Llewellyn LM MacMaster Dean of Students

1. Llewellyn LM MacMaster, Stellenbosch University, South Africa

2. The Learning Journey to success starts right here: Stellenbosch University’s Welcoming for First-Year students Llewellyn LM MacMaster Dean of Students

3. Overview • Quick facts about Stellenbosch University (SU) • From Orientation Programme (OP) to Welcoming Programme (WP) • BACKGROUND: • Dominance of negative practices in residences • A new value-driven approach • Res-Ed Clusters • The First-Year Academy • Re-thinking the WP @ SU: the process and recommendations by Task team • A Learning Journey • New initiatives for 2012 • The Role of student leaders • Continuous monitoring and evaluation • Concluding remarks

4. Stellenbosch University: Quick Facts • Established in 1915 with 500 students • One of the top three research universities in South Africa • 28 193 students (2011) – 35.62% Postgraduate students • 3 583 First-time entry First-year students • 1 237 (26.45%) Black (African, Coloured and Indian students • 4 361 (25.58%) of Under-graduate students, and 48.61 of Post-graduate students • Four Campuses • Ten Faculties: • AgriSciences • Arts and Social Sciences • Education • Military Sciences • Engineering • Law • Science • Theology • Economic and Management Sciences • Medicine and Health Sciences Llewellyn LM MacMaster, Stellenbosch University, South Africa

5. RSA and SU Comparison RACE LANGUAGE Llewellyn LM MacMaster, Stellenbosch University, South Africa

6. From OP to˝Welcoming˝ Programme • 1997: Decision to rename OP • Death of First-year student during Residence Orientation (so-called Hazing ˝ontgroening˝ or ˝doop˝ (= baptism, Afrikaans) Llewellyn LM MacMaster, Stellenbosch University, South Africa

7. Dominance of negative Orientation practices in Residences • Strong Hierarchical structures • Humiliation of new First-year students (“They must be broken down”) • Residence identity and culture over-emphasized • Infringed on academic orientation • Strong competition between Residences • RAG (Reach out and Give) activities given priority over academic orientation Llewellyn LM MacMaster, Stellenbosch University, South Africa

8. New Value-driven Approach • the generic values of hospitality, friendliness and human dignity. • Each Residence determine own set of values • Two-hour conversations with every House Committee • Preparation for WP • Student monitors Llewellyn LM MacMaster, Stellenbosch University, South Africa

9. Creating Res-Ed Clusters A Day in life of a student in Res A Day in life of a commuting student A Day in life of a commuting student in a Cluster Llewellyn LM MacMaster, Stellenbosch University, South Africa

10. Advantages of Res-Ed Clusters Commuting student - Unknown: 1 out of a total of 3 583 first-time First-years 1 out of a total of 17 051 undergraduate students Known in smaller Res-Ed Cluster group; also connected with students in Res within Cluster Llewellyn LM MacMaster, Stellenbosch University, South Africa

11. Advantages of Res-Ed Clusters • Students in Residences and commuting students are brought together • Structure for more contact, conversation, interaction, • and support (study and mentor groups, also tutorial groups) • Change from mono- to multi-cultural exposure • Res-Ed hubs Llewellyn LM MacMaster, Stellenbosch University, South Africa

12. AmaMaties • Equité (Private Students’ Organisation, PSO) • Erica (Female) • Helderberg (Male) • Libertas (PSO, M) • Nemesia (F) • Serruria (F) • VALUES: Empowerment, Diversity, Friendship, Balance Llewellyn LM MacMaster, Stellenbosch University, South Africa

13. First Hub (2012) Llewellyn LM MacMaster, Stellenbosch University, South Africa

14. First-year Academy • The FYA is a comprehensive University initiative to improve the success rate of first-year students by implementing or facilitating a variety of research actions, programmes and projects. The FYA was implemented for the first time in 2007 and the entire University community is involved in this very important initiative. The FYA's success will lie in everyone accepting a collective responsibility. • http://stbweb02.stb.sun.ac.za/ctl/fya.html Llewellyn LM MacMaster, Stellenbosch University, South Africa

15. FYA initiatives • Early Assessment • Teaching and Learning Coordination points in Faculties • Provision for Tutorial Programmes • ResEdprogrammes • The Rector’s Dinner for Top-Performing Students • Electronic support and monitoring • The First-year Student Blog (PLakker) Llewellyn LM MacMaster, Stellenbosch University, South Africa

16. Rethinking the Welcoming Programme @ SU • Task team appointed by Vice-Rector in 2009 • Points of departure: • University’s vision, mission and overarching strategic priorities • A systemic-holistic and student-centred approach • Cognisance of best practices; benchmarking • Modus operandi: • 2 working groups; literature overview; deliberations; conclusions; report and recommendations Llewellyn LM MacMaster, Stellenbosch University, South Africa

