Classroom Services Unit (CSU) was established to take responsibility of all teaching venues initially beginning with rooms dedicated for delivery of lectures.
Contents
The Classroom Services Unit (CSU) promotes and supports the ongoing efforts to improve teaching venues across Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA) so as to enhance teaching and learning. The CSU is responsible for ensuring that equipment in teaching venues are in working order, including functioning electricity outlet points, lights and other material deemed essential for a conducive teaching and learning environment. The CSU monitors classroom conditions related to electrical, masonry, plumbing, carpentry, civil works and aspects related to local area network (LAN) and reports all needed repairs/replacements/installations to the appropriate entities especially estates and works department and centre for information and communication technology (CICT).
Structure
The CSU is a relatively new unit, established in 2014 with the assistance of iAGRI under the then SUA’s Quality Assurance and Promotion Bureau (now Quality Assurance Bureau). The unit was composed by two full-time Campus Coordinators who supervise CSU operations, providing a centralized service system. The CSU coordinators receive all requests for service from their assigned areas of work, coordinate Ground Staff to respond to service requests, and follow up to ensure service requests are resolved in a timely manner. This involves liaising with other service units such as Estates, CICT and Security. Ground Staffs are assigned specific sections/venues to work on. In addition to immediately responding to requests for service that come through the CSU Coordinator, they perform regular inspection of each classroom in order to be proactive in creating a conducive learning environment.
Figure 1 shows the structure of CSU within QAB.
In order for the CSU to be successful, teaching staff and students will need to feel a sense of ownership in the facilities that they use for teaching and learning. Cooperation from teaching staff and students in respecting the classroom property and reporting issues will help to create a successful CSU and create a conducive learning environment.
Technical Assistance & Equipment Malfunction (Needs Immediate Assistance)
First, use the classroom troubleshooting guide to solve common problems. If solution is not reached:
What are examples of technical assistance & equipment malfunction?
What are examples of teaching venue repairs and replacements?
Quality of Service Indicators
Quality of service for the CSU will be measured by the following indicators:
Mechanisms for Tracking Quality Service Indicators
Response time for requests. It is the goal of the CSU to respond to all requests submitted during regular business hours within 15 minutes.
Each call or SMS will be logged by the CSU Coordinator. When responding to a request, the assigned Ground Staff Member will complete a Service Report (See Appendix IV), which will include the time of arrival and departure.
The tracking mechanisms will also include if the request for service was referred to a related service unit (Estates, Computer Center, Security, e.g.). The Ground Staff and Campus Coordinator will be responsible for referring problems to these units. A weekly report on referred issues will be provided to the QAPB Administrative Officer.
Improved facilities
The CSU will maintain a campus inventory for each campus and will monitor the quality and condition of the classroom, light fixtures, electrical outlets and security features.
The goal is to not only be responding to requests, but to also be proactive in maintaining and enhancing the facilities.
Student/faculty satisfaction
Teaching Staff and Students will be surveyed at the close of each semester to determine their level of satisfaction with the SUA teaching and learning facilities.