Griffith Sports College

2/2012 Academic Committee (17 May) Agenda Item 15.0 Document Number: 2012/0007776

Future Directions 2012–2015

Document approved by Griffith University Executive Group 14th March, 2012

Data included in this report were prepared with the assistance of Shawn Dewar, Acting Manager of Student Recruitment, External Relations 1.0 Introduction and Background

This report examines the goals, activities, and governance of the Griffith Sports College (GSC), and specifies a series of actions based on an analysis of these areas.

Griffith Sports College was established in 2004 as a special initiative of the Vice Chancellor and approved by the Executive Group. The College was part of a strategy to position Griffith as a national and international leader in matters relating to sport and education.

The initial vision of the College was that Griffith would become acknowledged as the number one university in Australia in the delivery of sports programs and expertise, strongly associated with the industry and science of support, and the university of choice for elite athletes. (Source: 2005-2007 GSC Strategic and Operational Plans)

The 2005 strategic plan specified that strategic goals were to:- 1. Identify local, national and international initiatives to further excellence in sport and education to establish Griffith University’s reputation for this excellence. 2. To establish partnerships with sporting organisations, private and public, to develop and grow sporting initiatives. 3. To enable and assist the design of sports programs, degrees, courses and modules that incorporate flexibility and assist athletes to combine sport and education. 4. To establish partnerships with local, national and international businesses towards obtaining funding through commercial opportunities. 5. To be acknowledged as a leader in the local, national and international community of sport and education.

Strategic and operational plans and annual reports from 2005 to 2008 suggest that the key activities of the GSC were designed to:-  Maintain and enhance Griffith’s status as an Athlete Friendly University  Recruit elite athletes as students at Griffith  Provide support for elite athletes at Griffith, including to develop and promote mentoring and support programmes for elite athletes  Coordinate sports-related issues within Griffith  Develop and manage relevant community partnerships  Enable commercial opportunities  Provide opportunity for the development of educational offerings relating to sport  Enhance the internationalisation of the University, and  Raise the profile of Griffith nationally and internationally. (Source: 2005-2007 GSC Strategic and Operational Plans; 2008 Annual Report)

The 2008 GSC annual report provided a comprehensive summary of activities up to that point. The GSC’s activities were focussed around three main areas relating to recruitment of elite athletes, support of elite athletes at Griffith, and establishment of partnerships with sporting organisations. GSC staff had also developed the SKOOL Project and Lifeskills course that aimed to develop leadership and survival skills among elite athletes (both within Griffith and externally). The report provided a substantial list of media interviews and public speaking engagements involving the GSC Manager. The GSC had played a key role in establishing the Gold Coast rowing regatta. There was little evidence of GSC contribution to research, design of academic programs, or acquisition of funding through commercial opportunities. The 2008 GSC annual report specified a long list of partnerships with sporting organisations, including some international links, but the nature of these partnerships and the outcomes produced were not specified. Griffith University

2.0 Profile of the Griffith Sports College Students

2.1 Enrolments When the College commenced in 2004, there were around 30 registered elite athletes. This number has grown steadily, and the GSC currently has 185 current students enrolled and studying in various study modes. The charts below show students enrolled and studying over the past 4 years, and sporting areas of GSC students. Data about the level of competition was not able to be obtained for this report.

Criteria for entry to the GSC are determined by the Elite Athlete Support Policy (Policy 4.6- 05) which states:- For students to be recognised as elite athletes in order to take advantage of the provisions of this policy, the student must be identified and recognised as an elite athlete by the Australian Institute of Sport and the University on the advice of State Academies or Institutes, State or National Sporting Organisations, Professional Sporting Clubs or recognised Player Associations.

The decision regarding acceptance of a student into the GSC is made by the Elite Athlete Support Officer. Although the Elite Athlete Support Policy provides a definition of an elite athlete, it is not clear how rigorously this is adhered to. Given that the policy has not been reviewed for several years, it would be timely to review the policy and to assess the quality of implementation of the entry criteria.

Information is provided below about the numbers of GSC students, types of sports involved, and areas of study.

