[C&D] New Report - In Their Own Words: Understanding the Undergraduate Student Experience at the U of T

Dear Members of C&D

August 10, 2010

Dear Colleagues,

I am writing to draw your attention to the release of a new report, In Their Own Words: Understanding the undergraduate student experience at the University of Toronto, which is available at the Office of the Vice-Provost, Students web site at the following link: . Commissioned by my office in spring 2010, the report documents the findings of a series of some 38 focus groups. The groups were convened across all three campuses and involved 367 students from first and second-entry faculties. The project was intended to provide insight into some of the issues known to have a negative impact on our students’ experiences here, and to suggest a course for change.

The students who participated in the focus groups gave us not only clear and actionable feedback but also very constructive solutions. We will investigate all of them and implement the most feasible. In some areas, the work has already begun.

As a first step, I am distributing this report widely to ensure the issues are well understood by all stakeholders.

The Council on the Student Experience, a tri-campus committee of staff and faculty, will continue to serve as the central locus of discussion and coordination of our efforts to address these issues. That said, a one-size-fits-all solution will be neither possible nor appropriate. Some solutions will emerge at the local level, within the departments, colleges and faculties. Others will require a more collaborative and coordinated effort involving multiple units. In all cases, dialogue and communication will be paramount. We will need to work together to share promising practices and evidence of success, to foster creativity and risk-taking, and develop pilot projects to test innovative solutions.

To this end, over the course of the summer, my office will work to build the communications infrastructure necessary to maintain momentum on this initiative.

In October 2010, the Council on the Student Experience will reconvene, at which time I will establish a number of working groups addressing the key issues of:
1. Student-faculty interaction
2. Orientation
3. Campus wayfinding
4. Mentorship programs and other methods of providing academic and personal support
5. Quality of service
6. Messaging to encourage co-curricular participation and institutional pride
7. Communication with students

I will be asking members of the Council to lead working groups and will seek participation from council members as well as others committed to improving the student experience.

Also flagged in the report are the issues of grading practices and food services which will be receiving wide institutional attention.

In the meantime, please circulate this report to those you think would benefit from its findings. If you would like a presentation and/or facilitated discussion of the report for your department, committee or group, please contact Melinda Scott, who managed this project, at melinda.scott@utoronto.ca or 416-946-7747.

Yours sincerely,

Jill Matus
Vice Provost, Students