User-friendly services boost student support

The University of Queensland's Student Support Services, formerly the Careers and Counselling Service, has launched a range of initiatives to improve assistance to students.

The Service has introduced 'express service delivery' which provides an opportunity to talk with a counsellor/adviser for 20 minutes on the day of enquiry.

Service director Dr Maureen Burke said the new system dramatically cut waiting times for appointments, benefited clients and spread the workload among skilled staff.

Service counsellors/advisers have already seen 1152 clients in the first seven weeks of 1997, with almost 700 students responding to a questionnaire about the initiative.

About 94 percent of respondents said they were satisfied with the initiative and more than 99 percent agreed that the Service was accessible and welcoming.

About 98 percent said they received prompt attention, and of these, almost 80 percent indicated that they did not require a further consultation at that time.

'This system ensures that within a short time of arrival at the Service, a client can discuss concerns with staff,' Dr Burke said. 'This is particularly important at the beginning of the academic year when demand is very high.

'The Service offers flexible delivery of all services, so short and long consultations are available throughout the year.'

The initiative followed the findings of a Customer Service Taskforce set up to look at customer service provided by the former Careers and Counselling Service, Prentice Centre, Library and Health Service.

Dr Burke said the initiative was part of a review which has included the renaming and a $110,000 refurbishment, aimed at making the Service's building more client-friendly.

Other initiatives include:

- a Professional Links Project to broaden career programs for students and new graduates, improve interaction with the corporate sector and produce more employable graduates;

- an evaluation of attrition and completion rates for first-year science students in collaboration with the School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, which surveyed more than 500 first-year science students. The project involves evaluation of the Service's effectiveness in helping first-year students.

- a Succeeding in Tertiary Education workshop for 'at risk' students;

- new workshops on budgeting, tenants' rights and living independently, as well as a social group for partners and families of international students; and

- an academic preparation program for AusAID students to foster international students' academic, institutional and cultural adjustment.

For more information, contact Dr Burke (telephone 07 3365 1720/3365 51704).