A Comprehensive Overview of University and College Operations

This essay provides a comprehensive overview of how universities and colleges operate. It begins by discussing the general structure of these institutions, including student populations, staff, and key departments. The essay then delves into the application process, outlining the online application procedures, required qualifications, and vetting processes for both undergraduate and postgraduate students. It also explores the administrative functions within universities, highlighting the roles of the senate, vice-chancellor, and various departments such as finance, administration, and development. The essay further examines the financial aid process for students, including the application, review, and comparison of aid packages. Finally, the essay concludes by summarizing the key aspects of university operations and emphasizing the importance of due process in the application and admission of students. The essay also references various academic sources to support its arguments.

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How Universities and colleges work
Universities and colleges all across the globe are meant to increase the opportunities in
employment for students and to open up their mind as free-independent thinkers who can
work for themselves. Most universities and big colleges have an average of 18,000 students
from all walks of life and across the world. The institutions also have over 10,000 staff, over
30 colleges, and more than 100 departments (Øgård, 46). The vice chancellor sits at the helm
of every colleges depart. The vice chancellor brings the administrative functions of an
institution into workable plan . An administrative team is a small team because most of the
colleges are self-governing. The teaching staff in any college or university carry out most of
the administrative function.
Application Processes
Most of the application have conditions that have to be met before enrollment into the
institution. The application process starts from the institutions websites since most of it is
done online. The student must have met the specified qualifications as part of the condition to
be enrolled into any school. Different colleges have different minimum requirement and for
any student to be part of it he or she must have qualified. The universities requires one to
have a qualified academic track record for any admission.
The admission process begins with an online application for all the undergraduate and post
graduate students. Once the admission has been submitted, they go through a vetting process
where the university looks at the set conditions for allowing entry. For undergraduates, it is
usually the results from their former high schools and their age. The applicants then post all
the application requirements and the supporting documents therein. For post graduates, the
pre-requisites is the required academic degree and some years of experience in some courses.
After the vetting process is done, those who have qualified are admitted while those who

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have not qualified are usually locked out and are told through the respective portal
(Schillemans, 34). The date of admission is usually set, according to the academic or calendar
dates. Where semesters begin and end. After the date of admission, all the faculties and
departments choose the number of students they want and set the time table for learning. The
university requires a lot of resources both for teaching and practical lessons. It is therefore
prudent, that students pay for their education with the help of their guardians, parents, well-
wishers and the government.
Administrative function
The school administration in colleges and universities is led by the senate. The senate is the
top most body in the any institution led by the schools chancellor. In many cases, they sit and
deliberate on the most important issues that affect the school and sometimes disciplinary
issues that affect the school. The senate has various members that are key in many
departments such as finance, research and development (R&D), student’s welfares,
academics, audit and other important departments ( Homer,27). The senate may meet once or
twice a month depending on the seriousness of the matter to be handled.
In the day to day running of college or university affairs is the office of the vice chancellor.
He or she oversees the management of the institution and is an academic figure of the
institution. He is the administrative manager overall (Schillemans, 34). The vice chancellor is
deputized by many deputy vice chancellors in most universities and colleges. There is a
deputy vice chancellor for finance, administration, there is a department in college or
institution. Development, students and staff welfare and teaching faculties are also under a
different DVC (Roger 37). There are different department in the colleges and universities,
the first is the
1) Administration, Finance and Development/ Business

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The department functions include;
a) Tasked with developing the finance plan, organizing and administering any finance
function in the institution
b) Effectively coordinate the finance and development functions in the institutions
c) The department is responsible to the vice chancellor in the management of the
institutions personnel and their welfare and the general conduct of the administrative
staff.
d) Ensure accountability in matters administration, finance and development
e) Ensure effective financial controls
f) Accountable and responsible to the vice chancellor in the management of the
university
g) Ensure that there is preparation and implementation of budget estimates in the
financial year.
h) Strategic planning in educational and financial development
i) Work with other departments like (A&R) in promoting development and research in
respective areas.
There are various committees that run the colleges and institution to ensure that there is
appointment of staff who are qualified in all sectors of the economy. There is the institution
budget committee which plans and budgets on what the school wants (Graham, 56). Tender
committee responsible for tendering processes in the institution. Human resource
development and students welfare committee which looks at the student’s welfare and the
personnel at the institutions (Ivar 69). Staff and students disciplinary committee which is
responsible for settling disciplinary issues amicably. The hospitality, recreational and sports

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committee responsible for extracurricular activities of the institution and the universities
enterprise committees. Other important committee is the information, technology and
communication committee ( Donald, 56 ).
Financial aid process
The financial aid process for students begins at
1) The application stage
2) Reviewing the students aid report to check the eligibility of the student financial need
3) There is then comparing the financial aid packages for the student
4) There is the process of maximizing aid and grants for students
5) Comparing the federal and private loans to see which is the most effective.
Conclusion
College and university working processes is quite similar. Most of the application have
conditions that have to be met before enrollment into the institution. The application process
starts from the institutions websites since most of it is done online ( John, 55). The
universities must run through various departments and teams. The student is the most
important member in the institution and must get what he came to learn. However, due
process of application must be duly taken through.

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Works Cited
Ansell, Christopher K., Jarle Trondal, and Morten Øgård, eds. Governance in turbulent times.
Oxford University Press, 2016.
.Bleiklie, Ivar, et al. "University Governance—Organisational Centralisation and Engagement
in European Universities." Managing Universities. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham, 2017. 139-
165.
Bovens, Mark, Robert E. Goodin, and Thomas Schillemans, eds. The Oxford handbook
public accountability. Oxford University Press, 2014
Brubacher, John. Higher education in transition: History of American colleges and
universities. Routledge, 2017.
Geiger, Roger L. Research and relevant knowledge: American research universities since
World War II. Routledge, 2017.
Hall, Graham S. General Relativity: Proceedings of the Forty Sixth Scottish Universities
Summer School in Physics, Aberdeen, July 1995. Routledge, 2017.
Haskins, Charles Homer. The rise of universities. Routledge, 2017.
Kettl, Donald F. The transformation of governance: Public administration for the twenty-first
century. JHU Press, 2015.

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