REPORT OF THE
COMMON STUDENT SERVICES ENVIRONMENT
TASK FORCE
Members:
Dr. Clayton Smith, Vice-Provost, Students & Registrar, Chair
Professor Mary Gold, Associate Dean, Faculty of Law
Mr. Eric Harbottle, Vice-President, Administration & Finance
Professor Richard Householder, Associate Dean, FASS
Mr. Badaruddin Khuro, OPUS President
Ms. Anna Kirby, Executive Director, Food, Housing & Conference Services
Ms. Susan Lester, Director of Alumni Affairs
Mr. Jeff LaPorte, UWSA President
Ms. Katayoon Modaressi, GSS President
Ms. Brooke White, Director of Student Development & Support
February 10, 2006
COMMON STUDENT SERVICES ENVIRONMENT TASK FORCE REPORT
Background:
The primary institution goal, outlined in To Greater Heights (2004), supports the notion
that the University of Windsor should become a “strongly learner-centred institution”
characterized by the combination of accessible and student-oriented faculty with
research and teaching excellence. A key outcome, which is critical to the success of this
goal, is the development of a campus culture that is both friendly and personally
supportive of a diverse range of students.
To achieve a degree of focus for enrolment and student development services, it has
been suggested that student services most critical to supporting a friendly and personally
supportive campus culture be brought together in a common environment. Currently,
many of the University’s student services are located throughout the campus. For
example, the Registrar and Cashier’s offices are located in Chrysler Hall, Residence
Services is in Vanier Hall, the Student Information Resource Centre and the Student
Counselling Centre are in the CAW Student Centre, the University Bookstore is on the
main floor of the Odette School of Business building, the International Student Centre is
in Cody Hall, and the Educational Development Centre and Centre for Career Education
offices are in Dillon Hall.
In order to examine the feasibility of developing a common environment for student
services, President Ross Paul appointed a Common Student Services Environment Task
Force in September 2004 and charged it with the following: a) determine if a common
student services environment will lead to the University of Windsor having a more
friendly and personally supportive campus culture; b) identify and prioritize what student
services should be placed in such a common student services environment; and c)
provide guidance to the prospective architectural firm regarding the desired aesthetic
environment.
Some of the questions the Task Force was asked to consider included:




Would all staff from an area or division need to be located where the primary
service assessment or intake person is located or might there be a general
intake leading to internal referrals perhaps physically elsewhere?
Should we develop one-stop web services for student services?
Might someone be available to coordinate services for a person who needs more
than one service?
In other words, how will the services area work and what will that require for the
physical structure of services?
While initially it was envisioned that the Task Force would include a sizeable number of
participants, it was decided by SMG to limit membership to a smaller group and ask the
members to broadly consult University stakeholders (e.g., students, faculty and staff) on
this issue. The Task Force membership includes Clayton Smith, Vice-Provost, Students
and Registrar (chair), President of UWSA, President of OPUS, President of the Graduate
Student Society, Brooke White, Director of Student Support and Development, Mary
Gold, Associate Dean, Law, Richard Householder, Associate Dean, FASS, Eric
Harbottle, Vice-President, Administration and Finance, and Susan Lester, Director of the
Alumni Association. Anna Kirby, Director of Food, Housing & Conference Services, was
added to the Task Force during the fall of 2005.
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COMMON STUDENT SERVICES ENVIRONMENT TASK FORCE REPORT
Our Approach:
Early on, the Task Force decided to open up our discussion and focus on the question:
What direction should student services take in support of the development of a learningcentred campus culture at the University of Windsor? In doing so, we sought input from
a wide cross section of student, staff and faculty groups, and consulted with other
university representatives who implemented a one-stop student services approach. We
also hired a consultant to validate our research findings.
Implicit to our approach was the notion that we could and should get “out of the box”;
that our thinking should be forward-looking and should include physical, integrated and
virtual solutions.
An article written by Diane Troyer (2005) puts our approach into perspective. The title of
her article is “Imagine If We Could Start Over: Designing a College from Scratch.” This
opportunity was presented to the Houston, Texas based planning team for Cy-Fair
College in 2000, and the result has been the creation of a learning-centred and
innovative new institution of higher learning.
Troyer writes:
Services are designed to place the needs of students rather than traditional
administrative structures in the fore-ground. Thus services are streamlined to
increase efficiency and accessibility for students. Each academic division is fully
integrated with continuing education, workforce education, and support for
transfer of academic credits. A learning commons blends library and learning
resource services and a one-stop enrollment center was designed to address
student needs holistically.
Traditional library functions have been merged with learning resource services in
order to create a seamless learning support system. Tutoring specialists are
located throughout the library, and tutors and librarians work as a team to meet
students’ needs. Students have access to spaces for group study or project work
within the library; the counselling and career and transfer center are located
there, as is the assistive technology center, where services for disabled students
are blended with library resources. Students report that they feel less stigma
when accessing learning support services in the library rather than through
separately housed services. All of this activity adds to a sense of vibrancy to the
library space.
The one-stop enrollment center provides holistic services to students with busy
lives. At first contact in the welcome area, students are assessed by a full-time
adviser and assigned to a student services specialist who can help meet all of
their enrollment support needs, from admissions to financial aid. While all
advisers are broadly trained and experienced, many also have specialized
preparation in meeting the needs of international students, financial aid,
academic probation, or other special needs. Students are referred to the adviser
who will best meet their needs. This system is intended to prevent additional
stops in the enrollment process. Since a short wait may be required in order to
see an adviser, students are provided with buzzers like those used in
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COMMON STUDENT SERVICES ENVIRONMENT TASK FORCE REPORT
restaurants, which allows them to visit the library, the cyber cafe, or another
campus location while they wait. Students who require assessment for
admission or placement can also access the testing center through the one-stop
enrollment center, and an express lane is available for students who do not need
an appointment with an adviser. (p. 7)
Our intent is to further the University’s plans to become more learning-centred by
presenting a conceptual framework for the development of one or more common student
services environments.
