Connecting Pathways: A Cross Division Collaboration Among

Academic and Student Affairs

Tracey Rollins, Student Development Christine Lee, Alumni Relations

Sheila Ashwell, Arts Co-op ProgramIrene Chan, Career Services

University of British Columbia

• 43,000 students (36,000 UG)

• mostly commuter population

• average commute time 40 – 60 min. each way – longest commute time in Canada

• 12 faculties (colleges)

• Highly decentralized units

Faculty of ArtsCollege of humanities, social sciences,

and creative/performing arts

• Over 35 programs and departments

• 12,000 undergraduate students

• Students enter into Faculty of Arts and select their major in year 2 or 3

Institutional SilosKeeling study

**Keeling, R.P., Underhile, E. & Wall, A. F. Horizontal and Vertical Structures: The Dynamics of Organization in Higher Education. Liberal Education, 93(4): 24.

Centre for Arts Student Services

What is CASS

Leadership Team

Role of Assistant Dean

Career Services

Student Devlpmt

Arts Advising

Arts Coop

Educ Prg

Arts Alumni

Arts CSL

Communications

VP Students

VP Academic

VP Devlp & Alumni

VP Ext & Community

Relations

Faculty of Arts

Relevance to Students

• Targeted programming for complete student experience

• CASS email alerts for timely updates on events, programs, and deadlines

• Website acts as a portal for students to all necessary resources

• http://www.arts.ubc.ca/students/

Benefits

• Knowledge sharing between units

• Collaboration and resource sharing

• Funding support

• Sense of belonging to a larger purpose

Benefits• Strategic Leadership

• Representation at Deans Table for “central units”

• Cross promotion of events & programs

• Communications to students

Collaborations

• Arts Career Expo

• Internship Program

• Student Leadership & Training

Barriers and Challenges

• Risk of getting lost in larger umbrella of services• Control• Autonomy• Individuality• Ownership

• Time Commitment – collaboration takes longer

• Communication funnel with Academic Departments

• No physical space

Key Messages

• Increased Student Opportunities

• Visibility • Collaboration • Strategic goals • Department

Outreach

Message from Assistant Dean Students, Arts

Message from Assistant Dean Students, Arts

• “I think the entire concept of CASS is designed to bring together all the units which have something to do with Advising, SD, Career Services, Alumni Relations and a variety of other units.”

• “The key theme is integration. We want all these units to be as integrated as possible to work together so that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.”

How to StartDiscussion:

• Consider a new relationship you would like to cultivate when you return to your institution

• Consider an informal relationship you currently have and how you could move it into a formal one

Thank you!

Questions?tracey.rollins@ubc.ca