Assessing Graduate Student Services in a Philippine State University: Basis for Sustainable Program Improvement

Sustainable quality educational services and improvement of instruction have been among the major concerns of the government in collaboration with various sectors. Student services are essential institutional mechanisms for supporting students’ academic adjustment, welfare, engagement, and holistic development. This study aimed to assess the graduate student services program of a Philippine state university as basis for sustainable program improvement utilizing a descriptive quantitative research design and data were gathered from 350 graduate students through a validated survey questionnaire based on recognized student affairs and services standards set by the Commission on Higher Education and accrediting agencies. The study examined seven service dimensions: student admission and policies, student orientation, organization and administration, guidance programs and services, student assistance program, alumni services, and co-curricular programs and activities. Findings revealed that the graduate student services program was generally perceived as very evident, indicating that most student services were visible and functional from the perspective of graduate students. In terms of strengths and areas for improvement, co-curricular programs and activities, student admission and policies, and student orientation emerged as the major strengths of the program, while the student assistance program was identified as the priority area for improvement. Based on these findings, the proposed sustainable program improvement activities focused on sustaining highly rated services, strengthening student assistance, improving information dissemination, enhancing guidance and alumni services, reviewing administrative support systems, building external partnerships, and institutionalizing annual graduate student services assessment. The study concludes that the university has established generally evident graduate student services; however, sustainable improvement requires more coordinated, accessible, and responsive assistance-related services. The findings provide an evidence-based framework for designing a more responsive and sustainable graduate student services program that may promote a better educational learning environment, leading to quality education.

Graduate student services, student affairs and services, student assistance, student engagement

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