Performance Standards
This page provides information on performance standards for the following student support services:
- Student Discipline
- Student Health & Well Being
- Student Disability Advice
- Student Information & Funding
- International Student Advice
It outlines service objectives, principles and provision and details services to students - staff - the institution.
Service Objectives, Principles and Provision
These Student Support Services aim to deliver an integrated service in line with the University’s vision and strategic framework.
They adhere to principles and policies of confidentiality, transparency, widening participation, equal opportunities and supporting diversity.
The main areas of activity are:
- personal counselling
- money advice
- administration of hardship funds
- immigration advice
- provision of disability support
- initial disciplinary investigations
- informing, supporting and training staff
- development of policy and codes of practice
- external liaison
Services to Students
Our staff aim to provide a welcoming, confidential, sensitive and effective response to enquiries from students. This includes regular updates on work in progress. In particular:
- routine enquiries will be responded to within 3 working days
- complex enquires will receive an indication within 3 working days of how long a final response is likely to take. In most cases this will be within 10 working days. However, this is subject to accurate and timely information being provided by the student and the response rate of external agencies
- initial appointments will be offered within 5 working days and an indication given of a schedule for subsequent work
- urgent appointments will be offered within 1 working day·
- counselling appointments will be offered within 10 working days · learning support tuition appointments will be offered within 10 working days
- hardship payments will be made within 10 working days
- urgent cash or cheque payments from the hardship funds will be made within 1 or 3 working days respectively
- these services will aim to meet the standards of best practice set by the relevant professional associations.
Services to Staff
Our staff aim to provide up to date information, advice, support and training for all staff involved in managing or delivering related services to students. In particular:
- an initial response to requests for help relating to work in progress with a student will be provided within 1 working day.
- a schedule for any ongoing work will be agreed, including an opportunity to review and learn from the experience
- information, advice and training will be provided proactively by means of comprehensive websites, leaflets and workshops.
Services to the Institution
Our staff will contribute to the development of institutional structures and activities designed to enhance the experience of our diverse student body. In particular:
- the team will contribute to the development and implementation of University policy and practices to meet institutional aims and statutory obligations
- accurate statutory returns will be submitted to the deadlines determined by external bodies
- services will be delivered within agreed budgets, explicitly agreeing priorities, as appropriate
- initial, investigative disciplinary interviews will normally be held within 10 working days of an incident being reported to the Head of Student Services, and the outcome of the interview will be confirmed in writing to all relevant parties within 3 working days
- appropriate support and supervision of staff will seek to maintain a healthy, functioning and effective team.