Student services not presently covered by the guidelines
- HELA Submission
26. There are some student services and amenities either not listed in the fee Guidelines or alternatively where it is not clear whether the services are covered by the Guidelines. Given services not listed in the Guidelines would require Ministerial and Parliamentary approval as an amendment to the Guidelines we would suggest consideration be given to inclusion of the additional or expanded services underlined in this section.
27. Unambiguous support for clubs and societies. The Guidelines use the phrase ‘provision of administrative support for’ rather than ‘support of’ when describing the way in which the fee may be applied for clubs and societies. However the paragraph in the Guidelines which precedes the list of allowable uses of the fee states that:
‘Allowable uses of the fee in relation to services and amenities may include the categories listed below. In all cases the purpose would include but not be limited to, the direct provision of the service or amenity, the provision of infrastructure (including new construction) and subsidies that would reduce the price that students may have to pay.’
The provision of a subsidy to a student club or society (for example, providing sausages at wholesale rather than retail price to the club for use at the club’s annual sausage sizzle) would appear to go beyond mere administrative support. The language used in relation to the permitted use of the fee for student clubs and societies is confusing. If there is an intention on the part of the Minister to limit how the fee may be used in support of student clubs and societies then it would be preferable for the Guidelines to state in unambiguous terms what the limitation is and to provide examples.
28. Subsidies for commercial tenants. Some universities and/or campus services organisations struggle to attract commercial tenants onto campus. This is often the case at regional campuses and was the reason the previous government in 2006 made $10 million in capital grants available via the Support for Small Businesses on Regional University Campuses Programme as part of the VSU transition measures.
Worthwhile commercial tenants that can add value to the overall level of convenience, life and vibrancy on campus and that can at times be difficult to attract on to some campuses can include but are not limited to:
- Newsagents;
- Banks;
- Computer shops;
- Sporting goods outlets;
- Travel service;
- Laundry/dry cleaning services;
- Printing, copying, binding and facsimile services;
- Second-hand bookshops;
- Gift/memorabilia shops;
- Cinemas/theatres;
- Equipment hire;
- Taxation services;
- Music shops;
- Hairdressers;
- Lollie/confectionary shops;
- Dentists;
- Optometrists; &
- Pharmacists.
There are not many regional university campuses that can boast a good spread of the above types of value-added commercial tenancies. By and large it is the big city and more affluent campuses that have more success in attracting and retaining these types of tenants. The difficulties inherent in attracting commercial tenants on to some campuses are compounded by the long-term trend for full-time higher education students to spend fewer days on average on campus (Krause et al, 2005).3 Further, commercial tenants on-campus typically have to cope with from 15 to 20 weeks per annum which are outside of the university teaching weeks and where the passing footfall numbers are greatly diminished.
Often-times some form of rental concession or subsidy or assistance with fit-out or perhaps even complete forgiveness of commercial rent in exceptional cases is considered warranted in order to attract commercial tenants to lift the level of vibrancy and amenity of the campus. The more vibrant the campus the more likely the students are to spend time on-campus, engage in co-curricular and extra-curricular activities, make new friends, feel part of the university community and experience a heightened sense of engagement in their higher education pursuits.
29. Student diary. Prior to introduction of VSU campus services organisations had long provided subsidies for the production and wide-scale dissemination of student diaries specific to their host university and which provided all of the term/exam periods, campus map, the major calendared sporting and social events and contact details for various student support services. The student media heading in the Guidelines has no specific provision supportive of student diary.
30. Student personal development courses. Subsidies for the provision of on-campus short courses for students for development of skills to improve casual employment prospects (for example, barrista courses or bar and responsible service of alcohol courses), study techniques, time management, public speaking, leadership and so on.
31. Shower, change and locker facilities. Student facilities of this nature within on-campus
sporting facilities are covered by the Guidelines but subsidies for oncampus student facilities of this nature that are outside of sporting facilities would not appear to be covered. For the undergraduate students in particular, low-cost, accessible and secure locker facilities in on-campus buildings other than sporting facilities are an important need. It is suggested there be some ‘catch all’ heading in the Guidelines for ancillary student amenities of this type, which should also cover things such as subsidies for secure on-campus student bicycle storage
sheds/racks.
32. Student volunteer work within the university. There is no provision within the Guidelines permitting use of the fee to facilitate and support various forms of student volunteer work within the university community. For example, some returning and senior undergraduate students volunteer their time to work in mentor programmes for commencing students. As another example, some students volunteer their time to assist their university with the running of open days for prospective students and their families. The Guidelines should permit
support for these types of volunteer activities.
33. Student volunteer work in the wider community. There is no provision within the Guidelines permitting use of the fee to facilitate and support various forms of student volunteer and/or charitable work out in the wider community. For example, some students give of their time visiting schools to explain to secondary students what life is like at university. Other students volunteer their time to work with intellectually handicapped children. Other students give of their time to work on fundraising campaigns for charitable purposes. The Guidelines should
permit support for these types of charitable or altruistic activities.
34. Bus services. Subsidies for bus services around campus or between the campus and the nearest form of public transport. Some campuses are sufficiently large in size and spread out that there is student demand for subsidised bus services within and around the campus – particularly in some locations, for reasons of security, in the evenings.
Some campuses are not at all well served by public transport and in addition there are cases where the university applies charges for student car parking at close to commercial rates. In these circumstances there can be demand for subsidised bus services between the campus and the nearest form of public transport – particularly to service those students who do not drive, do not have their own motor vehicle or cannot afford the student car parking fees levied by the university.
Arguably, ensuring that students are safe when they are on the campus (which may involve provision of security patrols and regular, on-campus buses in the evenings) should be a service included within the Benchmarks rather than one which is funded or subsidised from the $250 fee.
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