BROADCASTS.com

b'

Colleges and universities are investing more and more resources into student retention and success initiatives, and student mental health has become an escalating crisis on many campuses.\\xa0 This week, Ken Steele sits down with Janet Morrison, president and vice-chancellor of Sheridan College, to discuss some lessons she has learned over 25 years as a champion of student success, in the university and college sectors.

There is a wealth of research into student success, and Janet believes in programming that is \\u201cevidence-based and theoretically informed.\\u201d Institutions now need to understand their own specific demographics, and pilot-test interventions. Janet emphasizes that \\u201con many levels student success is a commentary on privilege,\\u201d and many students at commuter institutions (like York or Sheridan) have very different experiences than the faculty or administrators responsible for their education. Many students are working in excess of 26 hours a week, and commuting an average of 2 hours daily, while attending school full time, and potentially also juggling responsibilities for dependents and significant debt. We need to \\u201cco-define success\\u201d with learners, in ways much more holistic than mere grade-point averages. Janet emphasizes the crucial importance of \\u201cpurpose\\u201d, because when things inevitably become challenging, \\u201cthat sense of purpose is the pull, the energy, the fuel, the accelerant to help students make it to the next gatepost.\\u201d She is truly inspired by the perseverance and dedication of many students who have overcome incredible obstacles.

Institutions can help support student success by conducting research to identify the top ten obstacles to student learning, which will differ by campus and by student demographic. Students need a sense of academic culture, and particularly for first-generation students, a lot of that falls to academic advising staff. Students need a sense of connection with faculty, staff and peers, and student affairs staff can organize co-curricular records, and promote wellness. \\u201cThis really is a team effort\\u201d with staff and faculty fostering a sense of purpose, connectivity, and resourcefulness in our students.

Negative mental health in particular has been a rising issue on campus in recent years, with a significant increase in demand for counselling services on campus. Janet observes \\u201ca multitude of causal contributors\\u201d to the trend, but sums it up as, basically \\u201clife is more complicated.\\u201d Socioeconomic demands and anxieties, among incoming and graduating students, drives considerable stress. \\u201cThere are limits to what post-secondary institutions can do to support students, and those are difficult conversations to be having.\\u201d Sheridan is trying to cultivate a healthy campus for students, staff, faculty and guests, but it\\u2019s a \\u201creally big\\u201d challenge.\\xa0 Students pursuing creative vocations can be particularly vulnerable, perhaps because they are more sensitive and introspective, and certainly need to face ongoing critique of their work.

Janet emphasizes the importance of psychological resilience, and shares one student\\u2019s metaphor of the \\u201cBobo doll\\u201d: the ability to bounce back from setbacks and difficulties.\\xa0 \\u201cBeing mentally health is a foundational requisite to student success,\\u201d and institutions need to continually improve. The crisis, however, is visible everywhere in broader society, in secondary and even primary schools: \\u201cit truly is the challenge of our time.\\u201d

Dr Janet Morrison championed student success at York University for 17 years, ultimately as VP Students, before joining Sheridan College in 2016 as VP Academic, and 2 years later becoming Sheridan\\u2019s President. She holds undergraduate and graduate degrees in History and Education. (If you missed part 1 of our conversation on \\u201cCultivating Creativity\\u201d, check it out here: https://youtu.be/awH4WVFV-hc).

Next week, this 3-part series with Janet concludes with a look at the converging solitudes of colleges and universities (or 2-year and 4-year colleges). So you don\\u2019t miss it, be sure to subscribe! \\xa0http://eduvation.ca/subscribe/

Special thanks to Sheridan College for the onsite videography.\\xa0 (If you would like to host an onsite episode of Ten with Ken, please see http://eduvation.ca/twk/site-visits/for more information.)

\\xa0