‘Any door is the right door’: Student Services Hub unites support teams into one location
Students seeking support can now save time, stress and shoe leather thanks to a new “one-stop shopping” option in the form of the Student Services Hub (SSH).
“The hub will be a great asset to our UTM students, helping them to efficiently navigate through the services available to them on campus for personal support and development opportunities,” says Mark Overton, UTM’s dean of student affairs and assistant principal, student services, who first proposed the idea of bringing together departments that were previously spread around the Davis Building.
Located on the main floor of the Davis Building, opposite the Meeting Place, the SSH unites the Career Centre, the International Education Centre, the Centre for Student Engagement, Accessibility Services, and the Health & Counselling Centre’s health promotion team.
UTM students can visit the hub to discuss such topics as:
- career exploration and experiences, including graduate and professional school programs;
- finding student housing on and off-campus;
- discovering international exchanges and learning abroad opportunities;
- volunteer and mentorship programs;
- student group inquiries, involvement and leadership training, and co-curricular record;
- orientation and transition programs;
- accommodations and resources for students with disabilities;
- immigration advice, UHIP and support services for international students;
- wellness activities and workshops.
Designed as a first stop for UTM students, the hub offers triage in the form of a central service desk in the main corridor to engage users as they arrive.
“Often when a student has a concern question or challenges, it involves a number of services,” says Felicity Morgan, director of the UTM Career Centre. “Say an international student is not sure if they are in the right program, maybe they want to change their mind, but what does that mean for their study permit? Before, they had to go to two different offices and ask the same questions again.
“Now, they can go to one spot, and a very well-informed staff member will help them see the pieces of the puzzle, make an appointment, take a workshop, get signed up right on the spot and not have to go around campus and have to ask over and over for help.”
Construction began on the 2,000-square-metre space in late 2021, and the hub opened for operations in March.
Students can access help in multiple ways at the SSH, including self-help resources and kiosks, one-on-one and group peer help, as well as both professionally guided individual and group support.
The flexible space offers a mix of shared, open and private workstations, booths, pods and offices combined with access to multipurpose rooms which accommodate state-of-the-art technology.
“It will transform the way UTM students engage with crucial resources and will reinforce UTM’s commitment to offer an ‘any door is the right door’ approach for accessing student support programs,” says Overton.
The hub features plenty of natural light courtesy of a large skylight and a variety of casual seating options, along with a neon sign offering inspirational messages such as reminding visitors to “Think About Things Differently.”
A new entrance on the west side of the Davis Building offers a connection to the nearby Innovation Complex building and the Office of the Registrar, another important student service link.
The entry is also a convenient access point to the bus loop along Inner Circle Road.
