The challenges faced by senior tutors in UK higher education

The senior tutor role has been a feature of personal tutoring models in universities for nearly two decades. The role was first introduced to address rising student support needs and inconsistency in the delivery of personal tutoring. Since this time there have been dramatic changes in the higher education sector. This study investigates the role and responsibilities of the senior tutor in the context of current challenges in higher education, particularly focusing on the experiences of staff taking on this role. Based on a thematic analysis of interviews with 11 senior tutors, I show that senior tutors provide more direct support, in particular wellbeing support, than is set out in institutional expectations. Moreover, the senior tutor role is highly challenging for academics because of the emotional burden and a high workload associated with it. By providing safeguards and support that are standard in other helping professions, universities can better support academics taking on this vital role.