Western maps out plan for enrolment growth
The University of Western Ontario has established a gameplan for growing its enrolment as it begins the early stages of the next four-year planning period.
At its Nov. 12 meeting, University Senate approved a Strategy for Enrolment Planning as put forth by the Senate Committee on University Planning. Among the recommendations, the university will maintain the current minimum entrance requirement for first-year admission at 83 per cent mid-year grade and 81 per cent final grade. By the end of the upcoming four-year planning period, Western will try to increase its first-year international enrolment.
Other recommendations for the strategy include:
• All students applying for first-year programs must meet the common entrance course requirements, meaning six Grade 12 U- and/or M-level courses and English ENG4U, in addition to program-specific enrolment requirements;
• Continuing to monitor the gap in entrance requirements between Western and the Ontario average, with the objective of maintaining the current gap. In 2007-08, first-year students at Western had an average entering grade of 86 per cent, and the provincial average was 82 per cent;
• Watching the incremental growth of the overall first-year class size in order to make sure the undergraduate class does not grow beyond what can be accommodated by Western’s buildings and infrastructure;
• Continuing the first-year residence guarantee, but residence capacity may need to be expanded;
• Encouraging faculties to develop upper-year entry niche undergraduate programs, including 2+2 programs and partnership agreements;
• Graduate enrolment aspirations outlined in the strategic plan, Engaging the Future, will continue, along with doctoral expansion trends of the past decade. This means that Western plans to double the number of PhD students and significantly increase master’s level students at Western by 2010-11 and continue a strong rate of graduate expansion in the future; and
• As a research-intensive institution, enrolment planning will include the objective of maintaining or increasing the relative proportion of graduate student enrolments (currently 17 per cent).
New programs and revisions
• Senate approved the introduction of majors in French Language and Literature and in French Language and Linguistics, effective Sept. 1;
• Revisions to the admission requirements for the doctor of medicine (MD) program at the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry were approved by Senate and will be effective as of Sept. 1, 2011. The revisions include a requirement that applicants who choose to complete a second undergraduate degree will only be considered if they are in the final year of their new program at the time of application, and for the second undergraduate degree to be considered as part of the GPA, it must be an honors degree or equivalent and only the best two years of degree will be considered. Check out the updated 2010-11 Academic Calendar for the complete list of revisions (www.westerncalendar.uwo.ca/2010);
• Effective Sept. 1, students in the combined BSc honors specialization in Computer Science/Juris Doctor (JD) program will be required to complete three years of computer science, rather than two years, before entering first-year law.
Graduate scholarships now to appear on transcripts
Graduate external scholarships and donor scholarships will now appear on Western transcripts, retroactive to Sept. 1, 2008, after a revision to the policy on academic transcripts was approved by Senate.
Revision to the ‘Western Fellow’ designation
Under exceptional circumstances, the vice-president (Research and International Relations) may grant the “Western Fellow” designation to visiting scholars invited under the Visiting University Scholar Program without requiring a minimum one-week stay, after approval by Senate.
New Scholarships, Awards and Prizes
• David Thompson Alumni Entrance Award (Faculty of Law). Awarded annually to first-year law students based on academic excellence. Valued at $1,000, this scholarship was established by the Board of Foundation Western, in recognition of David Thompson as president of Foundation Western from 2004-06. The award is effective through 2021;
• Ron Potter Athletic Scholarship. Awarded annually to an undergraduate/graduate student in any year and program based on academic achievement. The student must demonstrate leadership qualities as a member of the football or basketball team. The minimum average should be 80 per cent for an entering student, and 70 per cent for a non-entering student. Apart from academic performance and/or potential, the student will be picked according to a written recommendation from the head coach. Valued at $1,000, this scholarship was established by the Board of Foundation Western, in recognition of Ron Potter for his service as president of Foundation Western. This scholarship is effective through 2021;
• Maria and James Ferraro Strategic Management Prize. Awarded to third-place team members in the business strategy competition in the fourth-year Bachelor of Management and Organizational Studies (BMOS). Winning teams are determined based on performance in the strategy competition with final approval by the director of BMOS. Valued at $1,500, this prize is made possible by Maria and James Ferraro. This prize is effective through 2015.