INside ... The Douglas College Newsletter m New Westminster Campus and David Lam Campus IN Douglas College Moving forward with student success The implementation of the Student Success Task Force recommendations has begun. Several of the Task Force’s ideas have been approved by the Education Council and are now policy. Task Force Chair Ted James, Dean of Student Development, and Education Council Chair Penny Swanson, hosted a lively session in the Boardroom on September 24 on the strategies for student success. Some changes are already being implemented. Effective Fall 2004, new students must have a minimum grade of ‘C in English 12, or the equivalent, to take an open enrolment course at Douglas College. James said that looking at Fall 2001 enrolment numbers, 18 percent of students starting at Douglas College would not have met that requirement. But this doesn’t mean the College is closing the door on these students. Students lacking the required grade can upgrade by taking Developmental Education courses or a writing assessment test. New program for people with physical disabilities Effective 2003/04, closed enrolment programs will have the option of preferential admission processes — selecting students based on grades or other criteria (e.g. interviews, work experience, personal suitability). Previously, it was a first- come, first-serve process, provided students met the minimum admission criteria. Effective 2005, students with higher grade point averages will get earlier registration dates, and will be more likely to get the courses they want. At the forum, James noted the government is looking beyond fiscal accountability. “The Liberal government is looking at accountability and asking, ‘In what way would completion and success outcomes of students be something we could be measuring?” Everyone agreed we should be working to ensure success at Douglas College and beyond, said Swanson. “It’s not just the government initiatives and that we have to give them numbers. Students are The team behind the program: (left to right) Karen Lubin of the Program's Business Advisory Council, Business Advisory Council Chair Ernie Bodie, Dean of Commerce and Business Administration Rosilyn Coulson, Computer Information Systems Instructor Bob Coolidge and Dave Anderson of the Workers’ Compensation Board. paying increasing amounts of money for their education. If they aren't successful and we allow them to fail over and over again, are we really serving those students well?” Another change that has been approved is the installation of Campus Pipeline software, which will give students Douglas College e-mail addresses and allow more effective communication between the College and students. Also awaiting full approval are plans for a College-wide orientation process and a stricter academic alert policy which puts students on academic probation sooner. The tighter rules mean about 50 more students will go on academic probation each semester, said James. Some concerns about the new policies were raised at the forum. Douglas College Faculty Association President Robin Wylie said faculty are worried about the increased workload that could come from some of these changes. English Department Chair Susan Briggs and Counsellor Sandi Strate People injured in workplace accidents and others with physical disabilities will soon be able to take advantage of a new program at Douglas College. The one-year information technology certificate, called the Opportunities Enabled Program, will cover networking, progre mraing and a variety of hardware and software programs. It is being developed in partnership with the Workers Compensation Board (WCB) and the Ministry of Advanced Education. “There aren't a lot of education alternatives out Computer Information Systems Program student Shawn Mayzes (left) receives a door prize from Ted James, Dean of Student Development and Chair of the Student Success Task Force, at Student Services Open House. expressed concerns about increased workload from changes to the academic alert policy. Counsellor Martha Entin pointed out that students go on probation for different reasons, often because they are working and studying at the same time. “They have too many courses and are working too many hours and they don't there that cater to the special needs of people with disabilities,” says Dave Anderson, Vice President of the Rehabilitation and Compensation Services Division at the WCB. “This program is designed to help people with physical disabilities finda new career to last a lifetime.” The program will take advantage of the skills and expertise of Douglas College instructors. “The students will benefit from our instructors’ considerable knowledge and experience. Students will enjoy a new program realize how much time they need to study.” She said the other major reason students go on academic probation is because they stop attending acourse, but don’t withdraw. Julia Robinson of the Learning Centre said the College should give more support to the student success initiatives that already exist. “We really do from which they can enter the workforce after one year. As well, one of our desires is to design the new program so that the students will be able to use some of the credits towards a diploma or degree,” says Rosilyn Coulson, Dean of Comnierce and Business Administration at Douglas College. The program, starting in January 2004, will be offered in a newly renovated room at the David Lam Campus in Coquitlam which is designed to meet the needs of people with disabilities. Workstations and chairs will be so adaptable that need to look at what we are already doing well, and what’ really needed, and provide those services more comprehensively than what we are doing right now.” The Student Success Task Force recommendations and implementation plan, as well as video streaming of the forum, are available on the Local Web under Events. students will be able to use their hands or feet to type ona keyboard. The program has a Business Advisory Council, with members from private and public sectors, which aims to keep students plugged in to the work world. “Part of the payoff for businesses is increased diversity in the workplace. It benefits everyone when people with disabilities become productive members of the workforce,” says Ernie Bodie, Chair of the Business Advisory Council and a manager at IBM Canada. Quote of the Month “We have a moral obligation to help people with physical disabilities, not just with money, but to provide them the opportunity to live a fulfilling life. A program like this helps them to be meaningfully and successfully employed. ” Dave Anderson of the Workers’ Compensation Board on Douglas College’s new Opportunities Enabled Program