OUSA

The Ontario Ministry of Education announced yesterday that the successful Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM) program would be expanded further in 2011-12, a move that is strongly supported by Ontario secondary school, college and university students. Thanks to an investment of $22 million, the program is expected to reach 6,000 additional students, bringing total participation up to 34,000. That’s a significant increase from five years ago when the program began with just 600 students in less than 50 schools.

By allowing secondary school students to focus their studies on a particular field and gain real-world experience through an experiential education component, the SHSM program encourages them to investigate and refine their career goals and make early contacts in the field they are considering. Not only is the program proven to improve engagement, enhance self-confidence, and reduce dropout rates, but most important for the post-secondary education sector, it also helps overcome barriers to higher education, especially for students from traditionally underrepresented groups. That is why OUSA and our partners at the College Student Alliance and Ontario Student Trustees’ Association together recommended further expansion of this program in a recent report entitled Breaking Barriers.

In essence, the program is a form of early outreach, endeavoring to demonstrate to youth the benefits and opportunities of higher education. Many students do not see which is the best path for them simply because they cannot imagine where it might lead or that they are capable of succeeding there. The SHSM program removes some of this uncertainty by showing students not only the possibilities that are out there, but also the way forward in reaching their goals. Add that to the fact that last year Grade 11 and 12 SHSM students successfully completed 94% of their total number of courses, and the benefits of this investment are clear. The substantial improvement in the graduation rate of Ontario students since 2003 from 68% to 81% is due in part to successful programs like this.

Improving student success and post-secondary participation is vital for Ontario’s long-term prosperity, and OUSA is pleased that the Ontario government continues to make such strategic investments in the future. To build further on this success, students suggest also expanding dual credit programs targeted at youth at-risk of dropping out. In fact, there exist many more opportunities for the primary and secondary school system to reach out and engage students in life after high school. Simple initiatives, such as incorporating financial assistance information into the curriculum and organizing field trips for students to visit a nearby college or university campus, would be cost-effective ways of tackling the informational and motivational barriers that continue to keep students from underrepresented groups out of college and university. OUSA wishes to congratulate the Ontario government on its continued support for this important initiative and we look forward to continuing to collaborate on ways to improve both student access and student success.

-Sam Andrey
OUSA Director of Research & Policy Analysis

Recently I attended OUSA’s annual Partners in Higher Education Dinner. It’s a bit of a rubber chicken event (although the salmon was particularly good) with speakers and a teaching awards ceremony. People go to network, as most of the sector organizations have tables there. This year Ross Finnie spoke about access and Bob Rae gave the closing address. There was also a panel that included the new Globe and Mail education reporter, James Bradshaw.

During the question period, Mr. Bradshaw was asked why he hadn’t yet written a story on access. His answer was interesting. He said it was old news, people were bored of it, and there was little to say that hadn’t already been said. Mr. Bradshaw is of course both right and wrong about that. Maclean’s On Campus said something similar in a recent blog, responding to Margaret Wente’s column in the Globe that claimed that too many people were now going to university, dampening the quality of a degree. The problem, they say, is not access but quality. Access is taken care of since we already have high participation rates.

This viewpoint completely and wilfully ignores the fact that for some time now the sector has been defining access not as how many people get in the door, but the equity of who gets in the door and where they go.  And as long as there is inequity in the rates at which certain cohorts (low income, Aboriginal, some immigrant groups, people with disabilities, first generation) go to postsecondary education, we will have an access problem. But, to return to Mr. Bradshaw’s point, the persistence of this problem is what makes it seem like old news. We have had an access problem for a long time and it’s described in countless reports, articles and papers, many of them written by the aforementioned Dr. Finnie.

We have a participation gap — the gap between the average participation rate, and the rate of participation of under-represented cohorts, and that gap is hard to move. For some, such as the lowest income groups, it has flat lined and remained unchanged for decades; for some, such as Aboriginals, it has in fact widened. We have been telling this story for a long time and it is starting to sound tired. Yet the repetition does not seem to be making anything better and the discussion seems not to have progressed much.

