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		Residence Life: The Canadian Perspective By Michel Ouellette Director Residential Life and Conference Services University of New Brunswick To acquaint ACUHO-I with issues of concern to its members outside the United States, the Committee to Internationalize ACUHO-I has asked some of its members to report on current happenings in their parts of the world. This first article was presented at the Canadian Association of College and University Student Services conference in June 2000 at York University in Toronto. The author laments the lack of graduate programs in Canada for aspiring professionals in Student Affairs including Residential Life. The article has been edited for this publication. Professional Preparation in Canada: What Will it Take? For years, students interested in a professional career in Student Affairs have explored educational opportunities in the United States. Such programs are well established and provide aspiring newcomers with much needed academic preparation as well as beneficial internships. However, one wonders why Canadian institutions have not taken a greater interest in developing comparable academic programs and strived to better prepare students wishing for careers in the field. The Canadian Model The history of Student Affairs in Canada may not be as extensive as its neighbour to the south. However, the commitment of colleges and universities to student success and the co-curricular experience has always been evident. Specialised fields such as counselling, health, and disabilities are staffed by individuals with solid academic credentials, backed by years of experience in various post secondary settings. Other services for students including Residential Life often are staffed by individuals with a lesser range of educational and work experiences. Nonetheless, students at Canadian institutions can be assured that staff continues to demonstrate a high degree of professionalism and commitment. Canadian professionals have the welfare of students at heart and are prepared to go to extraordinary lengths to ensure students receive the help needed for success. Occasional development seminars, conferences, and workshops expand the knowledge base and assist in the creation of a philosophical construct. Institutions in Canada also rely on graduates from programs in the United States, faculty secondments, or the recruitment of individuals with a human services background. Administrators bring varied educational experiences to manage their particular portfolios in a very organized fashion. A faculty member comes to the position with significant teaching or research experiences to be used in a new administrative setting. Related fields of Residential Life also have attracted individuals from the private sector with varied residential experiences. Such broad backgrounds often address many administrative requirements associated with the profession, but lack a grounding in student development theory and often fail to address student needs. Experience, trial and error, institutional support, but more importantly a sincere desire to help students have enabled the less initiated to succeed. Such experiences fail to provide legitimacy to the profession in Canada. Proponents support the broad spectrum as a way of bringing the "real world" to a setting still considered new and less structured than the traditional academic disciplines. Advocates also feel that Student Affairs is still in a developmental stage and will need many more years before gaining the necessary respect within the postsecondary community. Other supporters see Student Affairs in Canada evolving naturally as institutions grow, as needs of students broaden, and as a more comprehensive support network is required. Still other individuals are reluctant to "professionalize" the discipline, concerned with distancing themselves from academia and further confusing the relationship between the two arms of the university community. A lack of professional preparation is clearly a limitation. Although many experienced individuals are currently involved in various facets of Student Affairs with specialized fields requiring specific skill sets, some of the broader areas have not taken concrete steps to secure more comprehensive development opportunities. Hence, the profession staggers along without major strides to bring about real change for the students being served. Two years ago, Memorial University in Newfoundland introduced a graduate level program through its Faculty of Education. Recently, Providence College and Seminary in Otterburne, Manitoba began offering a similar program. Although well received, neither program has attracted the number of interested students who continue to look southward for professional development and possible career opportunities. Programs in the United States are well established and have garnered strong reputations on both sides of the border. Canadian students receive funding to offset some costs and are offered varied internships and practica to complement classroom instruction. Strong professional contacts also are established to assist in seeking employment opportunities upon graduation. Canada's most visible limitation appears to be a lack of commitment by its institutions to develop graduate programs. One argument may be that a lack of interested individuals limits the number of programs. That question has yet to be answered satisfactorily as few institutions have leapt forward and are prepared to take the next step in educational development. Our Response in the Future One of the more concrete steps in