FINTA

Disability

NESB

Rural

Isolated

Low SES

Retention

‘96

1.02

1.11

0.94

1.14

0.99

1.05

‘97

1.01

1.10

1.12

1.13

0.98

1.00

Success

‘96

1.10

0.96

0.83

1.08

0.97

1.01

‘97

1.11

0.93

0.91

1.05

0.98

0.98

EQUITY STRATEGY

TARGET

NOTES (information correct as at June 1998)

Institutional

All

• Students rate the USQ learning experience highly. For example: USQ ranks in the top quartile for the sector for the Course Experience Questionnaire (CEQ) Indicators of Overall Satisfaction and Good Teaching, and in the top third for GTS (Good Teaching Scale) score overall^#. Student dissatisfaction rates for ‘Generic Skills’, ‘Good Teaching’ and ‘Overall’ are low (for 1997 being 7.5%, 17.4% and 7.4%, respectively) and decreasing. Internal Student Evaluation of Teaching (SET) is performed on all units. For Semester 1 1998 the overall rating of teaching on a 7-point scale with n = 7,017 was a very favourable 5.45. For external units, the overall student rating (on a 5-point scale) was 3.91.

Core Curriculum: Communication, Computing and IT Skills, Australia in its Region Institutional

All

• All undergraduate students are required to complete units in core skills, ensuring all students have exposure to and commensurate skills development in communications (including report writing), computing and a knowledge of this nation and its region; and data analysis for all students studying in numerate disciplines.
• Special programs to support students in core curriculum units have been developed.

Faculty of Arts

All, particularly

ed. disad.

• The General Studies program stream provides an attractive and flexible study pathway with alternative exit points for students seeking a generalist qualification, often from a background of educational disadvantage. Sixty-five students enrolled in these programs in 1998.

Institutional

Female students, particularly in non-traditional areas of study

The supportive environment for female students at USQ is indicated by the following:

• t-tests performed on data obtained in a supplementary questionnaire included with the 1997 Graduate Destination Survey (GDS)/CEQ indicated that female graduates were either as satisfied or more satisfied than male students with 15 aspects of educational provision at USQ, including Student Services, Computer Facilities, Library, Other On-Campus Facilities; Provision of a Friendly, Caring Environment; Encouragement of Personal Growth; and Personal Attention^#.
• A special internal study of potential barriers to females entering postgraduate study at USQ found that no significant institution-related barriers existed for female students in this regard - report available^#.
• After several years of directed effort, female participation in undergraduate Business has improved steadily.
• Women in Engineering Project Officer position in Faculty of Engineering and Surveying is identifying strategies for improving female participation in Engineering. A Strategic Plan is being developed in conjunction with the Faculty Access and Equity Committee.
• Despite the low proportion of women in undergraduate Engineering, female transfers into postgraduate Engineering is very high, being ten times the level expected for parity.

Girls in Maths and Science Summer School

Institutional

Prospect. female students

• The Summer School has been conducted annually since 1989, involving 96 Year 10 girls per annum.
• A report by an independent evaluator is developed each year^# and widely distributed.
• A three-year longitudinal study of Girls in Maths and Science Summer School is occurring between 1997-99.

Overall Teaching to Students with Disabilities and Disabilities Services

Institutional / Student Services

Students with Disabilities

• USQ has the fourth highest proportion of students reporting some form of disability - at 4.1% of students.
• The Disabilities Program is based on early contact, proactive support and accommodation of student needs. Demand for special equipment, brailleing and hearing interpretation services have increased. A comprehensive student survey was initiated in 1997 to identify student needs and evaluate services - results available^#.
• The supportive environment for students with disabilities at USQ is indicated by the fact that t-tests performed on 1997 CEQ data indicated that students with disabilities were either as satisfied or more satisfied than students without disabilities with 15 aspects of educational provision at USQ, including Student Services, Student Association, Computer Facilities, Library, Other On-Campus Facilities; as well as the provision of a Friendly, Caring Environment, the encouragement of Personal Growth and Personal Attention^#.

• Director, Student Services and Disabilities Counsellor are both members of Higher Education Disabilities Network (HEDN), the Tertiary Education Disabilities Council of Australia (TEDCA) and Tertiary Initiatives for People with Disabilities (TIPD).

• Unitaste is a three –day program to introduce regional secondary school students with disabilities to university life. Current USQ students with disabilities act as mentors in this program

Tertiary Preparation Program (TPP): enabling program

OPACS / Student Services

Ed. disad.

