TUT BUSINESS SCHOOL, FACULTY OF MANAGEMENT SCIENCES ASSESSMENT OF PERCEPTION ON THE QUALITY OF ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES PROVIDED TO STUDENTS AT ONE OF THE PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES IN GAUTENG PROVINCE, SOUTH AFRICA. Presented By: KGASI N.A. TUT BUSINESS SCHOOL, FACULTY OF MANAGEMENT SCIENCES

Outline of the presentation Introduction Background Aim and Objectives Methodology Results Discussion Conclusion Recommendation

INTRODUCTION Higher education is growing fast, and it is rapidly becoming exposed to globalisation process. It is placing greater emphasis on meeting students’ expectations and needs(Legcevic, 2009). As universities continue to become more student oriented, student perceptions of higher educational facilities and services are becoming more important (Anci, 2006).

BACKGROUND The 2015# Fees Must fall movement brought about confusion to many South African. It has been the largest student social movement since South African became a democracy in 1994. Government subsidies are declining, tuition is rising and cost per student is increasing faster than inflation or family income (Duderstadt, 2007). Rapid expansion in tertiary students’ enrolment, expansion of the primary and secondary education sectors resulted in an increasing number of secondary school leavers, putting pressure on higher education to meet the demand. There is soaring student enrolment without due consideration given to the absorptive capacity of the institutions to match the increasing number of students. Physical facilities in most institutions become overstretched, as a result, it is difficult to recruit new academic staff, thus leading to the staff-student ratio deteriorating(weir).

Aim and Objective Aim: The purpose of the study is to investigate students’ perceptions regarding administrative service quality at one Public University in South Africa Gauteng Province. Objectives: The overall objective of study is to assess the quality of administrative services that are provided to undergraduates students enrolled at a Public University in South Africa (Gauteng) province. The study has the following specific research objective. • To assess the perception held by students enrolled at a Public University South Africa (Gauteng) province about the quality of administrative services that are provided to them by employees of the University.

Q ( Quality ) = P ( Perceptions ) – E ( Expectations) Materials and Method SERVQUAL method has been used. It is a multiple-item scale for measuring consumer expectations, and perceptions of service quality was developed and first published in 1988 (Parasuraman et al., 1988). The researcher measured perceived service quality according to the formula developed by Parasuraman et al. (1985), and is stated as follows: Q ( Quality ) = P ( Perceptions ) – E ( Expectations)

Materials and Method 25 expectation items 25 perception items Responsiveness Tangibles Five dimensions Reliability Assurance Empathy

Materials and Method Table 1. Variables questions measurement   Variables Questions Tangibles 1-5 Responsiveness 6-10 Empathy 11-13 Reliability 14-17 Assurance 18-25

Figure 1: The Disconfirmation Model (Source: Walker (1995).

Materials and Method Population: The population of this study is considered to be one of the Public University in South Africa (Gauteng Province). A sample of 120 undergraduates students from a total population of 5805 in five schools was chosen. Self-administered questionnaire were used to collect the data.

Materials and Method Tangible: is considered to be the tangible services provided by the universities such as the appearance of classrooms, buildings and facilities. Assurance: is mainly focused on the degree of service quality provided by universities staff and lecturers either in teaching or in providing academic and non-academic services. Reliability : is similar to reliability which is focused on providing the service as it should be and how lecturers and staff show interest to students’ issues and problems. Responsiveness: shows the degree of responsiveness that staff and lecturers have to address and take care of students’ needs and problem, how they take it into consideration and how effectively they follow up with their issues. Empathy: is mainly focused on the way the lecturers and staff treat the students, and if they give them individual attention without bias and discrimination.

Means and standard deviations for the study main domains (Expectation) Table 2: This section provides descriptive statistics for the study variables; the researcher computed the means and standard deviations for all the study domain. Means and standard deviations for the study main domains (Expectation)   N Minimum Maximum Mean Std. Deviation Tangibles 79 3.00 5.00 4.6772 0.32436 Reliability 4.6867 0.36792 Responsiveness 0.43144 Assurance 4.7278 0.38228 Empathy 4.6329 0.32872 Valid N

Means and Standard deviations for study main domains ( Perceptions)   N Minimum Maximum Mean Std. Deviation Tangibles 120 1.38 4.63 3.3865 0.64536 Reliability 1.50 5.00 3.7500 0.69738 Responsiveness 1.00 3.6958 0.81811 Assurance 3.9208 0.82756 Empathy 1.67 4.78 3.6537 0.59132 Valid N

Service Quality Dimensions Expectations Perceptions Mean Gap Scores Table 3: Grouped Mean Gap Scores of the Differences between the Grouped Dimensions of Perceptions and Expectations of the Student Sample. Service Quality Dimensions Expectations Perceptions Mean Gap Scores Cronbach alpha/ Expectation Cronbach alpha/ Perception Tangibles 4,6772 3,3865 -1,291 0,732 0,717 Reliability 4,6867 3,7500 -0,937 0,624 0,695 Responsiveness 3,6958 -0,981 0,553 0,411 Assurance 4,7278 3,9208 -0,807 0,323 0,610 Emphathy 4,6329 3,6537 -0.9 0,791 0,765

Figure 1: Building and premises of Faculties will be modern and visually likeable

Figure 2: The teaching venues ( Lecture halls, laboratories and computer labs) will be suitable and sufficient.

Figure 3: Working hours of office for student affairs will be adequate and in accordance with student’s needs.

Figure 4: Inquiries, requests and claims of students will be handled and resolved timely and promptly.

Figure 5: Academic staff will understand student needs

Figure 6: There will be adequate academic support (e. g Figure 6: There will be adequate academic support (e.g. tutoring, consultations, mentoring.

Figure 7: Academic staff will have the necessary knowledge and skills, and adequate communication skills.

Figure8: Quality of education process will be at a high level.

Results The results have indicated that the majority of respondents expect a university to deliver service that will exceed their expectations. The respondents rated the highest Assurance, followed by Reliability, Responsiveness, Tangibles and Emphathy was rated the last. The results have shown that students ‘perception of service quality at Public University of South Africa falls below their expectations, presenting a great challenge to the University, in areas as tangibles, responsiveness and Emphathy. Tangibles and Emphathy is the area that needs more focus because it had lowest performance.  

Conclusions   The results have shown that students ‘expectations about the service they receive from university exceed their perceptions. These results present challenges to the staff and management at the University. The institution is expected to offer their students excellent service at all times. Excellent service can happen if management and staff employ teamwork, communicate well and share ideas on improving service quality, which will result in improving students ‘satisfaction.

Recommendation The VC and DVC and senior leadership must develop a set of institutional and administrative priorities through a strategic planning process. They need to more effectively communicate these to all levels of the institution. Deans and managers need to ensure that their programmatic planning ties into the priorities identified by the VC and DVC. The VC needs to establish a programmatic planning process and modify the annual budget process to tie into the planning recommendations and ensure that budgets and priorities are aligned. VC, DVC, Presidents, Vice-presidents, Deans, and Department Chairs should serve on multilevel teams with faculty and staff members in order to make more effective decisions for universities.

Recommendation… The researchers suggest improving the physical appearance of buildings, classrooms, facilities, provide more teaching equipment and all these tangible materials that can enhance the educational process and the satisfaction of students accordingly.