dr Peter Slee, DVC Student and Staff
Affairs
Shelagh Groves, Director of Student
Services
Dr Colin Creasy, Chair of Student Well
Being Forum
April 2005
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WELL-BEING STRATEGY
One of only two universities with such a
strategy
It looks at:
 Student Journey
 Audit/Research
 Practitioner Fora
 Review and Enhancement
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STUDENT JOURNEY
Three Phases
 Recruitment
 Well-Being
 Employability
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RESEARCH
Retention
Debt
Attitudes/Expectations
Study Skills
Employability
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FORA
 Marketing
 Looks at all aspects of recruitment, publicity and
marketing
 Well Being
 Looks primarily at induction, retention and guidance
 Looks at other institutional aspects such as timetables
and attendance monitoring
 Employability
 Looks at careers advice, employability, alumni etc.
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RETENTION
Northumbria has an explicit retention
programme embedded in its holistic
Student Well Being strategy linked closely
to the student journey from pre-entry to
alumni
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Retention starts before students arrive by
ensuring that they have clear and useful
information and guidance about their
programme of study, university and city
life, and much more
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INDUCTION
Induction is seen as a key aspect of
retention
 get it wrong and students are disenchanted
before they even start lectures
Northumbria offers a comprehensive
induction programme
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On-line induction
Important information provided on memory
sticks
School welcome events
Co-ordination with Student Union events
Social events
Much more!
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 Guidance tutors meet with students as soon as
possible in induction week to get to know each
other
 Guidance tutors form an important personal link
between student and staff
 Academic and personal matters are discussed
 Thereafter at regular intervals throughout the
year in accordance with University Guidance
Policy
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A good timetable is essential
 It needs to be friendly and provided early so
that students have the ability to arrange child
care and part time jobs
The university advises on how much time
a student should spend on paid
employment
The university provides a job shop for
students to gain employment
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DURING THE YEAR
Attendance monitoring is used to find
students who are ill or not coping well
 Such students interviewed and wherever
possible helped back to full study
Exit interviews are conducted to help to
see if there are underlying reasons for a
programme losing students
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STUDENT WELL BEING FORUM
Good practice and concerns are
highlighted
 Academic Schools, Student Support Services,
Students Union and Registry all have
representation
 Meets regularly throughout year
 Considers what is going well and what is not
 Co-ordinates activity across the university
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Monitors all retention, induction and
guidance activities on an annual basis
 Each aspect is looked at twice
 Firstly to provide enhancement opportunities and
dissemination of good practice across the
university
 Secondly to plan and co-ordinate the work in the
subsequent year
 Areas of concern are also highlighted and
reported to Student Affairs Committee
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Other activities include:
 Members of the forum reporting to their
school or service to allow two way flow of
information
 Monitoring of timely and student friendly
timetables
 Considering methods of monitoring student
attendance
 Plus more!
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STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES
Top Level Commitment
Involvement in Strategic Development
Central, highly visible premises
Adequate Resource
Staff committed to student wellbeing
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What we have
 Accommodation
 Careers
 Chaplains
 Counselling
 Disabilities
 English Language
 International
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 Jobshop
 Study Skills
 Sport
 Welfare
 Voluntary Action
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Supporting Retention
Work closely with Guidance Tutors/Halls
Staff and others re effective referral
Participate in induction events
Duty Advisers always available for
individual students
Electronic support
Monitor our work and report to SAC
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Snapshot of Support
1,761 students found employment through
the Jobshop – 772 in the University
1,600 counselling sessions
105 induction sessions attended
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7,738 hours of support to disabled
students through Support Worker Service
696 Student Visas renewed
790 Study Skills Tutorials
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The role of
Student Well Being
in boosting
Retention
by
C F M Creasy, S Groves and P Slee
ANY QUESTIONS?