17. Characteristics of a WP • Intentionality • Coherence • Well-founded theories of knowledge, learning and human development • Suitability to the development levels and demographic profile of student population • Responsiveness to the needs of individuals, special groups and communities • A process addressing relevant transition measures, issues and needs with pre- and post-enrolment interventions (Dean, L.A. (Ed). 2006. CAS Professional Standards for Higher Education, Sixth Edition) Llewellyn LM MacMaster, Stellenbosch University, South Africa

18. Deficiencies identified • Too many silos; lacking coherence and integration • Programme too busy/overloaded (info and activities) • 7 working days insufficient • Importance of out-of-class experiences has long been ignored and underestimated Llewellyn LM MacMaster, Stellenbosch University, South Africa

19. Research on student success points out … Move from compartmentalised organisation, to: • Organizesystemically • Think systemically and think collaboratively (Terenzini en Pascarella, 2004) Llewellyn LM MacMaster, Stellenbosch University, South Africa

20. Recommendations • Emphasis on learning (journey) and student success • Holistic, integrated and coordinated approach – “de-silofication” and Total Learning Experience: focus on “institution-wide” approach to ensure the “seamlessness” of student experience • Greater focus on Pre- and post- Welcoming phase, not just 7 days • MyMatie camps be instituted • Decrease activities during Welcoming Week • Appoint a full-time Welcoming Programme Coordinator • Appoint Student Support Staff member in each Faculty • Strengthen Mentor programme Llewellyn LM MacMaster, Stellenbosch University, South Africa

21. Welcoming Programme • The Welcoming Programme for all incoming first-year students aims to facilitate the (seamless) transition from school to university by providing for a range of activities that will introduce the student to university life in its totality. Although the focus of the Welcoming Programme is on the first few weeks at university, several of the initiatives stretch into the first semester so that all students have ample opportunity to get to know one another, the campus and the university as a whole. Faculties, academic support and student affairs staff collaborate in the planning and presentation of the Welcoming Programme. Preliminary details of the Programme are sent to students prior to their arrival at university, with full details being made available on arrival via Die Verwelkomingsmatie (WelcomingMatie).Information can also be retrieved at http://www.mymaties.com. • [http://stbweb02.stb.sun.ac.za/ctl/fya.html#welcoming] Llewellyn LM MacMaster, Stellenbosch University, South Africa

22. Student and Academic Support (SAS) at SU

23. I’ve applied! My learning journey has started! • http://www.maties.com/ Llewellyn LM MacMaster, Stellenbosch University, South Africa

24. The Learning Journey: Access (Arrival)and success “Learning is a complex, holistic, multi-centric Activity that occurs throughout and across the college experience” (Keeling (Ed), 2004) Llewellyn LM MacMaster, Stellenbosch University, South Africa

25. A Learning Journey @ SU First-Year student (Eerstejaar 2012) thinks (‘cinga’) with an enquiring mind and interacts (‘sebenzisana’) as an engaged citizen, making links, growing into a dynamic professional (‘ingcalienamandla’), applying learning to be a well-rounded individual (‘afgerondeindividu’) that successfully graduate from university Llewellyn LM MacMaster, Stellenbosch University, South Africa

26. Llewellyn LM MacMaster, Stellenbosch University, South Africa

27. Official Welcoming of New First-Year students, parents and family Llewellyn LM MacMaster, Stellenbosch University, South Africa

28. New Initiatives 2012 • First Generation Success Camp • T-shirt for all new First-year students • “Survival guide” for new Maties • Pilot of Signature Learning Experience in amaMaties Cluster • Community Interaction/outreach Day • MAD² (Make A Decision 2 Make A Difference) • Informal meetings between Lectures and First-year students Llewellyn LM MacMaster, Stellenbosch University, South Africa

29. First Generation Success Camp

30. New T-shirt Llewellyn LM MacMaster, Stellenbosch University, South Africa

31. “Survival Guide” Llewellyn LM MacMaster, Stellenbosch University, South Africa

32. Community Outreach Day Llewellyn LM MacMaster, Stellenbosch University, South Africa

33. Role of Student leaders • Student Representative Council (SRC) • Residences: Head students (Primaria) and House Committees • Res-Ed Convenors • Academic Affairs Council and Student Committees • Societies’ Council • Mentors • Monitors • MAD² Committee Llewellyn LM MacMaster, Stellenbosch University, South Africa

34. Continuous monitoring and evaluation • Centre for Student Affairs • Welcoming Committee (campus-wide representation) • First-year Academy Committee • MAD² Congress • Committee of Head Students (Prim Committee) • Management Committee for Student and Academic support (SAS) • Management Committee of the Vice-Rector (Teaching and Learning) Llewellyn LM MacMaster, Stellenbosch University, South Africa

35. In Conclusion • SU: very strong support structures in place • Challenge to ensure and maintain a holistic, integrated, campus-wide learning experience for students!! • Proper evaluation of programme (Quality assurance) Llewellyn LM MacMaster, Stellenbosch University, South Africa

36. DANKIE THANK YOU ENKOSI KAHKULU