Eril McNamara, Consultant, Brisbane
How collaborative efforts coordinated through The University Of Queensland’s Student Centre have
led to a better quality of service to students
The Student Centre at the University of Queensland (UQ) is the single point of contact for all student and
central administration functions and acts as a one-stop-shop for students. As such, the Student Centre is
both the recipient and conduit of student concerns and problems. The frequently asked questions at the
Student Centre alert staff to what students do not know (through lack of, or poorly disseminated,
information) and/or are confused about (due to ambiguous or conflicting information). The lodgement of
student complaints enables Student Centre staff to identify problems as they arise and where the
bureaucratic/administrative systems negatively impact upon students. Through collaboration with other
sections within the University and with external bodies such as Centrelink and Queensland Transport
(responsible for buses, trains and ferries), the Student Centre has implemented systems that provide faster
administrative processing for staff and students. These have minimised the need for them to go from pillar
to post (across and between campuses) as had been the case in prior times, and have inadvertently provided
positive outcomes for staff.
The roles of the UQ Student Centre are as follows:
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Address student and other clients’ queries and receive feedback
Collaborate with other sections in order to respond to this feedback and resolve clients’ problems
Filter/edit information that is distributed to students
Act as delegated authority for the faculties and cognate administration sections
Implement the Orientation program and Chair the Working Party
1. Receive and respond to student feedback
The primary role of the Student Centre is to address clients’ face-to-face queries and to resolve their
problems, which often necessitates dealing with multiple stakeholders. For example, a student’s ID card
production may have been held up due to problems with various administration areas such as Revenue, the
Library, and/or the then, Enrolments section. In the past students would have to go to each respective
section around the campus and the Cashier (sometimes located at another campus). One student wrote:
I think it sucks that in order to obtain a student card you have to do laps of the Great Court. Why is it
not possible to pay $5.00 and get a student card on the spot? I walked across the Great Court 4 times
today organising my replacement card.
Through collaboration, Student Centre staff now know who to contact; have the networks established to
resolve the problem and students can pay where ID cards are produced. Student Centres act as the Cashier
at two sites, and are located adjacent to the Cashier at the other two sites. The Ipswich, Gatton and Herston
Student Centres even produce the ID card – all of which speeds resolution of the problem for the student.
The Student Centre has also liaised with Queensland Transport to provide input to travel concession policy
and the implementation of integrated ticketing – which will improve services for both students and the
wider community.
Student Feedback mechanisms include:
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Face-to-face comments – the primary medium;
Student enquiry form (formal complaints placed in the Student Centre’s Lodgement box,
cleared and read daily);
E-mail;
Telephone; and
Evaluation forms (paper and Web).
2. Collaborate with other sections to provide better service
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Where repeated/high volume problems or queries occur, the Student Centre staff are able to identify and
inform the relevant section of this feedback in a timely manner. This in turn enables the unit to implement
changes in their procedure/policy and update their web pages. Student Centre staff are members of and/or
Chair a range of cross-sectional groups to pass information between sections; discuss the ways in which
administrative procedures or policies that negatively impact students can be revised; and keep their Student
Centre colleagues abreast of changes.
2.1 Sample cross-sectional meetings include:
Student Administration Management Team meetings. Members are managers from Admissions,
Examinations, Graduations, Student Information Network (SI-net) Support Group and the Student Centres.
They work collaboratively to ensure time-lines are not in conflict and the Student Centres support each
section as needed, eg. answering the phone while staff attend meetings, assistance with mail outs, etc.
Student feedback is reported to the meeting. An example of responding to such feedback was that the
Student Centre gained access to Graduations database and now supplies graduation tickets to students.
Thus tickets are no longer mailed to the wrong address and students have them in time for their ceremony.
Similarly, if students forget to take ID to an examination, Student Centres can now lift the ‘Negative
Service Indicator’ from their file, so that their access to the student information system is no longer
blocked, which has resulted in speedier resolution of the process (and access to their examination results).
