Information-Sharing and Best Practices Development For Student Life Services Between Student Governments Presented by Jeffrey McCarthy, Clubs Manager

» Principle: » Principle: Student government structures centered around enhancing student life are an important piece of fulfilling its mission statement » Principle: » Principle: Good things happen when people who are passionate about enhancing student life and serving students share their approaches to turning that passion into results » Observation From This Year: » Observation From This Year: A number of universities have contacted me comparing clubs systems, but the mechanisms for this discussion are very ad hoc and not well-established

» Unmet Need (?): » Unmet Need (?): Inter-University Collaboration specifically on Student Life Services & Offices, to my knowledge, is not a formalized process » “What works, what doesn’t?”: » “What works, what doesn’t?”: is a question that can be asked together, and will lead to better results if it is a formalized process instead of ad hoc » Innovation: » Innovation: Developing best practices & resource sharing could help guide each participant’s student life policy development moving forward » Leading The Charge: » Leading The Charge: The AMS could be a leader in making this happen

» Putting the Idea Out There: » Putting the Idea Out There: Initiative too big to handle for any specific office, although least burdened office to potentially organize it would be the AMS Clubs Office » Not An Actionable Item: » Not An Actionable Item: Had I thought of this idea in the summer, I might’ve included it in my goal plan and/or an earlier assembly discussion period. Want it to be out there to think about for next year’s team. » Collecting Feedback: » Collecting Feedback: This idea is best refined not in strings in the AMS Office, but discussed amongst student leaders passionate about student life in an existing forum…i.e. AMS Assembly Discussion period

» Compile your feedback into a report to give the incoming AMS Exec to consider » Encourage you to send any additional feedback you might have about the idea to

A Conference Held Annually » TED-talk style presentations/sessions in different locations with focus groups of analogous positions, mixed in with general assembly of attendees » Goal: sharing of broader visions and big goals, establishing inter-university connections between offices Supported by an Online Forum » An online forum where the offices that take part in the conference component can share resources/chat/ask advice when pertinent » Goal: Formalized way of keeping in touch with student life positions at other universities

1.Is This A Valid/Worthwhile Idea? Why/Why Not? 1.Is This A Valid/Worthwhile Idea? Why/Why Not? While I might think that this idea is great, and I’ve talked to a couple of others who think so too, I’d love to hear your feedback 2.If It Is Worthwhile, What Components of the AMS/Faculty Societies Should Be Included? 3.How Would You Envision This Idea becoming real? What do you think should be included to make the initiative worthwhile?

Questions To Consider: » Conferences cost money, and who would pay for that? (How much money? How would costs be shared?) Could this be done in an online forum? If it could, who would develop that forum? » Is this something an existing inter-university body like OUSA could/should undertake? ˃Potential Problem: Principle 7 of OUSA is “Focused – In order to achieve successes for students, OUSA remains focused on undergraduate education issues.” » Cost-Benefit Analysis – does the kind of resource sharing/learning here translate well online?

My Own Ideas: » To include: » To include: Peer Support Centre » To include: » To include: Clubs Office structures, resources, systems » Other things which could be included: » Other things which could be included: Student Life Centre, role in on-campus student engagement/student life. Campus Activities Commission, event planning support & strategies. Other government-side committees considered innovative/unique/promising. Sessions on approaches and strategies to student government engagement with the student body

- A Conference Held Annually - Supported by an Online Forum » Questions: Is this the best format for this kind of initiative? Would another method give better results? Is this the most cost-effective way of turning this idea into reality?

Thank you for your time! Please me whether you like the idea/have ways to make it better/really think it is a waste of resources/any other feedback about the idea. Slides are also posted as images on the AMS Clubs Facebook Page, now back online. Comment there as well! Cheers, Jeffrey McCarthy Clubs Manager