Residence Life & Student Experience
Our Residence Life program is the cornerstone of our comprehensive service offering, and it creates a student experience that makes residence more than just a convenient place to live. As a vertically integrated company, we are the only organization in Canada that includes residence life as a part of our overall service.
By deploying a student-centric approach, our Residence Life strategic plan embraces the unique academic mission and strategic plan of our partner institutions, and the diverse needs of their respective residence community. Our goal is to create a safe, secure, and engaged community that promotes equality, respects diversity, encourages leadership and self-discovery, fosters personal health and well-being, enhances student learning and development, and upholds a high quality of community living standards.
Our Department of Residence Life & the Student Experience focuses on four main areas to strengthen the student experience.
Community Development & Programming
We know that the first six weeks of a new student’s experience on campus is critical to their overall success. Our approach to community building and programming ensures that our students have a positive and smooth transition to residence and campus life.
Our efforts include:
- Helping students develop strong relationships with their roommates
- Promoting participation in residence and campus orientation activities;
- Education about key resources, services, and involvement opportunities; and
- Facilitating campus social and educational programs
Programs are guided by a research-based tool called our Community Development Model. This model is a holistic approach to student education that helps develop a combination of personal, academic, and citizenship skills. Our programming model includes:
Residence move-in and orientation programs;
- Engagement through social media; Regular residence programming
- Intentional academic and social transition support plans for students; and
- Specialized programming such as Living Learning Communities or Service Learning
Staff Training & Development
Training and development opportunities are critical to employee engagement and satisfaction, which is why we invest in training for all of our student leaders, administrative managers, and our senior executives alike.
Staff engaged continuously in professional development ensure our employees are engaged and successful. Education related to student life issues, trends, and best practices ensures we are at the forefront of student affairs research and that student needs are always being met.
We are constantly focused on achieving and improving upon the following training and development objectives:
- Improving the quality of our pre-service and in-service residence life staff training;
- Designing new student leader training programs and conferences in residence;
- Contributing to the development of a high-achieving staff leadership programs;
- Creating new online training and collaboration tools;
- Increasing attendance and presentation rates at local, provincial, national and international workshops, conferences, and certificate programs
Student Support & Crisis Management
We know that the first six weeks of a new student’s experience on campus is critical to their overall success. Our approach to community building and programming ensures that our students have a positive and smooth transition to residence and campus life.
Our efforts include:
- Helping students develop strong relationships with their roommates
- Promoting participation in residence and campus orientation activities;
- Education about key resources, services, and involvement opportunities; and
- Facilitating campus social and educational programs
Programs are guided by a research-based tool called our Community Development Model. This model is a holistic approach to student education that helps develop a combination of personal, academic, and citizenship skills. Our programming model includes:
Residence move-in and orientation programs;
- Engagement through social media; Regular residence programming
- Intentional academic and social transition support plans for students; and
- Specialized programming such as Living Learning Communities or Service Learning
Program Evaluation & Assessment
Training and development opportunities are critical to employee engagement and satisfaction, which is why we invest in training for all of our student leaders, administrative managers, and our senior executives alike.
Staff engaged continuously in professional development ensure our employees are engaged and successful. Education related to student life issues, trends, and best practices ensures we are at the forefront of student affairs research and that student needs are always being met.
We are constantly focused on achieving and improving upon the following training and development objectives:
- Improving the quality of our pre-service and in-service residence life staff training;
- Designing new student leader training programs and conferences in residence;
- Contributing to the development of a high-achieving staff leadership programs;
- Creating new online training and collaboration tools;
- Increasing attendance and presentation rates at local, provincial, national and international workshops, conferences, and certificate programs