the last decade has been the emergence of the Centre for Higher Education Research and Development (CHERD) as an organization focussed on enhancing professional development opportunities for Student Affairs and Higher Education. A few years ago, CHERD introduced the Canadian Institute on Student Affairs and Services, a five-day course aimed at giving new professionals basic information as well as developing a quality resource network. Many participants are Chief Student Affairs Officers, most have varied work experiences including past involvement in Student Affairs, but the course also has attracted many other professionals. CHERD should be encouraged to continue these professional development opportunities and expand course offerings in Student Affairs as well as other administrative fields of Higher Education. Other professional organizations in Canada are already in place and could provide assistance. A formal professional network such as the Association of Universities and Colleges in Canada (AUCC) has influence among the postsecondary elite and could encourage the development of appropriate educational opportunities across the country. Both of these are but short term solutions to a widening gap between student needs and preparation of Student Affairs professionals. The time also may be appropriate for many accomplished postsecondary programs to expand existing course offerings. Following years of retrenchment and limited funding, the future of postsecondary education looks promising and institutions could use additional funds to launch graduate programs in Student Affairs. Institutions such as the University of Alberta and the Ontario Institute for the Study in Education-University of Toronto have well established graduate programs in Educational Administration and would be well positioned to offer a Student Affairs stream. Finally, one should not discount the influence on the Canadian Association of College and University Student Services (CACUSS) in championing the development of the profession. CACUSS enjoys widespread support as an organization, is well respected for its developmental opportunities, and can serve as a catalyst to encourage additional educational offerings across the country. CACUSS can be a powerful lobbying group in developing formal educational curricula to enhance the profession and provide formal course offerings to complement current work-related experiences. CACUSS also could consider the creation of a task force to develop the necessary curriculum and identify both core and elective courses that would form the basis of a graduate program in the field. Once developed, CACUSS could identify a select number of institutions across the country to offer such programs. Concluding Thoughts If the profession is to grow in Canada and if individuals involved in Student Affairs and Services including Residential Life want to be part of its expansion, greater efforts must be made to enhance educational opportunities for incumbents and aspiring professionals. Although taking two or three years to attend an established program in the United States is a possibility for only a limited number of students, such educational opportunities continue to have limited impact on the growth and development of the profession in Canada. Student Affairs must rely on individuals with a myriad of educational and work experiences, hoping skills will be transferred to a particular setting. How long does the profession in Canada continue an ad hoc form of development? When will the profession demand its people get necessary academic qualifications to influence student development across the country? Why are senior university administrators not more demanding of incumbents in the field? When will people recognize the significant body of knowledge associated with the profession and demand its people have the necessary qualifications before embarking on careers in Student Affairs? We can wait for a critical mass of interested parties to identify the necessary professional development requirements. We can continue to ignore the annual loss of qualified students to the United States who may or may not migrate back to Canada. We also can hope that institutions recognize Student Affairs as a legitimate field of study and watch programs emerge across the country. The field of Student Affairs and Services in Canada needs to grow, to evolve, and to establish legitimate, sanctioned educational programs that benefit individuals and the overall profession. As individuals committed to providing the best living and learning environments for students in residence, we all need to be committed to this growth. About the Author Michel Ouellette is the Director of Residential Life & Conference Services at the University of New Brunswick-Fredericton, a position he has held since July, 1998. Michel completed a Bachelor's degree in Physical and Health Education at Brock University, a Master's of Science degree in Leisure Studies at Dalhousie University, and received a Ph.D. in Educational Administration from the University of Alberta where he also spent ten years in Residential Life, first as a Residence Life Coordinator, then as Residence Life Program Manager. Michel continues to have an interest in student leadership development and has pioneered the implementation of credit courses for student leaders at the University of Alberta and the University of New Brunswick. He retains an active membership with ACUHO-I and CACUSS (Canadian Association of College and University Student Services), having presented at numerous conferences and writing for each association's respective publications.