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How students help guide us

We align our work with the needs and values of our students and with strategic University documents that help guide our path.

Student involvement

Student involvement is central to our work. Students shape our work through advisory councils, consultations, focus groups, assessment surveys and committees. All of our involvement committees include representation from full-time and part-time undergraduate students, second-entry professional faculty students and graduate students.

Unit level student advisory committees

The Division of Student Life is committed to actively engage and collaborate with students who represent different communities on campus to co-create programs, services and resources, and foster a vibrant student-centric community.

To strengthen this commitment, numerous Student Life departments have created unit-level advisory groups to ensure students bring their insights and ideas to Student Life programming and resources. This past year, the Division of Student Life has created the Student Life Advisory Council, with representatives from local departments and units, to ensure there is a robust feedback loop between students, Student Life departments and advisory groups, and the Division of Student Life.

Student Advisory Committee recruitment is closed for 2024-2025.
Please check back in August/September 2025.

The Accessibility Services Student Advisory Committee is a joint effort between students and Accessibility Services staff to advise and inform matters relating to the Accessibility Services office (St. George campus), including the enhancement of the disability service model to and for students.

In the past year, students on the committee have provided insight and feedback to the Student Experience Survey, informed content within National Accessibility Week, and provided insight to Hart House’s strategic planning process by sharing experiences of students with disabilities when engaging in co-curricular activities. Through these informal and formal opportunities, we have also discussed larger ways in which Accessibility Services can further improve our work with students.

Our team assists in navigating disability-related barriers to your academic success at U of T for your on-going or temporary disability. We provide services and supports for learning, problem solving and inclusion.

Contact
Accessibility Services Student Advisory Committee
accessibility.sac@utoronto.ca

The Centre for Community Partnerships Student and Alumni Advisory Committee provides input on the direction of the Centre for Community Partnerships programs and services.

Discussion topics include, but are not limited to:

  • On-going and new initiatives at the CCP;
  • Effectiveness of programs and services offered at the CCP;
  • Recommendations for next steps to enhance community engagement and community-based learning opportunities at the University of Toronto.

We collaborate with students to advance community-engaged learning and research (CEL/R) through building community, enhancing capacity and learning together.

Contact
Ewa Cerda-Llanos
Lead Coordinator, Co-curricular Learning
416-946-7356
ewa.cerda@utoronto.ca

The Centre for Learning Strategy Support Advisory Committee is a student advisory group, but with a few twists.

Participants will not simply meet to make recommendations, but will be engaged in a process of inquiry, discussion, and where possible, other non-traditional, arts-based approaches. In this way, it will not only provide us with essential student perspectives, but will be an opportunity for an intellectual and community-forming experience for the student participants.

Think of it as a kind of co-curricular research experience in which you can bring your personal insight as a student to bear on the questions that preoccupy us in the Centre for Learning Strategy Support – What does it mean to “study”? How can students be more deeply engaged in their own learning processes? What kinds of study-skill programming resonates with students? What barriers exist to student participation?

The group meets 4-6 times a year with food provided (when meeting in-person). Participation will be recognized with a $300 stipend and accredited on students’ Co-Curricular Record.

The Centre for Learning Strategy Support Advisory Committee is no longer accepting applications for 2023-24.

The Gradlife Student Advisory Committee exists to help us better understand the experiences of current graduate students and identify gaps in our programs and services. They provide feedback about support offered to graduate students in Student Life by evaluating current programming and communications, suggesting ways to improve how and what we offer, and providing direction for new projects.

The committee consists of 8-10 graduate students with representation from the four School of Graduate Studies divisions (Social Sciences, Humanities, Life Sciences and Physical Sciences) and includes both master’s and PhD students. Members will be chosen to reflect the diversity of our graduate student community, with regards to gender, domestic vs. international students and professional vs. research-stream programs. We strongly welcome students from underrepresented groups.

There are four meetings (1.5 hours each) between September to April. Students who attend all four meetings will receive CCR recognition.

Contact
Jennifer Pinker
Student Life Coordinator, Graduate Student Life and Outreach
416-946-0148
jennifer.pinker@utoronto.ca

Students are our most valued partners. We prioritize student involvement in the process of developing, implementing and evaluating Health & Wellness initiatives on the St. George campus. The Health & Wellness Student Advisory Committee (H&W SAC) supports the improvement of client care and student experiences at Health & Wellness. The H&W SAC helps ensure that policies, programs, services and environments are inclusive, accessible, adaptive, affirmative, anti-oppressive and promote cultural safety.

