Academic Registry: Service Level Description

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  1. Main Objectives
  2. Services provided
  3. Summary of staffing
  4. Customers/clients
  5. Specific pledges on customer service
  6. Annual objectives 2011-12

Main Objectives

Collectively we contribute to the experience and success of students and staff by;

  • Addressing aspects of student life that can enhance learning and capability
  • Providing the support students need to deal with aspects of student  life that can inhibit learning and the assurance of academic standards
  • promoting and facilitating students’ personal development and career planning,
  • contributing to the quality of teaching and learning and 
  • providing the administrative underpinning for the student life cycle.

Our objectives in this work are to;

  • optimise efficiency, reliability and effectiveness in our work and in the work of those with whom we collaborate
  • minimise any inappropriate student support and administration workload on academic departments
  • contribute to the University’s efforts to achieve its strategic ambitions in all that we do. 

Services provided

Provision of support directly to students. This includes,  

  • responding to aspects of student or personal life that can inhibit learning, e.g. disability, emotional, psychological or mental health difficulties, wellbeing, personal advice, personal finance, support for international students including visa and immigration matters, 
  • enhancing student employability e.g. careers advice, information and guidance, access to information about employment and schemes for enhancing transferable skills, including enterprise skills, supporting employer engagement in the curriculum,
  • enhancing students' abilities to engage effectively with their studies through a smooth transition to university education and the ongoing development of academic skills,
  • administering student admissions, enrolment, bursaries and US loans,  record maintenance, examinations, degree ceremonies, quality assurance and enhancement activities and regulations relating to students and to teaching and learning. 

Provision of advice and support to academic colleagues in respect of enhancement of teaching and learning and the assurance of academic standards. This includes; 

  • supporting the development and implementation of the University’s Learning and Teaching Strategy and its framework of policies and guidance,
  • working in partnership with academic colleagues and students to support innovation, curriculum development and effective assessment and feedback including the delivery and development of the virtual learning environment. Embedding academic skills in the learning experience, facilitating professional networks and managing schemes to recognise and reward excellence in
    teaching,
  • supporting the enhancement of learning and teaching and the assurance of standards through quality review, including for programmes delivered in collaboration with partner institutions.

Preparation and presentation of reports and other documents to inform consultation and decision- making, support governance arrangements and ensure university compliance with internal and external regulatory frameworks and accountability. 
 
Servicing of relevant committees and project managing their portfolios of business as appropriate.  
 
Campus-wide support for the integration, operation and development of the University’s Student Record System. 
 
Handling of student appeals, complaints and discipline matters. 

Summary of Staffing

  • Academic Registrar  –  Kate Dodd  x2134
  • Head of Academic Support Office  -  Nigel Dandy  x2154
  • Director of Careers Service –  Liz Smith x2686
  • Director of Registry Services  - Rosemary Royds  x2149
  • Director of Student Support Services  - Steve Page x215

Customers / clients

Primary client groups:- students, academic colleagues, support service colleagues, contract research staff senior management, members of relevant committees and working groups, and partner institutions for collaborative provision. 

Secondary client groups:- graduate recruiters, alumni, applicants, community groups, parents, external bodies such as QAA, HESA, HEFCE, PSRBs, HEA, BIA etc

Specific pledges on customer service

  • Always deal with customers in a courteous manner
  • Endeavour to anticipate customer needs and expectations in the design and
    delivery of services 
  • Acknowledge emails within two working days
  • Initial response to written correspondence within five working days 
  • Seek and respond to customer feedback
  • Issue papers for main committees at least five working days in advance, and three working days in advance of other committees and working groups
  • Prepare papers and data that are designed for ease of use
  • Always seek to operate and communicate in ways that minimise bureaucracy and transaction costs
  • Retain a constant focus on supporting and enhancing the University’s core academic activities
  • Review web-based content and hard copy publications at least annually
  • Provide professional advice, informed by and understanding of the academic context, the requirements of external bodies and relevant agencies and wider context of national and international developments. 

Annual Objectives 2011 - 12

  • To lead the implementation of the Student Employability Strategy including in particular expanding significantly opportunities for students to work on campus, launching the undergraduate employability tutorial, establishing the agreement and use of departmental employability plans tutorial, extending student engagement with and participation in employability-enhancing activity including raising further the profile of student enterprise, collaborating in the plan to launch an overseas summer school / study centre, and marketing to, and monitoring student, employer and alumni engagement.

  • To lead the institution’s preparation for Institutional Review (February 2012) ensuring that we are as well presented as possible and that the auditors receive a suitably favourable impression of our assurance and enhancement learning.

  • To coordinate the development of an appropriate student funding database and associated finance functionality, linking the fees office and student strands of this project, and ensure that this is ready for use for the academic year 2012/13.

  • To investigate with senior colleagues best practice in the key US institutions, and in European competitor institutions in order to propose appropriate enhancements to our arrangements to support students from 2012/13 onwards.

  • To lead enhancements to the first year experience by continuing to evaluate and improve the welcome and communications to incoming undergraduate students so that they can quickly settle and integrate at York and can speedily and embark successfully on their academic lives.

  • Review and improve the quality and distribution of administration between departments and central services such as disability and exams processes ensuring we provide an optimal and appropriate service to departments.
  • To contribute to the university’s response to the new fee regime.