What to expect in the new Student One Stop Space

Posted on Wednesday, March 28th, 2018

The DARE District will not only change the face of campus, it will change the face of student services at Algonquin College.

While May 3 marks the new building’s grand opening, construction will continue on lower-level Student One Stop Space until the end of July. Services in the area will include the Registrar’s Office, a Test Centre, the PLAR and Pathways Office, the Centre for Academic Success, and the International Education Centre. Some services will begin moving in Aug. 1.

“This new service space is going to be open, bright, modern, and state-of-the-art,” says Todd Schonewille, Director of Physical Resources. “We have completely demolished the original space and will be rebuilding it entirely from scratch. Coordination of this project with the DARE District in the floors above has allowed us to make significant improvements to this space that would not have been possible otherwise. Most notable perhaps is increased final ceiling heights as well as the addition of windows to the exterior. Also, the design will be aligned with that of the DARE District, both in the aesthetics as atmosphere – as well as in the use of environmentally sustainable design and building materials.”

Laura Campbell, Associate Registrar, Enrolment Systems and Service, says the service model for the new space will take a very student-first approach.

“In the past year, the Registrar’s Office worked to integrate our two service counters into one,” she says. “If we can save our students one step, if we can answer all of their questions in one visit, then that’s what we want to do.

“We are carrying forward the momentum of this effort to the new space and continuing to explore ways the RO can improve our financial and enrolment services. But what’s really exciting is the prospect of integrating services across different departments. Students have questions and needs which cross all of our service areas, often all at once. Our vision is that a student no longer needs to try and figure out the office of their question, they just need to come here and ask, and we’ll take it from there”.

At a glance: Student One Stop Space

Students:

Student services conveniently located in one space. The location of services within the space has been designed to create ease of flow for not only the employees working there, but for students visiting the space and making their way to the various services. The design will allow ongoing service improvements and changes over time – it will be flexible, adaptable, and continue to evolve and be refined as we engage with the Learners in the space.

Design:

A seamless combination of natural and artificial light that incorporates Indigenous design influences. For example, the light fixtures contain an advanced LED technology to deliver greater and more even light distribution. Additionally, the space is designed to be as open and transparent as possible, with glass being used extensively to allow the natural light from the windows to shine within the space. Brett Parnell, Director, Students’ Association, Travel and Tourism, says the organization is, “very proud of the Indigenous elements of the project, which contribute to our goal of involving all students in the Truth and Reconciliation process.” The SA invested $1 million towards Indigenous art and design for the DARE District.

The SOSS will have all new building systems, including heating and ventilation, air conditioning, and electrical. Many of the services being relocated are considered noise-sensitive, which was taken into consideration during design development. Acoustical separations are being provided around spaces identified as needing privacy and/or noise isolation. For example, corridor walls around work environments and the Test Centre have a high sound rating and acoustic ceiling tiles have been strategically located to help absorb sound — including in the work environments.

Employees:

A collaborative space for employees. “Through this project, the areas have encouraged each other toward the common goal of empowering our employees to provide even better student service,” says Renay Dixon, Transfer Pathways Officer. “For the PLAR and Pathways Office, this means exploring the integration of our services with those of other areas such as the Test Centre and the Centre for Academic Success. We are also taking this opportunity to review the use of technology in our student assistance model to allow students to make informed decisions about their credit and experience recognition options, and their opportunities for continued education through one of our articulation agreements.”

Furniture that is aesthetically pleasing, functional, and adaptable to the needs of each employee. Common area and workspace furniture is being designed with the new service model in mind and will build on the lessons learned from the DARE District teams who have just gone through a similar selection process. Think height-adjustable desks.


Comments

Comments are closed.