Recruitment for the 2023-2024 Health & Wellness Student Advisory Committee will begin in the fall of 2023. For questions about the committee, please email health.promotion@utoronto.ca.

Health & Wellness provides a range of health services for your physical and mental health, wellness programs and information to help support you in achieving your personal and academic goals. Find more information about Health & Wellness.

The Housing Services Student Advisory Committee provides advice about programming, services, policies and initiatives for students.

Student Advisory Committee members attend three meetings during the academic year: one in October, one in January and one in March. You can earn Co-curricular Record (CCR) recognition by participating in the Student Advisory Committee.

The staff at Housing can help you find a great home. Use the StarRez portal to apply for residence, or log in to the Off-Campus Housing Finder to search for rentals and find roommates. Attend our events or meet with us in person to get help with your housing search and learn about your tenant rights.

Contact
Don Sison
Assistant Director, Housing Services
dj.sison@utoronto.ca

The International Student Experience Student Advisory Committee (ISESAC) provides advice and feedback to staff representatives from the Centre for International Experience (CIE) on the strategic direction, services, physical space and programming related to international student experience on the U of T St. George campus.

The responsibilities of the committee are to:

  • Advise on and recommend improvements to international student experience (ISE) services and programs (health insurance, legal status services, building community, understanding U of T and enrichment programs).
  • Advise on student outreach efforts throughout the University.
  • Assist with identifying new programs and initiatives.
  • Recommend future directions and possible areas for development.

The advisory committee meets up to 6 times in an academic year (approximately 1-2 times per semester).

Contact
Joanne Huynh
joanne.huynh@utoronto.ca

The Multi-Faith Centre Student Advisory Committee (MFC-SAC) provides the director of the Multi-Faith Centre with advice about programming, services, policies and initiatives for students.

The purpose of the Multi-Faith Centre Student Advisory Committee (MFC-SAC) is to serve in a consultative capacity for the University of Toronto’s Multi-Faith Centre. The MFC-SAC consults with Centre staff by providing feedback and advising on student needs in relation to MFC programs, services and use of space.

The committee will:

  • Provide advice and feedback on MFC’s strategic vision, mission and direction.
  • Advise on potential areas of development and recommend future initiatives.
  • Advise on student needs and how MFC can best serve students through programs, services and space provision.
  • Provide advice on outreach and delivery of MFC programs and services.

We provide an inclusive space for you to engage in community, where you can learn, grow and explore diverse cultural and spiritual perspectives.

Contact
MFC Team
multi.faith@utoronto.ca

Student Engagement is comprised of three teams: Mentorship & Peer Programs, Orientation Transition & Engagement, and Clubs & Leadership Development. The Student Engagement Student Advisory Committee is in its inaugural year and aims to give students the opportunity to review, assess and provide feedback on programs, services, supports, resources and other offerings from Student Engagement, to identify how they are or are not benefitting our audiences.

Committee objectives are, but not limited to:

  • Provide students space to speak about current student experiences, challenges and barriers to participation.
  • Recommend areas of support needed.
  • Recommend new programming and gaps in existing programming, and when to offer it in the lives of students.
  • Identify the impacts of the pandemic in remote and in-person learning.
  • Review best practices in communication strategies.
  • Recommend how we should be partnering with students and other stakeholders.
  • Provide feedback on the SE Curriculum Framework.

Students will receive a letter of recognition and credit on their Co-Curricular Record for full participation, and an honorarium if they attend a minimum number of meetings.

Students who participate will be able to assess program offerings supporting co-curricular learning and development necessary for diverse student success.

The TCard Services Student Advisory Committee provides advice about programming, services, policies and initiatives for students.

Student Advisory Committee members attend three meetings during the academic year: one in October, one in January and one in March. You can earn Co-curricular Record (CCR) recognition by participating in the Student Advisory Committee.

Your TCard is your Student ID. Use it to gain access to places on campus, put money on it for food, printing, laundry and more. Attend our TCard pickup events or meet with us in person to get help with your all your T-Card needs.

The TCard team helps students get off to a successful start at U of T!

Contact
tcard.office@utoronto.ca

Other involvement opportunities

The strategic frameworks and University documents that guide our programs are: