Surveys: Thank you for the feedback

Why we want your information?

Monash Residential Services wants to provide the type of Student Residential Accommodation that you would tell others about in a positive light. Your word of mouth promotion of our Services is important to us individually and from a corporate perspective.

The desire of the staff of MRS to improve, upgrade and change processes and systems is very evident from the evolution of the services provided by Monash Residential Services. However, we need your feedback to help focus our efforts. This clarifies the areas that need to be improved and permits accurate fine tuning of our services. Your recent feedback is being processed and will be incorporated into the plans for upgrades for the future years.

Surveys: History and Model

In1999 MRS undertook a review of the Halls of Residence. The review closely examined resident and staff experiences and views of residential life and at the time was probably the most detailed examination of this kind undertaken in Australia. From that time on MRS adopted a Quality Cycle management model which involves the collection of information from a number of sources but most importantly from the residents.

The Quality Cycle Management

Model Extract from http://www.adm.monash.edu.au/cheq/quality/quality-at-monash-values-principles.html

The approach to quality at Monash University is best summarised into three components which when integrated effectively create a powerful tool for success.

1. Essential questioning to establish “fitness for purpose” The following is a series of exploratory questions that can be use at any level within the organisation to clarify the purpose and areas of potential improvement for everything that is being done:

What are you trying to do?
Why are you trying to do it?
How are you trying to do it?
Why are you doing it this way?
How do you know it is working?
How do you improve it?
How do you improve?

2. The Quality Cycle
The Monash planning and review cycle consists of four elements; Plan, Act, Evaluate, and Improve. These elements are briefly explained below. Plan > Act > Evaluate > Improve > [this is an on-going cycle] … Plan > Act >

plan: the formal planning process to set objectives
act: activities that are undertaken to meet objectives, implement plans and produce outcomes.
evaluate: investigation (monitoring & review) of the outcomes of the planned activities and to determine whether or not objectives met.
improve: results of evaluation are fed back in order to generate improvement, may result in modification or development of a new plan.

3. Feedback The focus on Feedback is a critical component of the evaluation phase of the aforementioned quality cycle. Feedback seeks input from the end users of our services and/or products and provides valuable, independent data for the evaluation phase of the quality cycle. Feedback also gives opportunity for the stakeholders to give feedback on the data collected thereby eliminating errors created in data collection. The report or evaluation is subjected to a quality review by the stakeholders.

Surveys: Results

The areas that have been affected by the adoption of a Quality Cycle management model and the subsequent collection of information from residents include:

An improved strategic plan which incorporates a refined Mission Statement, redefined Mission Goals, improved channels of communication and mechanisms for feedback.

Strategies that have resulted in improved resident pass rates and Improved Patterns of Occupancy

Improvements to / development of:

Clayton Residential Maintenance History
Conditions of Residency, Accommodation Fee Regulations;
Grievance Procedures, an Alcohol Policy, Critical Incident Management Protocols;
A 24/7 Residential Support Team offering extensive support programs;
The Resident Advisor training program, the mentor program, 1st and 2nd semester orientation programs, a range of information sheets & workshops to assist residents with their academic pursuits;
Structured social and recreational activities;
Faculty links and Faculty accommodation packages;
New initiatives in the foodservice and domestic cleaning operations;
Extensive self catering facilities [built at the Halls of Residence];
Improvements to the physical fabric of the buildings, extensive refurbishment of furniture & furnishings;
Revised security procedures and support;
Revised internal committee structure;
Extensive web based information services;
Key Performance indicators;
An amalgamated, seamless off-campus housing advisory service, an off-campus housing database, an off-campus Tenants Advocate