Focus Groups
To meet our mandate of consulting broadly, the Task Force decided to use a focus
group approach. Groups were to be relatively small in size (most were 8-10 in size), with
discussion facilitated by Clayton Smith and Brooke White. Focus group sessions were
held during the December 2004 to September 2005 period. Individual summaries were
compiled for each session; from these, group summaries were developed for the student
(Appendix A) and staff/faculty (Appendix B) groups separately.
Several student groups participated in the focus group discussions, including Aboriginal
students, consecutive education students, distance education students (Conestoga
Business students), full-time undergraduate students (UWSA Council), graduate
students (Grad Society Executive), international students, law students, part-time
students (OPUS Executive), residence students (Residence Council), special needs
students, and student society leaders. We also received a summary of UWSA Grump
Day Feedback comments.
Several staff and faculty groups also participated in the focus group discussions,
including the AAU secretaries, Associate Deans, Cashier’s Office, Finance Department,
Food Services & Residence, Graduate Studies Office, Liaison & Student Recruitment
Office, Registrar’s Office (2 sessions), Student Development & Support Division, Student
Recruitment Working Group, and Student Retention Working Group. We also received
an e-mail from an Information Technology Services staff person.
The thrust of the comments received from those who participated in the focus groups are
well represented by the examples below.




“Many students just don’t know how to find the services they need. It is sometimes
hard to imagine what services would fall under which department, organization or
faculty office. Students end up running around too much and this takes time away
from their studies.” Student society leader
“Need to provide more personal service…engage us personally.” OPUS Council,
student
“Should provide multiple venues (telephone, web, in person).” Student Retention
Working Group faculty member
“Things are too scattered, not logical.” UWSA Council, first year student
For summary purposes, the comments related to the development of a common student
services area fell into the following categories: one-stop enrolment services centre,
virtual/on-line one-stop student services centre, communications, academic advising
centre, welcome centre, student affairs services, social space, learning commons,
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parking, student ID card services, residence services, extended office hours, wellness
centre, graduate student services centre, information technology services, examination
centre, and safety services.
The categories are listed below in order by the number of comments made, with those
categories listed first as the ones that generated the most interest and those listed
subsequently as those that generated less interest. Comments within each category are
not ranked. These are opinion statements made by students, faculty or staff and in
some instances may not be accurate factually.
Table 1. Focus Groups Comments by Category.
Category
One-Stop
Enrolment
Services
Centre
Communication
5
Comments
 A physical one-stop student services environment in a public
transportation accessible location.
 Need to avoid the run-around that students feel between the
various student services offices (Cashiers, Registrar, Awards, and
Liaison).
 The one-stop centre should include parking and the All Campus
Card.
 Students need a larger work space in some offices.
 Staff should wear name tags.
 Some services need to be provided on an in-person basis (e.g.,
OSAP, international student cash deposits).
 Payment by credit cards is not permitted now, but students would
prefer it.
 A physical space limitation in the Cashier’s Office for disabled
students.
 Wickets in the Cashier’s Office are shoulder height.
 Don’t really know who to call in the Registrar’s Office anymore.
 More training for front-line staff.
 Need to cross-train front-office staff.
 May want to keep change minimal to avoid job-related stress.
 Students often cannot speak to an individual; often get into a
queue.
 24/7 SIRC hotline (phone, email, chat-line).
 Cashier’s Office needs to play more of a role during orientation.
 One integrated reception area.
 Need a queue on the Cashier’s Office phone.
 Information booth centrally located on campus with rotating staff.
 Bookstore.
 Electronic bulletin boards at main campus entrance points.
 Need to have more communication between the Liaison and
Student Development Offices
 Need front-line staff meeting…like the manager meetings already
in existence.
 Need to develop a way for information to be passed on from office
to office so that more staff are informed.
 Develop a simplified and condensed admissions package.
 Trickle emails with pertinent information rather than bombarding
all at once.
09/03/2016
COMMON STUDENT SERVICES ENVIRONMENT TASK FORCE REPORT
Category
Comments
 Commuter students don’t really know how to meet other students
and so often don’t.
 Need more comprehensive planning between departments. Not
enough cooperative activities.
 Students need to be told how they can access help and we need
to be clear on how they can get help.
 Need to improve the sequencing of communications with first-year
students, both before and after arrival.
 Live chats using instant messaging.
 International Student Office mailing to new students should also
be sent to new international graduate students.
 Student services kiosk in the mall (Devonshire).
 Downtown store front for the University – Saturday office, help
with line-ups.
Virtual/On-line
 A more engaging web site. Navigation can be difficult. Pages
One-Stop
should all have contact information so students know who to
Student
contact for more information. Vocabulary is not what students use
Services
(e.g., flexible learning, public affairs).
Centre
 Internet is too slow.
 Provide virtual counselling services for prospective students.
 Need to keep in mind that many rural homes are dial up and
cannot handle PDF documents well.
 All enrolment services should be online.
 SIS is confusing for 1st year students (do not understand faculty
code next to course number) – should have academic RA’s do a
session for new students.
 Students without technical background have difficulty with SIS.
 Getting awards information from SIS can be difficult.
 Awards does not have link directly from SIS.
 Need some type of wait list system that can be handled by SIS.

