John Waterhoi'
Chair,
SCUP
Vice President,
September 24,
S.07-120
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SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY
Senate Committee on University Priorities ?
Memorandum
TO:
Senate
?
FROM:
RE:
Report on Academic Operations at
?
DATE:
Fraser International College
September 2006 to August 2007 (SCUP 07-53)
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In J8nuar,
2006, when Senate first discussed and approved the establishment of
Fraser International College, the Vice President Academic committed to provide Senate
with regular reports on the operations of the College. The attached report summarizes
the academic activities at FIC from September 2006 to August 2007, the first academic
year for FIG.
At its September 12, 2007, SCUP reviewed the attached Report on Academic
Operations at Fraser International College, and requested it be forwarded to Senate for
information and discussion.
end.
C.
S.
Dench
1^1
0
SCUP 07-53
Academic Operations at Fraser International College
?
September 2006 to August 2007
In September 2006, Fraser International College (FIC) began its first semester of
operation and admitted
85
students. FTC offered 4 University Transfer Program courses
(UTP II) from Simon Fraser University, and 3 University Transfer Program preparatory
courses (UTP I). In January 2007, an additional 74 students were admitted to FIC, and a
further
52
in May 2007. FIC is now offering 19 UTP II courses and 8 UTP I courses.
Thus far, FTC is meeting the enrollment projections agreed to with SFU.
Enrollment Issues
Total FIC students (as of May 2007, includes new and continuing)
Program
Number
UTPI
32
UTPIIArts
36
UTP II Business
100
UTP II Computing ?
121
Total
189
The table above indicates the preferred area of interest for FTC students at the time of
.admission to FIC. Areas of interest may change as students proceed through their
programs, and preferences indicated at admission do not guarantee admission to
programs.
Although final numbers for September 2007 intake are not yet confirmed, it is likely that
a further 200 new students will enroll. Of the 22 FIC students who completed 10 courses
as required for transfer, 20 students transferred to SFU for the Fall 2007 semester.
Students by Country (as of May 2007)
.
Country
Number
Belgium
1
Canada (non
resident)
7
China
80
Hong Kong
35
India
4
Indonesia
3
Iran
1
Japan
4
Kenya
2
Korea
27
Macau
1
Mongolia ?
12
Pakistan ?
1
2
p
ill
Singapore
2
Taiwan
13
Thailand
1
Turkey
1
United Kingdom
2
USA
I
Total
189
The current geographic distribution of students reflects the short lead-up period for
recruitment prior to FIC beginning operations in September 2006. It is expected that over
time the geographic distribution of students admitted to FIC will diversify and, in
particular, a greater number of students from Africa countries and India will attend FIC.
Prospective students from these countries continue to experience long delays receiving
student visas for study in Canada.
Services for FIC students
Students at PlC are provided with a high level of personal support, both in adjustment to
living in Canada and to make the transition to academic studies.
In addition to receiving pre-arrival information, FIC students are provided with arrival
reception services and support finding accommodation. Orientations are held
immediately prior to the beginning of every semester. These sessions are both
informational and networking, and provide FIC students with the necessary logistical
support as they transition to the college.
Due to the small college environment, students are known to FIC staff and instructors,
which allows for early problem identification and intervention. FIC provides ongoing
academic advising to students, and advisors work closely with instructors to address
student needs and support retention. Students may also access a range of co-curricular
workshops throughout the semester in areas such as time management and study skills.
Students may self-select academic supports, or may be referred to these by their
instructors or advisors when a need is identified or suspected.
As part of the supports and academic programming offered to FIC students, a program
similar to SFU's English Bridge Program has been established. Preparation in Academic
Skills in English (PAS) provides English language training for students who are admitted
to FIC but require additional language training to upgrade their facility with English.
Upon successful completion of PAS, students then move into the university transfer
program at FIC. The PAS program has been developed and supervised by the Director of
SFU's English Bridge Program, in order to ensure the students are adequately prepared
for study in English at SFU.
As students move toward completion of their studies at FIC and prepare applications for
admission to SFU, customized information sessions are conducted for students. In these
.
3.
sessions, students are provided with information about major and course selection, and
other academic advising as required.
Guarantees of admission to students transferring to SFU from FTC are set at
2.5
CGPA
for the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences and Computing Science, and 3.0 CGPA for
the Faculty of Business Administration. The CGPA for FIC students is calculated on
performance in ten courses.
