Moving forward with the first year experience

/

Graphic by Kate Turner
Graphic by Kate Turner

Since it was created in December, the first-year experience task force has moved out of the preliminary and research and development phases and will now be moving towards drafting an action plan.

Chaired by David McMurray, vice president of student affairs, and Deborah MacLatchy, vice president of academic and provost, the task force was formed with the aim of bringing a more comprehensive approach to considering the experience the university creates for first-year students.

โ€œThe first-year experience is well done, but itโ€™s not as cohesive as weโ€™d like it to be. There are some gaps,โ€ McMurray explained. โ€œAnd instead of doing that one-off, we want to make sure that things are looked at in a full, comprehensive view so that we can finalize an excellent program going forward.โ€

McMurray reviewed the progress that the task force has made since December and their plan going into the summer and new school year. The preliminary phase involved setting the foundation of the project: establishing a mandate, guiding principles and looking at first-year skills, competencies and learning outcomes. From there, the task force moved into the research and development phase, focusing on four things.

โ€œThe first, was thereโ€™s an annual international conference on the first-year experience,โ€ explained McMurray. โ€œSo we sent a small team to that conference to do a wide sweep of all of the latest trends, technologies, programs and approaches on the first year.โ€

Additionally, three research and development committees were formalized from the task force: an internal research group, an external research group and a program audit and inventory group.

โ€œI know weโ€™re all excited,โ€ he said. โ€œWe split up in these groups and I was involved with the group three that I mentioned. People were really excited about the kinds of things that weโ€™ve already got on board, but thereโ€™s so much more that we can do.โ€

The information gathered by each group will be presented at the next meeting โ€” which will be taking place later this monthโ€” and used to draft an action plan.

โ€œItโ€™ll basically be a first shot at a more comprehensive, intensive focus on the first-year experience,โ€ McMurray said. โ€œAnd weโ€™ll want to circulate that widely to the Laurier community in both Waterloo and Brantford to get feedback from everyone โ€” from students, from faculty, from staff and from alumni.โ€

The drafting and circulation will take place over the summer and into the fall term when students have returned to campus.

Their intent from here, according to McMurray, is to โ€œ[move] towards a final recommendation in late fall, so that [theyโ€™re] ready to go for the 2014-15 yearโ€.

โ€œItโ€™s a long process because thereโ€™s a lot to do,โ€ he continued. โ€œThereโ€™s a lot of eagerness to get that draft out. I think when we do weโ€™ll be very well prepared and the document will be one that will excite the entire campus community.โ€

Annie Constantinescu , WLU Studentsโ€™ Union president and CEO, also commented on the lengthiness of the process.

โ€œI think weโ€™re being very diligent in the process. Yes, itโ€™s very long and extensive,โ€ she said. โ€œ[But] I think itโ€™s good that we are being extensive, because itโ€™s one of those things that if youโ€™re going to do it you might as well do it well and take the time.โ€


Leave a Reply

Serving the Waterloo campus, The Cord seeks to provide students with relevant, up to date stories. Weโ€™re always interested in having more volunteer writers, photographers and graphic designers.