A Data-Driven Approach to Serving Learners

—From the Desks of Vice President of College Services Kerry Clarke and Vice President of Education & Students Taya Whitehead.

Striving for the most effective use of space at Selkirk College that helps enable student and employee success is a continuous process. A priority in the college’s Strategic Plan 2019-2024, the modernization of facilities, technology and operations is a focus that requires support from the entire college community. 

To help drive efficiency and remain strategic throughout, we are employing a data-driven approach that places emphasis on both student and employee engagement. At the beginning of the fall semester, the college received the final Selkirk College Space Utilization Study from consultant Cresa. The result of months of study that began in November 2022, the ultimate goal of the study is to achieve effective and consistent space utilization across all facilities. 

The study is now helping guide the upcoming work that needs to be accomplished to maximize our efficiency without impacting the ability for students to learn and employees to be successful. A Space Utilization Working Committee has been formed that includes participants from many different areas of college operations. 

Here are the main recommendations in the study: 

• Optimize classroom usage 
• Engage with students 
• Enable operational resources to support space usage changes 
• Develop formal space standards and policies 
• Digitize operational processes 
• Align technology requirements with broader modernization efforts 
• Undertake experimentation and pilot programs 
• Identify and measure key performance indicators (KPI) 
• Reconcile Space Utilization Study with Campus Master Plan and Five-Year Capital Plan 
• Develop and implement a change management strategy 
• Create a dedicated management and governance structure 

Further details about these points can be found in the study’s executive summary.

The fulfilment of priorities spurred by the study are multi-layered. Aside from ensuring that consultation takes place with students and employees, both industry and government partnerships are involved. Fitting all the pieces together takes both diligence and patience, but the focus will always remain on the learners we serve.  

With more opportunities to provide input in the coming months, we appreciate your input and interest to this point. Please continue to stay informed through regular communications and never hesitate to reach out to leadership team members should you have any questions.