Instructional Issues
Courses and approximate students per course (as of May 2007)
.
BUS251
25
CMNSI1O
32
CMPTI2O
7
CMPT125
8
CMPTI5O
8
ECON103 (2 Sessions)
64
ECON1O5
25
ENGL101 (2 Sessions)
43
HISTIO2
27
KIN14O
31
MACM1O1
26
MATH 100
36
MATH151
34
PHIL001 (2 Sessions)
63
POL100
22
PSYCO99
22
STAT2O3
24
WL1O2
17
Feedback Mechanisms
FTC instructors are employed by FTC, and have qualifications comparable to SFU
sessional instructors. Many of the instructional staff hired by FTC are also teaching at
SFU or local public colleges, most have previous experience teaching international
students, and instructors have been recommended to FTC by the SFU department.
FIC collects ongoing informal feedback and formal course evaluations from course
coordinators (who are SFU faculty members), instructors, and students at the end of
every semester in which courses are offered. Instructor feedback focuses on the overall
quality of student performance, the degree to which course material was suited and
challenging to the students, and any other issues instructors find relevant to course
management. Instructors have provided semesterly feedback to FIC and to SFU course
coordinators indicating that student performance at FTC is within reasonable expectations
for university level work (normal distribution), and at a level comparable with
international students attending other BC colleges.
SFU departmental course coordinators provide advice and regular liaison with FTC
instructors and administrators in order to ensure academic equivalency of FTC courses.
SFU academic units whose courses are taught by FIC appoint a course coordinator at
least 4 weeks prior to the beginning of the semester.
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0
FTC collects feedback from course coordinators at the end of every semester in which
courses are offered. Coordinators are asked to provide comment on any issues relevant to
ensure ongoing course equivalency and maintain academic standards, and are specifically
asked to comment on instructor-student dynamics and academic comparability of FTC
students to SFU students. Overall, course coordinators have stated that FIC students are
performing on a level equivalent to other international students admitted directly or
transferring to SFU from other colleges, and that the academic standards in the FIC
courses are equivalent to those at SFU.
Student feedback on evaluations has indicated that the majority of students find the
courses interesting and challenging. Students have also noted their appreciation of the
academic supports provided, related to the pedagogy, instructor availability, and the co-
curricular offerings at FIC.
SFU will begin to track the performance of students transferring from FTC as they move
into SFU programs. The Office of Institutional Research and Planning will include FTC
as a college in the reports they produce regarding the academic performance at SFU of
students transferring from BC colleges. The SFU Profile Reports provide a general
overview of transfer students, analysis of academic performance at SFU, inter-college
comparisons, and comparisons with students admitted directly from B.C. secondary
schools. Comparisons between FIC transfer students and other SFU international students
will also be possible.
Academic Advisory Committee
Chaired by Dr. John Waterhouse, the AAC has met once a semester since the opening of
FTC. The membership and terms of reference of this committee are included as Appendix
A of this report. Issues addressed at meetings have included regular semesterly reports
from FIC on enrollment and academic performance, and discussion of the quality
assurance mechanisms in place to maintain academic standards equivalent to SFU's.
Appendix A?
SFU-FIC?
Academic Advisory Committee
Membership
Chair
John Waterhouse
Three (3) members nominated by the University
Doug Allan
Maureen Fizzell
Nancy Johnston
Three (3) members nominated by the College
Bev Hudson
Barbara Davis-Leigh
Isabel Hume
Committee manager
Sarah Dench
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Terms of Reference
The Academic Advisory Committee shall be responsible for providing advice to the
College and the University regarding the University Transfer Program. It will also decide
on:
• the manner in which reports are referred back to each of the University and the
College;
• the frequency with which it meets, and
• establishing its terms of reference which shall include provision for regular
consultation with students.
This Committee will be responsible for tracking and reporting on the following:
1)
The academic performance of students who transfer from FTC to SFU;
2)
The number of students who transfer to SFU, their country of origin, the
programs into which they transfer, and the number who transfer to other
institutions;
3)
SFU will report annually on activities taken to increase international student
recruitment and retention.
4)
An analysis of increases to departmental workloads resulting from academic
• oversight of FTC;
5)
Any concerns that FIC instructors have regarding working conditions;
6)
FIC with provide statistical information to SFU regarding diversity, including
. ? issues such as disability accommodation.
The AAC will meet semesterly.
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