• Is the second largest, and largest free-to-student, enabling program in Australian higher education.
• The TPP program is accredited by the USQ Academic Board, and guarantees u/g entry for all who pass.
• Annual enrolments to 1998 have been in the order of 650-700 students over half of whom are allowed to study free of charge on the basis of recognised disadvantage.
• The program is regularly and routinely evaluated. For example, TPP New Units Evaluation Report, OPACS, March 1998 - report available^#.

OPACS

Students in correct’l centres

• A subset of the TPP Program that has offered educational opportunities to offenders in custody since 1989.
• 60 students of both genders enrol each year, a significant proportion going on to study in u/g programs.
• The program is regularly reviewed and is highly valued by the Queensland Corrective Services Commission.

Outreach Services: the student support section of the DEC that manages the Regional Liaison Officer (RLO) Network [25 RLOs located in 21 centres across Eastern Australia], telephone and audiographic tutorials, residential schools and student support systems, such as Learning Circles.

Institutional / DEC

External Students, particularly rural / isolated students, students with disabilities and students in correct’l centres

• All Distance Education Centre (DEC) programs are rigorously planned, evaluated and reviewed - The DEC was awarded ISO9001 Quality Accreditation in December 1997.
• Procedures are in place as part of the DEC ISO9001 accreditation for student evaluation of external units, telephone/audiographic tutorials and residential schools. These are used as a basis for continual improvement
• Evaluation of external units typically involve student evaluation. A bank of 20 questions is used for external unit evaluation (most recent overall response rate 51.8%). As examples of overall performance (on a scale of 5.0): q1. ‘Clear Objectives’, mean = 4.40; q2. ‘Clear Content’, mean = 3.88; q3. ‘Reasonable Workload’, mean = 3.75; q4. ‘Well Organised Materials’, mean = 3.86; ... q20. ‘Assess Overall Learning Experience’, mean = 3.91.
• Equipment upgrade of RLO network continues, including internet access, e-mail and facsimile capabilities.
• Audiographic tutorials have been upgraded to use the software FarSite which is a remote conference facility offered via the internet.

.

Regional Scholarships (9 @ $2500-$5000 and Rural Residential Scholarships (6 per annum @ $1000 and free accommodation) programs

Institutional

School leavers from rural / isolated areas

• Regional scholarships are awarded on academic merit; rural residential scholarships are awarded on the basis of financial need.
• Three regional and seven rural residential scholarship holders graduated last year; all regional scholarship holders and fourteen rural residential scholarship holders are continuing to study.
• University-owned and operated residential colleges ensure affordable accommodation is available close to campus for all students who wish to travel to Toowoomba from rural / isolated areas to study.

• drop-in support
• diagnostic testing
• workshops OPACS

All, particularly

ed. disad,

NESB

• 1,500 students have contact with the Centre per annum for mathematics and communications support, diagnostic testing and special workshops, with student use increasing.
• Regular student evaluation of services is conducted - outcomes have been favourable.
• Learning Centre Annual Report Jan.-Dec. 1997 is available^#.

Proctor Program, Supplemental Instruction (SI) and Distance Peer-Assisted Learning Sessions (Distance PALS)

Faculty of Business / OPACS

Ed. disad.

And

Rural / isolated

• Proctor Programs and SI (learning assistance by trained peer tutors) are now conducted in challenging first year units in Business, Accounting, Economics and Law . Distance PALS is an adaptation of SI for distance units and has been successfully applied to one unit: 51008 Economics.
• The programs for each unit of study are routinely evaluated – all reports are available^#. The programs have been particularly successful among students entering study on OP 13 with GPAs amongst attendees significantly higher than for non-attendees and pass rates almost doubling in some units with more units planned.

OPACS / Faculties

Ed. disad. And

females

• Foundation Maths Program: offers alternative first year maths unit in many u/g courses. In 1997 500 students enrolled in this unit and 260 were selected for preparatory maths support.
• ‘Engineering in Practice’ unit introduced incorporating maths and communications support.
• Engineering Support Program implemented for 258 students enrolled in Algebra and Calculus I. A long term (7 year) study of internal Beng students indicates that 74% of students participating in the program pass first year maths compared with only 45% passing for the group that did not participate – report available^#.

USQ: Wide Bay – Student Equity and Academic Support USQ: Wide Bay

Rural students and

ed. disad.

