Student Welfare and Wellbeing Committee

The Committee shall coordinate with the existing student support systems (mentoring programme, alumni, student counsellors, student support group at Faculty of Medicine, PPDS advisory committee, the committee on disability access and inclusion, and We-Be centre) to medelop student welfare, enhance student wellbeing and convey suggestions and concerns to the Dean, meeting the criteria established in these Terms of Reference.

The Committee is responsible for the oversight of overall student welfare. The wellbeing of individual students will be looked after by the mentors, financial support for needy students by the Alumni of the Faculty and psychological support will be extended by the student counsellors, student support group at Faculty of Medicine and We-Be centre.

• Receiving requests for support, including the details of student needs/concerns/ complaints, directly from the students and through mentors/student counsellors/student support group
• Optimizing the existing student support systems (mentoring programme, student counsellors, student support group at Faculty of Medicine and alumni) by regular and systematic monitoring regularly and systematically
• Liaise and work along with PPDS activities and with the We-Be Centre
• Conveying suggestions and concerns to the Dean, whenever necessary, while maintaining strict confidentiality.
• Identifying and prioritizing student needs to improve the welfare and wellbeing.
• Identifying and capitalizing on the opportunities to improve staff and student interactions
• Assisting in identifying sources of funding for student support.
• Developing and implementing a mechanism to identify vulnerable students and refer them to the available services by liaising with mentors, the student support group, and the Committee on Disability Access and Inclusion

• Safe and supportive learning environment
• Motivated, healthy and content students
• Better communication between staff and students

Thirteen members, nominated by the Faculty Board, shall include nine academic staff for three-year terms, and five student representatives. Student names will be submitted by the Student Union to the Faculty Board. The dean shall be the ex-officio member of the Committee. The committee shall elect its own Chair. A Management Assistant will be appointed to carry out the secretarial work.

• The Committee is accountable to the Board of the Faculty of Medicine.
• The minutes of each Committee meeting shall be forwarded to the Faculty Board.
• The Committee shall submit the proposals and action plans to the Dean/Faculty Board.
• The Committee will bring to the attention of the Dean issues of significant concern.

• Meetings will be held every month.
• Meetings will be informed through email at least three working days prior by the management assistant on the request of the Chairperson.
• An extraordinary meeting may be called at any time by the Chairperson with one day notice
• Minutes of the previous meeting will be emailed along with the notification of the meeting and hard copies will be circulated during the meeting.
• The Committee shall have the right to invite relevant advisors for meetings.

• The committee shall review the relevance and value of its work at the end of each annual year.
• Any amendments in the terms of reference shall be with the approval of the Faculty Board.