When technology fails, students need to know where and who to
go to.
 Create a centralized payment service.
 Need graduate student web site similar to the faculty recruitment
web site.
Student Affairs  A focus on first year students: A coordinated first year student
Services
program, with a first year student lounge and resource centre.
 Banking centre on campus or money management services (3rd
year accounting students could run).
 Post Office.
 More career counselling – help with placement; help with graduate
school applications.
 Commuter student program with web site.
 Day care.
 Prefer to access special needs services in person.
 Grad Studies advising – common location, reference info for other
schools, GMAT, MCAT, LSAT.
 Services that should be centralized include Special Needs,
International Students, Co-op, Academic Writing Centre, and
Educational Development Centre.
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COMMON STUDENT SERVICES ENVIRONMENT TASK FORCE REPORT
Category
Social Space
Learning
Commons
Welcome
Centre
7
Comments
 New building should focus on the most used services on the lower
levels and the least used services on the upper levels.
 A smaller building attached with an auditorium to use for Head
Start and OSAP distribution.
 Need to consider accessibility where student services are
provided.
 Friday afternoon social space.
 Amphitheatre for co-curricular activities.
 The roof of the CAW Student Centre could be used as a space for
a student meeting place with a garden and plants to decorate.
 Food services where students are.
 Students would like a comfortable atmosphere with couches, TV
and internet access.
 Need more informal places for students to lounge in their Faculty
setting.
 No food at the HK building causes a reduction in informal activities
in the HK area. Should it (Food Services) be a profit focus or a
student focus?
 Education Society has an office but no meeting space (currently
use an available classroom on a space-available basis); would like
to have a designated meeting space.
 Rest area for part-time students.
 Social space for graduate students.
 More social space for international students.
 An integrated learning support services environment possibly on
the ground floor of the Leddy Library or between the Library and
CAW Student Centre.
 Computer help services.
 Research services.
 The Academic Writing Centre is typically booked 3 weeks in
advance, which limits the support that can be provided to first year
students.
 Math support centre.
 Tutoring support.
 No meeting space in the Law Library. The Leddy Library has only
four rooms on the top floor. Virtually no informal meeting space.
 A more extensive education resource centre in the Library.
 More independent study areas.
 24-hour library.
 Students and families don’t know where to go when they first
arrive on campus.
 An impressive welcome centre, with free and available parking.
 Need a welcome centre (campus plan, some thought about 14
years old now, called for this).
 More tours and welcoming atmosphere with the City with a
welcome in September for new students.
 The house-like atmosphere of the current Liaison house should be
preserved. It creates a warm and welcoming environment;
something different from the cold office feel that larger institutional
09/03/2016
COMMON STUDENT SERVICES ENVIRONMENT TASK FORCE REPORT
Category
Academic
Advising
Centre

Parking
Extended
Office Hours
Student ID
Card Services
8
Comments
buildings project.
 Need to have a good place to meet groups who are visiting
campus. The current Liaison house is too small for groups –
leads to meeting them elsewhere on campus. Sends the
message that we are not really prepared to handle groups.
 Need to improve the outside appearance of the Liaison house or
an attractive presence for any new facility. Appearance matters to
how students and their families perceive our educational
community.
 First-year students have a hard time finding advising services.
 Need for ongoing academic advising through the student’s first
semester.
 Faculty advisers should be more visible in the departments.
 More effective academic counselling. Counselling that crosses
faculty boundaries to reach students with wider academic interests
 Academic advising, but only the first tier; second tier advising
should take in place in the Faculties.
 Many faculty members are not comfortable in making final
decisions related to advising.
 Academic advising centre that includes graduate students.
 Train advisers by rotating them through Faculty advising locations.
Concern as to whether centralized advising can be specific
enough to be helpful. Must commit to professional and competent
advising.
 Parking garage – centrally located.
 Parking a concern, especially for those who arrive in the middle of
the day.
 Parking – a requirement for many adult students; not seen as a
convenience.
 Lot at Rankin should not be a pay and display lot.
 Parking needs to be more flexible with distinguished visitors.
Shouldn’t have to ask for a favour.
 A variety of hours of operation (Cashiers, 9-4; Registrar, 8:304:15; Awards, 9:30-4:00; Bookstore, 8:30-7:00).
 Extended office hours – either all the time or certain days of the
week.
 Hours of operation for key student services (at least the counter
portion) should be provided during the early evening, possibly until
7:00 p.m.
 The hours of operations for many student services do not reflect
student schedules (especially the health clinic).
 Uniform office hours and longer.
 Offer at least limited evening services for transaction-oriented
student services (Registrar, Cashier, Awards).
 The student ID card should be expanded into a true one-card
system so that all student transactions can be completed with a
single card.
 Mentioned that they have several cards for services – photocopy
card, printer card and all campus card; we might be able to
09/03/2016
COMMON STUDENT SERVICES ENVIRONMENT TASK FORCE REPORT
Category
Residence
Services
Wellness
Centre
Graduate
Student
Services
Centre
Examination
Centre
Information
Technology
Services
Safety Services
9
Comments
combine into a single card.
 Wondered whether the 2 meal plans (flex and fixed) could be
combined so that they would need only a single card and allow for
deductions from both seamlessly.
 Want to be able to fill copy cards at the Law School. Also can’t
cash them in for remaining balance at the end of the academic
year (most give them to first year students when they graduate).
 Need to look at deferred maintenance in Residence – a huge
issue.
 Students feel that we don’t take care of facilities so why should
they.
 Refurbish buildings on a regular basis.
 Some of the best integrating occurs in residence where Canadian
and international students live together, side by side. Should
consider lowering residence fees to entice international students
to live in residence.
