1. ‘Leap in the Dark’:
students, fees, and the
implications for
services
John Hogan
Registrar
Newcastle University
25 June 2012

2. 14th Earl of Derby

3. Great Expectations
• Good quality tuition
• Good quantity tuition (2012 NUS
survey 68% satisfied, 26% not)
• Good facilities – accommodation, IT,
Library
• A 2i or 1st
• A graduate level job

4. Expectations or Rights?
• 1963 Robbins Report
• 1993 The Charter for Higher
Education
• 2011 White Paper ‘Students at the
Heart of the System’

5. 1963 Robbins Report
•“We think that in the universities the cases where
•“Students should be expected to spend a substantial

6. 1993 Charter for
Higher Education
• “Customers of universities and
colleges also have responsibilities
and the Charter reminds you of some
of them. But the focus is on the
meeting of your legitimate needs.”
p2

7. 2011 Students at the
Heart of the System
“Student charters and student
feedback will take on a new importance
to
empower students whilst at university.”
p6
“A good student is not simply a
consumer of other people’s knowledge,
but will actively draw on all the
resources that a good university or
college can offer to learn as much as
they can.” p33

8. Are student satisfied?
National Student Survey
QUESTION YEAR % AGREE % DISAGREE
The Library resources and 2007 80 12
services are good enough
for my needs
2008 80 11
2009 81 11
2010 80 11
2011 81 11
Overall Satisfaction 2007 82 9
2008 82 9
2009 82 9
2010 82 9
2011 83 9

9. I’ve paid my money so
where is my degree?
• Complaints to the Office of the Independent Adjudicator

10. So where does
my money go?

11. Students as Customers
• Service provision - accommodation
• Opening hours
• Control of users’ behaviour
• Charges – printing, photocopying
• Fines

12. Customer Service