A more complex response was made after students repeatedly complained about academic records:
“How long does it take to make an academic transcript? And why do they cost so much? 3 days is far
too long. 1 print out! Come on! “
“re academic transcripts: they are required for APA applications to other universities, and therefore
required ASAP once results are available. The service is too slow. Suggest either: 1. Hire temp staff
to process them. 2. Allow for transcripts needed ASAP to be prioritised. “
The production of academic records is now a function of the Student Centre and Fast Turnaround
Academic Transcripts are available on the same day, usually within 3 hours. The newest service that the
Student Centre is implementing (subsequent to collaboration with e-Business Services and SI-net) is
Online Academic Record ordering and payment – which speeds processing further and increases privacy
and security for credit card payments.
eBusiness Services had developed a means for the online payment of fees that included security features
and was in compliance with the Privacy Act. The Student Centre has been able to modify this for the online
payment of academic records, incurring very minimal programming costs. And SI-net agreed to the Student
Centre utilising a data robot that had been developed for other purposes including the mass production of
records for graduation ceremonies.1 All online requests made by students who know their student number
will be forwarded to Peoplesoft as a nightly download of student number files, and the following morning
their academic records will be automatically retrieved (with address printed labels if required).
With this development students will be able to order their academic record from any location and provide
their credit card details to the University knowing that the best security measures are in place. The
Academic Record staff member will only need to spend time researching the details of students who do not
remember their student number, and once identified, those requests will also be placed in a SI-net
download file (ie. taking two days to process). This will result in increasing the time available to produce
the more complex (ie. archived and pre-Peoplesoft) records; and improve the turnaround production time of
all records significantly – responding positively to student feedback.
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This was also responsive to student expectations, in that graduating International students wanted to
expedite their return home; and domestic students also wanted their record promptly for employment
and scholarship seeking purposes.
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In addition to faster and more secure processes, the requests made online will be automatically logged into
a data base so that a record exists of the items requested and the students’ personal details. These will be
able to be updated and checked when the items have been produced and the addresses to which they will be
sent. Prior to this all such data has needed to be manually entered. The online system will lessen the
possibility of error from misreading a poorly printed fax request or incorrectly typing a person’s unusual
name, because the students will enter their own name when they make their order. The data will also enable
the manager to better monitor demand times, take inventory of stock used and provide an audit trail for
credit card payments. The software development was based on cost recovery within two months (12
months is the standard) and the implementation is expected to result in a reduction of the required staffing
levels – both significant factors in terms of declining budgets.
 Student Centre Reference Group. Student Centre management implemented this in order to
formalise a collaboration process with key internal stakeholders. Members are drawn from: the Student
Union, Dean of Students, the faculties, Marketing and Communication, International Admissions Section
(IAS), Research and Postgraduate Studies (ORPS), Business Services, the Library in addition to cognate
student administration functions such as SI-net. As an example of service, International students needed to
complete two forms requiring identical data by ORPS and IAS. The Student Centre liaised with both
sections through the Student Centre Reference Group, which resulted in the form being actioned at ORPS
and then sent through internal mail to IAS. The two offices were unaware that they required the same data,
whereas the Student Centre is often aware of the ‘bigger picture’ in terms of the effect on students. The
Student Centre also flagged the delays that students experienced waiting for refunds, resulting in
Electronic File Transfer being implemented, rather than payment by cheque, which took 6 weeks to
process.
The Student Centre has been responsible for producing Confirmation of Enrolment letters for students
and Centrelink compliance reports. SI-net, in collaboration with the Student Centre (and formerly
Enrolments), worked with Centrelink to progress the automatic issue of enrolment reports from SI-net onto
the student’s web file. This enabled self-service and convenient access (24/7) to their records for Centrelink
and/or other purposes such as bank loans, scholarship applications etc. and is particularly helpful for
students engaged in paid work who have difficulty coming to campus in business hours. And, as there is
now an absence of Centrelink students queuing for this documentation, the Student Centre functions more
efficiently in its delivery of service to students on a range of other issues and needs. Through collaboration
with Centrelink many other institutions are now using a similar process.
