Going above and beyond: Realigning university student support services to students

Abstract

University provision of student support services sits at the interface between universities and the broader community. The success of Australian inclusive education funding imperatives requires a revised model of support to improve access and retention. Using a Foucaultian discourse analysis and the notion of ‘contingency’, data from interviews with ‘student support services’ staff in four Australian universities was interrogated to determine the most accessible and effective services for equity students. This paper introduces the Supporting a Diverse Student Body matrix which sets out principles, strategies and characteristics for supporting the needs of equity students and service access and delivery preferences of diverse student bodies. The matrix provides a useful basis for universities to consider their own student support practices and signpost a pathway for change.