SAC President-Elect Pat Joyce on what the SAC does at Mount Allison:
If you were ever curious about what exactly happens to the $75.50 you give the SAC every semester see sac.mta.ca and the SAC Budget.
**Of note, the highest net expenses for the 2010-2011 school year are as follows:
1. Salaries $86,719
2. Allisonian (Yearbook) $51,500
3. Honouraria $46,150 (up $6,450 from last year)
4. Green Investment Fee $23,000
5. Insurance $13,300
6. Academic Enrichment $11,000
7. Clubs and Societies $10,500
8. WUSC Sponsor Student $9,200
10. Agenda/Handbook $8,900
11. NBSA $8,050
12. Employee benefits $7,857
Showing posts with label Academics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Academics. Show all posts
February 20, 2011
January 2, 2011
Mount Allison University Alumni Magazine- The Record (or, Why You Should Not Be Nervous about Career Opportunities after Mount Allison)
Having not yet graduated I haven't really covered Mount Allison graduates very much in my writings but Mount Allison University's Alumni publication The Record sure has. If you're looking at Mount Allison and worried about career prospects from a University that is "out of the attention of the urban mainstream"you just need to look at any of the great examples of what sort of future an education at Mount Allison can provide. I have archived issues from 2008 forward (and embedded the most recent issue below) for your convenience. More information is available at the Mount Allison University Alumni Website at http://alumni.mta.ca/
Mount Allison University--The Record (Fall 2010)
Mount Allison University--The Record (Fall 2010)
December 29, 2010
Mount Allison Professor James Devine
In regards to my previous post about going to school in Canada, McGill University in Montreal was mentioned as an institution many Americans attend. However, smaller schools are usually not included in such mentions primarily due to size...but this does not say anything about quality. For those who are stuck on this connection to larger institutions, new Mount Allison professor James Devine has lectured at Concordia and earned his PhD at McGill. Here's a recent spotlight on one of Mount Allison's newest faculty members.
Five Questions with Political Scientist Dr. James Devine
2010-12-08 13:21:01
Dr. James Devine is an assistant professor in political science at Mount Allison and received his PhD from McGill University. His research areas include: international relations and foreign policy in the Middle East; the politics and foreign policy of Iran, international rivalries and protracted conflicts; democracy and authoritarian politics in the Middle East.
1. Why do you like studying the Middle East?
It is endlessly fascinating. The Middle East is also in the headlines so I feel that I am engaged in something important. I think students react to it very well also. Even students who are not pursuing degrees in political science are interested in the region and its politics.
2. What are some of the challenges of researching in the Middle East?
One of the main problems with doing research is access to information. Getting into some countries can be difficult and in many countries the press is very restricted. However, I have been fortunate in my work on Iran. I have been able to spend time in the country and the press in Iran is, by regional standards, still very active.
3. What are the consequences of the recent leaks of numerous confidential American diplomatic cables on the web site WikiLeaks?
These leaks provide us with a glimpse of what goes on behind closed doors. Even if they do not really tell us anything we did not already know, the quotes, and the details, make for fascinating reading. Of course, many people have also taken satisfaction from the way governments and world leaders have been embarrassed by the disclosures. Political voyeurism aside, leaks such as these also provide an added degree of political transparency. Transparency in politics is necessary for an informed public and is therefore an essential feature of liberal democracies. So, the more transparency, the better — or so it may seem.
The problem is that, in practice, effective diplomacy often needs a degree of secrecy, or at least privacy. Perhaps the best example of this is the beginning of the peace process between the Palestinians and the Israelis in the early 1990s. The two sides were only able to start talking, and make progress once they moved secretly to Oslo, where they could negotiate out of the spotlight.
In the current situation, the leaks complicate efforts to maintain some stability in the Persian Gulf. The Iranians know the Saudis do not trust them, and vice versa. However, they have both managed the relationship very carefully and refrained from the type of rhetorical warfare that we saw through the 1980s and parts of the 1990s. With the Saudis’ comments now public, the Iranian government somehow has to react to them. Although Tehran has played down their significance, the leaks have put extra pressure on a political accommodation that is already strained by events in Lebanon, Iraq, and Gaza, etc.
4. What led you into academics?
I was raised in an environment where politics and history were important. My father was born in Belfast in a mixed Protestant-Catholic family and had to move to the Republic in the 1920s. He also served in the Second World War and had a library filled with books on politics and history. So, I was exposed to these topics at a very young age. Also like many academics, I have never really been able to picture myself doing anything else.