This point was made at another event I attended recently — the Statistics Canada/Council of Ministers of Education symposium on Aboriginal data. The event was marked by a certain frustration with the issue, the same themes were on display here as were evident at the provincial government’s Ontario Aboriginal Gathering I attended in March: the persistent participation gap for Aboriginal students; the lack of sufficient data in this area; the problems with data collection and how it is affected by the relationship between Aboriginals (especially on reserve) and the government and the lack of trust between the two; the legacy of the residential school system; the lack of adequate funding for Aboriginal students.

But, there was one small spark of hope. A somewhat new theme was rumbling through the group: the possibility that there is a different, more productive way of telling the story of Aboriginal participation in education, a good news story that creates expectations and confidence, rather than frustration and tension. The Canadian Council on Learning (CCL) has ventured into this territory with a suggested holistic model of lifelong learning for understanding Aboriginal success in education. CCL suggests looking at the educational experience in the home, in the community and in relation to non-classroom types of learning – as was more traditional in Aboriginal communities. Critics claimed that this type of measurement was nice and warm and fuzzy, but it didn’t help Aboriginal students transition into postsecondary education or the work force.  However, I think the idea is right. At a certain point, the constant focus on what is wrong makes people cynical and frustrated, and begins to dampen enthusiasm for moving forward.

As Pathways to Education research and evaluation director Stacey Young said at the OUSA dinner: we need to start focusing the discussion on how we might create expectations among under-represented youth, rather than on the state of the problem.  It’s a simple idea and an effective one. It allows us to remember to focus on the students, rather than the data point. I haven’t got it all figured out yet, but I think that is an excellent start.

Fiona Deller is a research director for the Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario, an arm’s length agency of the Ontario government that brings evidence-based research to the continued improvement of Ontario’s postsecondary system.

The Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance (OUSA) is pleased to announce that Chris Martin has been selected as OUSA’s next Director of Research effective May 1, 2011. A graduate of McMaster University, Chris was elected the 2009-10 Vice-President Education of the McMaster Students Union and represented McMaster students on the OUSA Steering Committee. Chris has a deep passion for student issues and has demonstrated countless times his commitment to working to improve post-secondary education in Ontario.

As Director of Research, Chris will be responsible for overseeing all aspects of research and policy development at OUSA, and implementing the directives of the General Assembly and Steering Committee. Chris can be contacted at chris@ousa.ca.

Please join me in both congratulating Chris on his selection and in thanking outgoing Research Director and incoming Executive Director Sam Andrey for his substantial contribution to OUSA’s research portfolio.

-Meaghan Coker
OUSA President

This afternoon, MPP Yasir Naqvi introduced a Bill in the Ontario Legislature that would enshrine in law the right of student associations to collect and administer fees. Given the critical role that student associations play in the governance of Ontario’s colleges and universities and in providing necessary services to students, OUSA welcomes this legislation and encourages all Members of Provincial Parliament to support it.

In addition to acknowledging the right to collect fees, the Bill states that one of its purposes is “to recognize the autonomy of student associations at post-secondary educational institutions,” thus affirming that the spirit of the law includes respecting student association independence.

Speaking to the mechanics, the Bill would not affect any agreement between a student association and their institution that is currently in place or may be implemented in the future. What it does do is provide a safety net for student associations who do not have an agreement with their institution by requiring the institution to collect fees on behalf of the student association and to remit those fees in a timely manner. Currently, a disagreement between a student association and their institution can and has led to the institution refusing to collect and remit membership fees. This legislation would rightly prevent that outcome in future, promoting cooperation and providing financial stability to associations across the Province.

The Bill also aims to provide for good governance and accountability of student associations by reinforcing the requirements of the Corporations Act and the Not-For-Profit Corporations Act specifically highlighting a number of suggested areas to include in the student association’s by-laws.

Again, OUSA wishes to thank MPP Yasir Naqvi for introducing this legislation and MPP Rosario Marchese for co-sponsoring it. This is a significant step forward for Ontario’s student associations.

