Mount Royal UniversityStudent Services Plan 2012–2017

StudentCentred

Student Centred

Mount Royal University Student Services Plan 2012-2017

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Cross-institutional recommendations for student services providers

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IntroductIon

resources

guIdIng PrIncIPles

1. student centred 2. Accessible 3. Accountable 4. community oriented 5. collaborative 6. learning focused

strAtegIc Issues

1. communication/Awareness 2. community/student engagement 3. student space 4. effectiveness of student services

lookIng ForwArd

APPendIx A: the PlAnnIng Process

APPendIx B: student servIces PlAnnIng commIttee chArter

APPendIx c: strAtegIc Issue descrIPtIon

APPendIx d: memBershIP oF student servIces PlAnnIng commIttee

APPendIx e: reFerences

Contents

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the student services Plan has been designed as a guide for student services providers at mount royal university over the next five years (2012/2013 through 2017/2018).

Broadly defined, student services providers are those who develop and deliver products, services and opportunities to complement the role of faculty in helping students achieve their academic and personal goals. student services providers are found within many organizational units throughout mount royal university, but they all share an underlying function: helping students achieve success.

student success can be defined and measured in many ways. An institution may have its own definition and measures of student success; students will have their own definition of what it means to be successful; and students will define their success based on their experiences on campus. It is the university’s responsibility to provide campus-wide experiences and opportunities for students in order for both institutional and student definitions of success to be realized.

the student services Plan defines a set of shared values for student services providers at mount royal and identifies the strategic issues facing these providers. It also offers cross-institutional recommendations for student services providers to begin to address those issues within their own planning and resource allocation.

IntroductionAll areas of the university need to work together to provide a truly holistic education for students, and development of the student services Plan has been undertaken in conjunction with the development of mount royal’s new Academic Plan. each plan complements and supports the other, and both are necessary to ensure mount royal provides an exceptional student experience.

the plans will also be implemented in tandem. working together, the student services Plan and the Academic Plan will determine the type of university mount royal wants to be. they will guide the enhancement of education delivered to students and support mount royal’s vision and mission.

the progress of both plans will also be monitored in tandem and a joint annual report will be prepared for the university community.

For information on the process used by the student services Planning committee to develop the guiding principles, strategic issues and recommendations outlined in this plan, see Appendix A. Appendix A also summarizes discussions on integration with the Academic Plan, outlines the role of student services providers at mount royal and provides a description of the various student services delivery models in post-secondary institutions.

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the student services Plan is intended to be a compass for student services providers and a means to create a common ethos under which those providers operate.

It offers shared values, goals and challenges for operating units to address. the section on guiding principles outlines goals; the strategic issues section makes a number of recommendations relating to each issue. however, a common ethos does not mean a common way of approaching the guiding principles or the strategic issues, and service providers will be expected to decide locally how each principle and issue will best be adapted and addressed in their own planning, service delivery and allocation of resources.

student services providers will have the opportunity to:

» improve service delivery; » increase awareness within the mount

royal community about the service(s) provided; and

» consider how their service(s) can support different student populations (for example, demographics, socio/economic backgrounds, etc.)

during the implementation phase of this plan, it will also be necessary to allocate appropriate resources (for example, financial, people, facilities, information technology) to evolve mount royal into the university described by both the student services Plan and the Academic Plan. mount royal’s strategic technology Plan will also be a key consideration and resource for implementation of the plans.

Resources

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Guiding Principles

the six guiding principles identified in the diagram articulate the values upon which student services should be designed, delivered and assessed at mount royal. these values provide a framework for student services providers to use in exploring their programs and services and should be driving forces for student services throughout the university.

the principle at the centre of the model is “student centred.” this principle directs the administration of student services across campus and reflects the fact that, at mount royal, students are the priority.

the five remaining principles further articulate the values delivered by student services providers — values that are found in all aspects of the mount royal experience.

All student services providers will examine how each principle fits into their service(s) and how it will be utilized in planning and service delivery. An examination of each principle follows to aid in this process.

Learning

focused

Studentcentred

Collaborative

Community

oriented

Accessible

Accountable

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1Student centredmount royal’s core purpose is to serve students. we exist to help individuals learn, grow and achieve their educational and career goals. student services play an integral role in helping students achieve their goals, become active in their community and develop as lifelong learners. services for students will be constructed to support these ends. student involvement will be among the means of achieving optimal service delivery. student involvement will exist in all levels of service delivery, from design phases and delivery to the assessment of all programs, services and opportunities available for student engagement (student leadership, volunteering, club/association membership, etc.)

