FROM APPLICATION TO ADMISSION TO ATTENDING:Campus-wide Collaboration and Support for Aboriginal

StudentsI AN CUL L , ASSOCI ATE VI CE PRESI DENT STUDENTS

ADRI ENNE VEDAN, DI RECTOR ABORI G I NAL PROGRAM S & SERVI CES

HAL YNA PETRYSHYN, ADM I SSI ONS & AWARDS ADM I NI STRATOR

2

We respectfully acknowledge that we are gathered here

today in the territory of the Huron-Wendat and Petun

First Nations, the Seneca, and most recently, the

Mississaugas of the Credit River.

3

GOALS FOR TODAY

• Discuss the context and necessity for a supportive admission pathway for Aboriginal

learners.

• Review the supportive admission process initiated at UBC’s Okanagan campus.

• Discuss and assess the feasibility of implementing a supportive admission process at

your institution, and discuss the barriers that different applicants and learners face.

4

UBC OKANAGAN AT A GLANCE

• 8,718 students

• International students from 96 countries

• 19% of students live on campus

• 20:1 student to faculty ratio

• 12,557 degrees conferred since 2006

• 1170 faculty and staff

• $126 million annual operating budget

• $120 million awarded research funding since 2005

• 209 hectares in size

5

OUR UNITS

Enrolment Services:

Cross-campus unit with the following areas of responsibility:

• Admissions

• Awards and financial aid

• Records

• Registration

• Scheduling

• Senate support

Aboriginal Programs & Services:

Three main areas of work include:

• Aboriginal community engagement

• Widening participation and access for Aboriginal learners

• Services and programs for Aboriginal students

6

ABORIGINAL EDUCATION IN CANADA

The relationship between education and Aboriginal people in Canada is a complicated

one. Until the very recent past, education was mainly a tool for assimilation and saw

children removed from their homes and communities and placed in church and

government run schools. The outcome of these policies is negative and ongoing.

– Truth and Reconciliation Commission 2015

(Library and Archives Canada/PA-042133)

7

ABORIGINAL GRADE 12 GRADUATION RATES

• 63% of Aboriginal learners graduated from Grade 12 in British Columbia in 2015

compared to the national average of 84% of non-Aboriginal grade 12 learners

• Of the 63%, the percentage of Aboriginal learners who have the university level pre-

requisites and have a direct transition to university level studies is significantly lower

• The last Aboriginal Student Transitions Project report issued in 2009 highlights of the

grade 12 Aboriginal High school Graduates – 96% of graduates are not university

eligible

8

ABORIGINAL PARTICIPATION IN POST SECONDARY EDUCATION

• In 2011, 48.4% of Aboriginal people had a post secondary qualification including

9.8 % with a university degree compared to 64.7% of the non-Aboriginal

population with a post-secondary education qualification including 26.5% with a

university degree

10

• The Indigenous Canadian

population is growing at more

than triple the rate of the non-

indigenous population, with

nearly half under the age of 25

years (Statistics Canada, 2015)

• The age distribution of the

Indigenous population shows

that there is a large proportion of

indigenous youth in or entering

the school age demographic

(Mendelson, 2006; Preston,

2008; Statistics Canada, 2015)

ABORIGINAL POPULATION

11

WIDENING PARTICIPATION AND ACCESS FOR

ABORIGINAL LEARNERS

12

• Intentional and sequential programs, polices

and practice

• Multiple pathways for Aboriginal applicants

• Cross departmental and faculty

collaboration = Action

HOW IS UBC WIDENING PARTICIPATION AND ACCESS

13

ABORIGINAL ACCESS STUDIES

• Transitional pathway that prepares and transitions Aboriginal learners into undergraduate degree programs

• Combines both academic and non-academic activities to form a rich schedule in a supportive environment

• Students can apply to a direct entry degree program upon completion of a minimum of 6 courses (18

credits)

14

All Okanagan campus Aboriginal applicants are reviewed and categorized

in partnership with Enrolment Services.

There is a pathway for every Aboriginal applicant

SUPPORTIVE ADMISSIONS FRAMEWORK

Directly admissible

Not directly admissible, but

have demonstrated

competency in key subject

areas and whose average of

admission falls within a

certain range

Not admissible to a degree

program

Admission offer includes

recommendation regarding

course load and tutorial

participation

Enrolment is offered through

Aboriginal Access Studies

Directly admissible

15

ABORIGINAL STUDENT PATHWAYS

16

122 Indigenous students new to UBCSource: Okanagan Planning and Institutional Research (as at 1 September 2016).

2013 2014 2015

315 334 401

17

ADMISSIONS PROCESS

18

HOW DO WE REVIEW

ABORIGINAL APPLICANTS?

• DEDICATED ADMISSION ADVISOR

FOR ABORIGINAL APPLICANTS

• COMPONENTS OF THE UBC

APPLICATION

• PERSONAL PROFILE

• GRADES

• UNIVERSITY-LEVEL

REQUIREMENTS

• PROGRAM-LEVEL

PREREQUISITES

• COMPETITIVE THRESHOLDS

• COLLABORATIVE REVIEW OF

APPLICANTS

19

COLLABORATIVE REVIEW OF APPLICANTS TO NURSING

Applicants are reviewed holistically by Enrolment Services, Aboriginal Programs &

Services, and the School of Nursing

Together, we review students’ performance in key courses, the strength of the personal

profile, and other life experiences to help determine preparedness for the program

Designated Aboriginal School of Nursing faculty mentor

20

Kalie Anderson

Gift Lake Metis Settlement, AB

Nursing Alumni

I don’t think I would have gone to

university if it weren’t for the Aboriginal

Access program. I was already

apprehensive about going back to school

and the Access program made the

transition really easy and achievable.

University doesn’t seem as scary

anymore! I feel more confident in my

communication skills. I feel like I am not

afraid to try new things in order to reach

my goals.

21

RETENTION

22

445

519

639

736

715

606

585

528

654

671

191 184205

177188 184 182

175

213 232

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017

Application and Admission Numbers to Year 1 Bachelor of Science in Nursing

Total # of Applicants Total # of Admitted Students

23

9

13 1

6 20

8 9

15

3

0

5

4

5 4

9

26 26

31 32

25

29

49

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017

APPLICATION AND ADMISSION NUMBERS TO YEAR 1 BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN NURSING FOR ABORIGINAL

APPLICANTS

CATEGORY 1 Admits CATEGORY 2 Admits Total # of Aboriginal Applicants

24

3

2

3

4

2 2

8

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

2011W 2012W 2013W 2014W 2015W 2016W 2017W

Aboriginal Access Studies Admits Tracking for Nursing

Number of Aboriginal Access Studies Students Tracking Towards Nursing

25

55.5 5.3

5.7 5.8

10.1

1312.5

12

13.8

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

2013 2014 2015 2016 2017

Percentage of Aboriginal Students:Okanagan Campus Compared to Bachelor of Science in

Nursing

Okanagan Campus Total Bachelor of Science in Nursing

26

27

79%

14%

7%

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN NURSING RETENTION 2011-2016

CATEGORY 2

Conferred/Continuing Voluntary withdrawal Required to withdraw

28

• 5% of the 2015/16 undergraduate student cohort self-identified as Aboriginal

• 89% of Aboriginal students were retained at the campus – level, compared to 87% of non-Aboriginal

students

• 87% of Aboriginal students enrolled in the Aboriginal Access Studies program were retained at the

campus-level

ABORIGINAL STUDENT RETENTION

2016 OPAIR ANNUAL REPORT ON STUDENT RETENTION

29

NEXT STEPS

30

COLLABORATION WITH OTHER FACULTIES