Adapting to the pandemic has given the division powerful tools in the online space
COVID-19 — it seems like society has made a collective decision to erase the pandemic from memory. Yet its effects still linger, some bad (particularly in the economic space), but a few surprisingly good. UWI St Augustine’s Division of Student Services and Development (DSSD), the body responsible for supporting students in a host of ways, has enjoyed one enormous benefit from the upheaval and isolation of those years: a dynamic expansion online.
“DSSD has taken a new direction,” says the division’s director Dr Deirdre Charles. “It was almost forced upon us by COVID-19.”
Like the rest of the campus, the pandemic forced DSSD to take their services online. This was a massive undertaking. The division has eight departments (nine including the Office of the Director), with responsibility for student accommodation, financial services, student activities and much more. Suddenly, they had to adapt to an empty campus and students learning remotely.
“Out of that came so many ideas that gave us such innovative ways of reaching our students,” Dr Charles explains.
A number of programmes went online. Financial advisory services, psychological counselling, career services (including their very popular UWI RBL World of Work event), and even aspects of the First Year Experience (FYE) student orientation programme were delivered online. Dr Charles herself started delivering video messages for students on social media platforms.
I began doing videos on different areas to reach the students, and to help guide them without being face-to-face. It was also a way to help them understand that all their services and developmental activities would continue.”
And what started as measures to provide services during extraordinary circumstances have not only been maintained, they have grown and become integral to DSSD’s work.
As Dr Charles explains, “What we found is that students really like online. Even when they returned to the campus, many still choose to access services online.”
Students who receive stipends from DSSD can now do so from their computers. Many application processes can now be completed virtually. Students who
receive counselling can have their sessions in the comfort and anonymity of their homes.“It has really helped with efficiency of the division, and it meets the students where they are, because technology is their thing. They are very techie. They like things at their fingertips,” says the DSSD director.
However, face-to-face services are still in full effect. In fact, one of DSSD’s important post-COVID missions is rebuilding campus life. As Dr Charles explains, when the pandemic ended, there was a whole cohort of students who had never attended physical classes.
“Some of them came to campus for the first time, but they were in their final year,” she says. “Campus life for them was sitting behind the computer in their rooms.”
Their efforts to re-energise the campus are bearing fruit. The World of Work Recruitment Fair, an initiative to help students find career opportunities with some of T&T’s major employers, has been incredibly successful this April. Dr Charles says the fair “is buzzing” and the brand is where it is supposed to be”. The students, she adds, “have embraced it”.
So, what next for DSSD? Dr Charles says she is going to embark on strategic planning for the division involving research and visiting other universities to analyse best practices in student services from around the world. From this, working with the managers and staff, she will prepare DSSD for the next decade.
In the near term, they have “a lot of exciting programmes in development “, she says. “Kudos to the staff. I have a really good team behind me. A good team of managers and their employees that keep the ship afloat. We are ready to soar.”
Office of the Director
Provides leadership and strategic direction for the entire division.
Careers, Co-Curricular and Community Engagement Department
Helps students develop their skills and provides a well-rounded experience to adapt to life after graduation.
Counselling and Psychological Services Department
Provides mental health and wellness services to students.
Financial Advisory Services Department
Guides students through the process of securing financial aid and manages scholarships, bursaries, and other financial support.
Guild Administrative Office
Acts as liaison to the Guild of Students and provides mentorship in leadership and governance.
Student Accommodation Office
Oversees student housing on and off-campus, and helps students adjust to life away from home.
Student Activities, Facilities, and Commuting Students Department
Oversees campus amenities, facilities, and recreational activities, as well as supporting commuting students.
Student Engagement Unit
Fosters student involvement in co-curricular and social experiences.
Student Life and Development Department
Provides support for international, regional, and mature students, as well as students with disabilities and medical conditions.