Figure 1: Number of Griffith Sports College students

2.1.1 Campus of Enrolment Data regarding campus of enrolment indicates that the majority of students are based at the Gold Coast campus.

Gold South Cross- Grand Mt Gravatt Nathan Coast Logan Bank campus Total 21 33 116 2 1 12 185 Figure 2: Campus of enrolment of Griffith Sports College students

Griffith Sports College 2012-2015 Page 3 of 16 2.1.2 Study Areas of Sports College Students In 2011, students in the Griffith Sports College studied across a diverse range of programs. Figure 3 shows the percentage of students in academic areas.

Percentage GSC Area Students Business & Commerce 35%

Health 32%

Arts, Education, and Law 20%

Science, Engineering, Environment, and 11% Technology Higher degree research 2%

Figure 3: Study areas of Griffith Sports College students

Students are enrolled in a wide range of programs. Figure 4 indicates the programs in which the GSC students were most frequently enrolled in 2011, but it should be noted that there are also one or two GSC students enrolled in many programs across the University, including dual degrees. The disciplines that attract the greatest numbers of GSC students tend to relate to Business, Education and Exercise Science.

Number of GSC Program of Study Students Bachelor of Business (Hotel, Tourism, Event, Real Estate and Property, Sport) 26 Bachelor of Education (Secondary) 13 Bachelor of Exercise Science 9 Bachelor of Business 8 Bachelor of Commerce 8 Bachelor of Exercise Science (Pre-Physiotherapy) 7 Bachelor of Biomedical Science 6 Bachelor of Education (Primary) 6 Bachelor of Engineering 6 Bachelor of Nursing 6 Bachelor of Psychology 6 Figure 4: Program of study of Griffith Sports College students

2.1.3 Sporting Areas of Sports College Students Figure 5 illustrates the wide range of sports from which GSC students are selected. A more detailed analysis is now needed in relation to the level of competition in which the students participate.

Sport Number Sport Number of of Students Students Swimming 21 Basketball 2 Athletics 16 Boxing 2 Rugby Union 16 Gymnastics 2 Soccer 14 Surfing 2 Griffith University

Surf Lifesaving 14 Tennis 2 AFL 13 Volleyball 2 Rugby League 11 Winter Sports 2 Hockey 7 Baseball 1 Netball 7 Figure Skating 1 Water Polo 7 Football 1 Equestrian 5 Golf 1 Triathlon 5 Handball 1 Unknown 5 Irish Dancing 1 Cricket 4 Judo 1 Cycling 4 Lawn Bowls 1 Kayaking 4 Orienteering 1 Rowing 4 Weightlifting 1 Touch Football 4 Figure 5: Sporting areas of Griffith Sports College students

2.2 Retention and Completion Rates It has not been possible to obtain clear and reliable data about retention and completion rates for the GSC students. However, it appears that although actual enrolments in the Sports College have increased over time, the graduation and retention rates may be quite weak. Figure 6 suggests that a relatively small proportion of GSC students are graduating each year, and the withdrawal and discontinuation rate is quite high. (See Appendix 1) Estimates of retention rates for GSC students are shown in the table below, and suggest that there is a need for improvement in this area. Given the relatively low graduation rates, one assumes that most students are studying part-time and taking several years to complete given the competing demands of a sporting career. A more detailed analysis of student retention, progression and graduation rates should be conducted in 2012.

Number of Students on Database Lost A Retained Retention Graduated 2008 140 13 112 80% 14 2009 182 17 149 82% 15 2010 245 33 178 73% 31 2011 260 36 184 71% TBA Figure 6: Retention and completion of Griffith Sports College students

A Note: ‘Lost’ refers to discontinuation, administrative withdrawal, dismissal, deferrals and leave of absence. In 2011 there were 7 students on leave of absence and 2 in 2010. There were no deferrals. Retention rates would improve slightly if these students were included as ‘retained’.

