Tell us your priorities for student services
Last year the Federal Government passed legislation to allow universities to charge a Student Services and Amenities Fee from January 2012 for all higher education students.
The fee provides additional funding that will enable Swinburne to continue to invest in and improve the range and quality of support services available to all students. These essential services include health and welfare services, financial advice, accommodation assistance, advocacy, sport, cultural and recreational activities.
As part of our commitment to providing the best possible environment for our students, we sought your advice about student services and your views about the priorities for the allocation of fee revenue.
We have spoken with a range of groups including Swinburne's Student Consultative Network, student representatives on the Swinburne Student Amenities Association Board and the Swinburne Student Union.
Last year, we also surveyed students on your satisfaction with student support services and priorities for future service delivery. A summary of the results of last year's Student Services Benchmarking Survey can be accessed. These major surveys, which are conducted every two years, are a rich source of information for the university in making your student experience the best that it can be and I'd encourage anyone interested to check out the results.
Based upon the feedback we have received from students to date, Swinburne has identified a number of priority areas for expenditure in 2012.
In doing so, our guiding principle has been to focus on those key service areas identified by students as being of greatest importance or needing the greatest improvement, as well as those key service areas which will have the greatest impact on student engagement, student retention and graduate employment outcomes.
Now, we seek your further input. You - as the users of these services - are best placed to tell us what works for you.
The final stage of the consultation process begins this week and gives all higher education students another opportunity to provide feedback on priorities for 2012. Your feedback will help us to continue to enhance all aspects of student life and to build an environment that supports you.
I invite and encourage you to have your say about the priorities for Student Services by Friday 6 April.
Professor Linda Kristjanson
Vice-Chancellor