For the second year in a row, Wilfrid Laurier University takes the number one spot for studentsatisfaction in the annual Maclean’s Ranking of Canadian Universities.
Laurier ranked number one in eight out of the 10 categories. These include: course instructors, student life staff, administrative staff, academic advising staff, mental health services, extracurricular activities, residence living, and bureaucracy. While also taking the number twospot in experiential learning and steps to prevent sexual assault.
In addition to the student satisfaction category, Laurier has moved up to spot No. 6 in overall ranking of the comprehensive category for undergraduate and graduate programs in all of Canada, making Laurier number four in Ontario.
“If your students are satisfied then you’re doing something right and to be No. 1 it’s quite the achievement and I think it really is our ultimate goal,” Kevin Crowley, director of Communications and Public Affairs said.
Prior to receiving the number one position last year, Laurier staff and faculty have been working over the past few years to take a more focused look at the categories and deciding what can be done to improve the university within each.
“We’d like to say that everyone at the university plays a role in student satisfaction. The register office, assistants in each faculty, professors, the student affairs office, students’ union. It is a university wide-effort,” Crowley said.
Both categories that Laurier falls number two in have been assessed and worked to improve the ranking. Experiential learning has been a major focus of Laurier, to work towards complimenting the traditional curriculum of the classroom in order to gain hands-on skills and experiences.
Labs and other hands on classes, co-op and research internship opportunities and more have been added as options to further one’s experiential learning at Laurier.
In addition, further improving the area of gender equality and combating sexual assault are also a priority at Laurier. Additional staff, committees, online resources, training and increasing the gendered and sexual violence policy are ways the university has focused on preventing sexual assault.
“[Student satisfaction] is the most important measure of how we are doing as a post-secondary institution,” Crowley said.
Laurier is dedicated to making improvements in order to keep up with the pace of changing needs for students at both the academic and support levels.
A goal at Laurier is to further research capabilities in order to expand the current intensity, quality, amount and overall reputation of Laurier’s academics. Keeping the academic excellence high is crucial for student success and satisfaction. Enhancing the research at Laurier is a way to do that.
“Laurier is a great school and anyone who has been here – students and alumni – feel[s] very strongly about it, we need to tell that story further,” Crowley said.
Laurier is ranked at number 10 in the reputation category and aims to move up in the rankings.
“It is just a matter of telling the story, over and over, so people know about Laurier and how great it is.”