 Residence lounges cannot hold many people – can’t hang out
together in big groups.
 Another residence hall close to the Student Centre.
 Integration of Student Counselling Centre and Student Health
Services into a wellness centre.
 A wellness center that includes proactive education around
substance abuse counselling groups (e.g., social anxiety,
relationships).
 Nutrition dietician with info on health services, food services and
campus rec working together for healthy living advice to students.
 24 hour health services – doctors’ office open at least
Saturday/Sunday.
 Most first contact for non-registrarial student services occurs at
the academic department level.
 ISC should focus on serving graduate students.
 Grad Studies is already a one-stop student services centre for
grad students. Students seem to have no trouble finding it.
 Grad Studies Office is not accessible (no seating; not very user
friendly).
 Create an examination centre to improve the environment in which
we administer mid-term examinations, final examinations, distance
education examinations, and Special Needs examinations.
 Mid-term exam space (possibly used for multiple purposes) to
enhance academic honesty during exams.
 Space could be used during non-exam periods for other University
purposes.
 Need more computer terminals to check info and email.
 ITS services not accessible to students with disabilities in the
CAW Centre (all levels) and there is inadequate space to meet
current student demand for services
 More walk safe phones – and ones that work – would make
students feel safer at night.
09/03/2016
COMMON STUDENT SERVICES ENVIRONMENT TASK FORCE REPORT
The focus group research supports the development of or continuation of several
common student services environments:
1. A one-stop enrolment services centre, which would co-locate/integrate
transaction-oriented registrarial services (Registrar’s Office, Cashier’s Office, and
Student Awards & Financial Aid).
2. A virtual/on-line student services centre, which would provide all key services in a
central location on the University’s web site using portal technology.
3. A common location for student affairs services that students access throughout
their lifespan as a student (Educational Development Centre, Special Needs, and
Centre for Career Education).
4. An increase in student social space to accommodate increased opportunities for
students to become more engaged in the University experience and to connect
better with their peers, as well as faculty and staff.
5. A learning commons, which would bring together the various academic support
services (Academic Writing Centre, ESL services, departmental resource
centres, and tutoring support) and co-locate them with research and IT support
services on the first floor of the Leddy Library.
6. A welcome centre, which would provide an attractive first arrival point for visiting
prospective students and their families, as well as visiting scholars and
conference attendees.
7. A student advising centre, which would provide first-year student advising
services and support for faculty advising in years two through four.
8. A wellness centre, which would integrate in a common setting the current Student
Counselling and Student Health Centres.
9. An examination centre for the administration of mid-term exams, Special Needs
exams, distance education exams, and fee-based external exams (GMAT, LSAT,
GRE).
It also calls for improvements in a number of existing services, including communications
with students and between departments, extension of office hours for transactionoriented departments, increased parking, and improved residence, information
technology, graduate student and safety services.
Consultation with other Universities/Best Practices Review
The Task Force sought information from those at other universities throughout Canada
and the United States. Messages were sent to e-mail list serve groups to gain the
positive and negative experiences of those who have created one-stop student services
environments on their campuses. List serves consulted included: American Association
of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers, Association of Registrars of the
Universities and Colleges of Canada, Canadian Association of College and University
Student Services, National Association of Student Personnel Administrators, National
Orientation Directors Association, and Ontario Council of Student Affairs. Responses
were received from 26 individuals, 10 from Canada and 16 from the U.S. Several
respondents were curious as to our effort and asked that we keep them abreast of our
efforts.
Canadian institutions that claimed to have or were moving toward one-stop student
services included the Banff Centre, Laurentian University, University College of the
Fraser Valley, University of Guelph, University of Ontario Institute of Technology,
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University of Ottawa, University of Saskatchewan, University of Toronto (St. George
campus), University of Waterloo and York University.
US institutions included Carnegie Melon University, Columbia College, Eastern Michigan
University, Gadsden State Community College, Northwest Indian College, Pepperdine
University, Pitt State University, University of Central Oklahoma, University of
Connecticut, University of Delaware, University of Minnesota, University of North Florida,
University of West Florida, Wartburg Theological Seminary, and Wichita Technical
College. One US institution stated that they felt the need for one-stop services had
diminished in the wake of the Internet and Web applications in higher education.
In 2005, Mary Koskan, director of the One-Stop Student Services Center at the
University of Minnesota, conducted a survey of American Association of Universities (an
association of large public and private universities) to find out how widespread the
integrated student services model had spread. Of the 64 universities that responded to
the survey, 12 indicated that they have student services buildings.
The functional services located in AAU student services buildings include: academic
advising, administrative accounting, admissions (undergraduate and graduate), career
services, counselling, dean of students, disability services (special needs), financial aid,
first year programs, high school and college relations (liaison), housing (residence),
international programs, minority student affairs, one-stop centre, orientation, registrar,
service learning, student affairs, student financial services, student judicial affairs,
summer sessions, testing, and vice-president student affairs.
When asked what services they would like to have in the student services building,
respondents said academic advising, academic learning services, bursar (cashier),
career centre, graduate admissions, ID centre, orientation, parking, and summer
sessions.
The corresponding areas at the University of Windsor, which would be candidates for
placement into a similar facility, would include: Academic Integrity Office, All Campus
Card Office, Awards and Student Financial Aid, Cashier’s Office, Centre for Career
Education, Educational Development Centre, Food/Housing/Conference Services,
International Students’ Centre, Liaison & Residence Services, Student Counselling
Centre, SIRC (or a new academic advising centre), Student Recruitment, Parking Office,
Registrar’s Office, Special Needs Office, Turtle Island, and the Vice-Provost, Students &
Registrar’s Office.
