Delivery of Non-Academic Student Support Services by staff in Kyambogo University

Abstract

Non-academic student support services are an essential component of universities that play a crucial role in assisting and promoting student retention. The success of students and institutions depends on the staff who provide non-academic student support services. The staff are faced with several complex, dynamic, and growing student challenges when providing these services. These include; the increasing student numbers and diversity, mental illnesses, suicide intentions, societal impact on higher education students, and reduced government funding which create questions on how the staff members manage to navigate through these challenges. It was upon this basis that my study explored how staff deliver and make sense of the delivery of the nonacademic student support services at Kyambogo University. My study was guided by two objectives: (1) to explore how staff deliver non- academic student support services at Kyambogo University; (2) to explore how the staff make sense of the delivery of non- academic student support services at Kyambogo University. Using situational ethnomethodology, my study employed a single case study design because it helped me to investigate this issue in depth and within its real-world context. I purposively selected my participants, which enabled me to get informants with rich data that enabled me to have an in-depth understanding of the phenomenon. Using thematic analysis, four themes including policy guidelines, management functions, capacity building, and servanthood emerged from this study. The findings indicated that staff were guided by regulations, carried out administrative and mandatory roles, sensitisation and training activities in the delivery of non-academic student support services. Staff make sense of their work when it led to others‟ and their own fulfilment. It was therefore concluded that those staff adhered and consulted policy guidelines, performed management functions and engaged in capacity building activities to deliver non-academic student support services at Kyambogo University. It was also concluded that those participants make sense of their work because it was all about servanthood. The study therefore, recommended that, the University should initiate the process of formulating policies, and guidelines and actualise the implementation of existing policies, and strengthen capacity-building initiatives through multi-stakeholder involvement to sustainably deliver the services. The university should motivate staff to make sense of their work through rewards and recognition so that they build and strengthen a culture of servanthood.