Results and winners of SSU Student Services, Needs & wants Survey

Over the past month SSU invited students to provide feedback on their experience of life and services at Swinburne University. To capture this information, we conducted a survey that identified 34 key areas. We then asked students to provide two ratings against each area:

1. How ‘important’ the area was to them, and
2. How ‘satisfied’ they were with the current offering

We are happy to advise the results are now in, and will be providing SSU with a wealth of detailed information that will help in shaping our strategies now and into the future.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, areas that rated as having the highest importance to students included campus study spaces, library services, career & employment services, discounted printing, and tutor and teacher access. Happily the library, SSU’s discount printing, and availability of teachers and tutors also rated high on the Satisfaction scale, alongside SSU’s free weekly BBQs and the Hammer & Swine.

Yet beyond identifying what works well, we also sought to identify student pain-points; those areas that are considered important, but for which satisfaction levels are sadly lagging…

Feedback provided through the survey pointed to some clear ‘gaps’ between student expectations and their experience of the following services:

• Scholarships and financial support
• Campus sporting facilities & equipment
• Student legal advice
• Housing & accommodation services
• Careers & employment services
• Student rights and advocacy

But beyond simply rating existing services, students also provided commentary on what other services should be offered to Swinburne students. More study spaces and lounges, more social events, enhanced student development programs, as well as even cheaper printing and food options were regular talking points. Yet perhaps the most common suggestion surrounded the creation of an on-campus and safe space for student powernaps… zzzzzz…

So where to from here? Over the next few weeks and months SSU will undertake some serious planning to help shape our focus throughout the rest of 2018 and into the next several years. The feedback provided will go towards informing our priorities, yet we remain keen to continue hearing of your experience and collecting your feedback.

Prize Winners

As an incentive for completing the survey, 19 lucky respondents have been selected to receive gift-prizes including a $50 voucher, SSU Tees, and 2for1 drink vouchers for the Hammer & Swine.  The lucky survey prize winners will be contacted by email over the following few days.

Swinburne Student Union exists to improve the social, educational and communal experience of students at Swinburne University of Technology.

To do this, we need your feedback!

By completing our online survey, you’ll be helping us better understand your experience and the priorities for all students at Swinburne (and you can also win some excellent prizes!!! see below for t&cs)

Complete Survey Here

Survey Competition Terms and Conditions

1. SSU’s “Student Services, Needs and Wants survey promotion competition” will run between Tuesday 22 May and Friday 8 July, 2018
2. Prizes available to competition participants will include:
   • 4 x $50 gift vouchers
   • 5 x SSU Branded Tees
   • 10 x 2for1 drink vouchers, redeemable at the Hammer & Swine
3. Prize winners will be determined based on their response to the question “what other services do you think should be available to students of Swinburne, and why?”
4. Winning responses will be determined through SSU’s Survey Promotion Competition Committee
5. SSU’s promotion competition is only open to current students of Swinburne University
6. Only one entry will be accepted per student (as identified by student ID)
7. To be eligible for prizes, students must complete all sections of the survey, including providing their current Student ID and Mobile contact number
8. Prize recipients will be notified during the week commencing Monday 11 June, by the mobile contact number provided as part of their survey response
9. Prize recipients will be invited to collect their prizes from the SSU Hawthorn Campus Office, and will be provided two weeks after the conclusion of the promotion period to do so
10. Current employees and elected representatives of SSU are not eligible for prizes
11. For further information regarding this promotion , please contact SSU Executive Officer, Matt Posetti on 03 9214 5440 or by email ssu@ssu.org.au

From April 30 to May 2, SSU President Sam Roberts and SSU Executive Officer Matt Posetti, attended the annual Tertiary Access Group (TAG) CampusLink conference at the Melbourne Exhibition and Convention Centre.

TAG is the peak industry association operating for and owned by its 70-plus member organisations, including Swinburne Student Union, as well as universities, other student unions, student guilds and associations, and campus sports associations.

TAG members provide a range of critical and beneficial activities and services for students right throughout Australia. TAG members are regularly responsible for the delivery of student support services including:

• welfare and advocacy
• volunteering and outreach programs
• cafes, food and beverage outlets and bars
• stationery and convenience stores
• events and activities
• orientation weeks
• national competitions
• sports and fitness
• entertainment
• student director and clubs and society support

“This is a crucial opportunity to network with other organisations that are working within the same space, and working with many of the same objectives we hold” said SSU’s President, Sam Roberts.