Goalsservices for students will be:

» relevant to student needs, both individually and collectively

» targeted to specific interests and/or issues » provided to accommodate a range

of student needs and tailored to the individual

» designed utilizing applicable research and data

» responsive to student needs by offering the assistance of the appropriate service(s) or resources as required

» user friendly through the combined deployment of facility, human and technical resources

Rationalelearning engages the whole student. It is an institution’s responsibility to create learning opportunities across the campus and to engage the student through a variety of experiences. A holistic approach to learning includes all formal and informal experiences.

learning is an ongoing process. regardless of an individual’s stage in life, learning is vital to human development. mount royal’s dedication to being a student centred community ensures that the development of the whole student is supported at all stages of the learning life cycle.

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2Accessiblemount royal’s history and traditions are rooted in providing access to education and being responsive to student needs. student services have been integral in providing the support students need to make their educational experience a success, and it is essential that mount royal continues to provide and improve programs/services to meet changing student needs and populations.

As such, student services providers will deliver convenient and accessible services and programs that encourage and welcome all students to take advantage of these supports. student services providers will present opportunities that will improve and enrich learning experiences for students and help them reach their fullest potential.

Goalsservices for students will be:

» designed for special/distinctive populations identified by institutional priorities in the various strategic planning documents (for example, the Academic Plan)

» responsive to the profile of students admitted to mount royal (age, gender, previous educational experience, ethnicity, etc.)

» provided at relevant and meaningful times in the student experience (time of year, year of study, etc.)

» provided in accessible spaces, including bringing resources to the students

» delivered in a welcoming environment for students

RationalePost-secondary institutions across canada are experiencing increasing diversity in their student populations. more students are coming from different backgrounds and have varying motivations and learning needs. student services providers need to be responsive to these changes and deliver accessible and meaningful services to students.

the more connected students feel to their campus community, the greater the chances of student persistence/retention; as such, experiences provided through student services are key contributors to student engagement and retention (kuh, kinzie, schuh, whitt & Associates, 2005, p. 8). students become engaged through both their academic and non-academic experiences on campus.

Additionally, student engagement initiatives, programs and services must be accessible to all students. making services convenient is particularly important in commuter campus environments (including mount royal), where students are often already challenged to manage their academic and personal schedules.

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3Accountable

organizational units are responsible for the delivery of services that support student success and will be accountable by providing evidence of this support. student services providers need to collect and disseminate evidence to show appropriate stakeholders (such as students, the mount royal community, key external audiences) that quality experiences are being delivered to students and that these experiences are aligned with institutional priorities. this evidence will also provide feedback for services about the success of their programs and where improvements should be made.

Goals services for students will be:

» able to provide evidence of their efficacy through assessment methods that have clearly defined outcomes

» measureable through key performance indicators

Rationaleevidence building is an output of formal and informal assessment practices. Because “assessment is an endeavor being undertaken by many universities in canada and is moving

student affairs/student services forward by using evidence based decision making,” (Fisher, 2011, p. 17) mount royal is developing these assessment practices and the collection of evidence for student services. Further, assessment will enable us to determine whether or not students’ experiences are aligned with the expected/intended outcomes of their experiences.

Assessment is not only a way for students to demonstrate what they have learned, but it also provides critical feedback from the students for whom our programs and services have been designed. therefore, the feedback collected from students is a means to making our programs and services responsive to student needs and can help us understand how students are interpreting their learning experiences.

mount royal is also developing key performance indicators. substantial work has already been completed to develop these measures. most relevant to student services may be the teaching and learning Indicators from the national survey of student engagement (nsse), specifically “enriching educational opportunities” (to which student services contribute) and “supportive campus environment.”

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Community Oriented

the sense of belonging and a connection to the campus community are important factors in a student’s overall university experience, and especially to their sense of value and engagement. the role of student services providers is to deliver opportunities/activities for participation in an environment that is safe, caring and supportive. mount royal strives to create a community where diversity and inclusion are valued; these values are promoted by and found within the delivery of student services.

