Academic Support Service Customer Satisfaction Improvement Plan 2016/2017
The action plan for service improvements has arisen from customer feedback in relation to our academic support services – thank you for your input and helping us to improve the way we do things.
Customer Satisfaction Feedback/You said we did / Source of Feedback/Date Received / Service Improvement / Date Improvement Actioned / Progress To Date
1 / Inappropriate behaviour/lack of awareness of student needs by invigilators / Individual Exam Requirements Survey Jan 2015 / Improved invigilator training
Guidelines for the Allocation of Invigilators to be amended re rest break cover / Introduced from Semester Two 2015/2016 / Student feedback passed to SEO for inclusion in invigilator training sessions
Revised guidelines in use
2 / Only 65% (approx) of students submitting Applications for Individual Exam Arrangements by deadline / Individual Exam Requirements Survey Jan 2015 / Deadline for submission of applications extended / Introduced from Semester One 2016/2017 / Deadline set on a semester by semester basis in accordance with exam weeks
3 / Accuracy and clarity of email notification of individual exam arrangements / Individual Exam Requirements Survey Jan 2015 / Email notifications reviewed and amended for clarity. Benchmark timescales for sending out notifications set / Introduced from Semester Two 2015/2016 / Benchmark exercise carried out (Semester One 2015/2016 benchmarked retrospectively to inform setting of benchmark criteria)
Improved benchmark criteria set for Semester One 2016/2017. Ongoing monitoring of benchmark achievement
4 / Information regarding other services across the university to enhance knowledge of the Team / Academic Support Service
September 2015 / The introduction of monthly staff development sessions / Introduced from Semester One 2015/2016 / Ongoing throughout 2016/2017
5 / Providing Academic Support at Queens Specialist Building / Assistant Vice Chancellor – Academic
September 2015 / A member of the team is now on reception Monday-Friday 8.45 am – 5.00 pm / Introduced from Semester One 2015/2016 / Ongoing throughout 2016/2017
6 / A stock of stationery and pigeon holes for staff at Queens Specialist Building / Academic Support Service
September 2015 / This is now available in the small room at the side of reception / Provision made available from Semester One 2015/2016 / Stock maintained
7 / Staff unsure of the Academic Support Service function / Heads of School and Student Survey
October 2015 / Academic Support Service now included on the Staff Induction programme / Introduced from Semester Two 2015/2016 / Ongoing – positive verbal feedback received
8 / Increase in awareness of the Service to students and customers / Student Survey
October 2015 / Leaflets have been provided, posters around the university, website, attending induction events / Introduced from Semester One 2016/2017 / Ongoing
9 / No FAQs page for our customers / Academic Support Service
October 2015 / FAQ link now available on the Academic Support Service webpage / Added February 2016 / Maintained and updated as appropriate
10 / Communication between Heads of School and Programme Teams / Heads of School and
Academic Support Service
May 2016 / Administrators encouraged to attend Programme Team meetings/meetings with Head of School / Introduced from Semester Two 2016/2017 / Ongoing
11 / The way in which module statistics are presented to Student-Staff Liaison Committees – not easy to read? / Heads of School
August 2016 / A new format has been devised through reporting services / Introduced from Semester One 2016/2017 / Continued for Semester Two Student-Staff Liaison Committees and feedback noted in minutes
12 / Assignment submission box required at Queens Specialist Building / Heads of School
October 2016 / Submission box installed at Queens Specialist Building / Installed December 2016 / Checked daily
13 / Poor turnaround time for minutes in some areas of academic support / Heads of School February 2017 / Benchmark for turnaround times to be introduced and monitored. / In progress / Other Universities contacted to help establish appropriate benchmarks
14 / Need for invigilators to have clear and full information regarding individual requirements for exams / Individual Exam Requirements Survey Jan 2017 / Format of communication to invigilators to be reviewed / In progress / To be reviewed prior to Semester Two exam week 2016/2017
15 / Need to check if equipment/provision made to support students during exams is effective / Individual Exam Requirements Survey Jan 2017 / Notification email to be amended to refer students back to Disability Service if provision is not appropriate / Amended March 2017 / Amended email to be used from Semester Two 2016/2017 onwards
16 / Not easy to locate the Academic Support Service page on the University website / Academic Support Service
March 2017 / Link now available on the University homepage under Information for… / Added on 9 March 2017 / Maintained and updated as appropriate
17 / Maintaining and enhancing feedback mechanisms to ensure continuous improvement / Academic Support Service March 2017 / Calendar of survey times, analysis time slots and benchmark monitoring / In progress / Calendar of events being developed
18 / Adopt new methods to communicate with students / Academic Support Service March 2017 / Implement the use of text messaging to communicate with students / In progress / Ongoing
19 / Liaise with and visit similar organisations in order to benchmark our provision and share best practice / Academic Support Service March 2017 / Contact made with other universities and colleges. Meeting arranged at Bradford College late March 2017. / In progress / Ongoing