UNews - Nicole Leusink

Enhancing student engagement the focus of learning circles

trevor.kenney — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 20:49:52 +0000

How better to engage students in the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge community than to involve them in building the supportive culture they want and need?

This creative method of developing a supportive campus community is the basis of the Learning Circles project, and involves the creation of high performance teams (HPTs). Learning Circles is another Recruitment and Retention Project (RRP) with a goal of enhancing the student-centred service commitment of the U of L.

Craig Milner, an instructor in the Faculty of Management, and Heather Mirau, director of integrated planning, have been co-leading a group of employees and two sets of students who represent various disciplines and years of study in this pilot project. Its goal is to establish a process for developing a culture of HPTs based on self-management principles.

"Each team develops its own team culture within a guided process for achieving a level of high performance," explains Milner, who is well acquainted with the use of HPTs, and has a rich background in guiding and training high performance teams. He brings this knowledge into the classroom as well, teaching management students on how to construct effective HPTs.

Through valuable teamwork, students support each other in helping to build a supportive campus community.

To date, the teams have been meeting on a weekly basis, sometimes independently and sometimes in a group setting.

The employee team is known as the Dots and is meant to serve only as a source of connectivity for the students to find the expertise they need on campus to help them succeed. In cases where the employees may not know the department or person a student needs, it is their role to find that contact. In so doing, both the employee and the student learn what services are available and how they can be accessed.

"We really have great resources and expertise on campus, and sometimes it's a matter of simply finding those connections," says Mirau. "This is a great opportunity for both our students and employees to learn about all the services that are available to our students."

The project will look to add more individuals to each team in the spring semester, giving them an opportunity to ease into the team culture, at which time the teams will organically split and repeat the process to continue to take in more students and employees.

The Learning Circles have been well received by those participating in the pilot project.

"The experience has helped me analyze my own education and in turn create a strategy to improve my campus experience," says Nicole Meurs, a second-year management student majoring in human resources. "With the support of my fellow teammates and the knowledge sharing and resources of our Dots, it has really opened my eyes to everything that is available to us."

Jennifer McArthur, a learning strategist in the Counselling Services office, says her involvement with the HPTs has been very rewarding.

"It's been great to work with the students and help create those connections for them, and it's also been a real learning experience for our group too," she says.

Anyone wishing to participate in a Learning Circle is urged to contact any of the following: Kristy Burke (kristy.burke@uleth.ca), Lynette LaCroix (lynette.lacroix@uleth.ca), Nicole Leusink (nicole.leusink@uleth.ca), Jennifer McArthur (j.mcarthur@uleth.ca), Craig Milner (craig.milner@uleth.ca), and Heather Mirau (mirau@uleth.ca).

This story first appeared in the January 2013 edition of the Legend. For a look at the full issue in a flipbook format, follow this link.

A clear focus on students

trevor.kenney — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 19:45:25 +0000

There's no doubt you've heard the buzz about a student portal or seen the campus-wide campaign about a U of L learning commons and study centre, while just recently the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ broke ground on another student residence.

If there are common threads to these initiatives, it's that they embody the student-centred ideal that is embedded within the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's Strategic Plan; an ideal that is articulated in part by the activities of the Recruitment & Retention Integrated Planning (RRIP) team.

In 2009, in response to a dramatic shortfall in student application numbers, a ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ wide Strategic Enrolment Management (SEM) program was formed to create a competitive advantage in recruitment by collaborating and sharing resources across campus.

Members of the RRIP team, including (Back Row L to R) Steve Brodrick, Heather Mirau and Trevor Flexhaug. (Front Row L to R) Dan Kazakoff, Nicole Leusink, Alice Miller and Karen Clearwater.

"It was designed as a vehicle that would pull the faculties together to support and have a more structured approach to recruitment techniques," says Vice-President (Academic) and Provost Dr. Andy Hakin.

Recognizing that getting students in the door was only half the solution however, Hakin began thinking about how the institution could keep its new students. RRIP was subsequently created to compliment the work of SEM and to drive student retention initiatives.

