Extramural Presidents Blog » retention

Why have Student Representatives?

ralph — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 02:29:03 +0000

What good do student reps do? A cutting question for a student representative. I expect that students would continue learning regardless of whether or not student representatives exist. But there is a case to be made to support student representation. In a committee today some papers were tabled that changed the learning Outcomes and number and weighting of the paper’s assessment. This is not normally a problem except that the paper was for 2012. Students may have already enrolled. Imagine their surprise when the find out the first assessment is not 10 but 20 per cent of the final grade, and that all the assessments had changes. Imagine their surprise when they learn – perhaps a few weeks into the paper – that the learning outcomes had also changed.

Student Reps support University communication to students

I made the point that students who have enrolled should be notified of the change. This was noted and agreed – the paper cordinator was instructed to ‘make it so’. This point would not have been raised if the student rep had not been at the meeting. This is a small point – but possibly significant to a few students.

At Academic Board the issues are University wide. With the roll-out of the eight year rule communication is again an issue for students. As your representative I have been vocal in my opposition to this regulation and now that it comes to implementation I continue to advocate for students’ interests.

The communication to students, regarding the eight year rule, will be released soon. If it had not been for your student reps this rule may have been more restrictive and the communication a minor detail. Following student rep involvement, I expect a clear explanation of the regulation changes and for the opportunities to negotiate a personal pathway to be included.

Dire Times for Extramural Students

ralph — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 01:27:20 +0000

LET ME STUDY!

Distance Education has fallen out of favour with our Government. For Massey students this may translate to missing out on a place if you are not enrolled with a qualification pre-specified. It may also mean that you cannot get a place if you are new student and it will mean strict enforcement of regulations; if you fail you are out.

In a sensible reaction to New Zealand’s Tertiary Education Strategy, places for distance students at Massey will be reducing. By the time this column goes to press the Massey University Investment Plan for 2011-13 will have been released. This investment plan will likely outline how Massey’s distance student numbers will reduce over the next few years by around 15%, equating to approximately 2,500 students. I expect that Massey’s plan will also address the Government’s focus on youth and Maori students by signaling an intention to increase the number of Maori students and the number of young students (those under 25). And with a $1.8 million boost in student services levies for 2011, Massey will also focus on further developing the academic and pastoral support for students with the aim of improving completion rates.

At the same time, Massey, internally and through its 2020 Strategy, has said it is committed to distance education and the student profile that accompanies that mode. This is not necessarily at odds with Massey’s current Academic Reform Project: rationalizing offerings, which can only be described as prolific and unsustainable, in order to better reflect the current needs of students. But it is at odds with the message that the Investment Plan carries. Clearly there will be a focus of cuts in distance offerings if academic reform is to fit the investment plan vision. So how can Massey’s internal rhetoric be reconciled with Government direction?

Can Massey create an oportunity from the Govt direction?

I believe that within this period of change there exists an opportunity to strengthen Massey’s position as New Zealand’s preeminent distance education provider. If existing resources are focused on developing the best quality delivery for the distance offerings that remain, and we can be reassured that other providers are being discouraged from expanding their distance programmes, then when the wind changes Massey will be in possession of the most advanced (both technologically and pedagogically) distance education delivery in the country.

TEC Performance Information is a crock

ralph — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 09:07:47 +0000

Why don't they get it?

Massey University extramural students are infuriated by the Government’s continuing attack on part time studies.

Performance information published by the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) is misleading and favours institutions that focus on full time internal students. Massey, with its large part time extramural cohort, is being penalised for providing education to those balancing study with work, parenting and financial pressures.

“The government has lost the plot when it comes to the value of part time study,” says Ralph Springett, President of the Massey University Extramural Students’ Society. “It is ridiculous that students who avoid taking a student loan and work productively are the ones singled out as non performers.”

With performance information linked to funding, the pressure will now be on for Massey to reduce its risk around part time learners. This can be achieved by providing more support for students or reducing the number of part time students – as happened when Massey’s summer school abruptly closed enrolments in August.

“These figures are not useful for students as Tertiary Education Minister Steven Joyce has suggested. They mislead and confuse.

“While the TEC has stated that low completion does not mean the provider was poor, that context will not be obvious to students. The information only serves funding purposes,” says Mr Springett.

Linking performance with funding is a driver for student service levy increases. Student services are a key tool in improving completions and institutions now have a clear incentive to increase these costs. In the last two years Massey University has increased its student services levy by 300% in order to provide better support for students in the absence of adequate government funding.