Below are some specific examples of how North American colleges and universities
have implemented common student services environments on their campuses.
Boston College: Boston College opened its Office of Student Services in 1998. It grew
our of an initiative known as Project Delta, sponsored by the Executive Vice President,
which aimed to increase service levels, reduce costs and operate more effectively by
offering an array of self-service transactions, new technologies, and cross-functionally
trained staff. A fully integrated organization including the former offices of Financial Aid,
Student Accounts, and the Registrar was envisioned where cross-trained staff would
provide general service and processing support. Experts from financial and academic
services also would reside in Student Services where they would be available for
referrals from service generalists. Information services and communication experts
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would be embedded within the office to provide support for publications, web
maintenance and system improvement. The Office of Student Services opened in 1997
and included the following services: registrar, financial aid, student accounts, credit and
collections, campus-based loans, student employment, one-card services and parking
permits services. Boston College is considered to be in the vanguard of integrated
student services operations.
Carleton University: In October 2005, Carleton University opened a new learning
commons in the MacOdrum Library. A one-stop-study-shop for students, the Learning
Commons houses special meeting spaces, IT help, learning support services (Student
Academic Success Centre, the Math Tutorial Centre, Writing tutorial Services and the
Peer Assisted Study Sessions program) and the Library all under one roof. Investments
include 160 new desktop computers, 50 laptops, new printers and photocopies,
adjustable workstations and new couches and chairs that offer students casual study
spaces.
Carnegie Mellon University: In 1994, Carnegie Mellon University began a re-engineering
project to review its enrolment processes with the goal of improving enrolment services
and increasing student satisfaction. Carnegie Mellon also wanted to transform its
operations with a flattened organization, self-directed work teams, and the use of selfservice technology to eliminate routine transactions. In 1996, Carnegie Mellon launched
The Hub, which was the name given to its new student services office. New
technologies were implemented to improve service and processing such as email to
communicate with students, online access to student information, online registration,
online academic audit, the automation of needs analysis and financial aid packaging and
electronic grade submission. One of the key features to the Carnegie Mellon approach
is that all back-office processing functions are coordinated and performed by a crossfunctional team. The institution also developed measures to assess its progress
including student satisfaction surveys and cycle time for sub-processes such as
registration and financial aid awarding. Carnegie Mellon has subsequently extended
their virtual services to their new campus in Qatar.
Dalhousie University: The Dalhousie University Learning Commons is located on the first
floor of Killam Memorial Library. It combines information resources with advanced
technology and brings together expertise and resources necessary to help students,
faculty and staff successfully integrate information with technology. It includes reference
and research services, desktop support, geographic information services, statistical
computing and data management consulting, writing resource centre, and group study
rooms.
Ferris University (Michigan): In 1998-99, Ferris University seized an opportunity to
renovate its “old library” to create a one-stop student services building. Some of the
services placed in the new building included admissions and records, the
communications center, student employment, scholarships, financial aid, cashiering, and
loans. The University adopted a cross-training model where a single student services
representative can provide a wide array of services that include transaction-oriented
registrarial services, student affairs services, housing, international student affairs,
telecommunications and student activities. With the centralization of all of these core
services, student satisfaction began to rise sharply and the student retention rate
increased from 52 to 69 percent (Westman & Bouman, 2005).
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Laurentian University: Laurentian University recently completed a restructuring that
resulted in student services, the registrar, and continuing education being consolidated
under a department called student affairs. Subsequently, the registrar was removed
from this portfolio and liaison, health services and e-learning was added. It is currently
implementing a learning commons approach.
George Mason University (Virginia): In a 2005 article, Misencik et al provide a look at the
George Mason University Johnson Center, which opened in 1995 and has been in
operation for 10 years. When it was developed it was said to be on the leading edge of
architectural design and innovative thinking about spaces for learning. In the late
1980’s, then University president George Johnson combined proposals for a library wing
and a student union, motivating the campus administration to propose a new type of
building that would be more than a meeting place, which would help to forge new
academic and social relationships between and among students, staff and faculty. The
Center includes 320,000 square feet and has a 5,048 person capacity. Features include
a study lounge and table seating for 2,200, 250 food court seats on the atrium floor, 22
study-meeting lounges, movie theatre, dance studio, art gallery, 4 computer labs, and 2
multi-media centers. It also includes a 100,000 square foot library with approximately
100,000 volumes. Commercial enterprises in the Center include the Bookstore,
computer store, bank, credit union, convenience store, post office, copy shop, and
multiple food service choices. The authors suggest that the Center has fulfilled its multifaceted mission, which includes transforming the University’s identity, integrating
academic life and student life and fostering informal learning.
University of British Columbia: UBC has placed its key student services in the East Wing
of Brock Hall, across from the Student Union Building. Student services occupying this
location include access and diversity, administrative services, career services, classroom
services, communication services, counselling services, enrolment services/registrar,
financial services, housing and conferences, international student services, registration
services, senate and curriculum services, student development and services, student
financial assistance and awards, student recruitment, student resources and information
services, student systems, undergraduate admissions and vice president, students.
