Introduction

Why we need PATs

The Personal Academic Tutor (PAT) provides a vital service both within their own Academic Partner and across the University. It's the PAT who provides an informed response to academic studies queries from pre entry to post exit. The PAT also provides the essential first point of contact when a student raises a concern and provides students with support in the completion of online module and unit registration. As the main focus of the PAT role is to give academic support to a student, they are expected to provide signposting to all other services and assistance such as financial assistance and counselling services. The PAT also plays an integral role in the student withdrawal process.

The scope

The Personal Academic Tutor is a key person in supporting students during their studies with the University, this list outlines the range and limits of support you should offer students assigned to you.

A PAT for every student

What PATs do

PATs are a member of the university's academic teaching staff, support staff or Learning Centre manager. It is normally expected that a PAT would be educated to at least one SCQF level above their module responsibility or be a member of the Higher Education Academy or hold a TQFE or equivalent qualification. Some university partners may not be able to provide PATs with these qualifications and if this is the case academic the partner may be asked to confirm a PAT is sufficiently experienced in providing academic support to students.

PATs are often:

• A member of academic staff, support staff or Learning Centre manager acting as a PAT for a number of students who are studying a number of subjects. This is often the case in smaller Academic Partners who provide HAP (Home Academic Partner) facilities for a number of students but are not directly responsible for teaching the courses. In the latter instance signposting students to programme leaders for specific academic queries may be required.
• Lecturers on the students programme in question or a related subject area.

Whilst a PAT will often be a subject expert in their students' programme of study a PAT is not expected to bring that subject expertise to bear for all modules on the course. When subject specific questions arise, the PAT's agreed responsibility is to refer the student to the Module Leader, co-deliverer or Programme Leader if appropriate. A PAT's responsibility tends to fall into four broad areas of student support:

1. Academic advice to students
2. Signposting and referral
3. Student withdrawal

The following sections will look at each of these areas in turn and provide guidance and resources for you and for the students you provide support to.

Academic advice to students

A key responsibility is to provide an informed response to academic studies queries at all points of engagement with the University from entry to post exit. Providing academic support is central to the role of a PAT and can make a significant contribution to the successful outcomes for a student.

Providing academic advice to students will vary, however there are a number of required minimum standards which are indicated below, but there's also a wide range of academic issues on which a student may seek advice from a PAT - for example study skills, academic writing and how to manage your time effectively.

Student support and guidance will be available at each academic partner college, and you should familiarise yourself with what is offered locally. In addition there are resources which are available to all University students. In the tabs below, you'll find resources to support you in providing this advice to students.

Mitigating circumstances

A student might have an approved entitlement to access coursework extensions as a result of disclosed additional support needs. Such an entitlement would be documented in the student’s Personal Learning Support Plan (PLSP), as a planned response to disclosed additional needs. PLSP adjustments are treated separately from claims for Mitigating Circumstances.

Online claim process for degree students only: Step by Step Guide

Withdrawals, suspension, repeats

The relationship between PATs and students is vital in this process as PATs will be able to spot signs of students disengaging at an early stage and can initiate appropriate interventions to help them refocus on their studies or decide which is the best option for them going forward.

The process is detailed in Section 16.67 - 16.71 of the Academic Standards and Quality Regulations. The online withdrawal form must be completed for all students withdrawing from their programme of study. Both the PAT and the Programme Leader have a role in the withdrawal and the transfer/suspension process.

If a student is thinking about withdrawing or suspending, they should be advised to visit the Thinking of Leaving? section of the UHI website. This page includes a link to the Withdrawal Process, as well as a useful timeline regarding financial implications.

When informed that a student is suspended/withdrawn, the Student Records Office will contact them in writing to explain what this means and their options e.g., appeal process. Any request for suspension/permanent withdrawal should not be submitted, or supported, where any disciplinary process which may result in loss of registered status has already commenced. 

Useful information

Indispensable resources

The range of information a PAT could need probably touches on every aspect of student learning. It’s not been possible to include everything within these resources but here are a few essentials:

UHI Records

Log into UHI Records.

Then click the PAT button from the Staff Hub:

And click View My Students:

The My Students screen includes a Student Support column. A View link and flag will be visible for any student who has an arrangement in place within Additional Support Online as a result of disclosed additional support needs. Click the View link for further details of the support measures agreed for that student.

If you can see a flag in the Student Support column without a View link you are advised to contact local Academic Partner Student Services in the first instance to ensure the appropriate records are set up.

 Further support

Further details are available at Inclusive and learning support and from the university's Disability Support Coordinator, Mark Ross (Mark.Ross@uhi.ac.uk) in the first instance.

Personal Learning Support Plan (PLSP)

The university's web-based Additional Support Online system enables students with an approved Personal Learning Support Plan (PLSP) in place to access their support records via UHI Records. The system records a student's interactions with Academic Partner Student Services and is available to FE and HE students.

Additional Support Online allows students with disclosed needs and relevant staff (e.g. student support practitioners and Personal Academic Tutors) to view and work from a single source of data from within UHI Records. On-demand reports are now also available to provide details of specific student requirements on a need-to-know basis (e.g. to Academic Partner Exams Officers, for the purposes of implementing exam arrangements).

The system promotes transparency in the provision of student support and engages the student as an equal partner in the process.

PATs can use Additional Support Online to:.

