2020-2021 SEI Report Release

The 2020-2021 Student Experience Initiative Report is now released. Look for it on our SEI homepage or click on this link!

Student experience is a priority for SFU. This year has presented both challenges and successes for the various teams working on projects that seek to enhance the student experience. From social injustice, political unrest, and devastating forest fires to the eventual shut down of the university campuses and subsequently the world due to the COVID-19 pandemic, adaptation was crucial for SEI this past year. Despite the challenges that the past year and half presented, the SEI team worked hard to ensure that students still felt engaged through enhanced communication, mental health supports and navigating SFU in the digital space.  

Over this past year, the SEI focused on Healthier Campus Community, promoting ways for students learning and thriving in different learning environments as they transitioned into their homes and into the virtual landscape. Meanwhile the Destination SFU working group worked tirelessly on a wide range of campus improvements for student study spaces in preparation for a return to campus.  As highlighted in the report, all SEI projects began with consultation of subject matter experts along with student input, ensuring a range of voices were heard and amplified within all the projects.

With 43 projects spanning all three campuses to date, the report highlighted some new projects which began this year, as well as ongoing projects that are proceeding with implementation. Although the pandemic shifted project plans in ways that were unforeseen, the working groups began to look at things from various perspectives to ensure inclusivity, equity and diversity as principles guiding the work underway. The SEI working groups looked at how the best of situation and opportunities could be drawn out which led to various webinars being delivered discussing Black student graduate experiences, the future of work, graduate supervision, and the retention of women in Computing Science. These webinars attracted a wide audience from local, national and international spaces, while increasing collaboration between various offices and units across SFU.

The SEI is committed to enhancing the student experience as we return to campus in the Fall 2021 term and to continuing to create a campus environment that is inclusive, accessible and place where all students feel a sense of belonging.