Expenditure on Additional Access and Retention Measures. 3.1 Estimated expenditure on additional access and retention measures An estimated 22% of additional fee income from new entrants in 2013/14 will be spent on Access and Retention measures – an estimated £2, 106,996 Given our consistently high proportion of under-represented students and our strong student retention record, our proposed percentage spend may exceed that expected by XXXX. However, we believe this higher than average spend appropriately reflects our values as an institution with a Church of England Foundation where we seek to maximise, within the limits of funding available, the support we provide to disadvantaged communities and to our students.
Expenditure on Additional Access and Retention Measures. In its 2012-13 Access Agreement, the University made a significant commitment to bursary support for those in most financial need in addition to increased expenditure on access measures, establishing a number of new posts and structures. Data on our 2012-13 student intake showed that our targeted approach to student financial support successfully met our aim of giving assistance to those in most need. We were able to allocate 95% of our planned expenditure to those with a Household Residual Income (HRI) at or below £16,000 who also met one or more widening participation indicators. As stated in our 2013-14 Access Agreement we took the opportunity to review our household income eligibility thresholds in 2014-15 after completing a full academic cycle. In 2014-15 we undertook a survey of current students in receipt of Bath Bursaries and those with higher incomes in receipt of alumni funded scholarships. The comparison revealed that the Bursary students on the lowest incomes used their award to cover essential costs whereas those from families with higher incomes used the additional funds to enhance their student experience. On the basis of this evidence we will retain our targeted approach to student support and maintain the HRI eligibility criterion at the higher level of £20,000. Pending the outcome of the research commissioned by the Office of Fair Access on Bursary support, we will also conduct a feasibility study on raising this threshold to £25,000, and contingency funds have been incorporated into the Agreement to allow an increase to this level for students commencing their studies in 2016-17 if the evidence base supports this move. A number of posts were established in 2012-13 including a Head of Widening Participation, Student Experience Officers in each Faculty, Peer Mentoring Co-ordinator, Data Co-ordinator, Progression Officer and WP Outreach Officers, together with extensive outreach activity. In 2014 we appointed a new Director of Student Recruitment and Admissions to strengthen our management and co-ordination structures.
Expenditure on Additional Access and Retention Measures. In line with the access guidelines we have reviewed our data, drawing on the HESA widening participation and student retention performance indicators and benchmarks which confirm that the University College has a high percentage of under-represented students accessing the institution significantly above the sector average, but a higher than benchmark non-continuation and non- completion rates. In line with OFFA guidance the University College expects to spend an amount equating to 18% of expenditure above the £6,000 fee level. The emphasis will be on targeted outreach and collaborative activity and on retention and completion activities; it is proposed that the balance of funding will be a one third / two thirds split between these two sets of activities. A number of fee waivers and financial bursary arrangements will be offered to students, and their success in influencing student behaviour will be closely monitored. The University College will also participate in the National Scholarship Scheme (see Section 4.4). Students accessing the institution before 2012/13 will continue to be supported through the current Access Agreement arrangements. The expenditure on access measures indicated in this agreement relate to provision for new entrants in 2012/13 and also to retention and support measures for continuing students. The total sum that the University College will spend on access measure is estimated to be c. £490,000; this relates to anticipated expenditure for students on all three years of undergraduate degrees in 2012/13. The trend data for the University College in relation to its performance indicators and benchmarks over the last five years is detailed in the following table.
Expenditure on Additional Access and Retention Measures. 4.1 The University recruits a diverse undergraduate population. While the majority of our UK undergraduate students have homes outside the East Midlands, around 40% of each cohort comes from the region, a region with improving, but still low, HE participation rates. Half of these students are from Nottinghamshire, the county with the lowest regional HE progression rate.
Expenditure on Additional Access and Retention Measures. Indicative expenditure is shown below highlighting the balance of access and student success activities, whilst at the same time enhancing bursary support to recognise the fact that a significant number of UCLan students enter from low income families. Feedback from students and from the Students’ Union is that such measures encourage low income families into higher education and improve progression rates. Access £485,550 Student Success £2,836,191 Progression £812,500 Financial support £4,748,079 Monitoring and evaluation £40,000 TOTAL £8,922,320 All of the expenditure noted is “countable” for the purposes of this Access Agreement. FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS Financial support will be provided to students in cash and through payments to support learning. Additional funds will be allocated to enhance the hardship fund to be administered by the Xxxxxx Bursary Fund Panel. Through these additional funds we will be able to provide more targeted financial support to mature students, especially student parents and to students in need at appropriate points throughout the student lifecycle. Our approach to financial support is evolving based on discussions with the Students’ Union and on feedback from previous and current First Years as well as national research and feedback. The Students’ Union favours an approach which continues to provide a high level of support to the very poorest students, but allows for differing levels of support for other students presenting varying needs. Feedback from previous and current First Year students suggests that although the availability of financial support is not a key determinant in the decision to come to University, once here it is highly valued and may make a significant difference in some students’ ability to stay the course, thus impacting favourably on student success and progression. While recognising that national research does not point to bursaries having significant impact in widening participation, we feel that tailored investment, based on impartial and auditable criteria, will allow interventions by way of financial support to be used to maximise student retention and achievement.
Expenditure on Additional Access and Retention Measures. 4.1 The relevant latest available HESA performance indicators show that UCL has a low number of students from under-represented backgrounds. The indicators show that UCL has 65.3% of its intake from state schools, 17.5% from lower social class, 3.8% from low participation neighbourhoods and 1.4% from families with no previous higher education and from low participation neighbourhoods.
Expenditure on Additional Access and Retention Measures. 4.1 The University has made significant progress against outreach measures over the last decade. For example the proportion of young state sector students securing a place at the University of 5 xxx.xxxxxxxxxxxx.xx.xx/xxxxxxx‐group‐latest‐news/137‐2011/4808‐hesa‐performance‐indicators‐‐xxxxxxx‐group‐comment/ 6 xxx.xxx.xx.xx/xxxxxxxxxx/xxxxxxxxxxxxx/xxxxxxxx/ 7 Also known as the “University Composition Fee” 8 xxx.xxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx/xxxxx/0000/0/xxxxxxxx Cambridge has increased by 6.3 percentage points to 59.3%9 and the proportion of Black, Asian and minority ethnicity students admitted reflects national demographics10. The University is currently engaged in an unprecedented level of additional outreach activity which reaches a diverse range of under‐represented groups across the UK.
Expenditure on Additional Access and Retention Measures. 4. We have assessed our access and retention record based on our own internal data and the performance indicators published annually by XXXX, paying particular attention to any trends and to the position in 2009/10. We have taken into account absolute numbers and also our performance against our locally adjusted benchmarks.
Expenditure on Additional Access and Retention Measures. 3.1. In 2012/13, the University is projected to invest approximately 24.6% of the additional income generated by charging the higher tuition fee level into the funding of student support measures targeted on providing financial support to students from low income backgrounds, mature students, student outreach, retention and success.
Expenditure on Additional Access and Retention Measures. The University has a significant commitment to bursary support from the 2008-2012 Access Agreement, amounting to £1 million before any new expenditure is accounted. By committing to additional expenditure in 2011-12 and 2012-13 the University has established a number of new posts and structures. The following level of expenditure indicates the level of activity that is envisaged by 2016- 17:
