QSS council highlights successes of programs and initiatives across UTM
Administrators and student leaders meet to discuss new figures from departments concerned with student well-being.
On November 6, the University of Toronto Mississauga’s (UTM) Quality Service to Students (QSS) Council convened to discuss the university’s programs and initiatives to facilitate student well-being.
According to its Terms of Reference, the QSS Council comprises of UTM staff and student leaders, including, among others, the Vice-President and Principal of UTM, the President of the UTM Students’ Union, and the President of the UTM Association of Graduate Students. The council is a largely consultative body that meets each month with the intention of improving the student experience at UTM.
At this month’s hybrid in-person and Zoom meeting, representatives of the Department of Recreation, Athletics & Wellness (DRAW), the Health & Counselling Centre (HCC), the Student Services Hub, the Early Learning Centre (ELC), and Hospitality & Ancillary Services shared new facts and figures with the Council about their programs and initiatives.
From September to the end of October, DRAW reported the Recreation, Athletics, & Wellness Centre (RAWC) saw 5,918 unique student uses, representing “just over 30 per cent of the total UTM student population,” according to the meeting’s presentation slides. The RAWC counted 50,916 check-ins in total during the same period, noting that an increasing number of students use multiple facilities when they visit the RAWC.
Representatives emphasized DRAW’s ongoing commitment to inclusivity, re-asserting its mission “to create an inviting and safe space for all students to engage with each other, [and] build lasting relationships and community.” It claims that “one-third of all the programs offered by DRAW at the RAWC are considered inclusive.” Past and upcoming events at the RAWC, such as a Powwow dance class, a 2SLBGTQ+ solidarity swim and drop-in sport, and indoor ice skating, were also highlighted.
The HCC’s representatives revealed footage of the brand-new HCC Clinic, located in room DV 1152 in the William G. Davis Building. They report that from May to April, the clinic facilitated 12,623 appointments with nurses, physicians, counsellors, and other HCC staff. Among the HCC’s highlights were a handful of new services, including a newly created 2SLGBTQ+ counsellor position, a Wellness Navigation Advisor team, and the Ask the Nurse initiative, which has facilitated over 2,900 student interactions with registered nurses.
UTM Student Affairs & Services (SAS) shared promising information about the Students Services Hub, UTM’s “first stop” for inquiries and referrals to on-campus experts, which opened towards the end of last year. In September, the number of unique interactions, total referrals, and average daily referrals at the Hub each saw upwards of an increase of 400 per cent since April.
Additionally, childcare at UTM through the ELC is set to become more affordable through the federal Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care system, where childcare fees will be reduced to C$22 as of 2025. These price decreases follow another blanket reduction in UTM childcare fees, which came into effect at the start of 2024.
UTM’s Hospitality & Ancillary Services’ presentation accentuated the safety and quality of life features of its shuttle bus service, which UTM students can use for free to get to the St. George Campus or the Sheridan Trafalgar Road Campus in Oakville.
Representatives went over features that have been implemented for shuttle users, including accessibility lifts, air conditioning, wifi, upgraded suspension, 3-point seatbelts, coach-style seating, and the FirstView Bus tracking app to track shuttles in real-time.
The next and final QSS meeting for 2024 is scheduled to take place on Thursday, December 5.