-Meaghan Coker
OUSA President

For the latest update on the Academic Planning Process at Queen’s, I thought I would take time to address an interesting concept that has arisen multiple times throughout the process: mandatory literacy courses in university. The idea is a first year course that every student would have to take that would focus on teaching students the basic skills of learning: research strategies, critical thought processes, how to write university-level lab reports and essays, and generally increased literacy.

This morning I came back from a Strategic Planning session at the Learning Commons here at Queen’s (an academic support centre based out of our library services). As part of their strategic planning, they’ve held a series of online surveys asking students and faculty which services the Learning Commons should provide, which services they excel at, areas for improvement and so on. Overwhelmingly the results pointed towards the need for improvement in learning how to write a university paper and/or lab report. These results sparked a lively debate about how we can reach out to students to help them improve their writing. I’ve had this conversation multiple times this past year and eventually someone will ask in exasperation, “What happened to students today? When did they stop learning how to write?”

Many people have asked the same question and many come to the same result: it’s the Internet’s fault. There are dozens of articles that write to this extent (just search ‘internet’s effect on literacy’); there are newspaper articles, even cartoons. Whenever I hear this question I always ask “Since when is it the student’s fault?”

Among the debate of how literacy rates are going down, it is in my experience rare that teachers and professors turn a critical eye towards their own actions. In recent years high school averages are rising – the elusive A average more common place than ever – yet we have teachers wondering why student literacy seems to be decreasing. Anecdotally, many students have recounted to me their frustrations with their university marks being the same regardless of the effort and time put it to improve upon their past mistakes.

The answer isn’t simple and blame can’t be shifted to one party, students, the internet, or otherwise. As long as we are exploring mandatory literacy classes for first year students, let’s talk about mandatory teaching courses for new professors and teaching assistants. Let’s explore new pedagogy that incorporates online learning into the classroom. Let’s think about if the incentives structures for professors are rewarding research and letting bad teaching slip by. The discussion on how to improve student learning outcomes is much too important to be restricted by the same old hang-ups and limitations.

-Kieran Slobodin
Academic Affairs Commissioner
The Alma Mater Society, Queen’s University

Education is a subject often pushed to the side during a federal election. Importantly, education is formally left to provincial governments, though federal funding for research, student financial assistance and Aboriginal education are exceptions. The federal government should not, however, be complacent regarding the future of young Canadians. To that end, the electorate must be cognizant of issues currently facing post-secondary education, and ask that the federal government provide much-needed leadership.

Universities across Canada are struggling with an unprecedented funding problem – a perfect storm of reduced funding, pension policy, tuition regulations, and fluctuating alumni donations. The effect of these financial difficulties is clearly apparent at the administrative level, and regular students are beginning to see the trickle-down effect of drastic cuts: TA cuts, equipment shortages, and even cancelled classes.

The onus is not quite yet on the politicians – not until we vote.  If we as students go to debates, seek out campaign offices, and talk to candidates in the streets about education we can make it a priority for them.  However, the single most powerful tool we have at our disposal is our vote.  If students voted in large numbers, education would never be off the table. We need to vote. Furthermore, all Canadians need to make education a priority for politicians regardless of their age.

It is imperative that Canadians’ valued educational quality is not gradually chipped away due to apathetic voters and tight budgets. Education is invaluable to Canada now and in the future, and must be treated as such.

-Ross Chaudhry
Engineering Physics Student
2-Year University Senator
Student Senate Caucus Chair
Queen’s University

The promises may not be flashy, but the federal NDP platform released on Sunday offers some serious benefits for post-secondary students. Here’s what it says:

1. We will make post-secondary education more affordable by directly attacking skyrocketing tuition costs with a designated $800 million transfer to the provinces and territories to lower tuition fees, as per the NDP’s Post Secondary Education Act;
2. We will increase the funding in the Canada Student Grants Program by $200 million a year, targeting accessibility for Aboriginal, disabled and low-income students, in particular;
3. We will raise the education tax credit from $4,800 per year to $5,760 per year to help with increasing education costs.

