October 2017 Newsletter (5:2)

What's Inside?

Transfer Advisors Group

We are pleased to be launching a new Community of Practice for Transfer Advisors – a group that will focus on issues that affect the institutions and students they serve, as well as explore possible solutions.

The inaugural meeting will be held in Toronto on October 30, 2017. This full day meeting will include discussions on how to maintain a student focus at busy institutions, a review of the ONTransfer.ca institutional profiles, and the initial development of a terms of reference for the group.

An invitation was sent to all Vice Presidents Academic to select (by Oct 11) one representative who works directly with transfer students, and who has a role in advising, particularly with respect to pathways, to attend. 

Read more…

Turning Over a New Leaf

New Board Co-Chairs
We are pleased to announce the appointment of the new ONCAT Co-Chairs of the Board, Cheryl Jensen, President and CEO of Algonquin College, and Rhonda Lenton, President and Vice-Chancellor of York University. Read more… 

New Office Space
We officially moved back into our renovated and expanded offices on Sept 18! The new space is a reflection of the expanding and collaborative nature of our work – featuring multi-purpose meeting places, and the space needed for a growing team.

We thank everyone for their patience during the renovation period. Staff are now once again reachable via the phone line, at the extensions listed here.

Message from the Executive Director

With the summer officially wrapped up, it is a fitting moment to reflect on some of the changes that have accompanied the season’s conclusion at ONCAT, and where our efforts will be focused over the next few months.

In the last June update, I spoke of the governance and operational changes that would be taking place over the summer months. Accordingly, we are very pleased to share with you the successful appointment of the new ONCAT Co-Chairs; Cheryl Jensen, Algonquin College President and CEO, succeeds Glenn Vollebregt, St. Lawrence College President and CEO, and Rhonda Lenton, York University President and Vice-Chancellor, succeeds Tim McTiernan, UOIT President and Vice-Chancellor. We thank Tim and Glenn deeply for their dedicated leadership and valuable contributions as Co-Chairs over the past years, and likewise look forward to the new guidance Cheryl and Rhonda will provide in shaping the continued progression and growth of ONCAT.  

Similarly, we welcome some ONCAT staffing changes which see Alana Wiens take on the role of Policy and Programs Director, and Amy Oziel transition into the role of Operations Coordinator. I would also like to thank a host of supporting staff who have stepped in to provide assistance in areas of operations and communications, during this time.

Not only have we seen changes on our team, but we’ve also just completed a major office renovation. For six weeks we worked remotely while our office underwent this significant redesign. The new space is a reflection of the expanding and collaborative nature of our work – featuring multi-purpose meeting places, and the room needed for a growing team. I would like to give a special thanks to Alana Wiens, Amy Oziel, Rose Chan, and Suzanne Cunningham who worked well beyond the construction period to ensure a smooth transition.

Of course, a fall update would not be complete without mention of the many conferences and fairs that this time of the year brings. We just finished the Ontario Universities' Fair (OUF), where our presence was the largest to-date, and we look forward to matching that engagement at the upcoming Ontario College Information Fair (OCIF). We always enjoy this time connecting directly with students, parents, guardians, guidance counsellors, and others in the sector, to highlight the options and opportunities available on ONTransfer.ca.

On this note, ONCAT just released the 2017-2018 RFPs for new postsecondary projects in Innovative Transfer, Pathway Development, and Research on credit transfer in Ontario, as well as have begun the process of establishing a new Community of Practice for Transfer Advisors. Included in this e-newsletter you’ll find more information on both of these initiatives.

Lastly, the 7th annual Student Pathways in Higher Education conference has been confirmed for April 16-17, to be held at the Toronto Marriott, Downtown Eaton Centre hotel. Keep an eye out for the call for proposals for conference speakers in the coming weeks.

With a busy next few months ahead of us, I would like to share the ONCAT team’s enthusiasm and appreciation for all our partners and stakeholders who consistently, and in diverse ways, work to expand mobility opportunities for students across the province. We thank you for your continued support.

Sincerely,

Lia Quickert

Interim Executive Director
Strategic Communications and Public Affairs Director