Goalsservices for students will provide:

» a social environment and physical infrastructure which develops a sense of community

» encouragement for students to become active alumni

» opportunities for students to consider and contribute to broader communities; responsible citizenship is exhibited by students in all the communities in which they participate

» an inspiration to live the values of mount royal’s Face to Face brand

Rationale student participation in the campus community signifies student engagement and a connection to the institution. student participation leads to learning opportunities that can affect change in the individual and support lifelong learning.

operating units should provide a caring community that is responsive to students’ needs and promotes a sense of connection to the campus community. For service providers,

the outcome will be increased student engagement. Because engagement supports the achievement of goals and the persistence of students, community/social integration will increase the likelihood of student retention through to graduation.

Collaborative

collaboration will require relationships to be developed across all organizational units at mount royal. Individuals and operating units will come to understand and respect the purpose, challenges and needs of the various services for students. As a result, individuals working with students will be able to refer them to the appropriate service or resource. Further, collaboration will support the development, delivery and assessment of services, thus ensuring they remain relevant and responsive to student needs.

Goalsservices for students will encourage:

» sharing of knowledge and best practices » exploring possibilities to develop

partnerships that will move learning from the theoretical to the practical, making it applicable to students’ lives

» the integration of systems and delivery to seamlessly and readily address the needs of students

Rationaleeducating students and supporting their development and success can be optimized when collaborative relationships are strong. these partnerships can eliminate gaps in, and barriers to, student success as operating units gain a better understanding of one another and find ways to complement each other’s program/service delivery.

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Faculty relationships are vital to disseminating correct information about student services. valued for their knowledge and expertise in the classroom, professors represent a first point of contact for students, and students naturally turn to them for information about new opportunities or supplementary forms of support. consequently, faculty must be aware of the range of services available to students on campus and should be able to direct the student to the appropriate service. It is important that new and existing faculty develop this awareness.

collaboration aids the holistic development of students. through collaboration, all student services operations will benefit from a sense of active contribution and shared responsibility for student development.

Learning focusedto ensure the development of the whole student, the university community has articulated the aims of an undergraduate education at mount royal and is developing program-level learning outcomes to be integrated into learning opportunities across campus.

Goalservices for students will:

» be aligned with mount royal’s Aims of an undergraduate education (included in the 2012 Academic Plan)

» have specific program-level learning outcomes

Rationalemount royal has defined a set of learning aims in conjunction with its new Academic Plan for 2012–2017. As the Academic Plan is implemented, it is the responsibility of the university community to integrate these institutional learning aims and to align programs and services with them.

learning outcomes are measureable indicators that a student has learned a defined/required set of skills and concepts by participating in a program or activity, either academically or student services based. that is, we know learning has occurred because the students will be able to demonstrate a particular competency as a result of their experience. Assessment of learning outcomes not only provides evidence that learning has occurred, but the outcomes themselves define the skill set an individual will acquire by attending the program or activity.

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Developed through extensive consultation and research

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STRATEGIC ISSUESthe strategic issues outlined in this section were developed through extensive consultation and research, outlined in detail in Appendix A.

strategic issues focus on critical challenges at the service level of operations and primarily affect clients (students), cost/financing structure and processes. For a further description of a strategic issue, see Appendix c.

the strategic issues outlined in this plan will become the basis for strategic planning at the operating unit level. Planning will require service areas to determine how they will address each issue with the goal of achieving the best fit between the operating unit/institution and the environment the decisions will affect.

this section takes a detailed look at each strategic issue and includes fundamental factors, evidence-based considerations and a series of recommendations.

Strategic Issue 1: Communication/Awarenesshow and when should students become aware of mount royal services essential to helping them achieve their goals?

What factors make this issue fundamental?A student’s utilization of relevant services might make the difference between success and failure in an academic program. many students, even though they could use student services to achieve their goals, simply do not avail themselves of these services. this issue is about ensuring that students know about these services in a timely fashion and encouraging students who need such services to use them.

Considerationssome students may not access needed services due to lack of awareness. For other students, although they may know of a service, the information may have come to them at a time when it was not considered relevant (that is, they were not in need of it). Further, it is possible that information about services was not communicated in a way that was meaningful to the student, or they were not aware of all of the opportunities provided by a service. collaboration with other areas or individuals (for example, faculty members) may be a way to ensure students understand what services are available to them and exactly what those services offer.

communication delivered to students at meaningful times in their education will not only inform them of the supports available but also increase the likelihood of students taking advantage of those supports.

According to the 2010 mount royal Assessment seminar, which interviewed 97 students in their first year of a degree program during the fall of 2009, students are generally aware of the services available; however, for some students, there is a disconnect between awareness of a service and an understanding of how that service can help them. students could not say how a service might be of benefit or assistance to them for situations they encountered throughout the year.

