Canadian University Report - 2009

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By Heather Travis
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Exploring the As, Bs and Cs of the Globe survey
 
The University of Western Ontario’s reputation for offering the best student experience was underscored last week by the top marks it received from undergraduate students in the Globe and Mail Canadian University Report.
 
In the results of a survey of Canadian university students released Oct. 23 in a magazine and online, Western was graded an ‘A’ for overall student satisfaction, topping the 16 large Canadian universities for the seventh year in a row.  
 
The survey measures the opinions of more than 43,000 undergraduate students from 55 universities in the country. The results are a reflection of answers to more than 100 questions covering many different categories.  
 
Marty England, of Western’s Institutional Planning and Budgeting, says the opinions of the students reiterate areas the university is doing well and signals places for improvement.  
 
“We finish very well in virtually all categories of the survey and we do have some areas to improve,” he says. “Right across the landscape, our students are expressing a pretty high level of satisfaction.”  
 
In fact, Western received the highest grade in 17 of 56 categories, amongst the 16 large universities, and tied for first in 22 categories.  
 
Western News took a closer look at several categories to find out what might go into the making of some of the grades.  

Quality of buildings and facilities: A-

Western leads the pack for quality of buildings and facilities – and a key element may lie in spending as much attention on upgrading existing buildings as on building the new ones.  
 
“Apart from the new construction you see on campus, you are seeing a lot of renewal of older buildings on campus,” says England. “That is not the case at all universities. It is very much a local decision and it is reflected in the rankings.”  
 
With an older campus where the earliest buildings date from the 1920s, maintaining a long-range improvement plan for existing buildings ensures maintenance doesn’t get behind.  

Sense of personal safety and security: A+

Elgin Austen, director of the Campus Community Police Service, says the student response is a direct result of the efforts on a wide variety of fronts to increase safety.   “The Safe Campus Initiative that we started, emphasizing the importance of individual contributions of respect and safety, has been supported right across campus. I think it's making a difference,” he says.   
 
While more emergency blue phones are in evidence – two new ones will be installed this term – and escort services and student emergency response is available, there’s growing awareness that students, faculty and staff need to take a greater role in identifying potential problems and finding help.  
 
The core of the plan is early identification of problems as a means of averting potential crises.  

Quality of education: A; Quality of teaching: A-

These are longstanding strengths for Western, earning high marks year after year.
 
Fred Longstaffe, Provost & Vice President (Academic) sets education as the highest priority at Western, demonstrated through investments in classroom technology, teaching support and recognition of instructors who make a strong commitment to teaching.  
 
The Teaching Support Centre plays a leading role in improving the level of teaching through seminars and workshops, including the twice-yearly Perspectives conference. Some faculties, such as Science, are also increasing the resources available to help professors to improve their classroom skills.  

Co-op/internship opportunities: C

In a sea of As and Bs, the occasional C tends to stand out – even when no Western grade was lower than the average score for Canada’s major universities.
 
Longstaffe agrees availability of co-op and internships is an issue, and being worked on.
 
“In some faculties, internship and co-op opportunities are fewer than can meet the demands of students. These areas are working steadily to make more opportunities available,” he says.  
 
Several faculties have strong internship and co-op programs which go unfilled because students do not want to take a break from studies. In contrast, several study streams within the Faculty of Information and Media Studies have work placement programs that have taken eager students to workplaces around the world.  

Campus recreation and athletics: B+

That B+ may be a good mark but there’s a lot of hope riding on a significant improvement next year.
 
The new $35-million Western Student Recreation Centre is slated to open in January, providing a significant improvement in services and a new focus for student life on campus. More than 90,000 people a year use existing recreation facilities at Western and the new centre is expected to attract substantially more.
 
The new 160,000-square-foot Western Student Recreation Centre will feature a 50-metre swimming pool; five gyms (three with hardwood floors, two with rubber floors); more cardio space; additional weight room space; more programming space and more gym time; five squash courts and three multi-purpose activity rooms  

Overall quality of Student Services: B+

John Doerksen, Vice-Provost (Academic Programs and Students) [Registrar] expects the opening of a new Student Services Building next spring to improve the quality and access to services within his portfolio.
 
The building, attached to University Community Centre, may not open in time to be fully reflected in the next survey but a significant improvement is anticipated when services currently spread across campus can be brought together under one roof.
 
“Having one central location for most student services will make it easier for students to find the services they need, and it will allow staff to communicate more effectively between services for better outcomes,” he says. “The additional space in the new building will help us serve more students in programs that are currently oversubscribed, such as Learning Skills and the Writing Support Centre.”  
 
Doerksen says that within a good overall grade are some areas for improvement.
 
To address a B- in services for Aboriginal students, Doerksen says Western is working to increase the admission of Indigenous students and has created a range of services, including a Bridging and Peer Support program, a Visiting Elders program, and an Access Transition program in partnership with the faculties of Health Sciences, Science, and Social Science, to support them as students.    
 

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