2.3 Scholarships Sports Excellence scholarships:- 1. Full Sports Excellence Scholarships, available for a maximum of four years full-time (Half payment for part-time academic load). Cash payment of $2,500 for full-time academic load per semester (up to the total value of $20,000), or payment by the University of the Student Contribution Charge, paid per semester up to the total value of $20,000 or completion of degree.

Griffith Sports College 2012-2015 Page 5 of 16 2. Sports Development Scholarships, available for one year. Cash payment of $1,250 for full-time academic load per semester or payment by the University of the Student Contribution Charge, paid per semester up to the total value of $2,500.

Other sports scholarships:- 3. Adam Scott Foundation Sports Business Scholarship 1 award – Student Contribution Charge each semester for up to 3 years of study and PGA International Golf Institute (PGA) course fees Applicants must be accepted and enrolled into the Bachelor of Business (Sport Management)

4. Clem Jones Scholarship 1 award – to value of $9,000 over 3 years

5. Women in Honours Scholarship 1 award – to value of $3,000 over 2 semesters Applicants must have enrolled and been approved for entry into the Griffith Health Group Honours Program (Specialisation: Exercise Science).

Scholarships are awarded on the advice of the Sports Scholarship Committee, chaired by the DVC (Academic) or Nominee. The number, value, terms and conditions of the sports scholarships were last reviewed in 2007 and it may be timely to review these in 2012. For the past few years, 8 Griffith Sports Excellence scholarships have been awarded, in addition to the Adam Scott Foundation, Clem Jones, and Women in Honours scholarships. Given that the student body as a whole has expanded considerably over the past 8 years, since the establishment of the GSC, it would be timely to examine whether current expenditure levels for scholarships is appropriate, in terms of value and numbers of scholarships, and criteria for awards. The goals and activities of the GSC should align with the 2018 Commonwealth Games strategy (under development) as another mechanism of predicting likely future demand for Griffith study by elite athletes.

2.4 Sporting Achievements The GSC plays an important role in supporting students to balance the demand of study with preparation for their sporting fixtures. Previous annual reports highlighted the successes of the GSC members and alumni, and the GSC played an important role in media communications about students’ sporting achievements. It would be valuable in future annual reports to include some summary data about students’ sporting achievements.

3.0 Specific Activities of the Griffith Sports College

As noted above, there are multiple goals of the GSC, ranging from a role in recruitment of elite athletes to study at Griffith, to support them during their candidature, and to promote Griffith as not only an Athlete Friendly university, but as an academic and research university of excellence in the area of sport.

3.1 Attracting Elite Athletes to Griffith The GSC is involved in a significant number of activities that are designed to promote Griffith as a destination of choice for elite athletes, to provide advice to future students, and to facilitate the enrolment process. These activities include:-  Working with Student Recruitment (ER) to conduct school visits, sporting club visits, sports meetings, liaison with sporting bodies, attending recruitment expos, developing promotional materials and brochures about GCS, support, and study options Griffith University

 Working with External Relations to raise future student awareness of scholarship opportunities for study at Griffith and with the Scholarships Office to implement the scholarships program  Developing and maintaining an online and hard-copy brochure, outlining the application process and benefits of College membership  Developing and maintaining web information relating to activities of Griffith Sports College  Profiling previous elite athletes, with permission (and case examples)  Providing phone and email advice to potential students, and parents, about study options and available supports  Promoting and facilitating direct entry for eligible elite athletes through GSC partnerships with sporting organisations (which currently include Gold Coast Titans, Gold Coast Blaze, Brisbane Broncos, Brisbane Lions, Queensland Cricket and the Gold Coast Suns)  Advising prospective students and parents about program choices, training schedules, time management and career pathways  Working with the admissions office to advise on direct admission processes, and assist potential students to negotiate application, enrolment, credit transfer and bonus point processes; to act as a link point to connect future elite athlete students with academic administration advisers  Developing and presenting on-campus workshop days for aspiring athletes with respect to aspiration building, involving families  Arranging for students to meet with schools and department staff  Liaising with and providing advice to Griffith schools and departments about the development and delivery of courses and programs relating to sport management, sport performance, etc  Establishing local and national partnerships to provide pathways to higher education for elite athletes  Working with Griffith International to establish pathway partnerships to attract international elite athletes who meet our academic entry standards.