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student comments from the 2010 Assessment seminar also identified that time is another barrier. students may know a service exists but taking the time to seek it out may create scheduling difficulties. For students trying to juggle multiple priorities, having to wait for an appointment can prevent them from accessing a service. sometimes students are limited by the capacity of a service to meet demand, especially when waiting for an appointment is not an option.

Recommendation 1:create a virtual and physical location or locations on campus for information regarding all student services and student opportunities (jobs, lectures, special events, etc.) students, faculty, staff and others will know where and how to access information without having to know the details of each program or service. Faculty and staff should be key referral agents for students. (note: this recommendation also addresses strategic Issue 2: community/student engagement, which is outlined next.)

Strategic Issue 2: Community/Student engagement

how do we increase student involvement with on-campus activities to enhance their experience at mount royal university?

What factors make this issue fundamental?Based on collected data, student participation with campus and student activities at mount royal is relatively low. there are also indications that students have difficulty finding a fit between their interests and the available opportunities for involvement.

Considerationsmount royal is a commuter campus. students primarily live off campus, come to campus to attend their classes and leave thereafter. this factor, combined with the multitude of responsibilities students face (work, school/homework and personal commitments), may explain why student involvement on campus is quite low.

student services providers need to find ways to deliver opportunities for participation that are of interest to students across the campus community and help connect students with each other.

canadian university survey consortium (cusc) data on involving and engaging students with their campus community reveals that mount royal’s participation rates are not only low, they are lower than comparative groups (All and group 1 students).1 the following tables identify items specific to student participation and community engagement. Although not shown below, it is important to note that students who do participate report high levels of satisfaction with their experience(s).

1 It is assumed that students who offered a rating are those who actually had experience with that particular service/experience.

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Involvement in campus activities (% often/very often)All (n=8,8549)

group 1 (n=5,667

mru 2011 (n=485)

mru 2008(n=450)

Attend campus lectures (in addition to regular class)

23% 21% 15% 16%

Attend campus social events 20% 21% 8% 5%

Attend home games of university athletic teams

16% 18% 7% 6%

Attend campus cultural events 15% 17% 3% 4%

Source: Tables 77, 78, 79 CUSC 2011 and 71, 72, 73 CUSC 2008 Survey of Undergraduate Report (PRA)

Involvement in student activities (% often/very often)All (n=8,8549)

group 1 (n=5,667)

mru 2011 (n=485)

Participated in student clubs 18% 8% 7%

Participated in student government 5% 2% 3%

Source: Tables 77, 78, 79 CUSC 2011 and 71, 72, 73 CUSC 2008 Survey of Undergraduate Report (PRA)

regardless of what activities or opportunities are available, there are some students who prefer not to become involved. however, results of the 2010 mount royal Assessment seminar suggest that 68 per cent of students interviewed would like to become (more) involved. when sharing what prevented them from becoming involved, students most often reported:

» time » academic workload » awareness of activities » commute » no interest in activities offered/

getting involved

Although most students in the 2011 cusc survey indicated that they feel they are part of the university, there remain a number of marginalized or uninvolved students who would welcome targeted engagement efforts. some of these students were mature students, international students and first-year students.

Recommendation 2: seek opportunities for cooperation and partnership among mount royal student services providers (including the students’ Association of mount royal university) to:

» gather and share information and feedback about student needs

» assess the information, and » design appropriate responses to meet

those needs.

Recommendation 3:develop an entry cohort model to address student support and success from entry through graduation. Purposefully engaging students in their academic and social lives as a cohort will enhance academic persistence and success. A first-year experience program is an example of a program that can focus on transition challenges.

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Recommendation 4:develop an institutional strategy to examine how appropriate services can be made available to students beyond the traditional daytime hours from monday through Friday. the mru@night project begins to identify some of the challenges (mtroyal.ca/mrunight).

Recommendation 5:Based on the new Academic Plan’s goal to increase internationalization, strike an institutional task force to develop a strategy that addresses support for international students on campus and those mount royal students studying abroad.

Strategic Issue 3: Student space

In what ways can available student space be more effectively designed to ensure students have spaces appropriate for different needs: studying, group work and socialization?

What factors make this issue fundamental?when asked to evaluate student space, students have increasingly expressed dissatisfaction with the options available. A clear delineation of spaces and their intended use is required. student success can be negatively impacted for those trying to find appropriate study space whereas other students may have trouble finding a place to meet and interact socially.

