Crandall’s Division of Enrolment & Student Affairs launched a review of residential services within, the primarily freshmen residence of, Colburne House during the 2014-15 academic year.  The Assistant Vice-President of this Division, Sheldon MacLeod, recently released the results of this review.

I am proud to announce that after several months of evaluation, we have come to some significant conclusions and actions that we believe will benefit the on-campus population.  In the Fall semester, our Campus Life & Housing Director, and her team, launched a survey to our residents of Colburne House.  We conducted a complete review of all student housing policies, procedures, as well as an environmental scan of our geographical and philosophical peer institutions.  We met with staff, and individual student populations, to understand some of the benefits and challenges about new student housing and then we invited the residents to meet with President Fawcett and me to solicit additional feedback.

As a result of this thorough process, we are pleased to announce that we have implemented the following:

• An annual resident survey and feedback process;
• Reconstituted the Residence Council as a student led feedback group where issues of residence life can be discussed and brought to administration;
• Completely re-envisioned and rewrote student housing handbooks focusing on individual, corporate, and spiritual life & support;
• Employed an expanded Residence Assistance team;
• Employed a recent graduate as a Housing Don.  This person will live in Colburne House and serve as a resource to students to assist them in transition, questions, counselling support, and more.  This person is not an administrator but a student support and advocate;
• Committed thousands of dollars into infrastructure and furniture investments to improve the feel and function of home within our new student residence.  This will include a massive overhaul of internet connectivity, refreshing decorative features, new televisions and furniture added to all wing lounges, new food options added to a newly visioned first floor lounge, new furniture in all the student public spaces, and much more.

We are also committed to ensure this process is mirrored, annually, in both our traditional, new-student residence of Colburne House, as well as in the senior-student residence of Mitton Court.

This process, along with the dedicated work of so many within Recruitment and Student Life, coupled with the generous scholarships and awards of the past few years, has had a profound impact on residential living.  To date, we are experiencing an increase in applications for housing of over 50% from last year for Colburne House and Mitton Court is at capacity with a waiting list.

We look forward to a meaningful year on campus in 2015-2016 for both our new and returning students.  We want to make Crandall a place that our Chargers will feel proud to call home.