The extent to which these activities are actually happening is not clear, and the GSC annual report should provide a quantitative indication of the degree of implementation. The strategic and operational plans in the future should also specify or include key performance indicators (KPIs) against which success of the GSC can be measured and these should also be reported against in GSC’s annual report including the number of elite athletes attending Griffith, and the number of Griffith students and alumni who are winners of prestigious sporting events at state, national and international levels.

Although the GSC aims to engage in the wide range of student recruitment activities outlined above, it is not clear how coordinated these activities are, nor how well they actually integrate with the activities of External Relations and Student Administration. Effective partnership and engagement with External Relations, Campus Life and Student Administration need to be prioritised and reflected in the GSC’s strategic and operational plans. Also, some of the promotional material and website content needs to be updated as a priority in 2012.

3.2 Supporting Elite Athletes at Griffith There is little point in attracting elite athletes to Griffith if they quickly drop out of their studies or fail to complete their degrees. The GSC recognises that elite athletes have significant competing demands between their academic and sporting achievements, and completing a university degree under these circumstances is a major challenge. The Elite Athlete Support Policy recognises the value of mentoring and advice to assist elite athletes in balancing work demands, and in negotiating the challenges of the university system.

Griffith’s Elite Athlete Support Policy states that:-

Griffith Sports College 2012-2015 Page 7 of 16 The Vice Chancellor shall nominate a specific staff member or staff members to support elite athletes within the University. The Elite Athlete Contact Officer shall:  Provide advice and guidance to student athletes on academic planning;  Support student athletes in negotiating necessary flexibility to meet academic requirements in terms of this policy or as otherwise required;  Undertake advocacy for student athletes within the University;  Liaise with relevant external organisations.

Earlier GSC annual reports indicate that the activities supporting elite athletes at Griffith included:-  Providing a contact point for student advice to facilitate program choice, study planning, liaison with student services, academic administration and academic elements, as per the Elite Athlete Support Policy  Providing an induction program for elite athletes to facilitate their transition to university  Assisting students to negotiate flexibility in study plans, assessment regimes, deferrals, and changes to enrolment status  Organising arrangements for examinations (and arrange supervision of examinations) for flexible venues and schedules  Providing advice and support in relation to sport/study balance, time management, study skills  Providing ongoing monitoring of progress of elite athletes, early detection and intervention for those at risk  Advising on career pathways and part-time work  Providing extra-curricular support and workshops for the development of leadership, public speaking, and other generic skills  Establishing and maintaining a mentoring program to support elite athletes by later year students, alumni and other role models.

The most recent GSC annual report appears to be from 2008. It is not clear how effective the current activities of the GSC are in supporting our elite athletes. In 2008, the GSC conducted an evaluation of student satisfaction with the support provide by the College and the annual report highlighted the strengths and weaknesses of the service offered. In future, student feedback should be obtained every second year, with the data being used to inform the development of the strategic and operational plans. It will be important in future annual reports to summarise the various activities and to report on performance against KPIs relating to retention, progression, and graduation rates of College members, student satisfaction survey responses in relation to the service provided by GSC, and graduate employment outcomes. The 2012 strategic and operational plan for GSC should be responsive to student feedback in developing appropriate strategies to support GSC members.

3.3 Partnerships and Reputation Building Partnerships relating to the GSC provide a range of benefits to Griffith, such as providing sponsorship for scholarships or other forms of support for GSC students, access to sporting facilities, increasing potential students’ awareness of Griffith as a destination of choice, and development of joint research opportunities. It is proposed that an up-to-date audit be conducted of the various partnerships and their effectiveness. The 2012 strategic and operational plan needs to establish clear strategies for developing a range of partnerships and assessing their effectiveness.

