Student Equity Programs

Student Support Services administers the Higher Education Equity Program (HEEP) funding through the UWS Student Equity Grant Scheme.  Each year staff from across the University are invited to submit proposals for funding.

Students at Risk 2007

Students in their commencing year at UWS who are at risk of dropping out or show signs of poor progression are to receive the support of a targeted program. This program will increase our understanding of their concerns and help us develop mechanisms at College and campus level to facilitate this support.

The Students at Risk 2007 Project will consult with students, teaching and key support staff to find out where student stresses lie. It will identify mechanisms within the Colleges and Schools to better support students' learning needs and to ensure an improved all-of-campus experience in the commencing year.

The Project aims to investigate how each School currently identify students with difficulties and how strategies are put in place to provide support. The Project also aims to compare the risk factors as they are defined by staff and students.

The Students at Risk 2007 project will be working with students recruited from programs which have high attrition rates and problematic satisfaction issues within each College.

This project is co-sponsored by Student Support Services and the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Learning & Teaching) and is an integral part of the Learning and Teaching Action Plan, the UWS Equity Plan and the Academic Senate review of policy and procedures.
Project leader: Marnie Campbell
Equity Project Officer/Students at Risk 2007 Project Kingswood Building I
Ext: 2142

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2004-2005 Projects

Demystifying Uni/Widening Participation
A suite of transition programs is currently being developed that will target local High School students who have had no exposure to university.  A pilot program was undertaken in second semester 2004 to bring high school students to UWS for a day, to experience a lecture and other aspects of uni life. 
Project Sponsor:  Sandra Norris, Head, Counselling & Disability Services, Student Support Services
Project Leaders:  Jackie Simpson and Kerri Fielding, Student Support Services

Early Intervention
This project aims to identify and make contact with first year students in the first 4-6 weeks of semester, who have not fully engaged in their studies and may be at high risk of dropping out.  These students will be linked with Student Services and other appropriate services early in the semester, in order to provide support and to assist students in their decision making regarding their studies.  A strategy being developed in consultation with targeted academic areas will be piloted in Spring session 2004.  This strategy will be evaluated and refined, and a resource package has been developed that can be used in schools across UWS in 2005.
Project Sponsor:  Sandra Norris, Head, Counselling & Disability Services, Student Support Services
Project Leader:  Jenny Baines and Lyn Anthony, Student Support Services.

Finances Guide for Students
A guide for UWS students has been produced, called Dollars & Sense 2005.  It includes information on study expenses, living expenses while studying, accommodation options and costs, budgeting tips, budget planners, how to find part-time employment, loans information and contacts for financial problems.  The guide has been produced in three formats:  as a booklet for newly enrolled students; on fact sheets for current students; and all information is available in an online version.  This information will benefit prospective and current students from low socio-economic backgrounds, and prospective students from rural & isolated areas.
Project Sponsor: Ann Jardine, Development & Review Officer, Student Support Services
Project Leader:  Terri Bryson, Student Support Services.

College Disability Coordinator Program
Development of a program to provide additional support to students with a disability by embedding disability support within colleges.
Project Leader:  Sandra Norris, Head, Counselling & Disability Services, Student Support Services.

Women in Engineering
This project is focused on developing and delivering strategies aimed at attracting, supporting and retaining women students in engineering degrees at UWS.

A key aspect of the strategy for both the attraction of and retention on women sdtudents in engineering is the development of a more inclusive engineering culture within the School of Engineering and Industrial Design.
Project Leader: Celeste Salter

Critical Thinking Online
This equity project aims to provide Engineerting and Industrial Design students with online interactive resources for the development of their critical literacy skills. This resource will be developed in conjunction with colleagues in the School of Engineering and Industrial Design as well as the Educational Development Unit.
Project Leaders: Helen Farrell and Erst Carmichael, Learning Skills Unit, Student Support Services.

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Assisting Maths Learning Online
A developmental site for providing online maths support to students via the university's Elearning platform (WebCT) was designed, trialled and evaluated over 2003 and 2004 using an initial equity grant. The site is called 'Improve your Maths' and has been found to be beneficial to students' maths learning. A second phase of work on the site will be undertaken in 2005, with the main aim being to implement a better structure to allow for much easier navigation & expansion of the site.
Project Leader:  John Nicholls, Student Support Services

Student Tutoring Scheme
This equity project will investigate current modes of delivery of Student Tutoring/Peer Mentoring services in Australian tertiary institutions to provide relevant background information to feed into Student Tutoring at UWS.
Project Leader:  Janice Catterall, Student Support Services.

Supporting Students in Transition
A joint initiative between the School of Education & Early Childhood Studies and Student Services (ODS).  The initial focus of this project is to undertake a qualitative study of the transition experiences of those students who articulate with academic credit (AQF Level 5) from TAFE and other registered providers into the Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood).
The second phase of the project aims to use the research findings as the basis for developing a set of recommendations and an academic support program to facilitate the smooth transition of such students into UWS.
For the particular group of early childhood teacher education students targeted by this project, it is expected that the project will inform efforts to improve student recruitment, orientation and transition, academic performance, retention and ability to complete the degree in minimum time, through the provision of support, specifically tailored programs, revision of course and subject sequencing and curricula and other mechanisms.
Project Sponsor:  Janice Catterall, Head, Learning Skills Unit, Student Support Services
Project Leader: Bob Perry, School of Education & Early Childhood Studies

Caring for Country with UWS
This project is primarily aimed at increasing access to non-traditional areas of applied science for potential first year students.  The project entails 10 one-day events for indigenous high school students in years 8 and 9 from Western Sydney schools, and is designed to showcase the environment and tourism degrees at UWS.  Reaching out to students before they are choosing qualifying HSC subjects such as biology and chemistry will improve their university entry opportunities.  
Project Leader:  Wendy Holland, School of Environment & Agriculture.