• View details of a student's appointments / contact with Academic Partner Student Services.
• Identify which of their students has an approved PLSP in place, and view relevant PLSP recommendations that have been put in place for the student. PATs are responsible for disseminating a student's Summary of Support to relevant staff involved in teaching the student.
• Download a university dyslexia sticker for a student (if access to dyslexia stickers has been approved within their PLSP.
• View items of equipment that have been loaned to help support the student during their studies, and see when loaned items are due back.
• View any exam arrangements that have been approved for the student.

 Further support

You will find a wide range of staff guidance on the Inclusive Practice in SharePoint. This includes the PLSP Summary of Support Tool which explains how to view and forward the summary of support, which is an important part of the PAT role.

International students

Each international student will have a HAP and it is the responsibility of that HAP to assign a PAT to those international students just as they would for any other student. Each academic partner will have either a designated individual or department with responsibility for ensuring legislation is complied with and becomes process. They will work with departments and teams within their AP to ensure any such requirements are reinforced. There will be a natural interaction between the PAT and the aforementioned individuals and departments e.g. the PAT may need to flag up poor attendance.

 International students

More information on international students is available from the university website.

Accessibility

The university has bought software (Ally) that runs through Brightspace. Ally is owned by Blackboard and is often referred to as Blackboard Ally. The software is widely used and will help staff make their content accessible and offers students alternative formats of their learning content.

Additionally, Blackboard have produced an Instructor Package: Resources and Support which will help you start using Ally. Note that students do not see the accessibility score of a unit/module or its content, they only see the alternative formats available. 

Students may come to you with questions or issues relating to alternative formats of their learning content.  In the first instance have a look at the FAQs on this site and if you can’t find an answer, please try asking your local Accessibility Champion or the EDU and if they can’t help, they will suggest submitting a Unidesk Ticket.

UHI Futures

Over the course of our lives, we will make frequent career decisions. Our career journey, alongside many other areas of our lives, will be subject to constant change and the influences of unplanned events and unexpected opportunities.

The UHI Futures team encourage you to see career decisions not as ‘problems to be solved’, but as amazing opportunities to be curious, look creatively at possibilities and consider what opportunities exist across the Highlands and Islands and beyond.

University Records: PAT Updating Tool

It is crucial that the names of PATs and the students assigned to them are recorded in SITS in order that the PAT can be identified and be contacted when appropriate. For example, while many academic partners have efficient internal mechanisms to link PATs with academic staff delivering programmes this can be problematic on networked programmes. This will assist activities relating to; student support, module/unit selection, withdrawals and mitigating circumstances.

Once the PAT assignments have been made by academic partners, the information will be entered into SITS using the relevant network ID (i.e. 'EO01XX'). The academic partners determine who will be responsible for entering this information and ensure that the information and any support needed are provided as appropriate

An online tool developed for this purpose is available via UHI records and can be accessed by all staff members. The PAT Updating Tool provides details about:

• logging in to student records
• PAT assignment by individual student
• PAT assignment by course

It is up to those entering the information to choose which option they will use e.g. if staff are provided with a class list then it may be easier to use the PAT assignment by course option, if it is just a few students at a time then the individual student tool might be easier to use.

Bookshelf

Below you will find links to form templates, contact lists, web pages, and other documents which have been mentioned in this resource.

These can be downloaded and printed, if required, although if you do so it would be worth checking at the start of each term that you are using the most up to date version, as changes may have been made.

When using the downloadable forms, please ensure you adhere to your local academic partner Data Protection Processes.

Improving as a PAT

Communication

It is likely that students will come to you as a first point of contact for a wide range of complex issues that they may be struggling with.

It is important to be clear that you may not be able to directly support them yourself, and in those instances to signpost to specialist staff where appropriate.

This is particularly relevant for issues relating to mental health, gender based violence (GBV) and safeguarding, and additional (learning) support needs.

If you require any advice or guidance on when to refer and to whom, please contact Michaela Gilmore or Lyndsay Sutherland.

Confidentiality

 UHI's Data Protection Policy

When a student discloses personal information to the Personal Academic Tutor (PAT), it should remain in confidence. However, if the PAT feels that, in the student's best interest, the information should be shared with others, for example if the student has additional support needs and requires specialist support arrangements, the student's agreement must be obtained first. All staff must comply with the University’s Data Protection Policy.

Exceptions

• Where information disclosed suggests that the student is involved in illegal activity or in serious breach of Academic Partner policies.
• Where a PAT has concerns that the student may cause harm to himself/herself or to others.
• In these circumstances, each Academic Partner should have a nominated person, such as a Student Services Manager or someone within the Senior Management Team, whom the PAT can contact.

Managing your time

Where possible it is a good idea to meet students as a group to cover common issues. How you meet with students and for how long depends on what works best for you. Here are some examples of how some PATs have met with students:

• Timetable 15 minute sessions with each student;
• Provide 3 half hour sessions over a year;
• Provide a regular appointment for queries.
• Meet with students as a group to cover common issues

Make sure that you set realistic expectations at the start and decide how and when you are going to be available.

 Ten Tips for To-Do Lists

A number of PATs have said that the role can be very demanding and time-consuming especially at particular points during the semester. A quick google search or a search on UHI Library will demonstrate that there are lots of freely available online resources on time management.

 Time management

The time management resources created for our students by the Educational Development Unit (EDU) may also be just as helpful to you. Here is a link to the Time Management resource in the Essential Student Skills suite.

What next...

We hope that this resource supports you in fulfilling your responsibilities as a PAT in the University of the Highlands and Islands. They have been design to be easily accessible, to provide quick access to key information and to support the development of professional skills through reflection and further practice. 

If you would like further information on being a PAT or if you would like to share examples of your practice with colleagues by contributing to this resource please contact: