All of us on the Supporting Student Success team are pleased (and excited!) to announce the release of the Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario report that shares the research and findings from the first round of interviews and focus groups for the study.
Supporting Student Success: The Role of Student Services within Ontario’s Postsecondary Institutions (please click to for the downloadable PDF file)
The release of the study was also covered on the Monday, November 28th Academica’s Top Ten list!
Institutional culture key in delivering effective student services: Institutional context, culture, and mission cannot be overlooked in the organizational structure for student affairs and services (SAS) divisions, concludes a new Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario report. Many SAS staff interviewed said faculty do not comprehend the role of their program or initiative in fostering student success. The report states that by engaging in town hall style meetings and other collaborative efforts, many schools have started to open communication, promote partnerships, and encourage innovation between staff and faculty. Students are also an important partner in delivering effective SAS programs, the report finds. Institutions that seek student input and volunteers to help create and implement programming seem to benefit greatly through positive relationships and increased participation in leadership and mentoring programs. The need for SAS programs continues to grow as student demographics shift, and government funding is often available to provide assistance. However, the report notes it is critical that any program driven by government investment is integrated into an institution’s whole vision, particularly for one-time or short-term funding. Research Summary | Full Report | Add/Read Comments (www.academica.ca)
We want to thank everyone who made this study possible! We are now actively into phase two, and are looking forward to sharing more of our research and findings with you in the future.
If you have questions or comments on the study, please share them in the comments section!
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