 Faculty Student Administrative Managers Committee (SAMC) meetings – members are the
administrative officers in each faculty. Subsequent to devolution of Enrolments to the faculties, a Student
Centre representative obtained membership of the group and worked with SAMC to standardise their
procedures to be in line with enrolment practice and policy, resulting in consistent processes across all
faculties. This has proved very helpful to students in dual degrees, who were confused by different
processes. Student Centres also provide all student enrolment documentation for Centrelink compliance
(which many students had requested from their faculties).
2.2 Single section contacts include:
 International Admission Section. International students are proportionately the most frequent Student
Centre clients. A Student Centre representative attends IAS staff meetings, forwards student feedback, and
meets to review and refine processes. For instance, one student wrote:
I could not get a student card because the card has already been sent overseas. I suggest that
overseas students pick up the card in campus rather than to send it overseas.
Others indicated concern with delays in accessing medical services at the time of their arrival. The Student
Centre liaised with IAS and Information Technology Services to gain access to Web Prism. Subsequently,
Student Centres can distribute usernames and passwords (needed to enrol and gain email access), thus
increasing the speed of International student enrolment, and their receipt of ID cards (which are no longer
mailed). The Student Centre now also distributes Overseas Student Health Cover cards. Prior to this,
students had to wait to attend Orientation to get their health and ID card, which stopped them from
attaining travel concessions and early selection of tutorial times and necessitated upfront payment for
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Health Services. Student Centres can now produce replacement usernames and passwords for ANY
students who lose/forget them. As an aside, Web Prism also enables Student Centres to check the visual
image of students; thus if they come to the Student Centre without their student card, staff can validate their
identity and serve them rather than turn them away. This is a good example of an inadvertent but very
positive outcome.
 Student Centre “Contacts”
One Student Centre staff member is nominated as the “Contact” person for each faculty/section and is
responsible for exchange of information with them. The Contact attends their staff meetings and is
responsible for informing all other Student Centre staff of any changes; and Student Centre staff ask the
Contact, not the section, the answers to their questions. This reduces the number of queries made, and
hence interruptions, to the staff in the section; ensures that the Student Centre has current information and
ensures that a standard response is made to student queries. The Contacts have reported feeling empowered
in having this responsibility. And given that the Contacts share their information within a cross-functional
team, the result is a group of very skilled front-line staff.
The Contact system indirectly improves services to students, in that the ‘one stop’ at the Student Centre
gives added value, which is consistent with student expectations. It also addresses staff cutbacks (in that all
new knowledge/changes are documented in the online training manual immediately); and the increasing
complexities of administrative function, eg. by having the International Contact ensure the Student Centre
procedures were in compliance with the ESOS Act; and the faculty Contacts ensure that their delegation
statements (described later) remain current.
3. Filter/edit information that is distributed to students
Responsibility for these tasks has evolved subsequent to feedback received in the process of collaborating
with stakeholders at the Student Centre Reference Group.
 The Student Centre reads all broadcast emails before distribution to ensure that they are ‘reader
friendly’; and this process enables Student Centre staff to know what students will be receiving so they
can assist them promptly with any problems that the email may generate. They can also add
information to the e-mail, in relation to its impact on students. For example, the email may be in regard
to an extension of time for withdrawal without penalty, but the Student Centre may add: “however you
will still incur a HECS/PELS debt”.
 The Student Centre revises myAdvisor (UQ’s online administrative knowledge-base) and Student
Centre web pages and keeps them current. The Student Centre also placed online all the forms that
they distributed from brochure racks, in order that students could download them from a distance rather
than have to come to the campus.
 The Student Centre reviews all publications regarding administrative processes eg. brochures on
rule changes or revisions for the Student Union’s handbook for new students, in order that students are
given correct and current information. The Student Centre also advises functional units where their
brochures or web sites have not been updated.
