BY CRAIG GILBERT
Thousands of Cambrian College students leave for Thanksgiving weekend every year. Hundreds of first-year students don?t come back.
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?Too many first years become disenfranchised with the college in the early months,? according to college president Sylvia Barnard.
They may think the work is too hard, that they?ve entered the wrong program, are homesick, have trouble making friends or just don?t know where to turn, she explained.
?We?re not doing a good enough job of letting them know the supports we have,? she said.
?We have to put interventions in place to hold on to those students and identify those having trouble faster.?
Cambrian?s total enrolment is about 4,300, 2,400 of which are first-year students.
Barnard made a presentation to city council Thursday outlining Cambrian?s vision and direction.
She told them the college is looking at new methods of student recruitment, such as the Internet.
?Rather than sending recruiters to high schools around southern Ontario, which can be very costly, we will be sending web invitations inviting
students to join webcasts from the E-Dome.?
In the coming months, the school will be performing a full review of all its courses.
The employment rate of graduates, student uptake (initial enrollment) and the skills required by employers will be considered during the review.
The school will also be looking at ways to incorporate electronic delivery into each course and how to enhance them.
A big enhancement to the college, and a Northern Ontario first, is the new assessment centre for students with learning disabilities.
The central office will be located in the Glen Crombie Centre. Satellite offices will be located at every post-secondary institution in Northern Ontario,
with support flowing from Cambrian.
Ten jobs will be created at Cambrian, and another 10 will be spread across the north.
