Research Reports

This report is one in a three part series that presents the results from the 2015 Ontario Post-Secondary Student Survey. The discussion herein will assist our organization in determining the underrepresentation of certain groups, the ease of mobility between post-secondary institutions, and the ease of travelling to or living near Ontario’s universities.

This report is one in a three part series that presents the results from the 2015 Ontario Postsecondary Student Survey. The discussion herein will assist our organization in determining the quality of teaching and learning, the impact that work integrated learning has on student learning, the quality of the student experience, and the capacity for civic engagement, among others.

As an advocate for many of Ontario’s university students, OUSA prides itself on keeping their voices at the forefront of discussions about systemic change. To this end we survey our membership to ensure that we have the best possible information about their experiences, and can make recommendations for improvements. This report is one in a three part series that presents the results from the 2015 Ontario Post-secondary Student Survey. The discussion herein will assist our organization in determining students’ use of financial assistance, employment earnings, and other sources of income that are used to pay for postsecondary education.

All willing and qualified students in Ontario must be able to access and excel within Ontario’s postsecondary education system. This is a foundational principle of OUSA’s policy and advocacy work. We believe universities are currently underserving students with disabilities and that this needs to change.

OUSA’s LGBTQ+ Student Experience Survey was a mixed methods research project conducted in November 2014 designed to gain understanding of the opinions and experiences of Ontario university students who identify as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Queer, Questioning, or other orientations or identities that do not conform to cisgender and heterosexual paradigms (LGBTQ+). The purpose of the survey was to identify any gaps that might exist in university services, programming, and supports that can diminish or negatively impact university experiences for these students.

One of the core principles of the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance (OUSA) is that all willing and qualified students should be able to attend post-secondary regardless of their ability to pay. However, students in Ontario face the highest tuition fees in the country and the cost and perceived costs of post-secondary education are consistently identified as barriers to post-secondary education. These barriers are contributing factors to the persistently high attainment gaps for various vulnerable groups in pursuing an undergraduate degree.

In November 2013, the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance (OUSA) asked students to comment on their experience with summer and in-study employment. Of particular interest were: the number of jobs students were working during these terms; whether or not these opportunities were within a student’s field of study; and whether they positively impacted their academic performance.

OUSA asked students about their experiences of living in the community where their university is located: from how far they felt their municipality sought to engage students, to their housing situation, and their use of public transit.

OUSA asked students to answer questions about their experience with high-impact learning, active and participatory learning, work-integrated learning, and online courses. Students were also asked to provide their impressions about what resources should be prioritized within their university, as well as how they viewed the balance between teaching and learning at their institution.

In anticipation of the 2013 Ontario Budget, the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance has partnered with Nanos Research to conduct a series of public opinion polls to evaluate public opinion on post-secondary affordability, youth employment and efforts to support students with mental illness.