Access Without Support Is Not Opportunity... but Stop Singling Them Out!

Abstract

There is renewed energy by universities in Australia to embark on a journey of social inclusion driven by the Federal Government’s widening participation agenda. Much research and attention is being given to access and outreach programs to raise the participation rates of students from low socioeconomic backgrounds (LSES) as well as learning and teaching initiatives to aid their success in higher education. While Student Services units in higher education are designed to build the personal resources of students, LSES students can bring with them unique and complex social, economic, and cultural factors that can affect Student Services’ capacity to support them effectively. It is important to reflect on the role Student Services units can play in the retention and success of invisible cohorts such as LSES students as well as the challenges they will face in supporting an increasingly diverse cohort. This paper proposes a strategy to build collaborative outreach models with multiple entry points into Student Services. Strategies based on universal design principles will enable Student Services units to respond effectively to an everchanging and increasingly diverse student demographic.