Transformations in College Student Services: A Decade of Evolution
Over the past decade, college student services departments have undergone shifts to support students in an ever-changing world. This has led to an increasing need for colleges to be more financially efficient, with how they support their students. In some cases, we have seen traditional student services departments morph into Student Engagement teams incorporating remits from other college departments. There is now greater focus on safeguarding student mental health and we have also seen a change in the student travel cost profile.
Using financial benchmarking, we break down the student service departments at a college into pay and non-pay. Areas which fall into Pay include Safeguarding teams, Admissions, Careers and employability, Pastoral Support and learner support including financial advice and guidance. Areas related to non-pay are relevant to a colleges account and include areas such as Student Transport, Safeguarding, Student Unions, and student support.
Using benchmarking data from 2006 to 2022, we will highlight how student services finances have changed, including how this has impacted staffing and changes within student transport income and costs.
Financial Trends
In 2006/07, we recorded that on average, colleges spent £36 per £1k of core income on Student Services activity. This had increased by 19% to £43 by 2021-22 which would reflect a c.£200k increase in spend for a £30mil college.
The below table shows how pay and non-pay spend per £1k of core income has changed since 2006/07. Non-pay has decreased by 19% from £7 to £5 per £1k core income. These costs are showing spend that is not being offset by the learner support fund. Pay has increased by 31% from £29 per £1k core income to £39 and has shown an 8-percentage point increase as a proportion of core income since 2006/07. Historically, student services cost profile has been heavily pay orientated (81% in 2006/07), and this is increasing year on year (up to 90%).
Staffing Dynamics
Staffing levels within the student services departments have evolved between 2006/07 and 2021/22. While certain areas, such as admissions and student finance support, have experienced reductions in staff FTEs per 5,000 Equivalent Full Time Student (EFTS). Others have seen incremental growth, notably, pastoral support has seen a substantial increase potentially due to a change in student support needs for mental health resulting from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The way in which colleges utilise their staff have changed over the years for example, colleges often use roles such as progression tutors to deliver a hybrid of tutorials and pastoral support to learners to facilitate progression, whereas in the past these functions would have typically been delivered by lecturing staff. Over time colleges have sought cost effective ways to ensure learners receive the right type of support from a more specialised role, freeing up lecturer’s time to focus on teaching and learning.
Another area impacted is Student Finance. After the removal of the EMA (Education Maintenance Allowance) in 2011, which was aimed at encouraging students from low-income backgrounds to stay in education, less financial hardship support was made available for students and therefore this is a likely reason for the decrease within the student finance team.
The establishment of dedicated safeguarding teams has been a pivotal change within Student Services. This echoes wider concerns within our community, as highlighted in a report by the NSPCC, where 90% of teachers noted an increase in safeguarding issues.
This led to a discrete code being used within benchmarking as a response to capture those responsible for this critical function. In the above table, the increase in personnel within this category shows the importance for colleges to support the specific needs of student welfare and safety.
Impact on Transportation
Transportation falls within colleges' student services non-pay expenditures, and we have seen changes in costs, income, and its role in student welfare especially within rural areas and multi-site colleges.
The 2023 report from the National Union of Students (NUS) unveiled the harsh realities of travel expenses, with 20% of students confessing to missing classes due to financial constraints. Additionally, a substantial portion of students have had to make sacrifices, curtailing extracurricular activities, family time, and even meals to navigate transportation costs.
NUS Scotland have half-price bus and rail fares highlighting acknowledgment of inequalities in access to affordable transportation among students. Whereas in England, having access to free or reduced transportation costs are a lottery depending on the students Local Authority rules and regulations.
The notable 54% increase in income allocated to support transportation costs, contrasted with a 29% decrease in costs for colleges, signalling a concerted effort to ensure students have the necessary support to attend classes. This reflects a broader commitment to fostering an environment where all students can thrive academically, regardless of financial constraints.
By analysing a large and robust cohort of colleges consistently over time, benchmarking has enabled us to see the increasing financial impact on student services. We have demonstrated the impact transportation has on students’ ability to engage in education, the sectors changing staffing needs, adjusted to combat the new challenges faced by students daily such as increased requirements for mental health support, and shifts in focus between different areas of a college, to provide cost effective support where it is most needed in the landscape of rising costs.
