Inter-agency Collaboration for Student Success
Commuter Students @ Memorial University of Newfoundland
Questions?
Objectives
•A little bit about us and Memorial
•Commuter Students: Who and Why?
•The situation as it exists at Memorial
•Our approach, proposal and research
•Our Conclusion
A Little Bit About Memorial
Memorial University of Newfoundland
•~17,000 students
•4 campuses
•100 degree programs
•“Comprehensive” university
Commuter Students
• Definition
• Commuter vs. residence
• campus as a “place to visit” (Likins 1988)
• Not apathetic or uninterested in campus life
• Not homogenous (Kodama, 2002) but common core of needs (Wilmes & Quade, 1986)• Transportation Issues
• Multiple Life Roles
• Developing a Sense of Belonging
• Need for multitude of resources at first point of contact
Commuter Students
Who We Are and What We Do
Dean
Career Development and Experiential Learning
Counselling Centre
Housing, Food and Conference Services
Student Health Services
Student Success Programs
University Bookstore
Department Services
Co-op education, on-campus employment, job skills training,
volunteer
Personal / group counselling, wellness education, courses
Campus health clinic, pharmacy
Scholarships
International Student Advising
Answers
Who We Are and What We Do
Answers• Inquiries
• Essential Services
• Leadership Programs
• Liaising
Examples of servicesLocationAdministratorService
All overMUNSU, Answers, OCH
Transportation Information
FacMan buildingCEPParking permits
University CentreAnswersGeneral on-campus service information
NAProject GreenRide Share
University CentreMUNSULegal Counsel
University CentreMUNSUSafe Drive
ResidencesOCHLandlord Tenants info
ResidencesOCHRental Info
Location of Services
1) MUNSU2) Answers
3) OCH5) CEP
4) Project Green
Lauren’s House
Data: Our Survey
1.Are students aware of the services on campus?
2.Is there a difference in awareness between commuters and residence students?
3.What services do students think they need?
Data: Our Survey
• Title: “Are you being served?”
• 250 respondants
• Online (virtually paperless)
• Leadership and community list-serve biases
• Summer demographics
Data: Our Survey: Awareness
Data: Our Survey: Differential
Data: Our Survey: Differential
Data: Our Survey: Needs
• Qualitative data
• Are your needs being met?
• Yes, but…
• A centre resource or office person?
What do we do now?
• Foundation for inter-agency collaboration
• Reallocation of services?• Too many cooks?• Single office easier to coordinate?• Organisational imperialism• Internal strain• Student Agency Model
What do we do now?
• Bridges not barriers• Administrators, faculty, staff and students• Deans and senior staff direct the movement
to collaborate• Joint efforts “begin with leadership that can
communicate persuasively a vision for collaboration in ways that both inspire and direct, thus inducing and empowering others to take initiative” (Kuh and Banta)
Implementation
• Integration of services under a “commuter student” mentality
• Commuter student working group
• Creation of www.mun.ca/commuter
• Continual marketing – web, list, promotional materials, door-to-door
• Service maps
The Future