Considerationsover the last few years, there has been an increase in the number of full-time students attending mount royal. this means that, although the overall head count may not have changed drastically, students are spending more time on campus, which is leading to

competition for space. Another factor is that, due to institutional space challenges, some student spaces have been converted into offices and other uses.

A review of canadian university survey consortium (cusc) surveys from 2007 to 2011 shows that students are increasingly dissatisfied with available study space at mount royal. conversely, the cusc surveys show that student satisfaction with social and informal meeting spaces is quite high among the 2008 and 2011 cohorts, which suggests that developing appropriate study space is an immediate priority.

In 2009, the students’ Association and student Affairs and campus life sponsored an initiative to gather feedback from students about the spaces available to them. It was found that students had been left to their own devices to find spaces that would suit their purpose(s). It was also found that students were not always certain if a space was intended for their use and did not feel comfortable occupying these spaces. A result of this initiative was the development of an online resource for students that identifies student spaces and their intended use.2 however, results from the 2010 mount royal Assessment seminar and the 2010/11 cusc survey show that, despite this effort, students are still struggling to find study space.

Recommendation 6:strike a task force to advise on opportunities for development of all types of student spaces on campus. the task force will develop principles of design and attributes based on the values that the entire campus is a learning environment and that learning is collaborative and social.

2 http://www.mtroyal.ca/CampusServices/CampusResources/studentspaces/

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Strategic Issue 4: Effectiveness of student serviceshow should student services be assessed to ensure that they are effective and relevant?

What factors make this issue fundamental?A culture of assessment needs to exist in order to ensure that student services are effective (that is, they produce the intended/desired result) and relevant (that is, they are of interest to students and able to meet the needs of a diverse population).

student services are effective when they are: » relevant to student needs, and support

students in achieving their personal and academic goals throughout their education

» accessible and convenient for students to use. students should be able to locate the service they need, both physically and virtually, at the right time in their education. Further, services should accommodate students’ daily schedules. some services may need to offer programs/assistance in multiple formats to meet student needs.

» resourced appropriately and aligned with learning objectives/outcomes

» providing evidence that they are accountable to student needs

» providing evidence that they are aligned with institutional priorities

Considerationsdeveloping a culture of assessment ensures that programs and services are regularly evaluated and that an actionable body of evidence is created. As an ongoing process, assessment enables services to be continually responsive to changing student needs.

what assessment is at mount royal and what its core purposes are will be defined by the institution. In developing its assessment culture, mount royal needs to create its own definition of assessment and a common language surrounding it. these two aspects will support the alignment of institutional objectives with service delivery.

student services providers must determine what aspects of their program(s) need to be measured (for example: satisfaction, use, learning outcomes, etc.) to demonstrate they support mount royal’s mission and values.

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Further, regular assessment will: » inform decision making for

continuous improvement » provide evidence of proof (proof of

efficiency, effectiveness, relevance, etc.)

Assessment (evidence building) needs to become a part of what an operating unit does. It should be integrated into day-to-day processes, rather than a tacked-on responsibility that people need to fit into their daily operations. unless assessment becomes a regular part of operations, a meaningful collection of evidence will never exist.

the following figure is an example of an assessment cycle. If the assessment cycle is not completed, evidence of accountability (that is, demonstrating that student services are relevant, effective, efficient, and responsive to the community they serve) is lost.

Recommendation 7:student services providers find ways of measuring the effectiveness of their services and service delivery models, appropriate for their areas.

The AssessmentCycle Peggy maki, Ph.d.

Identify Outcomes

Gather Data Interpret Evidence

Implement Change

Mission/Purpose

Educational Objectives

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tasked with developing and delivering the student services Plan, the student services Planning committee was assembled. the aim of the committee was to establish a set of specific values, goals and measurements for student services.

the committee included mount royal representation from academic and student services as well as student representation from the students’ Association. It was chaired by the vice-President of student Affairs and campus life. this broad representation was essential, as the student services Plan is intended for all student services providers across campus, regardless of the division to which they report.3

It was also important that the committee was kept abreast of the progress of the new Academic Plan to ensure both plans would be in alignment and integrated where appropriate. steps were taken in order for the two plans to be congruent with each other: a number of individuals were members of both committees; the student services Planning committee attended a number of meetings with the Academic Planning committee; and the committees periodically held joint public consultations.

In order to accomplish its task, the student services Planning committee compiled and reviewed a series of reference documents, held a number of public consultations, discussed the integration with the Academic Plan, and considered the role of the student services provider.