Stephen Joyce on Q+A discussing student loans and completion rates.

“It appears as if the government has not thought this through at all,” says Mr Springett. “We now have a tertiary system that cannot contain its rising fees, fails to offer students any meaningful information about the sector, cannot provide the courses it advertises at the start of the year and does not value the lowest-public-cost form of education. Shame on you, Minister Joyce.”

It’s an Anti-social Plan, Joyce.

ralph — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 02:59:09 +0000

Access is no longer guaranteed

Tertiary Education Funding. Steven Joyce has described how it will work. Completions must come within the targeted range as described by the institutions investment plan. Otherwise the TEC will use their funding-stick; give the institution a beating for not being good enough.

The reaction will be sensible. Institutions will increase support for marginal students, using compulsory service levies to fund new initiatives. That’s good, lets all muck in and help those that need it most – a bit like how Student Associations work. Institutions will also be more careful about who they choose to study with them. They will choose those with good school grades who want to study full-time. They will be supported in this by the TES push to enroll school leavers. Students who fail will be shunted out the door to make way for the bright new things.

But there is a problem. If you are an adult the doors will be closed. If you fail because the course was crap or your mother died; you are out. If you are māori and are looking for a second chance at education you will have to count on… on what?

Unlike Labour I think National needs to let institutions control who has access. In the same way that the Government is looking for courses that match the institutions capabilities and New Zealand’s needs National needs to allow institutions to define their ideal student body and accept enrolments based on their own criteria. This may see Auckland University full of young bourgeoisie but will also allow Massey to continue to offer places for second chance learners who need to study extramurally.

National has not discounted changes to New Zealand’s open entry policy. National legislation removing open entry would be antisocial and bordering on racist. Antisocial because it is ignoring those with disabilities, students who study part-time for professional or personal development and the elderly who through education wish to continue to contribute to society. Racist because the group they are targeting effectively excludes māori. Māori learners in degree level tertiary education are predominantly adults who have entered the system through the over 20 open entry route. If National closes this door then how does their policy satisfy the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi?

National need to think again about the social impact of their Tertiary Education policies.

Unsatisfactory Acadmic Progress

ralph — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 03:33:49 +0000

What are the key issues for extramural students this year? Two key questions come to mind: will you have a place at university if you do not pass the majority of your semester one papers, and what new services do I get for the increase in student services levy?

Question One – a matter of access: Massey has stated in the Manawatu Standard that there will be normal access to programmes of study in 2010. There has been no change in the Unsatisfactory Academic Progress Regulations and there appears to have been no change in the numbers who are excluded for this reason. Massey has been using the term ‘managed enrolment system’ to describe their ability to control student numbers to the TEC but at this stage it appears that the change is in how the existing rules are applied. “With more rigour” as Steve Maharey put it. It would be worth reading the regulations.

The sun is setting on open entry to tertiary education

The key to ensuring your place at Massey is to pass more than half your courses and pay your fees on time. Keep in mind that this is a consequence of National’s Tertiary Education Strategy and high student demand. Massey is doing what it can between a rock and a hard place.

Question Two – rising fees: EXMSS has been working hard to both find out what services students value and to encourage Massey to deliver appropriately. A fair whak of the increased student levy will be focused on additional support for students who are struggling: this to ensure the Governments focus on completion is satisfied. To get the best from your Student Levy students need to find out what the Student Learning and Development Team offer. Pre-reading and Post-reading of assignments to offer structural and referencing advice, regional study seminars, open days and personal support are all useful. Don’t be shy, you have paid for it, make contact and be supported.

Postgraduate tuition fees are another issue as Massey is seeking to raise them by $1,000 per FTE. I will be discussing this with the University and will post on this topic soon.

This is my number one concern

ralph — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 01:31:44 +0000

Steve Maharey says; “Last week, officials from the Tertiary Education Commission visited the University to discuss, among other things, management of enrolments. The Government is seeking tight control of student numbers for next year. We will be doing what we can to comply during the coming enrolment period while we set in place policies for the future.

Another important topic discussed was the possibility of completion and retention policies. While these seem like good ideas, Massey will need to ensure there is extensive discussion before anything is implemented given our unique student profile. Our extramural students, for example, do not have the same study patterns as internal students.”

Check out the EXMSS media release on the Tertiary Student Nightmare