"RRIP basically looks at how we need to support our students once SEM has done its work in bringing students to the U of L," says Hakin. "They ask the basic questions about the student experience, about how students get into the institution and what supports students use when they are here."

Karen Clearwater, the lead on the RRIP team, brought members of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ community together from a number of different areas of the institution.

"We did not necessarily want all unit managers, we looked at those people that work directly with students on a day-to-day basis or that have been directly involved in providing services to students," says Clearwater.

The team includes faculty members, APO's and AUPE membership and all have been very dedicated to the RRIP project. The team started its work with focus groups and unit presentations, as well as an environmental scan.

"We collected information from as many sources as we could," says Clearwater.

From the information compiled, certain subject themes took on greater priority than others. It was at that point Subject Matter Teams (SMT) were established. Currently 85 faculty, staff and students are working toward the completion of priority projects. Student leaders on campus have played a critical role in these SMTs.

"The whole process has taken a lot of time and we are pleased to see the results coming forward with some great initiatives," says Clearwater.

Student retention rates have long been an issue for the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, and the RRIP initiatives have been aimed directly at improving those numbers.

"The idea is that we have to change what we are doing in respect to the student experience, with the overall goal of reducing that attrition number," says Hakin. "But no success will be possible without maintaining the high quality of our academic programs."

Four major projects are currently in the works, all having been identified as priorities by RRIP. They include the establishment of a student portal, the move from paper to electronic applications for graduate studies, the establishment of a 24-hour study centre with a more robust tutoring and mentor service and the creation of an academic success centre which will house a number of student services. As well, the push for more student housing came through RRIP recommendations, something that will be realized with the construction of Aperture Park Phase 3.

"That was another major piece that came forward from that group," says Hakin. "They identified that we needed more residence spaces, and the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ
responded to that because we know that students who are supported in a student housing environment perform better and have a substantially improved retention rate."

Both SEM and RRIP are seen as ongoing initiatives.

"It's a continuous improvement vehicle," says Hakin. "It cannot be one or two projects and we're done, things need to keep improving in terms of how we support our students, how we interact with them and how we improve their academic experience at our ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ.

GET THE FACTS

· For more information on the RRIP project, check out the website www.uleth.ca/recruitment-retention

· The RRIP team was established in 2010

· In addition to team sponsors Andy Hakin and Nancy Walker and project manager Karen Clearwater, the 10-person team consists of co-ordinator Heather Mirau, Steve Brodrick, Trevor Flexhaug, Dan Kazakoff, Carma Leishman, Nicole Leusink, Heidi MacDonald, Alice Miller, Chris Roberts and Barbara Williams

This story first appeared in the December 2011 issue of the Legend. If you'd like to see the full issue in a flipbook format, follow this link.

Events - October

trevor.kenney — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 20:33:47 +0000

Pronghorn Athletics

Oct. 15 | Canada West
Men's Hockey
��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Calgary vs. Horns
7 p.m., Nicholas Sheran Arena

Oct. 16 | Canada West Women's Hockey | ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Calgary vs. Horns, 7 p.m., Nicholas Sheran Arena

Oct. 22-23 | Canada West
Basketball
Trinity Western vs. Horns | Women's game, 6 p.m.; Men's game, 8 p.m.
1st Choice Savings Centre gym

Oct. 22-23 | Canada West Women's Hockey | ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Alberta vs. Horns, 7 p.m. nightly
Nicholas Sheran Arena

Oct. 22-24 | Canada West Women's Rugby | Canada West Championship Tournament, Community Sports Stadium

Oct. 23 | Canada West Soccer
��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Alberta vs. Horns
Women's game, noon; Men's game, 2 p.m., Community Sports Stadium

Oct. 24 | Canada West Soccer
��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Saskatchewan vs. Horns
Women's game, noon; Men's game, 2 p.m., Community Sports Stadium

