Student Affairs Best Practices My Cross-country Tour: What I saw, what I learned, and what we can apply My Cross-country Tour: What I saw, what I learned, and what we can apply

Best Practices (bp): “Processes and activities that have been shown in practice to be the most effective” “The winning strategies, approaches, and processes that produce superior performance in an organization. A best practice is a by-product of a successful end-result” “Processes and activities that have been shown in practice to be the most effective” “The winning strategies, approaches, and processes that produce superior performance in an organization. A best practice is a by-product of a successful end-result”

What I Saw Organizational Structures: every one is unique One Stop Services: every one is different, based on politics, silos,characteristics and personalities of people involved, top-level support, time given to launch, and commitment Organizational Structures: every one is unique One Stop Services: every one is different, based on politics, silos,characteristics and personalities of people involved, top-level support, time given to launch, and commitment

University of Cincinnati University of Cincinnati The crème de la crème model:  staff members; 97% of students’ questions answered (bp)  Staff trained 4-6 months (bp)  Staff at a high management level  A new building set up for student services: One Stop Service has 90% of the space on one floor  Staff rotate through front in-person work, back-end phones and ; staff have own pod and own back-end cubicle The crème de la crème model:  staff members; 97% of students’ questions answered (bp)  Staff trained 4-6 months (bp)  Staff at a high management level  A new building set up for student services: One Stop Service has 90% of the space on one floor  Staff rotate through front in-person work, back-end phones and ; staff have own pod and own back-end cubicle

University of Guelph  All Student Services on one floor of one building  Undergraduate Program Services all in close proximity  Student Client Services wickets provide registrarial, financial aid info, ID cards  Call Centre is separate, but right behind front counter  Staff rotate through in-person counter work, phones (don’t have own space)  More services integrated online (bp)  All Student Services on one floor of one building  Undergraduate Program Services all in close proximity  Student Client Services wickets provide registrarial, financial aid info, ID cards  Call Centre is separate, but right behind front counter  Staff rotate through in-person counter work, phones (don’t have own space)  More services integrated online (bp)

Centennial College  One Stop Services does registrarial services, fee payments, ID cards  The Call Centre is proactive (invites prospective students to events), provides prospective student function and current student information  Their intranet, used as primary communication tool, is fantastic (bp)  Different staff in One Stop Service and Call Centre; physically and somewhat organizationally separate  One Stop Services does registrarial services, fee payments, ID cards  The Call Centre is proactive (invites prospective students to events), provides prospective student function and current student information  Their intranet, used as primary communication tool, is fantastic (bp)  Different staff in One Stop Service and Call Centre; physically and somewhat organizationally separate

York University  Main entrance area is very inviting, open, know you’ll get help there  The Student Client Service representatives have very private advising space (bp)  Call Centre is separate; staff rotate through in-person and call centre work; have personal rolling cabinets  Main entrance area is very inviting, open, know you’ll get help there  The Student Client Service representatives have very private advising space (bp)  Call Centre is separate; staff rotate through in-person and call centre work; have personal rolling cabinets

University of Saskatchewan  Student Central: 6 high-level staff  Trained for 3 months (original crew)  Provide registrarial guidance, student loans, emergency loans, fee appeals (more breadth and depth)  Do in-person, calls, mail, , text messaging - own scheduling (bp)  Co-managed by 2 Assistant Registrars (Records and Student Financial Aid)  Most integrated back-end/devoid of back- end silos (bp)  Student Central: 6 high-level staff  Trained for 3 months (original crew)  Provide registrarial guidance, student loans, emergency loans, fee appeals (more breadth and depth)  Do in-person, calls, mail, , text messaging - own scheduling (bp)  Co-managed by 2 Assistant Registrars (Records and Student Financial Aid)  Most integrated back-end/devoid of back- end silos (bp)

Simon Fraser University  Fabulous building, 3 floors of student services  General Enquiries is the main desk: answers registrarial questions, takes fee payments, does ID cards  Separate desk (in same area) for: Financial and Academic Advising; withdrawals; recruitment; Admissions  Separate “Call Centre,” set up for another purpose  Fabulous building, 3 floors of student services  General Enquiries is the main desk: answers registrarial questions, takes fee payments, does ID cards  Separate desk (in same area) for: Financial and Academic Advising; withdrawals; recruitment; Admissions  Separate “Call Centre,” set up for another purpose

University of British Columbia  Welcome Centre (Recruitment and Admissions); Student Information Resource Services (registrarial, fee payments); Student Financial Aid counter; Housing counters  Direction clear…$$ followed (bp)  Spectacular staff retention model (bp)  Measurement - excellent (bp)  Tools - very good  Welcome Centre (Recruitment and Admissions); Student Information Resource Services (registrarial, fee payments); Student Financial Aid counter; Housing counters  Direction clear…$$ followed (bp)  Spectacular staff retention model (bp)  Measurement - excellent (bp)  Tools - very good

What I learned What I learned  Each institution visited had a best practice vis-à-vis One Stop Services; almost every institution had big gap  Some institutions seem ready to go to their second iteration  I believe U of C could leap to the second stage - now  There are critical factors for success  Each institution visited had a best practice vis-à-vis One Stop Services; almost every institution had big gap  Some institutions seem ready to go to their second iteration  I believe U of C could leap to the second stage - now  There are critical factors for success

Realities  Needed to do better job of training and communication to and with front-end staff (opened the service, now trying to put back- end in place)  Careful not to lay off staff (attrition happened)  The most confident service areas had policies and procedures in place, encouraged staff to bring forward broken policies (and had someone in place to fix them)  Needed to do better job of training and communication to and with front-end staff (opened the service, now trying to put back- end in place)  Careful not to lay off staff (attrition happened)  The most confident service areas had policies and procedures in place, encouraged staff to bring forward broken policies (and had someone in place to fix them)

Realities  Noticed lack of clear goals, outcomes, and measures; lack of metrics  The higher the level/capabilities of the staff, more time given to read, get updated on information; more breadth and depth of information provided  Back-end silos still existed; in some cases front-end service was just another office…another layer for students  Noticed lack of clear goals, outcomes, and measures; lack of metrics  The higher the level/capabilities of the staff, more time given to read, get updated on information; more breadth and depth of information provided  Back-end silos still existed; in some cases front-end service was just another office…another layer for students

Realities  Some offices built invisible (but clearly felt) “walls” around their information; centralizing student service meant nothing to them  Only UBC and UofS have “integrated” admissions/recruitment into front-end service (York tried)  The greatest difference in information provided was around Financial Aid  Signage (presenting new name) is important; so is deleting back-end office names  Some offices built invisible (but clearly felt) “walls” around their information; centralizing student service meant nothing to them  Only UBC and UofS have “integrated” admissions/recruitment into front-end service (York tried)  The greatest difference in information provided was around Financial Aid  Signage (presenting new name) is important; so is deleting back-end office names

What we can apply  Everything! U of C can be LEADER  Combine best practices  Integrate broader range of services  Get rid of back-end silos  Hire properly trained, decision- making staff; add additional services when ready  Everything! U of C can be LEADER  Combine best practices  Integrate broader range of services  Get rid of back-end silos  Hire properly trained, decision- making staff; add additional services when ready

What we can apply, continued…  Take the time to put in place policies and procedures  Need goals, outcomes, measures; plan for metrics  Invest in communication plan (internal and external) and tools  Online services upgraded and further integrated  Take the time to put in place policies and procedures  Need goals, outcomes, measures; plan for metrics  Invest in communication plan (internal and external) and tools  Online services upgraded and further integrated

Thank you! Questions? Questions?