INFORMA AUSTRALIA’S

5TH ANNUAL STUDENT HOUSING FORUM

Wednesday, 11th June 2014

Gregory C Eddy

Master and Chief Executive

King’s College

within The University of Queensland

King’s College at UQ

Setting/Context - Colleges, Halls & Housing

Why is the first month so important?

What are we doing at King’s and why??

Originally Residential College & Theological College

Methodist Tradition

One of only four men’s Colleges in Australia

Religious Leadership from 1912 - 2005

300 residents – mostly undergraduate – not academically selective!

Master Plan – numbers will increase to 325 in 2016

Mission :

To provide a home where men of promise

will excel under the most inspiring and enriching conditions

- Strategic Plan 2014 - 2017

To be deliberately controversial -

Colleges, Halls and Housing are providing the University

Experience – there is a sense of belonging that does not

exist on many university campuses.

It is my contention that the first month is critical to the

University experience and it is Colleges, Halls & Housing

environments on or near University campuses which set

the tone for a student’s experience.

Colleges are focused on much more than just the

physical residential environment.

Our goal is to work alongside residents in partnership

to deliver a range of alternatives that meet the

individual needs and value add to residents’

intellectual, social, cultural, educational, spiritual,

sporting and social lives.

A University Experience - COMMUNITY

A diverse spiritual and multicultural community providing

opportunities for cultural exchange and sharing;

A diverse academic community to enhance the success

rates of residents while at University;

The opportunity to learn tolerance through sharing

resources and living spaces;

Working towards a common goal: to complete a

chosen course of study.

Increased demand but lack of places;

Need to offer increasingly diverse range of accommodation and services;

Increase in compliance issues;

For non university owned colleges-no external financial support other than fees;

Significant maintenance issues associated with the cost of maintaining aging stock;

Lack of accessible affordable housing close to some campuses;

Increasing Course fees. Colleges/Housing may be a casualty…….

Not if we continue to meet a demonstrable need.

To:

improve the academic achievement of all students

achieve an integrated community of students from diverse backgrounds

achieve and maintain full occupancy

maintain the integrity of the College’s Mission Statement

maintain a financially viable operation

monitor, review and respond to trends in the wider community that may affect College life and viability

Safe supportive living environment

Diversity of residential programs to foster academic, social, personal and cultural development

Leadership opportunities, independence, responsibility and community service

Life-long learning skills and an appreciation of the pursuit of academic excellence

Acceptance of diversity and appreciation of other cultures and traditions.

Provides global marketing opportunity to attract overseas students

Enhances the university's prospective student and retention strategies

Gives a fuller campus life experience, highlighting all a University can offer

Can lead to better performance in the courses being taken

Link academic life to career planning and the wider community

Can strengthen the alumni and employment opportunities as residential students tend to be close knit

The scene is set

Expectations

Problems are identified

Support networks

Pastoral care

How to engage with the University bureaucracy –

Academic Consultant

Context – 300 undergraduate men aged between 17-24

“Flourishing at University” Series –

A four week programme for Freshers:

- Harassment and Discrimination

- Wellness Programme – how to stay healthy

- Introduction to the tutorial programme

- The pitfalls of University Life

The message - Balance, Balance, Balance

OP1 -------- GPA 2.2

OP 11 ------- GPA 6.2

OP8 ------- Hons I

Changing degrees – 50% are unsure

Don’t be afraid to talk it through

Introduced in Week 3

Tutorials commence

Director of Learning & Leadership oversees 60 tutorials

each week

Small groups (4) with a Tutor and one on one

Tutors are graduates

Financial Investment

Centre for Leadership

Leadership Programme – King's Certificate in Leadership

The Robinson Group

The Road Map Project

On leaving school students (not all) are ill prepared

for University – schools are obsessed with OP and

ATAR scores

Universities are not helping students once they are

at University

Time Management Skills

A need for Pastoral and Academic care

Preparation for post College/University life

How will we respond to changes? MOOCS

Economics 100 – online – students may look at it

individually but the College will hold a tutorial in the

Centre at 10.00am on a Tuesday for all those enrolled in

the course – the tutor present will stop and teach

additionally to what the lecturer has uploaded online.

Increasing tutorials – more later year tutorials

Prepare for constant change

Focus on the “feeling/sense of belonging”

Most important of all – recognise our strengths in the

University environment

Colleges

Halls

Housing providers

What are we preparing for??

The day when Colleges, Halls and Student housing

providers are doing more of the work of Universities – i.e.

teaching.

King’s Learning Centre – expansion in 2015

Accommodate MOOCS and…….

The Higher Education section of The Australian on 9 April 2014 noted that:

“Just half of all students had a sense of belonging with their university last year and less than half interacted with fellow students outside study time, a national report on the student experience reveals.”

My observation:

“I can only assume that these disaffected students did not have the opportunity to enjoy a collegiate/residential experience at their University. It is widely acknowledged that students who live on campus while at University do feel that they belong and engage quickly with their University environment – they most certainly enjoy a University experience.

Unfortunately not all students are able to afford the fees required to live on campus. King’s has recognised that this will never improve. While the College will continue to grow, we have also taken account of the need to offer opportunities to those who cannot afford to be at King’s. To that end, the goal of the Foundation is to raise $5m by 2023 and establish an endowment fund to award scholarships and bursaries to those in need. Unfortunately, the College cannot rely on the support of Government or anyone else for that matter. The community of the College – Old Collegians, friends and families are being asked to support this initiative. On behalf of the College, I express my sincere gratitude to those who have already committed to this task.”

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