The GSC has a key role to play in enhancing Griffith’s reputation as an Athlete Friendly University, and a university with a national and international reputation for its academic and research programs relating to sport. This requires an effective partnership between GSC, External Relations, Griffith Schools and Research Centres. Although the GSC has, to date, Griffith University been very effective at generating media attention, this has predominantly focussed on the activities of the College. It will be important in the future for the GSC to identify ways in which it can build effective partnerships within the University to generate media outputs relating to Griffith's activities involving its elite athletes, sports research and academic programs. Griffith currently sponsors a range of sporting events, and it is important that the GSC is involved to leverage off these sponsorships, and to provide advice to External Relations about the relative benefits of different sponsorship opportunities.

The College needs to evaluate its performance, in relation to partnerships and media outputs, against KPIs such as the number of media articles/broadcasts concerning elite athletes, sporting achievements, sports research or academic programs relating to sport. It should also track its performance in relation to the number of active local, national and international partnerships that lead to clear benefits to Griffith, such as the attraction of elite athletes or provision of scholarships.

3.4 Academic Programs relating to Sport One of the original roles of the GSC was to promote the development of sports-related academic programs at Griffith. Since 2004, Griffith has certainly introduced a range of sports- related degrees, although it is not clear how much the GSC played a direct role in their establishment. These include:  Bachelor of Business (Hotel, Tourism, Leisure and Sport)  Bachelor of Exercise Science/Bachelor of Business (Sport Management)  Certificate in Tourism, Leisure, Hotel and Sport Management  Graduate Certificate in Sport Management  Master of Sports Physiotherapy  Master of Sports Management The GSC does appear to have played an important role in negotiating the articulation pathway between the Certificate IV/Diploma of Golf Management offered by the PGA International Golf Institute, and the Bachelor of Business (Sport Management) at Griffith.

3.5 Commercial Activities There are two known commercial activities that were developed by the previous GSC manager. These are the SKOOL Project and Lifeskills. The SKOOL Project was a two-day workshop for elite athlete senior school students providing them with skills to prepare for careers as elite athletes. Lifeskills was a workshop developed for elite athletes covering topics such as budgeting, social media and leadership.

3.6 Role with respect to Griffith’s Sports Facilities, Clubs and Societies When it was first established, there was an assumption that the GSC would provide advice to the University in relation to Griffith’s sports facilities, clubs and societies. The extent of these activities is unclear from written reports. Certainly, the GSC leaders would be well placed to provide such advice and the GSC should work in close partnership with Campus Life and the Gold Coast Student Guild to ensure that Griffith provides the best possible sporting opportunities for its students. The links with sporting organisations formed by the GSC should be valuable in this regard.

Griffith Sports College 2012-2015 Page 9 of 16 4.0 The Future Role of the Griffith Sports College

As noted in the introduction, the original vision for the GSC was expansive and aimed to position Griffith as the number one university in Australia in terms of the delivery of sports- related degree programs, research expertise, and the university-of-choice for elite athletes. In addition to its role in the recruitment of and support for elite athletes, the College was intended to play an important part in the development of Griffith’s academic and research reputation in the area of sport, to play a leadership role in the local, national and international sports community, and to develop commercial opportunities. A further role was to facilitate the development of academic programs and courses relating to sport, and in particular to promote flexibility (in terms of mode of delivery, assessment regimes, etc) so that university study is more feasible for elite athletes.

The summary of GSC activities outlined above indicates that its predominant role since its inception has been on the recruitment of elite athletes to study at Griffith and the provision of support to facilitate their successful completion. In this regard, it has been relatively successful in recruitment, but the retention and completion rates are rather worrisome. Part of its role in relation to student recruitment and support has involved the establishment of effective partnerships with a range of sporting organisations. Such relationships are clearly of value in promoting Griffith’s reputation in the community. The evidence to date, however, suggests that the College has not achieved some aspects of it original goals in terms of promotion of research in the area of sport, and development of sport-related programs. Although Griffith has established several key programs relating to sport and sport management, and has several researchers working in these areas, these successes cannot be attributed to the work of the College.

