Support for Students Procedure

The purpose of our procedure

Our Support for Students Procedure supports students to succeed and complete their higher education studies. We achieve this through early identification, communication and an integrated network of academic and non-academic support services, interventions and processes specific to students’ needs.

Please read this procedure in conjunction with our:

• Support for Students Policy
• Assessment Policy and Assessment Procedure
• Variations to Assessment Procedure
• [Reasonable Adjustments to Learning, Teaching and Assessment for Students Requiring Disability Support Policy]
• [Student Health Assessment and Leave Policy and Procedures]
• [Student Loan Policy]
• Student Complaints Policy
• [Gender Based Violence Procedure]
• [Student Critical Incidents Response Policy and Procedure]
• Enrolment Policy and Enrolment Procedure.

Who our procedure applies to

Our procedure applies to students enrolled in coursework programs and to staff who provide academic or non-academic support services to these students.

Our Support for Students Procedure

1. When students are admitted

Coursework students are admitted to Adelaide University under our Admissions Policy. This policy ensures that students meet the minimum entry requirements, including English language proficiency, to support their success in the program.

2. How we support new students

To help students identify and access academic and non-academic support services, we provide information during their transition experience.

We use one or more of these methods to communicate this to new students:

• [Central Support Service] website
• [Support Service Expo]
• [Transition Support Module(s)]
• email to the student’s university email address
• email to the student’s personal email address.

3. How we provide students with support strategies

We offer diverse academic and non-academic support services that reflect the range of students’ backgrounds.  These are designed to assist students in overcoming issues that put them at risk of not completing their course(s). 

Academic and professional staff work to identify appropriate support strategies tailored to students’ individual academic or personal circumstances, and progress stage. This support may include:

• referral to academic learning support services, such as literacy, library or numeracy support, online study tools, Peer Assisted Study Sessions, [National Tutorial Program and/or First Nations Student Support team].
• counselling, disability, chronic health, carer support or general health services
• financial or accommodation services
• an individual study plan
• recommending a reduction in course load
• recommending deferral or a leave of absence
• transferring to an exit-award, if available.

We also provide additional support services appropriate to individual circumstances, including the following:

• Dedicated support officers who provide academic and non-academic mentoring, guidance and support to First Nations Students.
• [International Student Support] provides support for international students, including orientation to study in Australia, and cultural, faith or religious, and language support.
• [Student Counselling Services] offers on-campus and online support for students’ physical, emotional, and mental wellbeing, and assists in referral to other support services.
• [website] offers support and assistance to those needing support for circumstances such as those related to gender-based violence or discrimination related to ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, or gender.
• [Role/unit] provides independent information, advocacy, support and referral across a range of academic, administrative and welfare issues.

4. How we proactively identify and communicate with students who may need support

We take steps to help students recognise when they may be at risk of not succeeding in one or more of their courses, and to inform them of services and support available.

Both academic and professional staff are responsible for assisting students who request support or are identified as needing support. This may result from unsuccessful course completion of a course or non-submission of an assignment. Working in partnership we use available resources and best endeavours to identify students and inform them of the academic and non-academic support services (see section 3).

Prior to the census date for each teaching period, staff seek to identify students for whom there is evidence of disengagement. Indicators of disengagement may include, but are not limited to:

• no login activity on the [Learning Management System LMS] for more than seven or more consecutive days
• missing submission(s) for one or more assignment(s)
• referral to support services by academic or professional staff.

Whenever practically possible, we contact students proactively to inform them of upcoming census dates and the consequences of not withdrawing before the census date. We also remind students of the academic and non-academic support services we offer and how to access them.

Contact will be made using one or more of the following communications methods:

• email to the student’s University email address
• SMS text message
• telephone call.

Attempts to contact students will be recorded in the relevant Adelaide University systems.

5. How we determine and monitor academic progress

We monitor students’ academic progress through their program and manage those identified as at risk under our Academic Progress Procedure.

6. How our other policies and procedures contribute to supporting students

Academic and professional staff who support students in their course must make themselves aware of our policies and procedures that contribute to our support for students, including academic and non-academic support.  These include:

• Assessment Policy and Assessment Procedure
• Variations to Assessment Procedure
• [Reasonable Adjustments to Learning, Teaching and Assessment for Students Requiring Disability Support Policy]
• [Student Health Assessment and Leave Policy and Procedures]
• [Student Loan Policy]
• Student Complaints Policy

Other policies and procedures provide advice to staff and students on responding to crises and serious harm. These include:

• [Gender Based Violence Procedure]
• [Student Critical Incidents Response Policy and Procedure].

7. How we implement and manage support policies and procedures

To ensure students and staff are aware of this procedure, its implications, and the support services available, the following measures are implemented:

• our Support for Students Policy and this procedure will be publicly available on our website
• academic and non-academic support services will be publicly advertised in a central location on our website
• information about support services will be shared with individual students during their transition experience.

To help meet our commitments under this procedure, we will:

• communicate with staff to ensure they are aware of up-to-date support services and their responsibilities in identifying students needing support, and providing timely and targeted advice
• allocate, and where possible adjust, resources to support all students who are identified as requiring additional assistance. This includes ensuring staff who support students are appropriately trained
• monitor the implementation of this policy to ensure opportunities for improvement, including those identified by students, are identified and actioned, and communicate outcomes to students.

We will review our Support for Students Policy and this procedure annually to identify opportunities for improvement and ensure that details regarding support for students are current, resourced, proactively targeted to students, and able to be reported on in compliance with legal obligations.

Students and staff will have the opportunity to contribute to the annual review process. 

Definitions used in our procedure

Please refer to our Adelaide University glossary for a full list of our definitions.

Assignment means assessment tasks. Assignments can be graded, non-graded, or purely formative (see definitions for each of these terms).

Census Date means the date within each study period (or research period for research degree programs) by which a student's enrolment must be finalised for a course, and applicable fees and charges are incurred.

It is the last day that a student can withdraw from a course and have it deleted from their academic record. It is also the deadline for various financial requirements, including submission of request for Commonwealth support and HECS-HELP form; submission of request for FEE-HELP Assistance; payment of any up-front payment of student contribution; obtaining a HECS-HELP loan; or supplying a Tax File Number.

Email means sending and/or receiving correspondence via an official Adelaide University email address for current staff and students.  For prospective students or other individuals, email means the email address provided to Adelaide University as part of an application for admission, or via any other correspondence 

International student means a person (whether inside or outside of Australia) who requires a student visa to study in Australia.

Leave of absence is a time period during which Adelaide University permits a student to remain unenrolled from courses but retain their place in a program. 

Student means a person enrolled in an Enabling Program, award or non-award coursework study, a research program, or a short course or microcredential at Adelaide University.

How our procedure is governed

This Procedure is categorised, approved and owned in line with the governance structure of Adelaide University and the offices and officers listed below.

Legislation and other documents related to this procedure

History of changes

Note on structures, positions and position titles:

At the time of writing, the organisational structure, positions, committees, or any other unknown item etc. for Adelaide University have not been confirmed. Accordingly, square brackets [ ] temporarily enclose such information in this procedure until confirmed.