Resourcesgiven that this is mount royal’s first student services Plan, background information for the student services Planning committee was compiled, including existing planning documents and a review of best practices. these reference materials have helped inform the guiding principles and strategic issues. resources were compiled from the initial committee orientation, from one of the committee’s 14 meetings, and from joint meetings with the Academic Planning committee. resources included:

» mount royal’s existing Academic Plan (2007)

» mount royal’s Institutional Access Plan » Proposal for a Faculty of teaching

and learning » learning reconsidered, a monograph

sponsored by nAsPA » mount royal’s strategic enrolment

management Plan » mount royal’s Institutional Access Plan » mount royal’s Brand and reputation study » preliminary and final results of the

mount royal Assessment seminar (2010) » strategic plans for:

» each academic faculty » the conservatory » the library » International education » the students’ Association of mount

royal university » state of the student (a presentation

developed by mount royal’s office of Institutional Analysis and Planning that outlines the results of the national survey of student engagement [nsse] and the canadian university survey consortium [cusc])

Appendix A: The Planning Process

3 For the Student Services Planning Committee charter, refer to Appendix B. For a list of committee members, see Appendix D.

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» mount royal’s Business and Budget Plan 2010–2014

» mount royal’s key Performance Indicators » one size does not Fit All: traditional

and Innovative models of student Affairs Practice, kathleen manning, Jillian l. kinzie, John h. schuh

» submission to the Academic Planning committee, student Affairs and campus life

» Academic Planning committee consultation documents

» leaders in learning: student Affairs in canada in the 21st century, d. Fisher

ConsultationsPublic consultations were significant in the planning and development of both the new Academic Plan and the student services Plan. each committee held their own consultations but, on several occasions, the Academic Planning committee invited members of the student services Planning committee to meetings so that information of interest to both groups could be shared.

the first public consultation is an example of this information sharing. the consultation was sponsored by the Academic Planning committee, but several members of the student services Planning committee attended. through this consultation, the committees gained community perspectives on institutional values, what the fulfillment of these values will look like, and challenges and opportunities for the future. to solicit this feedback, the following questions were asked:

1) given that we want to succeed by maximizing our performance on every reasonable measure of student satisfaction and success, what are the values by which we wish to operate as an institution?

2) look five years into the future. If we are living by the values that we identified and are achieving our goal of maximizing every reasonable measure of student satisfaction and success, what will that look like?

3) Based on the image of the desired future that you described, and now looking forward to that time, what challenges and opportunities do we face as an institution as we try to create that desired future?

the second public consultation undertaken by the student services Planning committee obtained opinions on the work the committee had been doing, specifically about the guiding principles. A series of three community consultations were held, asking participants for their thoughts on the following questions:

1) Are these principles meaningful for planning and delivery of services for students?

2) what challenges and opportunities do you see with the implementation of these guiding principles?

the third public consultation was held to obtain information about the strategic issues developed by the committee. Participants took part in small group discussions and a recorder took note of their responses to three questions put forward by the committee:

1) Are there major strategic issues facing mount royal university student services that are missing?

2) what challenges and opportunities do you think these strategic issues present?

3) what specific ideas or recommendations do you have for the student services Planning committee?

In addition to providing feedback during the table discussions, participants also had the opportunity to submit individual notes and/or submit electronic feedback.

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Role of the Student Services Providersthere are many operational units in a post-secondary institution that provide services to students.4 regardless of the division student services are housed under or exactly what function is performed, they all share an underlying function: helping students achieve success.

defining student success is of critical importance to the university and to the student services and Academic Plans. the draft of the 2012 Academic Plan states, “through our teaching and learning we are preparing the whole student for life as well as work.” (Academic Planning committee, 2011, p. 4).

moreover, learning how to think, communicate and learn may more precisely describe the attributes that we expect graduates of mount royal to achieve. Further, student success should also involve learning about themselves — learning and creating an identity for themselves and in relation to their community.

how do we measure success, and what are the performance measures that we will use? utilizing institutional learning outcomes (referenced in this plan as well as the new Academic Plan) is one method that has a strong focus on the transformational aspect of student learning. Further, although not yet determined, additional key performance indicators will need to be established to measure success.

while there are readily measureable (key performance) indicators such as persistence and graduation rates in academic programs, there are other indicators to be considered. they might include participation in community service, volunteer work, co-curricular activities, or degrees to which the campus environment provides the support needed to succeed academically. the institution and student services providers will need to finalize what we want to measure as student success and ensure systems are in place to positively influence these aspects.