University of Cincinnati (Ohio): The University of Cincinnati opened a One Stop Student
Services Center in its new University Pavilion in 2002, which combined the services of
admissions, financial aid, registration and student accounts. It also enhanced the
student services web site, which allows students access to these services from any
location, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Other offices located in the Pavilion
include the student success center, career development center, disability services,
cashiering, visitors’ center, admissions office, financial aid office, registrar’s office, and
student accounts office. The concept for the One Stop Services Center is built on a 908-2 model, with 90 percent of the students’ service needs met by self-serve tools such as
the web and touch tone phones, 8 percent in the center by University service associates,
and 2 percent with special assistance. Stanley Henderson, then associate vice
president for enrolment management at UC, comments that “We want students to be
challenged in the classroom with their academics rather than being challenged by the
harassment of bureaucracy.” The concept for the center began to develop in the early
1990s as the University faced rising student expectations and dissatisfaction among staff
members, students and their families. Students and staff said they are confident in the
final product. In a recent survey, 77 percent of students named the one-stop program as
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one of the top three biggest improvements on campus. Of that 77 percent, 80 percent
listed it as the number one improvement (Zimar, 2004).
University of Delaware: In 1992 the University of Delaware opened its Student Services
Building. The new facility housed the Cashier and Accounts Receivable Offices in their
entirety, portions of the Registrar’s and Financial Aid Offices, Dining Services and
Student Telephone Services. The building could not house all staff from the targeted
departments so staff members were selected to move to the new building on the basis of
their frequency of contact with students. Space was also maintained in the facility to
temporarily accommodate other offices including Public Safety, Housing and Student
Life. Generalist staff that now had access to a broad range of information was able to
provide better service to students and provide that service under one roof. The
University of Delaware is considered to be the first institution to introduce the notion of a
one-stop student services center. It has served as the model for countless student
services centers throughout North America.
University of Ottawa: The University of Ottawa moved toward a one-stop model in 1997.
Its one-stop operation is called InfoService, which reports to the Associate Registrar,
under the umbrella of Enrolment Management. InfoService is the first point of contact
with the University for students and the general public and is the central point for front
line servicing and information providing. It provides general information (in person, by
phone and by email), admissions related information (in person, by phone and by email),
official registrarial documents (transcripts, enrolment certification), student ID cards,
tickets for the convocations, minor registrarial functions (name and address changes),
student financial functions, and PIN resets.
University of Saskatchewan: The University of Saskatchewan has recently created a
one-stop student services centre, called Student Central. Any kind of student service
information is available at Student Central. Students can get help with online selfservice, pick up transcripts, get government student loan documents signed, get
confirmation of enrolment, apply to graduate, identify options regarding learning
assistance, health or money concerns, and much more. Referrals are made to other
student services departments. It is supported by a strong web site.
University of Texas: The University of Texas at Austin has dispersed most of the 90,000
volumes in its undergraduate library to other libraries on campus, to free space for a
6,000 square foot 24-hour “information commons.” The new facility includes “software
suites” – modules where students can work collaboratively at all hours – plus an
expanded center for writing instruction, and a center for computer training assistance
and repair.
University of Toronto Mississauga: Plans are underway for the creation of a Student
Services Plaza which would house student services’ human, technological and physical
resources into logical clusters. The Plaza is expected to be an ideal climate for triage of
students’ concerns, which will encourage team-based programming and holistic care for
students, and help service providers to recognize and address gaps across the spectrum
of services. Services anticipated to be included in the Plaza include: academic advising,
accessibility support, career counselling, central outreach (ombudsperson, GLBTQ
services) diversity education and leadership development, financial counselling, health
education/outreach, international student services, internship support, medical services,
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one card services, personal counselling, resources are for print and electronic materials,
transition support for new students, volunteer and service opportunities,
University of Toronto: On the St. George campus, the University operates under a
philosophy that student activity space is available in many nodes around the campus.
There are a number of medium to large nodes (e.g., Hart House, International Student
Centre, the Sussex Club House), many small nodes (e.g., lounges), and hundreds of tiny
nodes. In response to recent questions with respect to a need for new student space on
the St. George campus, a committee to review student activity space has been
established. The committee is expected to complete its work in 2006.
University of Waterloo: The University of Waterloo is looking at the one stop student
services approach, but has not yet adopted it. Waterloo has also completed an
examination of Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software.
University College of the Fraser Valley: The University College of the Fraser Valley
considered a one-stop student services center approach, but due to resource issues,
adopted a triage centre within its registrar’s office. The information person gives out a
variety of front-line information related to student services, including pick up of student
transcripts, handing out of timetables, loan applications, testing information, and
continuing education brochures. It prevents students from having long wait lines to have
simple questions answered.
York University: York University moved many key student services into a new student
services centre in 2004. They include: admissions, career centre, registrar, student
affairs student client services, and student financial services. The new Student Client
Services department, in which Service Representatives help students with various
requests relating to the different student service departments, is the University’s onestop services location. Student Client Services creates a respectful, private environment
for students to sit at a staff member's desk to discuss their queries, instead of lining up at
counters. Students with particularly complex questions are directed to specialized staff.
The integration of student services and the development of a cross-functionally trained
staff is a challenge and one might ask if it is worth the investment of space, time and
effort. Opinions may be divided on this issue, but there are benefits to cite.
Louise Lonabocker (2005), the director of Boston College’s Office of Student Services,
identified several advantages for undertaking such an effort. They include:
1. Centralized services are valued by students and families as evidenced from
customer satisfaction surveys, verbal feedback and letters written to senior
administrators.
2. Succession planning is simplified by a larger pool of talented staff, and staff can
see the opportunities for career development within a role or within the office.
The range of services also provides more options for the mix of responsibilities
that can be customized for a job role or a staff member.
3. Service improvements result from collaboration among staff and the ideas for
improvements generated by staff. New services can be more easily absorbed
with the resources at hand.
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4. Budget savings realized from newly automated services such as e-billing can be
used where most needed to benefit staff, upgrade furnishings and equipment,
develop new publications or offer new services.