“But attending these conferences is about more than just networking, it’s about hearing how other universities and other student unions are helping students to succeed. It’s about developing our own good ideas, about hearing of national issues impacting students in tertiary education, and about keeping our own focus on the main game; ensuring every Swinburne student receives the best chance of success”.

The Welcome and Opening included a keynote address by Professor Susan Elliott, AM, Deputy VC and Vice President (Education) at Monash University who spoke on the transformational power of inclusive education, and the critical need to ensure that the tertiary student voice is heard clearly.

This theme of empowering students was continued by Professor Sally Varnham, from the University of Technology Sydney, who delivered a impressive presentation and conducted a subsequent workshop on the critical need to create a national framework for student partnership in university decision making and governance.

“Sally’s presentation was excellent. She is incredibly passionate about achieving authentic student participation within university governance and service delivery. Just like SSU, Sally knows that without real student input within these university processes, the bureaucracy can sometimes work in direct conflict with actual student needs” said Sam.

Other highlights from the conference included:

• Rachel Perkin, an International Education Consultant, who spoke in detail upon the 2017 International Student Barometer Results
• A panel discussion comprised of current student representative leaders from across Australia, moderated by Lowan Sist, Executive Officer of the Monash Student Association
• As well as the TAG Trade Fair, showcasing a variety of commercial services and sample products from TAG suppliers and vendors

For further comment please contact:

Over the past month Swinburne Student Union has been working in partnership with Swinburne University’s IT Services Division to establish a formal Agreement supporting the maintenance and replacement of the Union’s Print-Room and Administration computers.

While this is an important and a positive outcome for the Union and for Swinburne University, yet, it is current Swinburne student users of the Union’s Print Service who will benefit most from what the agreement delivers.

Over recent months, the Union’s Print Room service had become increasingly unstable, due to the age of the service PCs, complicated by the roll-out of a new IT operating system. For student’s meant increased waiting times and a poorer overall experience. Happily, the new IT Services Agreement has resulted in SSU’s fleet of Print Room PCs being replaced with brand new devices that will remain fully maintained and regularly replaced as their useful lifecycle concludes.

Mr Sam Robert, SSU’s President commented “we are excited to announce our existing stock of old and tired PCs has now been replaced by newer models that are 100% problem-free and fit-for-purpose. Students users of our Print Service are recognising the benefits immediately”.

The Swinburne Student Union operates the lowest charging Print Service for students at Swinburne’s Hawthorn Campus, with all financial members of the Union receiving $1.80 of complimentary printing credit each day, and with printing costing as little as 9 cents per sheet.

“Our Print Service is not here to make money for the Union. It is an important administrative facility needed by students. Students already have enough fees and charges on what little income they receive through Austudy and working part-time jobs on top of full-time study commitments. If SSU can help keep things more affordable, then that’s what we should do”, said Mr Roberts, “we’re really pleased to have reached this Agreement with Swinburne University”.

For further comment please contact:

On Thursday 15th March Swinburne Student Union’s General Secretary, Mr Fergus Clancy, along with the Union’s Executive Officer, Mr Matt Posetti, were pleased to attend the Collins & Co 2018 Not-for-Profit Conference on ‘Empowerment through Knowledge’.

Highlights from the day included keynote addresses by Mr David Locke, Assistant Commissioner, Charity Services, from the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC), as well as by Ms Susan Alberti, Australian businesswoman, philanthropist, Vice-President of the Western Bulldogs Football Club and a lead instigator and advocate in the creation of the AFLW.

“As well as hearing from inspiring leaders working across the Australian community sector, we saw this conference as an opportunity to gain some real insight into the challenges and opportunities confronting non-profit community service organisations, which is what the Swinburne Student Union actually is” said Mr Fergus.

Other speakers of note included Mr Derek Mortimer from the legal firm DF Mortimer and Associates who addressed the evolving responsibilities of charities under Australian Consumer Law, Ms Natalie Egleton from the Foundation for Rural & Regional Renewal with Practical tips on grant-seeking, and Ms Bianca Crocker from Fish Community Solutions with tips on building lasting relationships within the community sector.

“We also feel it’s important to take our responsibilities as directors of SSU, which is both an Incorporate Association and a registered charity… to take those responsibilities incredibly seriously. We play an important role representing student interests, delivering required services and running social events and activities. The value we contribute to Swinburne is high, so we need to take ourselves and our responsibilities seriously”.