Helping Hands
Student Services offered a number of grants to assist financially disadvantaged students with the costs associated with their current study program. These grants can be used for the purchase of texts, uniforms, lab coats, vaccinations or any other tangible benefit.
In 2004 the Helping Hands grants were for undergraduate students only and were valued up to $300.  The Project was very successful, with around 200 grants approved.  Helping Hands will not run in 2005 as there are now Commonwealth Education Scholarships available for financially disadvantaged students.
Project Sponsor:  Ann Jardine, Development & Review Officer, Student Support Services
Project Leader:  Elizabeth Dlugon, Student Support Services

Retention of NESB Student Teachers
This project aims to engage relevant stakeholders in the identification of the factors which assist and those which hinder NESB students from the Greater Western Sydney Region to access, participate in, and achieve their academic and personal potential in the University’s teacher education programs.
The primary focus and reporting of intended outcomes will address problems of NESB student retention, especially in terms of meeting the requirements schools, education employers and teacher educators have established for the school practicum.  This project has been completed.
Project Leader:  Professor Michael Singh, School of Education & Early Childhood Studies.

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2005-2006 Projects

Entering the Professions: Professional Registration for Students with Disabilties
This project deals with the relationship between students with disabilities, the university and Professional Registration Boards.
The three components of this project are to produce a report citing research data, results and recommendations; develop a 'Guide for Academics on Professional Registration' and develop factual information sheets on Professional Registration for Students with Disabilities.

CROSSROADS: Education Seminar for Deaf and Hearing Impaired Students
The project "Crossroads" involved the delivery of a one day seminar for Deaf and hearing impaired students in years 9 -12. The seminar provided information to participants on post secondary education pathways for Deaf and hearimg impaired students, their parents and educational providers.

Promotong Academic Success in Non-English Speaking Background (NESB) First Year Nursing Students
The aims of this project are to evaluate the effectiveness of an educational support program in promoting the academic success of first year nursing students from NESB backgrounds in Nursing Science 2. Student's engagement in interactive activities on WebCt will be recorded and matched with academic performance.

Writing Online
This is a collaborative project between the Learning Skills Unit and the School of Communication Arts.
Stage one of this project is completed.

Critical Thinking Online
This is the second year of this project. Learning Skills staff have been working collaboratively with the School of Engineering  to design online interactive resources to develop students critical literacy skills.

Other Equity Programs

Towards Tolerance
Following Sept. 11 it was identified that a number of UWS campuses have a high proportion of Muslim students.  This program was developed to address societal issues arising from the global events.  The program has involved production of Muslim-specific information, introduction of a Muslim-specific sports group, and introduction of Muslim-specific general support.
Project Leader: Sandra Norris, Head, Counselling & Disability Services, Student Support Services

Working Together with Muslim Clients
This Information Kit has been developed as part of the UWS Counselling Service’s ‘Towards Tolerance' (TT) Project.  It aims to raise awareness of cultural diversity for non-Muslims in the helping profession who are working with Muslim clients.  Click on the link at the end of this page to dowload a PDF version of the Information Kit (107 KB).
Project Leader: Sandra Norris, Head, Counselling & Disability Services, Student Support Services

UniStep & AcPrep
Preparatory programs jointly coordinated by the Student Services Learning Skills Unit and Counselling Service, designed to prepare first year students for university.  Content includes familiarity with the university environment, academic literacy and maths skills.
Project Leaders:  Sandra Norris, Head, Counselling & Disability Services, Student Support Services, Janice Catterall, Head, Learning Skills Unit, Student Support Services. For more information, see the Learning Skills web pages at http://www.uws.edu.au/about/adminorg/academic/ods/lsu/uniprepprograms

Peer Mentoring
Jointly coordinated by the Student Support Services Learning Skills Unit and Counselling Service, available on every campus for core first year units identified by Schools as requiring additional support for students.
Project Leader: Janice Catterall, Head, Learning Skills Unit, Student Support Services. Further information can be found on the Learning Skills Unit web pages at http://www.uws.edu.au/students/ods/lsu/peermentoring

Getting Started
Provision of a tailored orientation program for first year students with disabilities to facilitate transition into university.
Project Leader:  Sandra Norris, Head, Counselling & Disability Services, Student Support Services

Willing and Able Mentoring (WAM) Program
This program is coordinated by the Graduate Careers Council of Australia (GCCA).  WAM matches tertiary students who have a disability with Mentors in leading organisations in the students' field of interest for a series of meetings during Semester 2 of the given year.
Project Leader:  Jan Thomas, Student Support Services
Further information and application forms can be found on the WAM web pages at http://www.gradlink.edu.au/wam.htm

Teaching Resources for Academics - Students with Disabilities
Development of resources for academics working with students with a disability, to ensure compliance with the legal obligations of the Disability Discrimination Act.
Project Leader:  Sandra Norris, Head, Counselling & Disability Services, Student Support Services

Transition to Employment Program for Students with Disabilities
Development of a group program to facilitate students with a disability gaining employment at completion of their degree.  Half-day presentation sessions conducted on career planning, applications and resumes, rights of an employee under the Disability Discrimination Act, information on disclosure, and mentoring schemes.
Project Leader:  Sandra Norris, Head, Counselling & Disability Services, Student Support Services.

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Related Documents

• Information Kit: Working Together with Muslim Clients [Acrobat Document: 106Kb]