Changes to the role of UCL Student Adviser
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Based in each department, Students Advisers are there to support students on anything related to their wellbeing or student experience, discuss any aspect of university life and signpost them to relevant services in and outside of UCL. They also run events and activities throughout the academic year on various topics, including wellbeing, time management and assignments.
In previous years, Student Advisers provided support to undergraduate students at all levels. However, Student Support and Wellbeing (SSW) Senior Management have decided to refocus the role of student advisers back to primarily Year 1 undergraduate students and Year 2 and 3 priority groups this year. This was mainly due to the expansion of the SSW services as there is now more support available from the Disability, Mental Health and Wellbeing (DMHW) team and Student Psychological and Counselling Services (SPCS) for all students. However, this decision was received with distress among BSc Psychology with Education students.
The majority of the Year 3 cohort were strongly against and upset about the news of the Student Adviser role changes. Through course feedback, many students stated that they found their student adviser to be the most enriching and beneficial part of their support system. Students also shared how they are less likely to reach out to these alternative services and expressed anxiety and fear about opening up to strangers regarding personal or sensitive topics. Many stated that they sometimes just need someone to talk to or listen to them.
Students also provided suggestions for solutions. For example, as Student Advisers have been with students from the beginning of their degree up to now, a relationship of trust has been established where students feel comfortable and are more likely to reach out to their adviser when they need support or to raise an issue. Student Advisers can pick up on more serious issues and recommend the appropriate services, which students are more likely to use if recommended from a trusted source.
Alongside speaking to their student representatives, students also gave anonymous feedback via Student Advisers, who play a key role in projecting student voice. Students feel that their options are now limited to services that feel impersonal and do not meet their needs. Many are “devastated” and scared that they will be missing a valuable asset in their support system during their most important year.
Although we wished to include the perspective of a Student Adviser regarding these changes to their role, they were unable to share their opinions due to UCL Staff Communication Policy. Currently, the Year 3 course reps have started a petition to raise students’ concerns about the changes to the role of Student Adviser and expand the focus of the role to include students across years.