5. The development of new systems can be planned from a more holistic
perspective. Needs can be evaluated across the entire organization and projects
can be identified based on the needs of the institution, the organization and the
current functionality of the systems.
6. The larger organization may be able to create full-time positions for staff that
bring greater depth of expertise in project management, data analysis, and
communication to benefit the entire organization.
7. The peaks and valleys will be smoothed out and more resources will be available
for peak times.
In conclusion, it appears that there are both qualitative and quantitative reasons to
develop integrated student services environments. As the pioneers at the University of
Delaware witnessed, students are more satisfied and staff collaborate to offer better
service to students. Both offer a real value-added for those institutions that choose to
develop common student services environments.
Campus Visits
In order to see first-hand how universities created common student services
environments and to learn more about the possible advantages or disadvantages of
developing such environments, Task Force members visited two universities, one in
Canada (University of Guelph) and one in the United States (University of Minnesota).
University of Minnesota One-Stop Student Service Centre:
In October, 2005 a team visited the University of Minnesota’s One-Stop Student
Services Center. Team members included Purita Bristow, Manager of Information
Systems Services, Elizabeth Felet, Credit Manager, Kai Hildebrandt, Associate Dean of
FASS, Aase Houser, Director of Student Awards and Financial Aid, Gregory Marcotte,
Director of Registrarial Services, and Clayton Smith, Vice-Provost, Students and
Registrar. The visit was coordinated by Mary Koskan, the center’s director.
The Center implemented an integrated model where the functional areas of enrolment
(Registrar), financial aid (Awards), and student accounts (Cashier) receivable are
provided by one-stop services counsellors in a single reception area at the University of
Minnesota. The Center is relatively new, having been developed only three years ago.
The Center is complemented by a very robust “no-stop” web environment that permits
students to access most services online. The University has plans to move the Center
into a new student services building in the upcoming year.
The team concluded that providing transaction-oriented registrarial-related student
services in a one-stop environment creates value-added for students by nearly
eliminating student “run-around”, improving in-person student services and making most
services available by way of a 24/7 online web environment.
“Run-around” has almost completely been eliminated through the implementation of the
One-Stop Student Services Center. Center statistics suggest that 97-98 percent of all
transactions are able to be completed in the One-Stop Center, with the remainder
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referred to the processing units (Enrolled Student Services, Financial Aid, and Accounts
Receivable). Moreover, the Center provides a written referral to the student to take to
the other department so that the students’ needs are met.
Improving in-person student services has also been realized. This has been done by
continuous cross-training of the one-stop counsellors (on a bi-weekly basis), conversion
of front line staff from clerical staff to professional staff, and the removal of processingrelated duties from the one-stop counsellors. So, instead of having staff do customer
service tasks as part of their wider job that normally would include processing
responsibilities, the one-stop counsellors do customer service only. This has allowed the
One-Stop Center to hire customer service interested staff, while permitting the
processing departments to hire strong process-oriented staff; a win-win situation.
Providing nearly all services in a “no-stop” and very robust web environment has
permitted students the ability to access nearly all services online. While this has taken a
number of years to develop, students are very satisfied with this service, with most
accessing the One-Stop Center using the Web.
While the team believes that the notion of one-stop shopping for registrarial-related
services is critical to providing a learning-centred student environment at the University
of Windsor, there are several models to choose from. First, there is the integrated onestop environment represented by the University of Minnesota in which all customer
services are offered by a single office. Second, there is the partial integrated one-stop
environment in which there is a common front counter, with each office providing their
own front-line staff and the remainder of the office available behind the counter to
provide assistance. A corollary to this model is one in which staff work together in a
“pod”, with a Registrar’s staff member, an Award’s staff member and a Cashier’s staff
member working in the same area and operating as a team. Third, there is the colocation model in which office are placed adjacent to each other and no common front
counter is shared.
Appendix C provides the team report which includes responses to the questions posed
during the visit.
University of Guelph Learning Commons:
In November, 2005 a team visited the University of Guelph Learning Commons. Team
members included Phil Dutton, Associate Dean of Science, Tamsin Bolton, Information
literacy Librarian, Jennie Atkins, Director of the Academic Writing Centre, Ron
Dumouchelle, Writing Coordinator and Brooke White, Director of Student Development
and Support. The visit was coordinated by Nancy Schmidt one of the co-directors of the
Learning Commons.
Current services in the Guelph Learning Commons, which is located on the first floor of
the Library Building, include learning services, the Supported Learning Groups program,
writing and ESL services, research support, IT services, and students with disabilities
services. A math and stats support lab is located on the third floor of the Library. There
are also meeting rooms available in the Library to support some of the Supported
Learning Groups and learning workshops. A robust web site supports the Learning
Commons by providing 24-hour, 7 days a week access to learning support information.
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The Guelph model is a partnership between Student Affairs and the Library. The Guelph
Learning Commons has been in operation since 1999.
One of the most important elements of the Learning Commons approach is that much of
the programming involves students helping other students through the use of peer
helpers. Peer helpers make a difference to other students while enjoying an opportunity
for their own personal growth and development.
The team concluded that development of a learning commons at Windsor would support
the University’s learning-centred thrust. Some of the comments shared by the team
include:
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Our learning commons could have more significant support for writing at all levels
through a combination of professional and paraprofessional staff;
Accessible ESL support would be appropriate and perhaps provide us with an
edge compared to other universities;
Collaboration with academic departments, such as Chemistry and Biology, could
be achieved in a scenario where tutorials could take place at the learning
commons and labs could take place within the academic departments;
Collaboration could be achieved through development of supported learning
groups using much the same criteria as has been developed at Guelph;
Consideration should be given to moving the STEPS program to the learning
commons;
Consideration should be given to some mathematics support, including statistics;
Centralizing these learning supports would be seen as a positive step toward
meeting student requests for accessibility to extended support service hours; and
Providing extended service hours in a centralized location would support ongoing
concerns about extended service provided through flexible hours in isolated
service locations.
