Student Support Policy

It is important that students are academically suited to continue their studies. The University assesses this in a number of ways.

• All students are required to meet a certain academic standard to be admitted into their degree program (Admissions Policy).
• The University identifies students who have failed previous subjects of study through our progressions process (Academic Progression Review Policy), with escalating levels of interventions to support your academic recovery.
• The Student Advising team provide targeted proactive support throughout your degree:
  • to ensure appropriate targeted support, the University collects data on a number of performance, demographic and engagement outputs, to develop a risk profile for each student. Most of this data is passively collected as a student engages with their studies and all relevant support services. Data points can include inherent characteristics that may typically increase risk of not succeeding (equity cohort), previous failure to successfully complete a subject, or demonstrated low levels of engagement (e.g. failure to log into the Learning Management System).
  • These risk profiles are triangulated against the historical performance of La Trobe’s student cohort, to develop a predictive analytics model, which is used to identify students at risk of not succeeding academically.
  • All students identified as being at ‘high-risk’ and ‘medium-risk’ receive proactive developmental support from the Student Advising team before the census date in their current teaching period. This includes an individual appointment with a Student Advisor.
  • Students who report non-academic issues that put them at risk of not successfully completing their units are offered the opportunity to apply for adjustments to their assessment. A Student Advisor will discuss these adjustments by offering an individual appointment.
  • The Student Advising team can refer students to specialist support services provided by other departments at La Trobe.
  • Students (including those not at-risk) can request an appointment with a member of the Student Advising team.
  • Students may self-refer to a specialist support service without meeting with a Student Advisor.

The University recognises the importance of effectively communicating details of the range of support services available to you throughout your course. Details of all University support services can be found in the Schedule of the Student Support Policy, and at the bottom of this webpage. Additionally:

• The University will email all students with details of all academic and non-academic services prior to each census date and as part of our wider communications about the Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF).
• These communications will include information about the impact of remaining enrolled in a subject after the census date, including where a HECS-HELP or FEE-HELP debt is incurred.

The University strives to provide students with access to all services in a reasonably timely manner.

• Any student identified as potentially academically at-risk will receive proactive engagement from the Student Advising team.
• Escalating levels of support are available for those students identified at the various stages of progression through the Academic Progression Review Policy.

• The Library will deliver a range of literacy and numeracy support through the Learning Hubs, Discipline Hubs and Peer Learning Advisors programs.
• Academics involved in the teaching of your subjects and courses will periodically reach out to you when they identify that you may be in need of additional academic support e.g. where you have failed a number of assessment tasks.

• All students can access a range of non-academic support, including but not limited to, wellbeing, counselling and mental health support. A full list of services can be found in the Schedule of the Student Support Policy (and at the bottom of this webpage).
• As part of the support available to you from our non-academic support services, a specialist may refer you to academic support services, should this be appropriate.

The University’s Indigenous Student Services team provides culturally appropriate support to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. This includes, but is not limited to, Indigenous Student Advising, the Indigenous Academic Enrichment Program (IAEP – tutoring) and access to culturally safe spaces.

Indigenous students also receive priority access to scholarships, providing additional support in removing the financial barriers to engaging with their studies.

In addition to access to our range of mainstream services, students with disabilities or neurodiverse characteristics can access our AccessAbility and Inclusion services.

Our AccessAbility advisors can assist you to meet the requirements of your course if you are a student who:

• has been diagnosed as Autistic, or has ADHD, Dyslexia and/or another minority neurotype with support needs, or
• lives with, or has, a mental health condition, ongoing medical condition or disability (including physical, neurological, intellectual, sensory, acquired brain injury or specific learning difficulty)

This may include advice on managing university study, implementing reasonable adjustments, including adjusted assessment and exam arrangements, assistance negotiating extensions, information on assistive technology options and placement arrangements etc.

Students who are victims/survivors of domestic violence or sexual harm can receive case management support from our Student Wellbeing Connect specialist service. The service can:

• act as a point of contact to listen to and understand your unique circumstances
• guide you through processes and link you to services and resources in the community and university to assist with your situation
• work in collaboration with existing services you may be in touch with (our services are not intended to replace your existing supports)
• liaise with academics, accommodation, Student Advocacy, Counselling, AccessAbility and Inclusion and other specialist teams

Any student can report an incidence of violence, harassment or sexual harm via Safer Community.