Calendar 2001–02

Support Facilities, Services, and Staff Organizations 131 Services for Students and Student Activities The Office of Student Affairs attends to student welfare and helps students take full advantage of their university education. The services provided fall mainly into the following six areas: Career Planning and Development The office is a centre for career development and employment information. It is responsible for initiating and developing job opportunities for graduates of the University, helping employers in recruiting the University’s graduates, providing full-time and part-time job information, organizing summer internships, conducting individual/group counselling and career guidance programmes. It also administers guidance services to students who intend to further their studies after graduation. Student Counselling and Development The office provides individual counselling for students having psychological, interpersonal and other adjustment difficulties. It organizes group programmes aimed at enhancing students’ personal development and mental health. It also provides consultation to teachers, allied professionals, and student bodies on matters pertaining to psychological service and mental health. In addition, it conducts research on students’ mental health and psychological needs. Student Activities The office coordinates university-wide student activities, liaises with the student unions and their affiliated societies, and provides assistance and advice for various student functions and activities. Scholarships and Financial Aid The office administers University scholarships, bursaries, general loans, student bridging loans, summer subsistence loans, student travel loans and student campus work schemes, and assists in the administration of the government’s financial assistance schemes. Student Amenities Management The office is responsible for managing student amenity facilities in the Benjamin Franklin Centre, the John Fulton Centre, the Li Wai Chun Building, the Cultural Square, and the University swimming pool. It also coordinates policies on student amenities. Statistics, Research and Publication The office undertakes research and statistical work related to the career development of graduates and the general characteristics and needs of students. It also coordinates the editing and production of all publications of the office, such as University Marketplace , Employment Survey , First-year Student Survey , and Office of Student Affairs Brochure . Counselling on social, interpersonal, financial as well as academic problems is also provided by the dean of students’ office at each college. These offices administer college scholarship and bursary awards and also play a vital role in the enrichment of college life. In close cooperation and collaboration with the college student unions and their affiliated societies, the dean of students’ offices also oversee the running of college-wide student activities. At present, there are five student unions in the University, one for each of the colleges and one for the University as a whole. The latter maintains close links with the college unions.