It is concluded that it is unrealistic to expect the College to span such an extensive mission, and that in order to achieve more effective student outcomes, the College should focus on the recruitment of and support for elite athletes to study successfully at Griffith University. It is also suggested that the College encourage greater engagement by academic staff from across the University, particularly as mentors for the students.

Action 1

1. That Griffith continue to support the GSC, with a primary focus on the recruitment of elite athletes to Griffith, the support and enhancement of these students’ success at university, and facilitation of community partnerships as they relate directly to elite athletes. (Responsibility: Chair, GSC Board – Deadline March 2012).

4.1 Supporting Research and Scholarship Relating to Sport – Future Directions As noted above, the GSC has played a minimal role to date in relation to the development of research activities or in terms of advising on sport-related academic programs. Nevertheless, Griffith is establishing a strong reputation in the area of sport-related research and teaching, and it is proposed here that these developments should not only continue but be expanded. Griffith is in a strong position to develop a strong reputation as a leader in this area, but in order to do so, it requires the development of an over-arching strategy that includes sport research, sport-related academic programs, community partnerships, development and management of Griffith’s sporting facilities, and the recruitment/support for elite athlete students. The GSC would form just part of this strategy – the component relating to the recruitment and support for the successful study of elite athletes at Griffith. Figure 7: Components of Griffith’s Overarching Sports Strategy Griffith University

The strategy would clarify and steer the future directions of Griffith’s activities in the area of sport, with a view to developing Griffith’s reputation as a leader in the area, both nationally and internationally. In developing the strategy, we would need to explore the funding, resources and staffing required for effective implementation.

It is proposed that a Steering Group be established to examine ways in which the strategy could be developed and implemented. The Chair of this Group will be determined by the University Executive Group. Given the importance of a high profile for Griffith in the run up to the Commonwealth Games, this task needs to be completed by the middle of 2012.

Action 2

2. That Griffith establish a Steering Group to develop an over-arching strategy relating to sport in relation to research, academic programs, community partnerships, sporting facilities and the recruitment and support for elite athletes. (Responsibility: Pro Vice Chancellor (International) – Deadline June 2012).

5.0 Governance, Reporting and Planning for Griffith Sports College

When it was first established, the GSC reported to the Pro Vice Chancellor (Business and Law), with an Advisory Board. In 2005 responsibility for the College was moved to the Pro Vice Chancellor (Community Partnerships), and in 2008 it was transferred under the supervision of the Director, Campus Life. Then, in mid-2011, its oversight was moved to the Director, External Relations.

In 2005 the governance of the GSC was overseen by a Board. This was a widely representative group established to determine policy for the Sports College and to ensure that the work of the College was widely disseminated and appropriately informed and guided. It was expected that the Board would meet 4 times each calendar year. The board then established a small Executive to assist the Manager in the ongoing management of the business of the College. Records indicate the members of the Board were:  Pro Vice Chancellor (Business & Law) (Chair)  Pro Vice Chancellor (Health & Science) or nominee  Pro Vice Chancellor (Arts & Education) or nominee  Pro Vice Chancellor (Information Services) or nominee  Pro Vice Chancellor (Administration) or nominee  Pro Vice Chancellor (International) or nominee  Director, Office for Commercialisation or nominee  Director, External Relations or nominee  Manager, Griffith Sports College  Sports Initiatives Consultant (Secretary) (Source: GSC Strategic & Operational Plans, 2005 to 2007)

The GSC currently does not have an active board. The Advisory Board needs to be re- established to provide strategic advice and to monitor the quality of activities of the GSC. However, it is proposed that the nature and composition of the board be reformulated, along the lines of the Virtual Faculty Board of the Griffith Honours College. This model has proved highly successful in supporting and guiding the operations of the Honours College. Given that the primary role of the GSC would shift to focus specifically upon the recruitment and support of elite athletes to study at Griffith, that membership of the GSC Advisory Board will be amended to include those who can facilitate better student recruitment and outcomes.

Griffith Sports College 2012-2015 Page 11 of 16 Membership of the Advisory Board will include:-

 Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic) (Chair and Patron of the GSC)  Chair of Griffith Sports Strategy Steering Group  Academic Registrar or nominee  Director, External Relations or nominee  Manager, Griffith Sports College  One Dean (Learning and Teaching) – appointed by the DVC (A)  One senior academic with expertise in sports-related research or teaching – appointed by the DVC (A)  Two elite athlete students or graduates – appointed by the DVC (A)  DVC (A) capacity to co-opt additional members if required

The Advisory Board will meet at least once per semester, potentially using video conferencing. Its role will be to inform and guide the work of the GSC to achieve its goals, including monitoring the GSC achievements against KPIs on an annual basis, and ratifying the strategic and operational plans, and annual reports.

The GSC used to provide three-yearly strategic and operational plans, with an annual report on its activities. These reports appear to have fallen off the agenda somewhat. Although the Manager was in the process of developing a strategic and operational plan in mid-2011 this is yet to be completed. The GSC should prepare an updated strategic and operational plan as a priority, in line with its new role as proposed above. These documents should be submitted to Executive Group through the Advisory Board.

As noted above, the reporting line for the GSC has moved several times in its relatively short life, and the GSC currently sits within the responsibilities of the Director, External Relations. This reporting line fits well with the student recruitment activities of the GSC, but not with its role in providing support and enhancing academic success for the student members. It is important that the current reporting line recognises the importance of student retention and success, in addition to the student recruitment element. As noted above, a major focus for the GSC needs to be on improving student retention and success. The reporting line for the GSC would sit most appropriately within Academic Administration, reporting to the Academic Registrar. The need for the Manager of the College to work in partnership with other areas of the University, particularly with External Relations, is emphasised.

Actions 3 and 4

3. That the GSC Advisory Board be re-established with meetings at least once per semester, with membership as outlined above (Responsibility: DVC (Academic) – Deadline July 2012).

4. That the reporting line for the GSC sit within Academic Administration. (Responsibility: Academic Registrar – Deadline March 2012).

6.0 Staffing and Budgets

The resignation in 2011 of both the manager and the part-time assistant has created a significant challenge for the GSC in terms of loss of expertise and knowledge of the history and the operations of the College. If the College is to survive then it will be important that these positions are replaced in a timely manner. The funds provided by Griffith to support the Griffith University

GSC operations are currently around $170,000 per annum. The GSC has also earned a small amount of income from the provision of external courses, such as the Lifeskills program but this is likely to end in view of the departure of the previous Manager. The funding from the University enables the employment of a manager, plus a part-time additional support person. Staffing levels have remained relatively constant over the past 5 years, despite a significant increase in enrolments.

The GSC has many similarities with the Griffith Honours College, which has substantially more students than the GSC although it is acknowledged that the GSC students require a great deal more support in terms of student advising, facilitating, negotiating, coordinating and advocacy. It is suggested that the current staffing levels of one Manager, and a half-time Assistant (HEW 6) be maintained.

However, given the proposed change in role of the GSC, a redefinition of the role of the Manager is required. In addition to strategy development, and student recruitment activities involving external liaison, the Manager needs to be significantly involved in the mentoring and support of students. Indeed, although some of the activities of the Elite Athlete Contact Officer may be delegated to an assistant, the Manager holds this responsibility.

The role of the Manager (HEW9) includes, but is not limited to:-  Developing and implementing strategic and operational plans relating to the GSC  Ensuring KPIs are met  Day to day liaison with key partners and stakeholders within and external to the University  Acting as the Elite Athlete Contact Officer (as per policy), including all aspects of student advising and referral  Undertaking school visits, coordinating on-campus visits, advising on scholarships and other activities relevant to recruiting students to the GSC  Acting as the main contact point for community, school and sporting organisations  Facilitating media contacts and relationships relating to student recruitment and promotion of the GSC  Membership of the GSC Advisory Board  Supervising other GSC staff.

The role of the Assistant (HEW 6) includes, but is not limited to:-  Providing administrative support  Maintaining the website  Assisting with student advising  Preparing brochures and other supporting materials  Assisting with school visits or on-campus visits  Maintenance of 360-degree student contact record and other relevant data input and maintenance.

