CSM Student and staff handbook

 

8 Where to go for help (Info Point and Student Services at Penryn Campus)

Students having difficulty with any aspect of a module should contact the module lecturer (or module leader) as soon as possible. Contact details for all module instructors are on each module ELE page, in Section 9.1 and at http://emps.exeter.ac.uk/csm/staff/academicstaff/.

The University provides a range of support services on the Penryn campus designed to support you throughout your studies. These services are: the Student Union, Living Support, The Career Zone, ASK, Dyslexia Skills, The Counselling Service, The Accessibility Service, the Medical Service, the Multi-faith Chaplaincy, Language Services and the Estates and Facilities Helpdesk.

Student Services are based at Level 0 of The Exchange and the Tremough Annexe. They are there for all students whether it is to help with finding your way around, advice about welfare, wellbeing and general student life, support as a disabled student, religion and spirituality or just to offer a friendly ear to make university life as stress free as possible.

The services available at the Penryn Campus are free, confidential (no information will be passed between the services, or anywhere else, without the student’s permission), friendly and student-centred. If you don’t know which service you need, a good starting point is The Compass - student information desk, which can advise and signpost you to the right service.

Contact:

Opening hours are 9 am until 5 pm weekdays during term time, with a more limited service during vacations. The receptionists at The Exchange and the Tremough Annexe can make appointments for the following services (all of which can also be contacted using the avenues stated above):

Living Support: can support, advise and point you in the right direction with all sorts of issues such as general student life, academic issues, living in the community, personal relationships and general worries. If you need to understand your options, are concerned about your own welfare or the welfare or behaviour of others around you, then the Living Support team are here for you.

The Career Zone: is found on Level 0 of The Exchange. Careers advisers are available for individual interviews at any stage during your studies. They can help with career choice, preparing CVs and applications, finding the right employer, and ways of enhancing your employability. The extensive Careers Library is based within the Student Services office and has databases for funding, volunteering and working abroad. You are very welcome to drop in and browse. Advice on preparation and polish for CVs and interview technique is timetabled in Years 1, 2 and 3 to assist you in securing a work placement and finding your first destination employment. Contact on 01326 253735, email: cc-careers@exeter.ac.uk.

ASK: Academic Skills: can support you with essay writing, study skills such as time management and presentations, research skills, numeracy support and English language support for students whose first language is not English. Book online (http://ask.fxplus.ac.uk) or email: ask@fxplus.ac.uk.

Dyslexia Skills: provides individual advice and guidance for students who have been identified as having dyslexia. The Dyslexia Skills team work closely with ASK: Academic Skills and the Accessibility team to provide a spectrum of support to meet the needs of every individual student. They offer a pre-arrival online assessment for new students. This innovative computer software will help you identify your preferred learning style, as well as check for indicators of dyslexia. In order to claim the Disabled Students' Allowance from your funding body, students with dyslexia need to undertake a diagnostic assessment carried out by a qualified person. This assessment has a cost to the student. In cases of financial hardship, funds may be available through the University's Hardship and Retention Fund. Please discuss any concerns or outcomes with their team.

The Counselling Service: You can talk to a counsellor about anything that might be troubling you (academic or otherwise). Counsellors do not give advice or judge you, instead they work alongside you to find a way forward. You have a choice of seeing a male of female counsellor, and can do so on the Penryn Campus or at Wood Lane Campus in Falmouth. All the counsellors are professionally trained and work in accordance with the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy Ethical Framework. You need to ask to see a counsellor. They will not talk to academic staff, other Student Services staff, family members or anyone else without your permission.

The Accessibility Service: provides help, support and advocacy for students with disabilities and anyone experiencing problems like anxiety or stress. We are the people to see for advice and support for applying for Disabled Students Allowance (DSA). The Accessibility Advisers can work with you in a confidential environment to discuss your needs and arrange support for you while you are studying. For example, you may be eligible to apply for a Disabled Student Allowance, which provides a grant to overcome practical barriers to learning (e.g. Support workers, specialist tutors, specialist software and laptop). We can also liaise with your course tutors to ensure that information is provided in an accessible format for you. It is best to contact their team before you start your course so that any necessary support can be arranged as soon as possible. This is especially important if you are entering accommodation at the University and may require adaptations to your accommodation. They welcome applications from disabled students (e.g. physical, sensory, mental health) and those with learning difficulties (e.g. dyslexia). They encourage anyone with a disability or learning difficulty to describe their needs on their online application form. This will not affect your application but will help them to plan your support.

Medical Service: Penryn-based students can see a doctor at the Student Health Centre at the Penryn Campus. To use this service, you need to register with the Penryn Surgery first (map) and then book an appointment. To make an appointment, contact the surgery on 01326 372502, stating that you are a student at Exeter University. At the same, you can also register to use the Penryn medical Practice based at the Penryn Surgery itself. Don't wait until you are unwell to register, it is better that a doctor has access to your full history when they see you. The practice can provide free medical certificates for students where there would normally be a charge. On the Penryn Campus, clinic times are Mondays and Tuesdays 8:30am to 11:30am, Wednesday and Thursday 3:00-5:00pm and Friday 8:30-11:30am. If you live in Falmouth you could register with Falmouth Health Centre, Trevaylor Road (01326 210090), Trescobeas Surgery, Trescobeas Road (01326 315615) or Westover Surgery, Western Terrace (01326 212120 – you will need a photo ID and proof of Falmouth residency such as a utility bill). You can also contact Student Services for a range of support, information, advice and specialist services.

Multi-Faith Chaplaincy: The Chaplain and volunteers are available to assist all students. They are there to help you explore your spirituality or just to chat about everyday issues. They are located at 8 Tremough Barton Cottages (map). Email: chaplaincy@fxplux.ac.uk.

Language courses: English for Academic Purposes run free courses for students whose first language is not English (see also here). Evening language classes (from beginner to advances in Spanish, French, German and Latin) are also available on the Penryn Campus for all students during autumn and spring terms (http://languages.fxplus.ac.uk/eveningcourses). The Language Exchange is an opportunity for students and staff to share their languages. Contact languages@fxplus.ac.uk for more information.

Estates and Facilities Helpdesk: provides a central point for students to make general enquiries, report faults or request maintenance or facilities services. The helpdesk is monitored between 8.30am and 5.30pm Monday to Friday. If you have a residences issue outside of these hours, you need to speak to the concierges in Glasney Lodge.

The University and Falmouth and Exeter Students’ Union (FXU) also provide assistance.

 

Advice for International Students

If you are not a native English speaker, try to think in English when you study. You have to write and discuss your work in English so it is important to practise working in that language at all times. All subjects have a specialised vocabulary of technical or subject-specific words that students have to understand. Some of these words may co-exist with a different, additional general meaning in English. If you convert them into your own language using a general-purpose dictionary, you will likely get the wrong meaning. For international students there are also a wide range of welfare services (see above).

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