Recent report reveals new budgeting recommendations for UTM departments in 2024 and 2025
The Quality Service to Students releases new funding recommendations in a recent report for various UTM departments.
On December 20, 2023, the Quality Service to Students (QSS) at the University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM) released a new management report that outlined the proposed budgets for various departments for 2024 to 2025. The QSS also proposed recommendations for future funding.
The Quality Service to Students (QSS) is a council of students and administrators that meets monthly to “work toward the improvement of the student experience at [UTM].” The council’s responsibilities include the following:
- Making recommendations for the operation and funding of UTM and its student services,
- Ensuring consistent, quality service to UTM students,
- Providing UTM students with a space to discuss their student experience.
At the end of every year, the QSS releases a management report that outlines proposed budgets for various departments and services at UTM, including detailed suggestions for generating more funding in the coming years.
The first department that the 2024-25 proposal looks at enhancing is the Health and Counselling Centre (HCC) at UTM. The HCC offers various services, such as clinical services and counselling, health promotion and outreach, and training and professional development workshops.
Based on students’ feedback from their experiences with the HCC, the following proposals have been established in the report emailed to The Medium by UTM Student Affairs & Services:
- Continue to provide resources for the HCC’s annual resource and activity fair, Be Well UTM.
- Conduct annual physical health and wellness fair in the winter term, with topics including diabetes prevention.
- Expand promotion of services and access to services across campus.
- Complement the HCC’s existing mental health services with other forms of mental health education, such as peer support.
- Provide emergency reserve funding for the HCC to use in the event of a COVID-19 outbreak in the UTM community.
- Expand the delivery of “low-intensity wellness supports and activities”.
- Increase funding to the HCC, allowing it to maintain the quality of its services and support the needs of UTM students.
The proposal suggests increasing the sessional Health Services fees from C$60.86 to C$77.27 for full-time students, and from C$12.17 to C$15.45 for part-time students.
The report also evaluated funding and recommendations for the Department of Recreation, Athletics, and Wellness (DRAW). The department offers various services, including but not limited to the fitness centre, drop-in sports, UTM intramurals, athletic therapy, and standard first aid and CPR-C training.
Based on students’ feedback from their experiences with the Department of Recreation, Athletics, and Wellness, the following proposals have been established in the report:
- Prioritizing student sport, fitness, aquatics, and wellness programs, as well as facility, maintenance, and operational costs.
- Keeping sports and fitness facilities open from 7 am – 11 pm on weekdays.
The proposal suggests increasing the sessional Recreation, Athletics & Wellness fee from C$211.68 to C$218.45 for full-time students, and from $42.34 to $43.69 for part-time students.
The International Education Centre (IEC) was another department the council mentioned in its report. The centre offers a variety of services, including international student support and global learning.
Based on student experiences with the IEC, the following recommendations were made in the report:
- Providing global career counselling for international students, as well as global career opportunities for all students.
- Instituting programs that support international student development and intercultural fluency.
- Increasing participation in global learning opportunities for UTM students.
There is a suggested increase in sessional fees from C$29.98 to C$45.43 for full-time students, and from C$4.22 to C$9.09 for part-time students, as part of the Student Services Fee.
The council also investigated funding and recommendations for many other UTM services and departments, including the Child Care Centre, Family Care Office, and more. The QSS will vote and review these proposals in their voting meeting on January 16, 2024.