Oct. 29-30 | Canada West Men's Hockey | ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Manitoba vs. Horns, 7 p.m. nightly
Nicholas Sheran Arena

Nov. 6-7 | Canada West Women's Hockey | ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of British Columbia vs. Horns
Nov. 6, 7 p.m. | Nov. 7, 2 p.m.
Nicholas Sheran Arena

Nov. 12-13 | Canada West Basketball | ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Saskatchewan vs. Horns | Women's game, 6 p.m.; Men's game, 8 p.m., 1st Choice Savings Centre gym

Lectures

Oct. 13 | Art Now: Writer Simon Houpt | Noon, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall (W570)

Oct. 14 | Responding to Sexual Violence on Campus | For faculty and staff. Pat Anderson, Counselling Services, discusses how you can respond effectively if a student discloses sexual violence to you.
3 to 4:30 p.m., AH118

Oct. 15 | Art Now:
Curator Steve Loft
Noon, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall (W570)

Oct. 18 | Art Now: Multimedia artist Laurel Woodcock | Noon, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall (W570)

Oct. 18 | CAETL Graduate Student Workshop | Class Discussion and Tutorials with Dr. Harold Jansen and Dr. Janice Newberry | 2 to 4 p.m., L1102

Oct. 19 | Between Imaginary and Real Islam in Europe and France: Professor Raphael Liogier
7:30 p.m., TH201

Oct. 20 | CAETL Graduate Student Workshop | The Multicultural Classroom with Dr. Hillary Rodrigues and Dr. Dayna Daniels | 1 to 2:30 p.m., TH143

Oct. 22 | Art Now: Curator Candice Hopkins | Noon, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall (W570)

Oct. 25 | Architecture & Design Now: Dr. Victoria Dickenson | 6 p.m., C610

Oct. 27 | Art Now: Curator and historian, Richard Hill | Noon, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall (W570)

Nov. 1 | Architecture & Design Now: Winnipeg architect, Neil Minuk
6 p.m., C610

Nov. 3 | Art Now: Anne Henderson
Noon, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall (W570)

Nov. 3 | WestGrid Seminar: Molecular Simulations of Biomolecules using GROMACS | Gurpreet Singh, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Calgary
12:30 to 1:30 p.m., CRDC L1126

Nov. 5 | Art Now: Alison McTaggert
Noon, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall (W570)

Nov. 8 | Art Now: Photographer Lynne Cohen | Noon, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall (W570)

Nov. 8 | Architecture & Design Now: Calgary architect, Gerald Forseth
6 p.m., C610

Nov. 15 | Art Now: Daniel Young & Christian Giroux | Noon, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall (W570)

Nov. 15 | Architecture & Design Now: Furniture designers, Brothers Dressler | 6 p.m., C610

Performances

Oct. 14 | President's Choice
Honouring U of L President
Mike Mahon | 8 p.m., ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall

Oct. 15 | Art Gallery Open House
Behind the scenes at the Art Gallery 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Main Art Gallery

Oct. 19 | Music at Noon: Peter Visentin (violin) and Deanna Oye (piano) | 12:15 p.m., ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall (W570)

Oct. 19-23 | Uncommon Women and Others | By Wendy Wasserstein, five women reunite to discuss where their lives have led | 8 p.m. nightly, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Theatre

Oct. 26 | Music at Noon: Akiko Tominga (piano) | 12:15 p.m.
��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall (W570)

Oct. 28-30 | TheatreXtra
The Good Egg By Michael Lewis MacLennan | 8 p.m. nightly, David Spinks Theatre, 2 p.m. matinee Oct. 30

Nov. 2 | Music at Noon: Joel Gray (trumpet); Dr. David Renter (piano); Elior Lawson (piano) | 12:15 p.m. ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall (W570)

Nov. 5-6 | Opera Around the World
U of L Opera Workshop presents a world tour | 8 p.m. nightly
��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall

Nov. 9 | Music at Noon: Dr. Magdalena Adamek (piano) | 12:15 p.m. ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall (W570)
Nov. 16 | Music at Noon: Musaeus String Quartet | 2:15 p.m., ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall (W570)