Models of Student Affairs Practicewhat model of service delivery is best suited to mount royal to achieve student success? various student affairs models have been defined by paradigm shifts in educational thinking and specific institutional missions for their students. the table that follows outlines five models. these models should be considered on a continuum, representing methods of operations applicable to all student services. Because each student service is unique, it is not possible to say that mount royal services ascribe to any one model; it will be particular to the operational unit. As a result, mount royal service providers lie anywhere on the continuum from student services to student engagement and success, but the aim is to be continually moving towards the student engagement and success model.

4 For example: Admissions, Advising, Office of the Registrar, START, Food Services, BookStore and Student Affairs and Campus Life.

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student engagement and success is an emerging model in student affairs in canada; its implementation is the goal of many post-secondary institutions. Beyond understanding where mount royal services are on the continuum and where they are aiming to be, it is important that there is a horizontal approach to service delivery. this means operating under a common ethos (shared values, working towards the same

goals, etc.) As a result, student services will be delivered in accordance with mount royal’s academic priorities, as a partner with common objectives to deliver engaging and relevant programs and services that are integrated and meaningful to students. the student services Plan aids in the development of this ethos through the development of the guiding principles.

Five Historical Models of Student Affairs Practice

Student Control

Student Services

Student Development

Student Learning

Student Engagement and Success

Philosophical Base

moralistic support for academic mission by providing various services

Based on maturation process

Partnership in educational environment with educators, faculty and administrators

educational partnership with a focus on integrated learning, development and student success

Objective to control student behavior in prescribed ways

Provide a variety of remedial services and adjunctive services which keep the student in the classroom

Provide developmental, preventative and remedial services for individuals, groups and institutions both directly and indirectly

to establish learning goals and outcomes and assess the success that is achieved

enriching, high impact programs, student learning outcomes established to assess success and provide evidence for decision-making

Purpose of Staff

to control student behavior

to provide service to students and the institution

to design and facilitate developmental, preventative and remedial environments

to create a seamless learning experience

to shape an engaging student experience using all campus resources in the education and preparation of the whole student

Techniques monitor, direct, order, punish

survey, plan, program and evaluate

Plan, design, teach, facilitate, process, confront, assess

Promote intentional learning, academic assistance and enhanced academic climate

understanding and supporting learning and development as integrated elements of the student experience

Source: Endur, Nuton & Caple (1996) Source: ISE (2011)

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Mission:the purpose of this committee is to establish the general mission of student services at mount royal university necessary to ensure student success. the student services Plan will be aligned with the Academic Plan to maximize the positive impact for students and the university. the Plan will include a developmental framework and broad reaching goals to ensure the mission is achieved.

Background: mount royal became a university in the fall of 2009 partly on the basis of its existing Academic Plan, approved in nov. 2006. much of the 2006 Academic Plan has been achieved and the university is in the process of developing a new Academic Plan. now is an ideal time to develop a student services Plan that is integrated and informative to the new Academic Plan.

when mount royal was named a university, then-President dave marshall declared that we would become “canada’s number one undergraduate university by every measure related to student success.” the purpose of this planning exercise, similar to that of the Academic Plan, is to establish what that aspiration means in terms of specific goals and measurements for student services. the Academic Plan will determine the nature of the academy, while the student services Plan will determine the nature of the support services that will collaborate with the Academic Plan to achieve student success.

this plan will engage various departments and services involved in providing student services on campus. other planning processes, including the strategic plans developed by departments and the students’ Association of mount royal university, will inform this planning exercise. the planning process will engage students broadly.

Authority:the student services Planning committee will advise the President and the mount royal university community on the future direction of student services programs.

Membership: » vice-President, student Affairs

and campus life (chair) » one member of deans’ council » one director from

Administrative services » one director from

university Advancement » one member appointed from

student Affairs and campus life » one member appointed from

enrolment services » one staff member from the students’

Association of mount royal university » one elected student official from sAmru » one Academic chair appointed by the

Provost and vice-President, Academic

Appendix B: Committee Charter

Name of Committee: Student Services Planning Committee Committee Sponsor: Vice-President, Student Affairs and Campus Life Date: May 6, 2010

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...a model or framework for the future of student services