Appendix D provides the team report, which includes more information on the Guelph
Learning Commons, team observations (strengths and weaknesses), an assessment of
the potential for services within a learning commons at Windsor and a list of issues
which would need to be addressed if a learning commons were to be developed here.
Consultant Report
To help us put our project into a best practices perspective, the Task Force hired a
leading enrolment management firm, SEM Works, to validate our research findings as
well as our plans to create common student services environments. Our consultant, Dr.
Jim Black, visited the University for two days of campus interviews on September 22-23
and produced a written report, on November 1, 2005, complete with observations,
detailed recommendations and a prioritization of initiatives. It is presented as Appendix
E.
Using a combination of the physical evidence collected, secondary data sources, and
direct observations of existing practices, the consultant utilized a research method
known as triangulation to validate findings. Any finding supported by all three research
techniques was considered valid. The consultant also used a complementary method
called pattern matching to validate findings that did not appear to be triangulated.
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Pattern matching describes reoccurring themes that emerge from one or more of these
research techniques.
Some of the key findings reported by Dr. Black include:
1. The inhabitants of a one-stop centre at the University of Windsor should be
registrar/admissions, cashiers, awards and an advising centre. Other services
that might be included are one-card and parking services. Included in the onestop centre should be kiosks or walk-up terminals with networked printers so that
students can transact business and receive documents that they need without
necessarily interacting with staff. “By clustering these services together, you will
significantly reduce student run-around.”
2. The welcome centre, a place where visitors are welcomed to the campus, should
be incorporated into the one-stop location with a separate entrance.
3. It is recommended that you cluster the health services together in the Student
Centre in a new integrated wellness centre.
4. Given the centralized position of the Library, you are encouraged to cluster
learning support areas together in that facility and to create a learning commons.
An emerging model in North America, learning commons integrate learning
options for students, self directed and assisted, to better serve the range of
learning needs of students in one location. They also result in students
accessing services more frequently. Included in the area should be the
Academic Writing Centre, a satellite math lab, and other academic student
support services.
5. Your success will be largely determined by your capacity to motivate employees
and develop their competencies to the highest level possible. You are
encouraged to invest in staff learning, a focus on employee culture, rewards,
accountability and engagement.
6. The University is lacking two key staffing components to successfully implement
the student services strategy it is pursuing: a) a small technology team that would
include a project manager and trainer, web designer and a programmer/data
manager and b) a research position in Student & Academic Services that would
allow the area to measure ongoing effectiveness of the initiatives so that you can
engage in continuous improvement more systematically.
7. The University has invested in a portal solution for prospective students, Azorus.
There does not appear, however, to be a clear strategy for a portal at the
University. Moreover, there does not appear to be a marketing campaign in
place to raise awareness of the existence of the portal and the value-added to
students by utilizing the technology.
8. You are encouraged to consider revamping the current advising model to ensure
a pervasively good advising experience. One successful approach is hiring a
cadre of professional advisors in an advising centre to assist first-time students
as they enter the university.
9. You should consider extending your office hours, particularly for your nontraditional students, to the beginning of your last class start time, which is at 7:00
p.m.
In general, the consultant’s findings complement our focus group research and
discussions at the Task Force related to the development of common student services
environments at the University. This suggests that our plans fit within the context of best
practices within the North American higher education environment.
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Recommendations
Our major recommendations in order of priority include:
1. A student services centre that would include:
a. A one-stop enrolment services centre, which would co-locate/integrate
transaction-oriented registrarial services (Registrar’s Office, Cashier’s
Office, and Student Awards & Financial Aid) the Bookstore and a call
centre for incoming calls. It would be preferable to also include the
Student ID and Parking Offices. Office hours would be extended to
accommodate diverse student schedules.
b. A virtual/on-line student services centre, which would provide all key
services in a central location on the University’s web site using portal
technology. A true one-card system would be further developed to make
it possible for students to use the one card on campus for all student
transactions.
c. A student advising centre, which would provide first-year student advising
services and support for faculty advising in years two through four. This
should be placed near the one-stop enrolment services centre.
d. A common location for student affairs services that students access
throughout their University experience (e.g., Educational Development
Centre, International Student Centre, Special Needs, and Centre for
Career Education).
e. An examination centre for the administration of final examinations, midterm exams, Special Needs exams, distance education exams, and feebased external exams (e.g., GMAT, LSAT, GRE). This space would also
be used to support a variety of events, including Head Start, Windsor
Welcome Week and related events. It could also be used as a space for
Muslim prayer purposes.
2. A learning commons, which would bring together the various academic support
services (e.g., Academic Writing Centre, ESL support services, Faculty resource
centers, and tutoring support) and co-locate them with library research services
and IT support services in or near the Leddy Library.
3. An increase in informal student social space to accommodate increased
opportunities for students to become more engaged in the University experience
and to connect better with their peers, as well as faculty and staff. This space
can include outdoor common space similar to the space located outside the
Leddy Library.
4. A wellness centre, which would integrate the current Student Counselling and
Student Health Centres, in the CAW Student Centre. The wellness centre could
be located adjacent to or near the pharmacy.
5. A welcome centre, which would provide an attractive first arrival point for visiting
prospective students and their families, as well as visiting scholars and
conference attendees. It is preferable for this facility to be located near the
student services centre.
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