• The USQ Wide bay Branch campus.
• SI (for 90502 in S2 ’97 and 51002 in SI ’98) involving 27 and 17 students respectively – reviewed favourably^#.
• Learning Centre: 120 student contacts over 42 sessions across 16 subjects during Semester 1 ’98.
• Academic Orientation workshops and Study Skills tutorials attended by 30 students each.

Institutional /

Student Equity Committee

NESB

• The fee-paying OPACS’ supplementary courses English for Academic Purposes (EAP) and English for Specific Purposes (ESP), are now available to domestic NESB students free-of-charge.
• The ExcelL Program offered by Students Services involved six three hour workshops in cross-cultural communication and adaptation involving 17 Australian and 16 international students. Program evaluation involving pre- and post-program participant questionnaires is available^#.
• Community awareness such as the extensive campus programs celebrating Multicultural Week.
• A brochure detailing the support services available to NESB students was developed and is routinely posted to all NESB students – brochures for both internal and external NESB students are available^#.
• Consideration is being given to rationalising the use of bilingual dictionaries in examinations.

EQUITY STRATEGY

TARGET

NOTES (information correct as at June 1998)

Student Equity Committee: a standing committee of the Vice-Chancellor’s Committee (VCC), and policy development.

Institutional

• Wide representation from management, equity interests, Academic Board and student body.
• Provides leadership, advocacy and a focus for educational equity at USQ; and regularly monitors enrolment trends and performance data.
• Exit survey of ‘drop-outs’ routinely conducted by Student Services to enable a review of attrition bases and trends.
• OPACS Policy Document: Academic Learning Support Programs^# provides a framework for academic learning support.
• Development of Policy on Inclusive Practice and Language is well advanced.

USQ Equity in Education Policy ^#

Institutional

• Complements the broad suite of social justice policies now in place including the unique USQ Policy on Multiculturalism^#.
• The implementation of all policies and associated programs are reviewed, including those under legislative guidelines.

Student Services: full range of counselling services, psych. Testing, drop-in advice, Peer-assisted Learning, Learning Enhancement Student Services

• Full range of student services available on-campus, and via telephone and other media to external students and out of hours. Use of internet in service increasing.
• Developing Your Study Skills at University# handbook used in the Learning Enhancement Program updated; the Peer Counselling Program expanded in terms of the number of sessions held and the number of counsellors, Regional Study Skills Workshops conducted – total occasions for all services in semester 1 1998=1,831.
• A student counsellor position for USQ: Wide Bay will be introduced from 1999.

Prospective Student Awareness, including school links, career counselling, etc.

Student Admin./Student Services. / MPR

• Student satisfaction with the services offered by Student Administration is extremely high according to both CEQ and internal student surveys^#.
• School links and prospective student advice feature strongly in the Marketing and Public Relations strategies for prospective students. During the reporting period, approx. 200 schools were visited – 65% of these in rural areas – and 40 educational markets attended. Mailouts to schools, parent information evenings, campus tours and workshops are also conducted.

Recognition of Prior Learning and Credit Transfer

Faculties / Student Admin.

• The majority of USQ students may be classed as ‘non-traditional’. The median age of students is 27 years - the fifth highest for the sector. For this student constituency, RPL and credit transfer arrangements must be in place to cater for needs.
• Special RPL and credit transfer databases exist - for example, the Faculty of Business EAGLE system.

Institutional

Activities during the current reporting period include:

• Teaching for Diversity Workshop (EO Office - Feb.-Mar. 1998).
• Inclusivity awareness activities - USQNews articles, speaker series, brochures (Student Equity Committee working party).
• Program on multiculturalism and racism (EO Office - Oct.-Nov. 1998) to support the USQ Policy on Multiculturalism^#.

Institutional

• Staff activities are detailed in papers and reports^# available in the areas of inclusivity, student preparation particularly in mathematics, in-context support, barriers to participation and the special needs of groups-at-risk (females in non-traditional areas, NESB students, young male students, adult students), and the innovative use of educational technologies.
• Institutional research on equity performance conducted routinely both within individual sections and centrally by the University Planning and Statistical Office and EEO Office.

Group

Enrol’s

EFTSU

# Male

# Fem

# Internal

# External

Age

Av Age

‘97

Fem in Eng

21

12.5

0

21

9

12

18-54

28

Indig / Low SES

6

4.124

1

5

4

2

22-38

31.5

‘98

Indig / Low SES

7

6.812

3

4

7

0

17-20

18

R&I / Low SES

16

13.874

2

14

12

4

17-42

20

NESB/Low SES

1

0.25

1

0

0

1

35

35