Optimizing Student Services

Universities and Colleges Spend Billions on Under-Used Services

Universities and colleges spend billions every year on educating students —  $671 billion in 2019-20 to be precise. Faculty and staff salaries and benefits, the cost of instruction, was the large single expense category followed by “academic support, student services and institutional support” at public universities and not-for-profit institutions. At for-profit institutions, these student services accounted for 67% of the budget.

Despite huge amounts of money and time being poured into these services designed to support students, many students never access them. Why don't students use resources on campus?

Email Blasts Don't Work

The most obvious reason that students don’t use campus resources is that they don’t know they exist. Faculty and staff across the country are wringing their hands at this, producing the last twenty emails they sent to students on this very topic. “How can they not know about the tutoring center? It was included in the last page-long email I sent them which listed the five-hundred services we offer…”

Clearly that is an exaggeration, but we know Gen Z does not like emails. And it isn’t just Gen Z who are eschewing  emails. Students of all ages, who are juggling overflowing work inboxes and family commitments,, struggle to find the time to read and digest lengthy emails.

Texting is favored by many students over email, as it keeps communication brief and easy to monitor.  A quick text alerting students about a relevant support service is much more likely to get students’ attention.

Stigma around using Student Services

Students’ cultural and demographic backgrounds can impact how likely they are to use certain resources including mental health services, faculty office hours and basic-needs provision. Just because a college has a counseling center or a faculty member holds office hours, does not mean every student will feel comfortable using this support service. 

Some students fear judgment from faculty and staff for asking for help. Prior to enrolling in classes, students are often scared the university or college may rescind their admission if they voice that they need additional financial or academic support. 

Peer mentors are one strategy a university or college can adopt to break down these barriers to using resources. Connecting students with relevant peer support has been shown to reduce stigma and increase students’ use of campus resources in a peer-reviewed study conducted at UNC Greensboro.

Get in touch today to learn more about how you can increase student engagement at your institution.