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Act as delegated authority for the faculties and cognate administration sections
The Student Centre has worked extensively with each faculty to develop delegation statements to
support them in enrolment processing through Peoplesoft. Student Centre staff have delegated
authority, for example, to undertake enrolment functions such as program/term activation; course
addition; course overload; plan change; and program suspension. The Student Centre undertakes
several front-of-house roles for various administrative sections. For example, acceptance of work visa
applications for International Admissions. This saves students being sent across campus repeatedly to
have their respective enrolment processes undertaken.
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Implement the Orientation program and Chair Working Party
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The task of coordinating and implementing the Orientation program across all campuses places the
Student Centre in a working relationship with ALL components of the University – Senior Executive,
Marketing and Communications, Property and Facilities, the Library, the Schools and Faculties, the
Colleges, Security, Traffic, UQ Sport, Information Technology Services, and the Student Union.
Because of its role to receive feedback from students, the Centre is well placed to know where students
experience difficulties and can develop initiatives and support strategies to assist new students in their
transition to the University. For instance, workshops are now provided on Understanding the
Timetable and University nomenclature.
Would like to be able to get tutored in IT matters. Couldn't find anyone to help me set email or
learn SI-net stuff.
To assist students who are less familiar with computers, the Student Centre now hires student guides to
assist at computer terminals (at the Student Centre and the Library) during enrolment and has initiated
SI-net Help sessions during Orientation.
I am largely computer illiterate (technofear!) and appreciate face-to-face contact. Many
thanks!
Student Feedback
Students have consistently praised the work of the Student Centre, particularly in the transitional time
when students remembered the former administrative approaches where less collaboration took place.
Sample feedback follows:
You guys rock. It’s great that UQ finally has a one-stop-solve-your-problems-shop. That
whole running all over campus thing really used to suck.
Is is great to have a central access point to the big machinery of administration that is
normally so inaccessible to students.
A longish line-up used to mean 1/2 hour wait - 5 mins (not even) & a counter was free and staff
very helpful - computers are very handy and SI-net is great to check your enrolment, same as
for the provision of a printer for the internet subject notes, timetables etc from SI-net
You guys are wonderful! Very helpful, quick service able to answer tricky questions on several
occasions - thank you.
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The details of the scholarships and various prizes could be made more concise with info more
accessible/& less time consuming (or at least a more comprehensive guide be made available)
The Student Centre now has a Scholarship noticeboard and all scholarships are listed online
(provided in collaboration with the Scholarships Office and Marketing and Communications).
Further examples of student’s suggestions and feedback on internal procedures and facilities that have
been implemented at the Student Centre include:
a toy box in the query area and a baby change table in the bathroom (provided in collaboration with
the Equity Office and the Womens’ Area of the Student Union);
a photocopy machine for student use and access to fax machine for Study Abroad students to send
enrolment information to their home institution (provided in collaboration with IAS).
Feedback is an ongoing and continuous process. The Student Centre takes all feedback seriously and, if
students provide their return email address, responds to their suggestions for improvements and complaints.
This has included the expansion of Student Centres to the Gatton and Herston campuses, and soon, the
merging of the Cashier and Student Centre at the main (St Lucia) location.
In conclusion, although collaboration takes effort, time and skill, it has proved invaluable at UQ’s Student
Centre. Many of the changes that have evolved in response to student feedback have also made procedures
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more efficient for staff, thus saving time in the long term. Other benefits have also accrued. For instance, in
delegating the responsibility for collaboration among staff by undertaking the “Contact” role, they have
reported feeling empowered because they alone are responsible for the flow of information. These staff can
also develop valuable relationships that can assist with networking on other occasions. Further, with the
Contact taking responsibility to alert their colleagues to changes via email, they can immediately use this
text to update the online Training Manual. This procedure keeps the manual current at all times; and if the
Contact moves to another position, the knowledge that they have been responsible for is already
documented. The development of contacts and effective collaborative partnerships has been critical to the
management of challenges by shared problem solving. And the technology that has been subsequently
implemented has reduced costs; been responsive to the increasing complexities of administrative functions;
provided positive outcomes for staff; and improved service for students.
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