Most of this is pretty straightforward – often a good sign in party platforms. If this $800 million did go to evenly offsetting the cost of reducing tuition, Ontario’s share would be about $350 million, enough for just over a 10 per cent reduction in tuition fees here in Ontario. Maintaining a fair balance between students’ and governments’ contribution to university operating grants has been a long-term priority for students and this transfer would go a considerable way to restoring that balance. From an access perspective though, more money will be required through the Canada Student Grants Program and early outreach programs to meet unmet need and reduce barriers to post-secondary education. As I have said previously, however, if funds are going to be delivered universally, a tuition reduction, rather than the Liberal’s RESP delivery mechanism, is the preferred approach.

Another piece that must not be overlooked is the NDP pledge for a dedicated post-secondary education transfer and a Post Secondary Education Act. These are crucial steps to implementing a much-needed national strategy for higher education that would clarify the rolls of the provincial and federal governments and establish a national vision for the sector. Though it lacks a glitzy price tag, this commitment is definitely the most important for the long-term sustainability of higher education in Canada.

Unfortunately, the final promise – increasing tax credits – is misguided public policy considering these credits disproportionally benefits high-income students and come months or years after students require up-front funds. However, it is still assistance for students and it does help somewhat with the affordability of higher education.

Contrasting this plan with the Liberal’s Canadian Learning Passport, one may immediately notice that both have about the same $1 billion price tag. It’s worthwhile to note, though, that the Liberal plan is partly financed by eliminating existing current tax credits while the NDP plan appears to represent all new funds including new tax credits. We may make a great deal of fuss over tax credits, but we recognize that they are better than nothing.

We now have two substantial visions on the table for improving the affordability and accessibility of higher education in Canada, and the Green Party and Conservative Party have produced more modest and incremental improvements for students as well. We’re encouraged that post-secondary education is featuring prominently in this federal election, considering that it can often take a backseat to other priorities. But politics is predominantly driven by what gets votes. We may know that higher education is crucial to Canada’s long-term prosperity, but if students don’t exercise their right to vote, these critical issues may again be overshadowed. We urge all students to consider the party’s platforms and get out and vote on May 2!

-Alexi White
OUSA Executive Director

April is a stressful month for students for a number of reasons. Not only do students have to cope with term papers and final exams, but it’s also a time when many students are starting to feel the pressure if they don’t already have a summer job. Finding meaningful summer employment that develops the skills necessary for a job after graduation in their field of study can be a daunting task for students, made even more difficult by the necessity of juggling job applications and interviews with a final exam schedule. In addition, employers are often reluctant to invest significant training in an employee that will be returning to school in four months, making it challenging for students to break out of the burger-flipping employment bubble. Last summer, the unemployment rate for Ontario students who planned to return to school in the fall was the highest in the country and twice that of other Ontarians at 17.5 per cent. Among students who did find employment, the average number of hours worked was only 23.6, indicating that full-time positions can be difficult to come by.

For all these reasons, Employment Ontario’s Summer Job Program is a key resource for students who are looking to gain meaningful summer employment. Through the program, students aged 15 to 30 can search for jobs in a variety of fields that are specifically designated for students returning to their studies in the fall. Additionally, non-profit, private and public employers are offered a $2.00 per hour incentive to hire and train students. The program also offers grants to students who have an entrepreneurial bent, and wish to start their own business. Last year, approximately 130,000 secondary and post-secondary students gained work experience through the Summer Job Program, and yesterday the Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities announced an additional investment of $22.5 million in the program. This program and others like it enormously benefit students. Rather than handing the money to a limited number of students in the form of a grant, or further increasing student debt through a loan, summer work programs give students the opportunity to earn money to pay for their education while gaining relevant work experience. We congratulate the government for its continued investment in a program that should go a long way to helping students across the Province.

Speaking of summer jobs, OUSA would like to welcome Kristen Holman and Chris Rudnicki to the home office team. The two have been selected as the OUSA summer interns to start in May, and we’re really looking forward to working with them. Congratulations to both of them!