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Expected Activities: the student services Planning committee will consist of individuals who are experienced service providers, academic leaders and, most importantly, strategic thinkers. defining a model or framework for the future of student services at mount royal university will be a key part of the plan. the committee is small and will consult widely with our internal and external communities throughout the process. the committee will be kept abreast of the progress of the new Academic Plan to ensure alignment and integration where appropriate.

members of the committee will represent much more than their constituencies. they will be asked to consider all stakeholders, especially students, as developing, learning and changing individuals; staff and faculty as teachers, mentors and facilitators; and the emergence of mount royal as a university.

the Planning committee will establish a thorough exploration and planning exercise. It will review existing and emerging planning documents and review best practices. It will

conduct a visioning exercise and decide on the major areas in which planning is needed. A thorough consultative approach and communication plan will be established to ensure stakeholders have opportunities to provide input and feedback throughout the process and in particular for a final plan. the final document will be brought to the appropriate bodies for approval. once approved there will also need to be a process for regular checks through the period of the plan on the continued validity of the goals and whether they are being met.

Resources:the staff in the office of student Affairs and campus life will provide administrative support to the planning committee. the office of Institutional Analysis and Planning will provide institutional information.

Timeframe:the student services Planning committee will report out within 12 months of beginning its work.

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Appendix C: Strategic Issue Description5

the statement of a strategic issue should have three elements:

1. describes the issue succinctly and phrases it as a question that the organization is in a position to answer. these questions should have more than one answer to broaden the search for viable strategies to address the issue.

2. discusses factors that make the issue fundamental. what is it about the organizational mandate; mission and values (e.g., guiding Principles) or swot analysis results that make this issue a strategic one for the organization?

3. considers the consequences of not addressing a particular issue.

once a strategic issue has been defined, there will inevitably be challenges in determining how to address it. challenges may arise in one or more ways:

» ends: what will be done » means: how and how much of it

will be done » philosophy: why it will be done » location: where it will be done » timing: when it will be done » group impact: who will do it

and who will be advantaged or disadvantaged by it

Although resolving these challenges may not be an easy task, addressing them is an essential step in working towards both the clarification and resolution of strategic issues.

5 This description of the defining features of strategic issues is informed by: Bryson, J.M. (2004) Strategic Planning for Public and Nonprofit

Organizations, third ed. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

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Appendix D: Membership of Student Services Planning Committee

Brian Flemingvice-President, student Affairs and campus life [chair]

Sabrina ReedAssociate dean, Faculty of Arts [deans’ council representative]

Tracy O’Connorchair, department of chemical and Biological sciences [academic chair appointed by the Provost and vice-President, Academic]

Mike Reeddirector, Business and retail services [representative director from Administrative services]

Lucille Gnanasihamanydirector of marketing, marketing and communications [representative director from the office of university Advancement]

Colleen Bradleymanager, career services [representative from student Affairs and campus life]

Phil Warsaba/Alice MacKichanAssociate vice-President, enrolment management [appointed by enrolment services]

Marcy Fogalexecutive director, students’ Association of mount royal university [representative of sAmru staff]

Meghan Melnyk/Robert Jones President, students’ Association of mount royal university [elected student officials representing sAmru]

Peter Setodirector, office of Institutional Analysis and Planning [institutional planning resource]

Carol Yatesexecutive Advisor, student Affairs and campus life [resource to the committee]

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Academic Planning committee. (2011, september). mount royal university Academic Plan (draft). calgary, canada: mount royal university.

Bryson, J.m. (2004). strategic planning for public and nonprofit organizations. san Francisco, cA: Jossey-Bass.

ender, s.c., newton, F.B., & caple, r.B.(eds.). (1996). contributing to learning: the role of student Affairs (new directions for student services, no. 75). san Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Fisher, d. (2011). leaders in learning: student affairs in canada in the 21st century & implications for the canadian Association of college and university student services. communiqué, 11, 12-18.

kuh, g., kinzie, J., schuh, J. h., whitt, e.J., & Associates. (2005). student success in college creating conditions that matter. san Francisco, cA: Jossey-Bass.

learning spaces. (2008). retrieved from http://www.students.ubc.ca/ classroom services/about-us/vision-and-mandate/presentations/

mount royal university. (n.d.) comprehensive Annual report 2011-12 – 2013-14. retrieved from http://www.mtroyal.ca/wcm/groups/public/documents/pdf/ reports_cip.pdf

Appendix E: References

Mount Royal University4825 Mount Royal Gate SW, Calgary, Alberta, T3E 6K6

mtroyal.ca