ID218 Tailored support for commuting students

The Idea

Keele should provide tailored support for commuting students, including a physical commuter hub, access to short-term accommodation, development of a community of commuter students, and support materials.

Why This Idea Should Be Considered

The way that students access university has changed dramatically in a relatively short period of time, due to external factors including the cost of living crisis and the university funding model. Traditional access to university, where the vast majority of students live on campus, or locally in student accommodation, has shifted, with increasing numbers of students choosing to live at home and commute to campus, sometimes over long distances. Commuter students are more likely to struggle to integrate, and would benefit from practical support (commuter space and facilities) and community support (more opportunities to meet fellow commuter students, both informally and through a commuter student peer mentoring system). 

This is a topical subject, with HEs recognising the importance of supporting this group of students: https://wonkhe.com/search/commuter+students  

The University of Manchester and Manchester Metropolitan University, for example, have established Commuter Student hubs, providing tailored support for commuting students/ 

How We Would Implement This Idea

Accommodation: At a time when the university is struggling to fill student accommodation due to a lack of demand, empty blocks could be opened to commuter students only on a short-term or intermittent basis. For example, a student commuting 2-3 hours to university with classes on consecutive days might be able to choose to stay over from Monday-Wednesday every week during teaching weeks. Implementing this alongside other initiatives, for example block timetabling, would enable both students and accommodation staff to more easily plan ahead. 

Spaces: Identify a physical space on campus that could be accessed by commuter students, with (for example) lockers, spaces to work, socialise, eat, make and store food, and shower. Involve commuter students in the design of this space. 

Support: Develop a commuter student guide to help commuter students to maximise time on campus; include ‘day in the life’ videos to provide examples of this mode of study; implement a peer mentoring scheme to develop a community, pairing students together from similar geographical areas; work with the SU to establish a commuter students’ society, newsletters, and socials that are targeted at and timed to suit commuter students.

What Success Would Look Like

Awareness of commuter students raised across the institution, to improve student experience and sense of belonging as they would feel better understood and supported. 

Approved attendance of commuter students, benefiting them but also benefiting the student experience as a whole. 

Keele would become known across the region for supporting commuter students, making Keele more attractive to prospective students who know that they cannot afford to live away from home, positively impacting recruitment.