-Sam Andrey
OUSA Director of Research & Policy Analysis

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The busy month of March has come and gone, but what has been accomplished will continue to guide the rest of this year.

The past four weeks have been packed full of excitement and hard work with our Spring General Assembly March 11^th – 13^thhosted by the Alma Mater Society at Queen’s University in Kingston, the announcement of the provincial budget on March 29^th, and followed by OUSA’s annual Partners in Higher Education Dinner on March 31^st.

The Spring General Assembly provided another opportunity for student representatives to come together and engage in the important policy decisions and drive the direction of our activities. From the conference, we have passed a revised policy on Ancillary Fees, Aboriginal Students, and Student Success. Thank you to all of the delegates who performed an incredible role during that weekend, but continue to serve as delegates of their students throughout the year.

With the announcement of the provincial budget and 60,000 new post-secondary spaces over the next five years, students of Ontario can look forward to our universities and colleges opening their doors to more students and the priority of access to education continuing to remain an area of importance. Students are very interested in the commitment of the government to renegotiate and rethink the current Multi-Year Accountability Agreements with universities, and we remain committed to contributing in whatever way we can.

To close, I want to extend the sincere appreciation OUSA has for the commitment and collaboration this year from our partners and stakeholders in the sector. The year’s Partners Dinner provided for an evening of celebration and recognition of the incredibly significant work that we do together all year. It is this exceptionally important work and willingness for collaboration that continues to inspire us to strive for the kind of higher education system that our students and the Province of Ontario deserve.

-Meaghan Coker

On Friday, an issue that often isn’t talked about enough – student mental health – was thrust into prominence with a front page article in the Globe and Mail.  The feature was triggered by a number of heart-rending deaths which have occurred at Queen’s University in the past year, including the presumed suicide of a third-year student last week.

It is tragic whenever a student’s wellbeing and success is compromised by mental illness.  Unfortunately there is widespread concern that mental health problems are becoming more and more prevalent at Ontario universities and colleges. According to the Canadian Mental Health Association, mental illness affects one in five Canadians, and this number is even higher among post-secondary students, where close to a third of students experience elevated psychological stress. According to the American College Health Association’s national survey, mental health and substance abuse rates have increased substantial over the past 20 years. The survey found that 29% of students reported being unable to function due to depression at some point in the past year, 9.4% of students suffered from anxiety disorders and 6.1% seriously considered suicide. Many counsellors have detected similar trends in Canadian colleges and universities. A number of factors can help shed light on why college and university is a time when many students experience mental health issues:

• The typical age of onset for many disorders is 18 to 24, meaning individuals often have their first encounter with mental illness while in college or university
• Many students at university or college are living away from home from the first time in their lives, at a distance from familial and social support network
• Universities and colleges are often demanding, competitive, high-stress environments, which can trigger anxiety and depression related illness
• Improved outreach at the primary and secondary level has meant that more students with mental health issues are able to access post-secondary education but may require ongoing support throughout their studies

Because students cope with a broad range of mental health issues, it is important that they can access comprehensive mental health services in a timely manner. Student support services play a key role in enabling students dealing with mental health issues to make the most of their post-secondary experience. An inability to access these services can lead to an amplification of existing problems, which ultimately has devastating consequences on a personal, academic, and societal level.

For these reasons, students were heartened when the new Ontario Budget, released in March, announced $257 million in new funding over three years for mental health and addiction services for children and youth.  This funding, channelled through the province’s Mental Health and Addiction Strategy, has the potential to make significant strides in improving mental health for all Ontarians. At the same time, while acknowledging the importance of intervention at the primary and secondary school level, it is important to recognize that funding and improving mental health services on post-secondary campuses is also a critical component of an effective youth mental health strategy.  Entering university or college is an exciting time in a person’s life – a time of personal growth, learning, development and change – but it can also be incredibly challenging. It is important that students have the supports they need to deal with any mental health issues they may face during their studies, and optimize their personal wellbeing and success.

-Laura Pin
OUSA Research Analyst