In For the Public GoodFor the Public Good, experience is a verb — an action rather than an outcome. As a university community, we have a shared goal to create opportunities, spaces and programs that ensure students fully experience personal and intellectual growth while at the University of Alberta, and for those living in residence, while they make their homes on our campuses. As part of our efforts meet this goal, we invited members of the Students’ Union, Graduate Students’ Association, Provost’s Office, Dean of Students, and Ancillary Services to form the Residence Life Task Force. The purpose of the task force was to share, hear, and discuss the perspectives of all those involved in residence. Today, I am able to share the findings of this group in the form of the Residence Life at the University of Alberta: Report and Recommendations of the Residence Life Task ForceResidence Life at the University of Alberta: Report and Recommendations of the Residence Life Task Force.
For nearly a year, the task force has conducted a comprehensive examination of the lives lived by our students and employees in residence. As you’ll see in the report, the task force has identified nine actionable recommendations. To ensure that these recommendations are addressed, I’ve asked that the first be in place by the fall; this will involve the development of the Residence Oversight Committee (ROC) which will include a mix of university and student representatives who will engage in regular discussions on matters related to residence operations and residence life. The ROC will also review the progress on the report’s other recommendations.
The report stresses that building an environment that is respectful and equitable, and that fosters growth for students and employees, is a collective responsibility. I would like to thank the students and staff who participated and provided valuable input, as well as Wendy Rodgers, André Costopoulos, Fahim Rahman, Francesca Ghossein, Sarah Ficko, Masoud Khademi, Geoff Rode, and Marj Cayford for their leadership on this report. And a special thank you to Helen Steinke for providing the task force’s administrative support.
Steven Dew
Provost and Vice-President (Academic)