I am writing to give you an update to changes in Student Services that have been designed to ensure the continued success of the college system at the University of Kent and to support the delivery of an outstanding student experience. This has involved a review and restructure of the colleges including a clear separation of responsibility for college life and student conduct and complaints.
Continuing the excellent work of College Masters, assistants and colleagues since the University began, the new college structure ensures the University is aligned with the very latest regulatory requirements and sector best practice particularly in the separation of responsibility for student wellbeing from student conduct and complaints. The new structure helps facilitate a consistent approach to both of those areas for all our students.
You can see the new structure on the Organising for Success staff webpages.
In essence, the College Master function is now undertaken by the Head of Colleges and Community Life supported by a team of College Life Officers and a Community Life Officer. They will provide strategic leadership and management on all aspects of enhancement and innovation in the area of college and community life, ensuring that student life and the University’s engagement with the community is sector-leading, inclusive, evidence-based and contributes to successful student outcomes.
In addition, the Head of Student Conduct and Complaints will provide strategic leadership and management on all aspects of student conduct and complaints, supported by a team of specialist Student Conduct and Complaints Officers. The Office will be responsible for the management and investigation of all non-academic student discipline cases and complaints.
They will work closely with Campus Security and external bodies such as Kent Police, and address community concerns through local Resident Associations as well as liaising with and responding to regulatory bodies such as the Office for the Independent Adjudicator.
Following the appointment of Dr Lucy Foley as Director of Student Services, I am delighted to announce that we have appointed Jacqui Double as our new Head of Colleges and Community Life and Alison Mansell as Head of Student Conduct and Complaints.
To further strengthen the college system on the Canterbury campus, a new college for Park Wood students will be in operation from this September.
Providing additional support will be several teams of students in both Canterbury and Medway providing on- and off-campus support, helping to build community through a series of engagement activities and events. These include Residential Life Officers recruited from this year’s 2020/21 taught postgraduate cohort.
The new structure has also allowed us to invest further in mental health support, and out-of-hours provision.
We believe that these changes will enable the University to better meet the needs of students in the 21st Century, build stronger communities within the colleges, and strengthen the wider student communities throughout Canterbury and Medway.
Further appointments to the team are in the process of being made and more information will be available soon including online Q and A sessions for staff led by Lucy, Jacqui and Alison.
Until the teams are fully in place, please do get in touch with any queries:
- Student welfare and college and community life
Jacqui Double, headofcollegeandcommunitylife@kent.ac.uk - Student conduct and complaints
Alison Mansell, sccoffice@kent.ac.uk
Should you have any other queries please contact Dr Lucy Foley’s office, directorstudentservices@kent.ac.uk.
Professor Christina Hughes | Interim Director of Student Services