Setting Student Services up for Success

Student services at Mohawk College is well positioned for success. The recently posted Vice-President Student Services (VPSS) position at Mohawk College has one of the broadest sets of responsibility I've seen for an executive level position that includes student affairs, but I believe this will benefit the successful candidate, the college and ultimately the students. 

The areas the VPSS oversees include:

• Recruitment, 
• Admissions, 
• Registration, 
• Financial Aid and Awards, 
• Enrolment Plan Management and Reporting, 
• Student Life, 
• Counselling and Disability Services, 
• Student Success Services, 
• Health Services, 
• Athletics, 
• Campus Recreation, 
• Career Advising, 
• Student and Graduate Employment, 
• Marketing, 
• Immigrant and International Services, 
• Aboriginal Education and Student Services, 
• Convocation, and 
• the Foundation, Fundraising and Alumni services

Most, if not all, schools would have the areas listed above reporting to two or more executive level positions. Mohawk's approach of grouping together the departments that take a student from application to alumni and everything in between is not done as frequently as it should be in higher education, and it demonstrates Mohawk's visionary leadership.

Numerous opportunities exist in this structure to enhance a student's experience by connecting students with alumni to improve learning and by strengthening the bonds between people in the Mohawk community. Furthermore, the structure streamlines responsibilities and by grouping services under one leader Mohawk can focus on being a life-long "learning advisor" to students, which is what a college or university should be in a knowledge based society.