Residential Support

Accommodation Services aims to create healthy ‘Living and Learning’ environments and creates, encourages and offers students a complete experience. Accommodation Services works within a policy framework that recognises the inter-relationship between accommodation and support programs and the university’s academic success and sustainability.

Accommodation Services is more than just bricks and mortar. Housing is a fundamental contributor to health and wellbeing. There are links between good housing outcomes and broader social and economic objects including, but not limited to:

increased educational attainment
higher retention rates
strong and stable communities
better health outcomes
reduced crime and antisocial behaviour.

Accommodation Services at UTAS is leading the way in the provision of residential support. The residential support model that has been developed over the last four years is unique in that it provides professional and innovative support to those who live in our residences across the state.

Residential Care and Support

Our team of Residential Support Officers (RSOs) are responsible for the management and provision of pastoral care and residential support, and the development of a community of students in residence. The RSOs are professional staff members who are specifically employed to support students living on campus – they have a variety of skills and expertise and have access to a wide network of support services.

RSOs are available from late afternoon to the early hours of the morning and work in conjunction with UTAS Security and the Accommodation Services Customer Service Officers (CSOs) to ensure that there is someone available to assist 24 hours, seven days a week. Hobart and Launceston have a duty phone (help phone) which diverts to one of these areas at all times.

The RSOs encourage the development of:

a safe and supportive living environment
diverse residential support programs to encourage academic, personal, social and cultural development
opportunities for leadership, independence, responsibility and community service
programs that promote learning skills and an appreciation of the value of knowledge
programs and activities that encourage an acceptance of diversity
opportunities for residents to develop a greater appreciation of other cultures and customs.

These aims are achieved through: sitting in the sun

community development
critical incident management
preventative works
information and referral service
administration
residential Programs – whole-of-life experiences.

Residential Programs – 'Whole-of-Life Experiences'

The ‘whole-of-life’ experience is about providing choice in relation to the types of experiences that are available in a residential setting. These programs are concentrated in the following areas of development:

social
cultural
sport and recreation
academic
health and wellbeing
environmental.

Residential support staff play a pivotal role in promoting, implementing and evaluating these programs. In addition, the residential support staff coordinate communication forums, resident orientation sessions and the recruitment of tutors and mentors. In the past, RSO's have been instrumental in raising money for charities with charity dinners and auctions, aquisitive art prizes, Red Cross 'blood runs' where residents donate blood, contributing towards sight restoration operations for Vietnamese patients.

Contacting Residential Support Staff

For email contact details please go to our contacts page.

Hobart:

All Sites - 03 6226 6400

Launceston:

Kerslake and Leprena - 0417 314 724
Investigator Hall – 0417 318 091

Student Development Program - Academic Support

As part of the Student Development Program tutoring is provided to residents either on a one to one basis, group tuition related to a particular subject, or as a general program on essay writing, study skills, exam preparation and time management as well as vocational preparation skills

If you would like some assistance please complete and submit a request.

Services Offered by the University

Additional assistance is also available through the following areas in the University:

UTAS offers a range of support services to all students