Progress to Date

Past student input in action

The following is a list of programs, services, projects and opportunities that have been implemented since the U of C received the 2008 NSSE data:

The Student Success Centre, currently on the 4th floor of MacEwan Student Centre (moving to the Taylor Family Digital Library spring 2011) is an outstanding example of the commitment of U of C to make improvements based on NSSE (and other student surveys) data. The SSC is an amalgamation of many key units; its programs and services have been combined to support students in their academic and personal success in a more holistic manner. The services and programs listed below offered through the Student Success Centre are indicated by an asterisk (*).

Setting up our First-Year Students for Success by providing:

• Registration Planning Guide
• New student registration assistance *
• Summer orientation *
• Parent & family orientation *
• An enhanced Fall Orientation Week *
• Kick-off: the University’s Homecoming football game *
• Student Success workshops: career, personal and academic success *
• Leadership workshops *
• Year-long “first year experience” programming

Setting up all students for academic, career, and personal success:

• Academic Planning Advisors: majors exploration, one-on-one academic support, academic skills development, etc. *
• Career Development Specialists: for undergraduate and graduate students *
• Learning Support Services: enhanced writing support, group and one-on-one advising *
• Scholars Academy: a new program for high-achieving students which guides their involvement on campus and directs them to national and international scholarship competitions

Avenues to involvement:

• Emerging Leaders Program *
• University of Calgary Leadership Program *
• Co-curricular Record *
• Peer Helper Program

Another new department that was initiated based on NSSE data is the Centre for Community-Engaged Learning (CCEL). The CCEL offers community engagement and community service learning programming to students in all years of study. Annual initiatives from the CCEL since its opening in Fall 2008 have included:

• Calgary Serves: a day of service during orientation week that places hundreds of new students with community organizations and adds a great deal of meaning to the orientation week experience
• Calgary Serves Canada: University of Calgary students travel to “Canada’s poorest postal code” – the downtown eastside neighbourhood of Vancouver for a week-long immersive service learning experience during reading week.
• Calgary Serves Calgary: University of Calgary students live and work over Reading Week at the Mustard Seed in downtown Calgary and learn about poverty and homelessness at home.
• Calgary Serves International: U of C students travel to Costa Rica for a two-week immersive service learning experience in a third-world county. Students live with a host family and participate in projects to improve the community and learn about their host country.
• Calgary Serves International will also offer a reading week program to New Orleans this year to assist with rebuilding efforts five years after Katrina and learn about the “politics of disaster”.
• Meal Exchange: Hundreds of U of C students raise thousands of pounds of food each year for the Calgary Interfaith Food Bank and the Campus Food Bank, and in doing so, learn about food security and poverty in their own communities.

Avenues to involvement:

• Calgary Serves programs
• Meal Exchange
• Peer Helper Program

Communications:

• UThisWeek

Campus Initiatives:

• Project Engage
• Campus Engage
• Graduating This Year
• Graduation Guarantee *

Other:

• NSSE National Project

Still to come (Coming in Summer 2011):

• Common Reading Program *
• Camp Lead *

*Indicates that the program is offered through the Student Success Centre.

The November 2009, the University of Calgary released its first Student Engagement Progress Report. This report provides details on some of the above mentioned initiatives.