Soon, students who are identified as being academically at-risk will have a new option for enhanced support.
Since 2012, UNIV 101 has been a vital component of the foundation term, the University of Waterloo’s primary academic retention strategy. Taught and managed by the Student Success Office, UNIV 101 offers students a supportive environment to develop the skills required to meet the demands of a university curriculum. This restricted course covers topics in metacognition, time management, academic writing and more. Lessons are further reinforced through mandatory one-on-one Peer Success Coaching appointments and check-ins with the student’s advisor.
Feedback from students that earn course credit in UNIV 101 is overwhelmingly positive; however, the most consistent sentiment from participants is how much more valuable the content would have been to them before receiving a failed standing.
"If I was provided with the option to go back and take this course in my first year, I would without a second thought. It teaches you discipline, teaches you new things about yourself, as a person and as a student, and provides you with valuable information. It also gives you good habits that ensure your overall success. In other words, it prepares you for the jungle we call "university." - UNIV 101 student
In response, the SSO will partner with the Faculties of Arts, Science and Health to offer UNIV 101 to students who have been identified as struggling to meet minimum grade requirements in their programs but have not yet been required to withdraw or failed a term. This first expanded offering of UNIV 101 will be available in Winter 2024.
"This project will allow us to assess whether course learning outcomes can be achieved when the course is offered in a more proactive way," shared Angela Rooke, Manager, Academic Success and Retention. “By offering a section of UNIV 101 to students in a proactive way, the University will demonstrate a commitment to a pedagogy of care and kindness, alongside its commitment to academic rigor.”
The impact of this early intervention on student success will be assessed via a Learning Innovation and Teaching Enhancement (LITE) seed grant and will be led by members of the SSO’s academic development and retention team, including Angela Rooke, Min Huang and Nada Alshehabi.
To learn more about this pilot project, please contact Angela Rooke, Manager Academic Success and Retention, a2rooke@uwaterloo.ca.