Small Changes, Big Impact

Transforming Orientation atSeneca College

Presented by: Amy Gaukel, Manager: First Year Student ExperienceNODA Region 7 ConferenceMarch 23-25, 2007

Session Agenda

Overview of Higher Ed in Ontario Ontario College System Seneca College Orientation at Seneca The Process of Change Change Can Happen Where We Go From Here Sources & Acknowledgements

Higher Ed in Ontario

19 universities, 24 colleges of applied arts and technology, agricultural colleges, colleges of health sciences and of art, a military college, privately funded degree-granting institutions, registered private career colleges, and apprenticeships

Post-secondary education is the responsibility of the Ministry of Training, Colleges & Universities

The Ontario College System

24 Colleges of Applied Arts & Technology Ontario college system was created 40 years

ago by the provincial government They receive public funding from the Ontario

government The College Compensation and Appointments

Council appoints the external members to college boards of governors and acts as the bargaining agent for college management in collective bargaining

Most have multiple campuses (over 100 campuses in ON) and have 2-3 intakes/year

The Ontario College System:End ProductsColleges in Ontario Offer: 1 year certificates 2 or 3 year diplomas Apprenticeships & certification programs for

skilled trades 4 year applied degrees Unique partner programs with universities that

lead to a degree and may result in both a degree and a diploma

Province-wide, there are over 1000 program offerings

The Ontario College System:Learner Demographics In 2004-05 academic year:

158,418 distinct applicants 182,682 funded full-time equivalent enrollment

F/T college enrollment increased by 67% from 1989-2004

Average age of applicant: 22.7 25% of surveyed applicants (in 2005) had household

income of less than $29,999 (15% under $20,000); the Ontario population (in 2001) had only 16% of households earning less than $30,000

Parents of applicants and attendees are more likely to have graduated high school and less likely to have attained a post-secondary credential when compared to a comparative age group in Ontario

The Ontario College System:Learner Demographics 36% of college students have had previous

post-secondary education, 16% of whom previously attained a college or university credential

18% of surveyed applicants (in 2005) were not born in Canada and 11% were 1st generation Canadians

26% of students (in 2005) did not speak English or French as their first language

41% of high school students pursuing PSE went directly to college (in 2005)

Seneca College of Applied Arts & Technology Mission: To contribute to Canadian society by

being a transformational leader in providing students with career-related education and training

8 campuses located throughout the GTA Canada’s largest college with over 100,000

students (over 17, 000 f/t and 90,000 p/t) Canada’s largest enrollment of international

students with over 75 countries represented in our student population

Students can choose from more than 260 careers

Seneca College of Applied Arts & Technology More than 70

transfer agreements with universities throughout the world (including Australia, Canada, England, South Africa, USA)

The Seneca community embodies the cultural mosaic of Toronto

Orientation@Seneca...(up to Fall 2006) 1 day of Orientation per program held the week prior to

the start of class, with variety of workshops, academic session, campus tours, etc

Varied from campus-to-campus Invitation to Orientation looked like a corporate memo No real social element to the program Lack of ‘important people’ in attendance “Academic Orientation” takes place with specific faculty

areas Email to register for the day No cohesive planning group involving all campuses “Frosh Week” is run by the SSF the first week of class,

separate from Residence Orientation and from “Welcome Week” run by Student Services

The Process of Change

Step 1: observe Orientation events on a variety of campuses

Step 2: think critically about what we’re offering Step 3: Get feedback from students and from the

staff involved in organizing the program Step 4: Write a report detailing observations &

recommendations for future program development

Step 5: Review budget and how you’re spending your money

Step 6: Begin the process of change

The Process of Change:Review & Meet with Team Don’t just have boring meetings… feed them

(to thank them for all their hard work) and make them think and have fun while doing it!

Get creative with how you ask them to think about Orientation: Mind mapping Ask thought-provoking questions Get them to write down their answers Create a philosophy and goal statement together Provide a meeting challenge

The Process of Change:Ask and Ye Shall Receive (or sometimes, just change it!)

Free Hot Chocolate! President, VPs, Deans & Chairs helping

serve hot chocolate and pizza! Orientation Volunteer position created

(job description, application, day of training, t-shirts, certificates)

Website (with online registration!) New Invitations (that show happy

students)

Change Can Happen!

By adding small elements of change to different areas of the program, we noticed big changes in the Winter Orientation Theme! OVs (more student involvement) Lanyards Ice Breakers Welcome Sessions were fun! Visible presence of “important people” New content: “How to Support the Student in Your

Life” workshop Hot Chocolate! More consistency across campuses

Please Join UsORIENTATION 2007G.O.A.L.S.Get Oriented In Academics and Life At SenecaApril 28, 2007

There are still challenges…

Attendance: there are many barriers in getting students here and keeping them for the day

Budget Spreading resources thinly across campuses

over a short period of time Line-ups! How do we create social opportunities that

students will attend? How do we meet the needs of very different groups of students (i.e. traditional entry from high school, mature, single parent, international, etc.)

Lessons to keep in mind

Never stop thinking critically about what you’re doing and who you’re (not) reaching

Make meetings meaningful and timely Communication is key (among organizers &

partners) Ask! You never know what can happen unless

you go for it! Keep Orientation fresh by adding new

elements to your program and keep it student-friendly

Talk with colleagues at other institutions on a regular basis

Acknowledgements & Sources “Overviews of Education in Ontario.” EducationCanada:

http://www.educationcanada.cmec.ca/EN/Prov/ON.php “Post-Secondary Education in Ontario.” Canadian Information

Centre for International Credentials: http://www.cicic.ca/en/page.aspx?sortcode=2.20.24.27.31.32

“About Ontario Colleges.” Ministry of Training Colleges & Universities: http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/general/postsec/college.html

2006 Environmental Scan. Association of Colleges of Applied Arts & Technology of Ontario, Toronto, ON. May 2006. www.acaato.on.ca

“Seneca College: An Overview. A World of Opportunity” http://www.senecac.on.ca/cms/about/overview.jsp

People who have helped me immensely with this project & event: Student Life Coordinators: Paul Cadoo, Iscenty Benjamin, Shanna

MacInnes, Sheryl Minnett, Glenna Thomas Frank Summers-Young, Web designer Monisa Cheung, Manager, Enrolment Planning, Statistics &

Convocation