Mr Neil Thompson, Vice-President of LSU, attended the meeting to report on progress and future plans for the representation of students at the Peterborough site.
The Students Union recognised the service, resources and facilities they are able to provide to campus based students does not easily fit the needs and requirements of students based in a city environment some sixty miles away, particularly as many of those students are mature and part-time. Nevertheless the LSU is committed to providing the best possible support and representation for their Peterborough students at and look forward to these exciting new challenges.
Support and communication are seen as key to the issues involved. The strengths and differences between the two institutions will be used in positive ways to develop, strengthen and build on the foundations established over the last year. In particular the high quality IT facilities at Peterborough will be fully utilized as the Union develops and expands its own IT facilities. The campus network base, through hall committees and inter hall relationships cannot be replicated at Peterborough; communication and representation will, therefore, be through course rep networks, which, it is felt, will provide as an efficient and effective relationship with students.
Links with staff and students at the Peterborough site have been established over the summer. Student representation at registration, providing information and advice, further strengthened ties. Support and welfare services have been established and will continue to be developed. Further events, meetings and visits are planned.
The LSU will continue to build on these foundations with the aim of providing high quality standards, service and representation for its Peterborough students.
Mrs Llewellyn presented the Student Guidance and Welfare Development Plan for 1998/2000 and outlined the achievements made during 1997/98
Accommodation
The Counselling Service and the English Language Support Unit had both been relocated and an additional consulting room at the Medical Centre had been completed. Future plans include the re-location of the Disability and Additional Needs Service.
IT
All sections had taken advantage of IT applications where relevant. Some concern was, however, expressed in regard to resourcing IT links for Wardens and this was being actively pursued. Mrs Llewellyn was asked to discuss these issues with the Senior Pro-Vice Chancellor.
Finance
All Sections remained in budget in the Department’s first year of operation but unforeseen events, particularly staff illness, were already creating difficulties in the present session. It was recommended, as a temporary measure, that a request for assistance be submitted to Operations Sub-Committee to enable the Department to address the situation and maintain service levels. Such a request had the full support of the Student Services Committee.
It was also recommended that a paper be prepared for Operations Sub-Committee, outlining the immediate budget problems and increased pressures on the Disability and Additional Needs Service due to their small size, limited resources and the increased number of students requiring support.
The Student Recruitment and Admissions Team Manager will be asked to liaise with DaANS in order that the needs and resource requirements of "potential" disabled and additional needs students can be assessed early in the admissions cycle and that applications from such candidates are tracked through the admissions process.
The Students Union members agreed to contact Mrs Llewellyn and the Disability and Additional Needs Service to discuss and explore the issues involved
LCAD Merger
It was reported that despite an increase in revenue, there had been a greater demand on services and resources than anticipated. The consequential impact on the Department of was that it was only keeping level with budget.
New Developments
It was noted that the department had been successful in generating external income and support for the English Language Support Unit
International Students
The Department wish to propose the appointment of an International Students Advisor. They are aware of the excellent service provided within the Student Advice Centre but feel the role and tasks envisaged for this proposed new appointment, were not currently on offer. Mr Jones agreed to arrange a meeting with Mr Moore and Mrs Llewellyn to look into the whole area of support for international students and to take the matter forward
Mr. Jones reported that the University’s allocation from the DFEE for 1998/99 was £353,682.00 being an increase of 130% on the previous year. The terms and conditions for payment of grants remained broadly unchanged. It was noted that part-time students were now eligible for funding and that 5% of the funds could be used to offer bursaries to help full-time undergraduates meet living costs.
The introduction of the Government’s Supplementary Hardship Loan scheme for new students was noted. Loughborough’s allocation for this new initiative was just over £53K.
The University’s own Hardship Fund, which is expected to extend to £30K in 1998/99, was noted. The fund is open to all students but it was felt principal demand was likely to come from international students facing the consequences of unfavourable exchange rates.
Scholarships and Bursaries for International Students were introduced by the University in 1998/99. All awards are set against tuition fee liability and the total investment is likely to be of the order of £165K. Ten merit based scholarships valued at £2K each had been awarded competitively to new undergraduate and postgraduate students from Singapore and Malaysia.
In addition, all new and returning students from Malaysia, Thailand, Korea, Indonesia and the Philippines received a bursary of between £1K and £1.5K depending on the nature of their programme of study. Mr. Jones reported that the bursary scheme had only extended to countries outlined in Foreign Office recommendations. Loughborough has a large contingent of Singaporean students who felt aggrieved that the bursary scheme did not include them and Mr. Jones is liaising with the Students Union in regard to this.
The Committee received the HEFCE Circular 98/45 : Access Funds – Allocation and terms and conditions for payment of grants in 1998/89. Key changes in the conditions were noted. Priority for mature students and students coming into higher education from local authority care were noted and will be drawn to the attention of the Student Advice Centre
The Committee received and noted the Monitoring Return and Report on Access Funds to HEFCE for 1997/98.
It was reported that the Hardship Funds Panel had received 46 applications for general hardship Grants since the last meeting. 27 Grants for sums between £250 and £900 were allocated; no award was made in 7 cases and 12 interviews were pending. 13 follow up/monitoring interviews had taken place of which 10 had been granted sums between £500 and £750and. No award was made in 3 cases. In addition to these Grants, 1 Loan for £600 had been made. The distribution of applicants for hardship applications were from the following countries: Barbados 1, Canada 1, Ethiopia 1, Italy 2, Indonesia 1, Japan 2, Malaysia 25, Nigeria 1, Pakistan 1, Saudia Arabia 1, Singapore 7, Spain 1, UK 2.
It was also reported that from the start of the 1998-99 Session, 21 requests for interest-free Hardship Loans had been approved for sums between £50 and £500.
The Committee noted and approved the decisions made by the Hardship Funds Panel.
The Committee recorded their thanks to the Mrs Alexander and Mr. Jones for the work involved in the allocation of Access and Hardship Funds.
Author: K.A.Alexander
Date: 11 November 1998
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