Presented at the 2014 Student Affairs and Services Symposium at York.
In July 2011, Ryerson University and York University signed the Inter-University Joint Teaching and Learning Initiative Memorandum of Understanding (“Ryerson-York Initiative”), a historic landmark agreement, establishing a foundation for interinstitutional collaboration in teaching and learning. The Ryerson-York Initiative builds upon both universities’ shared commitment to teaching excellence, positive student experience, institutional collaboration and access to post-secondary education. In particular the agreement aims to promote student mobility and enhance student experience by:
- Facilitating improved access by students of each institution to existing courses/programs offered at the other institution;
- Allowing students at each institution to customize their learning experience through increased choice and accessibility.
1. Ryerson-York Exchange
Julie Parna, Director, Strategic Academic Initiatives, Office of the Vice-Provost Academic
Emilie De Oca Sarasua, Assistant Registrar, Degree Audit and Special Programs
Molly Morris, Assistant Registrar, Registrarial Information Services
Student Affairs and Services Symposium
York University, July 21, 2014
2. Ryerson and York
Two of three large universities in the Greater Toronto Area
History of strong collaboration
Graduate program in communication and culture
Concurrent Bachelor of Education and Early Childhood
Education
Significant numbers of students on Letter of Permission
Memorandum of Understanding signed 2011
Continued collaboration in research and education
Co-registration discussions 2012, implemented 2013
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3. Ryerson-York Exchange – Why?
Improved access to existing courses offered at the
partner university
Customized learning experience through increased choice
and accessibility
Enriched learning experience with new viewpoints and
teaching methods
More ways to achieve mobility and accessibility
An innovative model for interuniversity co-operation
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4. Ryerson steps for approval
A “Buy-in” Model - Consultation with Deans and, via them,
program areas
Eligible courses determined via normal process for credit
transfer eligibility:
Credit transfer unit works with program departments to
establish equivalency and obtain consent
Validated through our internal credit transfer polices
York courses will appear on transcript
York grades converted and included in the calculation of the
Ryerson grade point average
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5. York approval process
Legislation to Senate
Overarching co-registration policy
Specific York-Ryerson policy
Extensive collaboration with departments to determine
courses that were eligible (not as straightforward as one
might think!)
New to York:
Ryerson courses will appear on transcript
Ryerson grades converted and included in the calculation of
the York grade point average
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6. Co-Registration Framework
24 credits maximum through the Ryerson-York exchange
Collaboration to establish significant dates for the exchange
program
Conversion of grades from two grade schemes
Fees paid to the home institution
No extra application fees
Petitions for late withdrawal etc. – to be handled by home
institution
Breaches of academic honesty – to be handled by receiving
institution
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7. Student Eligibility
Open to students who have completed one year of study
Clear academic standing
Domestic
Must meet all course prerequisites at time of application
Can enrol in one course per term at host university
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8. Official Communications Launch
Communications plan
Developed in collaboration between Ryerson and York’s
communications teams using web and social media
Soft launch Fall 2013 (pilot)
Target Audiences (York and Ryerson)
Current students
Prospective students and parents
Ryerson and York faculty members
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9. Co-Branded Website
York developed co-branded website
Ryerson developed content for Ryerson-specific pages
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www.ryersonyorkexchange.ca
11. Selection and Approval of Course List
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• Winter 2014 – offered only 1:1 equivalent courses
• Not all courses are available each term
• Links to course descriptions and timetables
12. Application Form
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• Behind PPY
• Automatically checks
eligibility and populates
SISID and email info or
returns an “ineligible”
message
15. Coming Soon
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More integrated website with better scalability
Pan-university RYX communications plan including:
• Working with faculties
• Working with academic advisors
• Coordinated social media promotion
• Promotion on York courses website and through current student portal
17. Student Response
Three enrolment exercises so far: Fall 2013; Winter 2014;
Summer 2014
Accounting courses are the most popular
Not all applicants were eligible (vetting process is manual)
Growth in applications over each term
Students who enrolled did not all complete the term
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19. Student Processing
(York Ryerson)
Approval:
1. Student application received
2. Student eligibility and course space confirmed
3. Student receives confirmation email from host university with
link to next steps (including instruction on enrolling in the
course)
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20. Information Transfer
Required agreement on program deadlines for application,
enrolment and data exchange
Privacy statements and information sharing agreements
File exchange process is via secure shared drive
Enrolment process and add/drops
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21. On Course Completion:
1. Ryerson courses will appear on transcript
2. Ryerson grades converted and included in the calculation of
the York grade point average
New
Processes
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22. Conundrums
Transfer credit – are these decisions student specific or course
specific?
Dramatically different enrolment cycles/timelines for York and
Ryerson
Ensuring two records are accurate now and in the future
How to treat courses taken by students enrolling via traditional
LOP
Fiscal implications – reciprocity is the goal but…..
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23. Challenges
Manual process for exchanging lists of students; periodic
review of enrolments to ensure records at either institution are
correct
Maintaining lists of course equivalencies
Students changing enrolments (without permission) or
dropping placeholder courses
Space in courses that are eligible for the program do not
always have space; finding space can be onerous at York
Developing systems solutions to minimize manual work (York –
home grown SIS; Ryerson – PeopleSoft)
SCALABILITY?
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24. Future state
Current MOU expires July 2014
Based on success of the program, the MOU will be renewed
Increase participation rate
Current offerings are only those that have “equivalents” – can
the scope be broadened?
Address scalability issues by minimizing manual work
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