Accountability, Responsibility, and Responsiveness in Student Administration Services: A Case Study of Higher Education Governance

Student administrative services in higher education are increasingly positioned as a strategic component of institutional governance rather than merely routine procedural support. However, existing studies predominantly assess service quality through student satisfaction approaches (e.g., SERVQUAL), which often overlook governance dimensions such as accountability, responsibility, and responsiveness. This study evaluates student administrative service performance at STKIP Sintang through a governance framework emphasizing institutional transparency, procedural compliance, and adaptive service delivery. Using a qualitative descriptive case study design, data were collected through direct observation, semi-structured interviews with administrative staff and students, and document analysis. Data were analyzed thematically through coding, categorization, and cross-source triangulation. The findings reveal that service performance is constrained by weak documentation and performance reporting, inconsistent implementation of standard operating procedures, limited staff capacity development, and reactive communication with inadequate complaint-handling mechanisms. The study demonstrates that weaknesses in accountability can affect responsibility and responsiveness, ultimately reducing service reliability and student trust. Policy recommendations include strengthening transparent reporting systems, ensuring consistent implementation of service procedures, providing continuous staff training, and establishing structured complaint and feedback mechanisms. These measures can support more accountable, responsive, and sustainable student administrative services. Pelayanan administrasi mahasiswa di perguruan tinggi kini dipandang sebagai komponen strategis tata kelola institusi, bukan sekadar dukungan prosedural rutin. Namun, penelitian yang ada masih banyak menilai kualitas layanan melalui kepuasan mahasiswa, misalnya SERVQUAL, sehingga kurang memperhatikan dimensi tata kelola seperti akuntabilitas, tanggung jawab, dan daya tanggap. Penelitian ini mengevaluasi kinerja pelayanan administrasi mahasiswa di STKIP Sintang dengan kerangka tata kelola yang menekankan transparansi institusi, kepatuhan prosedur, dan pelayanan adaptif. Menggunakan desain studi kasus deskriptif kualitatif, data dikumpulkan melalui observasi langsung, wawancara semi-terstruktur dengan staf administrasi dan mahasiswa, serta analisis dokumen. Data dianalisis secara tematik melalui pengodean, kategorisasi, dan triangulasi lintas sumber. Temuan menunjukkan kinerja layanan terhambat oleh lemahnya dokumentasi dan pelaporan kinerja, penerapan SOP yang tidak konsisten, pengembangan kapasitas staf yang terbatas, serta komunikasi reaktif dengan mekanisme penanganan keluhan yang belum memadai. Penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa kelemahan akuntabilitas dapat memengaruhi tanggung jawab dan daya tanggap, yang pada akhirnya menurunkan keandalan layanan dan kepercayaan mahasiswa. Rekomendasi kebijakan mencakup penguatan sistem pelaporan transparan, konsistensi pelaksanaan prosedur layanan, pelatihan staf berkelanjutan, dan pembentukan mekanisme keluhan serta umpan balik yang terstruktur. Dengan demikian, langkah-langkah ini dapat secara nyata mendukung pelayanan administrasi mahasiswa yang lebih akuntabel, responsif, dan lebih berkelanjutan.