In terms of location of the College, it must be recognised that Griffith has five campuses and both positions need to be visible and active on all campuses. A case could be made for location of the GSC at either the northern or Gold Coast ends of Griffith’s reach. On the one hand, the forthcoming Commonwealth Games and associated developments at Gold Coast could suggest a preference for a Gold Coast home base, and the majority of GSC students are at Gold Coast. On the other hand, the majority of sporting organisations are Brisbane- based, and it could be advantageous for the College Manager to be located in close proximity to specific Academic Administration staff. On balance, it is determined that the main office base for the Manager and Assistant should be the Gold Coast campus.

Actions 5, 6 and 7

Griffith Sports College 2012-2015 Page 13 of 16 5. That the budget for the College cover the staffing compliment of 1.5 positions and appropriate operating expenses. (Responsibility: Pro Vice Chancellor (Administration) – Deadline June 2012; Progress report to EG in May 2012)

6. That the main office base for the Manager and Assistant be the Gold Coast campus, but recognising that work across all campuses is essential. (Responsibility: Academic Registrar – Deadline March 2012)

7. That a range of strategic planning, reporting, marketing, and operational activities relating to the GSC be implemented as outlined in Appendix 2 below.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Griffith Sports College has the potential to play an important role in enhancing Griffith University’s reputation as a leading university in the area of sport, and as a destination of choice for elite athletes. Successful operation of the GSC could bring significant benefits to the University and, with appropriate staffing levels and governance, it should be able to achieve its goal. A series of actions have been determined as outlined in this report to steer the GSC towards the achievements of its mission. Griffith University

Appendix 1 Detailed breakdown of enrolment status 2008–2011

2008 2009 2010 2011 Continuing Cont 112 149 178 185 Completed Bachelor Degree Bach 13 14 28 TBA Completed Post Grad Postgrad 1 1 3 TBA Completed Bridging Bridge 1 0 3 TBA Defer Enrolment DEFR 0 0 0 0 Leave of Absence LEAV 0 0 2 7 Plan Change PLNC 0 1 0 2 Voluntarily Discontinued VDIS 6 5 4 11 Administrative Withdrawal WADM 6 12 25 18 Dismissal DISM 1 0 2 0

Griffith Sports College 2012-2015 Page 15 of 16 Appendix 2 Longer-Term Actions for Inclusion in Responsibilities of the College Manager and the staff in Academic Administration

1. That a review of the Elite Athlete Support Policy and Griffiths Sports Scholarships scheme be undertaken in 2012 (Responsibility: Academic Registrar– Deadline July 2012).

2. That a more detailed analysis of GSC performance against indicators be conducted in 2012, including the basis upon which students were admitted for GSC membership, student retention, progression and graduation rates, GSC students’ sporting achievements (Responsibility: College Manager July 2012).

3. That key performance indicators (KPIs) for the GSC be established including the following areas: elite sports student recruitment, retention, progression, graduation, student sporting achievements, student support, student satisfaction, active partnerships and media outputs relating to student recruitment and support. (Responsibility: Academic Registrar – Deadline July 2012).

4. That strategic and operational plans, and annual reports against KPIs (including a report relating to quality of implementation of the various student support activities) for the GSC be prepared as a priority and promulgated. (Responsibility: Academic Registrar – Deadline July 2012).

5. That appropriate measures of student satisfaction with GSC services be developed to inform strategic and operational planning. (Responsibility: Academic Registrar – Deadline October 2012).

6. That an overall marketing strategy be developed and hard copy, web-based promotional materials be updated, in partnership with External Relations. (Responsibility: Manager, GSC – Deadline September 2012)

7. That the GSC works in partnership with Campus Life and the Gold Coast Student Guild to enhance sporting opportunities for Griffith students. (Responsibility: Manager, GSC – Deadline December 2012)

8. That the College encourage greater engagement by academic staff from across the University, particularly as mentors for the students. (Responsibility: Manager, GSC – Deadline December 2012)