Miscellaneous

Sept. 12 to Oct. 24
Shifting Myths
Helen Christou Gallery

Sept. 16 to Oct. 29 | Jamelie Hassan: At the Far Edge of Words
U of L Main Gallery

Oct. 13 | Jet Programme Information Session | Learn about opportunities to teach English in Japan
6 to 7 p.m., W646

Oct. 12-13 | Faculty Focus Groups
Contact Nicole Leusink at nicole.leusink@uleth.ca to participate
3 to 4:30 p.m. daily

Oct. 20 | Oldman Watershed Council Science Forum | 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (registration 8:30 a.m.)
Students' Union Ballroom A& B

Plays and Prose Writing Competition
Submission deadline: Dec. 13 by 4 p.m.
Submit to Rebecca Gray, W850

Seeking focus group participants

trevor.kenney — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 19:49:40 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge will be conducting focus groups on Tuesday, June 15 and Thursday, June 17 as it seeks feedback from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ community for ways to better serve learners.

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge is dedicated to continuously improving the quality of the educational experience for its learners. The June 15 session runs from 2 to 4 p.m., with the June 17 session from 1 to 3 p.m.

Those interested in participating in these focus groups can contact Nicole Leusink at nicole.leusink@uleth.ca or ext. 2205. You will then be advised on the location of the meetings. Each session should take approximately 60 to 90 minutes to discuss opportunities for improvement. A maximum of 10 employees at each session, with a cross section of faculty and non-faculty, will be accepted to participate in these focus groups. All comments will be held in strict confidence.

The meetings will be audio recorded, and all personal information is collected under authority of the Alberta Post-secondary Learning Act. It will be treated in accordance with the privacy protection provisions of Part 2 of the Alberta Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.

Convocation highlights week

trevor.kenney — Mon, 25 May 2009 18:01:21 +0000

An estimated 1,500 ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge students will cross the stage to receive well-earned university degrees this week as the U of L holds its Spring Convocation, Thursday and Friday in the 1st Choice Savings Centre.

A total of four ceremonies will be held over the two days, beginning with Thursday morning's 9:30 a.m. Ceremony I event. Ceremony II is set for Thursday afternoon at 2:30 p.m., followed by Ceremony III and IV on Friday, 9:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. respectively.

In addition to the many degrees that will be handed out, a number of members from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ community will be honoured for outstanding achievements throughout the past year. Dr. Ian McAdam (English) will receive the 2009 Distinguished Teaching Award and be honoured duriing Ceremony I. Dr. Brian Titley (Education) is the 2009 winner of the Ingrid Speaker Medal and he will be honoured during Friday morning's Ceremony III. The 2009 Senate Volunteer Award goes to Dr. Dennis Connolly and he will be honoured during Thursday evening's Chancellor's Dinner, beginning at 6 p.m. A limited number of tickets are still available for this event. Contact Nicole Leusink at 403-329-2482 or e-mail her at nicole.leusink@uleth.ca for additional information.

Once again, the U of L is providing live stream video of the convocation ceremonies through its website. It can be found by following this Spring Convocation video link.

Following is a full schedule of events for Spring Convocation.

Thursday, May 28 - Convocation Ceremony I and Ceremony II

11 a.m. – 4 p.m. Information ROSS, SU140, SUB

7:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. Regalia Distribution Bookstore, Level 2, SUB
(Graduands and Academic Staff)

8:15 a.m. & 1:15 p.m. Usher Assembly & Rehearsal Gymnasium, PE155

8:00 a.m. Official Photographs Boardroom, W646, UHall
(Honorary Degree Recipients, Distinguished Teacher, Chancellor, President, Board Chair)

8:30 a.m. & 1:30 p.m. Assembly of Graduands Atrium, Level 6, UHall
Ceremony I - PhD, MA, MSc, MEd, MSc(Mgt), CAAP, BA, BASc
Ceremony II - BSc, BHSc, BN

8:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. Faculty Information Booths 1st Choice Savings Centre, Level 2

8:45 a.m. & 1:45 p.m. Assembly of Chancellor's Party and Academic Staff, Theatre Foyer, Level 5, Cent. for Arts
(Chancellor, President, Board Chair, Honorary Degree Recipients, Distinguished Teacher, Executive Senators, Board of Governors, Visiting Dignitaries, Academic Staff, Marshals and other Platform Guests)
Assembly of Soloists & Musicians, PE157
Assembly of First Aid Personnel, PE105

9:15 a.m. & 2:15 p.m. Deadline for Seating Gymnasium, PE155
(Audience, Press and Distinguished Guests)

9:20 a.m. & 2:20 p.m. Academic Procession Theatre Foyer to PE155
(Decision to process indoors or outdoors made by Chief Marshal)

9:30 a.m. & 2:30 p.m. Convocation Ceremony I and II Gymnasium, PE155

11:30 a.m. & 4:30 p.m. Convocation Tea Track, Level 2, PE

1:00 p.m. Official Photographs Boardroom, W646, UHall
(Honorary Degree Recipient, Chancellor, President, Board Chair)

11:30 a.m.– 1:30 p.m. Working Lunch AH100
(For any staff, or platform members working back-to-back ceremonies)

11:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. Regalia Return
Graduates and Academic Staff Bookstore, Level 2, SUB
Platform Party, PE264

Friday, May 29 - Convocation Ceremony III and Ceremony IV

11 a.m. – 4 p.m. Information ROSS, SU140, SUB

7:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Regalia Distribution Bookstore, Level 2, SUB
(Graduands and Academic Staff)

8:15 a.m. & 12:15 p.m. Usher Assembly & Rehearsal Gymnasium, PE155

8:30 a.m. & 1:30 p.m. Assembly of Graduands Atrium, Level 6, UHall
Ceremony III - Dip in Ed, BEd, BA/BEd, BSc/BEd, BFA(Art)/BEd, BFA(Dramatic Arts)/BEd, BMus/
BEd, BMgt/BEd, BFA(Art), BFA(Dramatic Arts), BFA(Multidisciplinary), BFA(New Media), BMus
Ceremony IV - PBCA, BMgt, Mgt Cert, BA/BMgt, BSc/BMgt

8:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. Faculty Information Booths 1st Choice Savings Centre, Level 2

8:45 a.m. & 1:45 p.m. Assembly of Chancellor's Party and Academic Staff, Theatre Foyer, Level 5, Cent. for Arts
(Chancellor, President, Board Chair, Honorary Degree Recipient, Ingrid Speaker Medal Recipient,
Executive Senators, Board of Governors, Visiting Dignitaries, Academic Staff, Marshals and other Platform
Guests)
Assembly of Soloists & Musicians, PE157
Assembly of First Aid Personnel, PE105

9:15 a.m. & 2:15 p.m. Deadline for Seating Gymnasium, PE155
(Audience, Press and Distinguished Guests)

9:20 a.m. & 2:20 p.m. Academic Procession Theatre Foyer to PE155
(Decision to process indoors or outdoors made by Chief Marshal)

9:30 a.m. & 2:30 p.m. Convocation Ceremony III and IV Gymnasium, PE155

11:30 a.m. & 4:30 p.m. Convocation Tea Track, Level 2, PE

1 p.m. Official Photographs Boardroom, W646, UHall
(Honorary Degree Recipients, Ingrid Speaker Medal Recipient, Chancellor, President, Board Chair)

11:30 a.m.– 1:30 p.m. Working Lunch AH100
(For any staff, or platform members working back-to-back ceremonies)

7:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. Regalia Return
Graduates and Academic Staff Bookstore, Level 2, SUB
Platform Party, PE264

UNews - Nicole Leusink

Enhancing student engagement the focus of learning circles

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A clear focus on students

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Events - October

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Seeking focus group participants

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Convocation highlights week

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