5. What are you interested in outside of work?
I have turned into a “computer geek” over the years. When I got my first computers they were very expensive and if they broke, it was the end of the world — or so it seemed. So, I had to learn how to fix them myself. I really began to enjoy working on them. Even now I still enjoy building and repairing systems. I find it very relaxing. At any given time I will have a bunch of computers around the house in various stages of repair. Also, since I have moved to Sackville, I have been cycling around the countryside a great deal.
Five Questions with Political Scientist Dr. James Devine
2010-12-08 13:21:01
Dr. James Devine is an assistant professor in political science at Mount Allison and received his PhD from McGill University. His research areas include: international relations and foreign policy in the Middle East; the politics and foreign policy of Iran, international rivalries and protracted conflicts; democracy and authoritarian politics in the Middle East.1. Why do you like studying the Middle East?
It is endlessly fascinating. The Middle East is also in the headlines so I feel that I am engaged in something important. I think students react to it very well also. Even students who are not pursuing degrees in political science are interested in the region and its politics.
2. What are some of the challenges of researching in the Middle East?
One of the main problems with doing research is access to information. Getting into some countries can be difficult and in many countries the press is very restricted. However, I have been fortunate in my work on Iran. I have been able to spend time in the country and the press in Iran is, by regional standards, still very active.
3. What are the consequences of the recent leaks of numerous confidential American diplomatic cables on the web site WikiLeaks?
These leaks provide us with a glimpse of what goes on behind closed doors. Even if they do not really tell us anything we did not already know, the quotes, and the details, make for fascinating reading. Of course, many people have also taken satisfaction from the way governments and world leaders have been embarrassed by the disclosures. Political voyeurism aside, leaks such as these also provide an added degree of political transparency. Transparency in politics is necessary for an informed public and is therefore an essential feature of liberal democracies. So, the more transparency, the better — or so it may seem.
The problem is that, in practice, effective diplomacy often needs a degree of secrecy, or at least privacy. Perhaps the best example of this is the beginning of the peace process between the Palestinians and the Israelis in the early 1990s. The two sides were only able to start talking, and make progress once they moved secretly to Oslo, where they could negotiate out of the spotlight.
In the current situation, the leaks complicate efforts to maintain some stability in the Persian Gulf. The Iranians know the Saudis do not trust them, and vice versa. However, they have both managed the relationship very carefully and refrained from the type of rhetorical warfare that we saw through the 1980s and parts of the 1990s. With the Saudis’ comments now public, the Iranian government somehow has to react to them. Although Tehran has played down their significance, the leaks have put extra pressure on a political accommodation that is already strained by events in Lebanon, Iraq, and Gaza, etc.
4. What led you into academics?
I was raised in an environment where politics and history were important. My father was born in Belfast in a mixed Protestant-Catholic family and had to move to the Republic in the 1920s. He also served in the Second World War and had a library filled with books on politics and history. So, I was exposed to these topics at a very young age. Also like many academics, I have never really been able to picture myself doing anything else.
5. What are you interested in outside of work?
I have turned into a “computer geek” over the years. When I got my first computers they were very expensive and if they broke, it was the end of the world — or so it seemed. So, I had to learn how to fix them myself. I really began to enjoy working on them. Even now I still enjoy building and repairing systems. I find it very relaxing. At any given time I will have a bunch of computers around the house in various stages of repair. Also, since I have moved to Sackville, I have been cycling around the countryside a great deal.
December 28, 2010
How Mount Allison Helped Me Decide to Apply to the Peace Corps Master's International (PCMI) Program
In my last post I listed the major reasons I have found that Mount Allison provided me the great base of support and experience needed to be prepared for graduate studies. I now turn to how this relates to my decision to apply to the Peace Corps Master's International Program.
During the long drive from Squamish, British Columbia to Libertyville, Illinois I took between my Junior (grade 11) and Senior (grade 12) years in high school I've been thinking fairly seriously about joining the Peace Corps. It was encouraging when President Obama expanded the program (although it hasn't reached the levels of enrollment he had proposed). Over this past summer I had the chance to reconnect with an old manager and mentor I had years before. We discussed future plans and in a flow of consciousness moment I talked about what I wanted to do with my life in a holistic way. I talked of being somewhat disaffected by the idea of making just 'making a living' and wanted to make a difference. Although I had not done very much research into the area (outside of classwork) at the time I said that I wanted to do something that would make a sustainable contribution to developing countries.
I had heard of sustainable development in Dr. Frank Strain's ECON 3501: Economic Growth and Technological Change (a requirement for all International Relations majors at Mount Allison) but had not put a lot of thought into it since then. When I was forced to thinking of what Mount Allison meant for me and my future I realized that he helped give me the idea of what all these classes meant.
Last year, as part of Mount Allison's Year of International Engagement at Mount Allison, Kiva.org co-founder Jessica Jackley came to Mount Allison to speak about micro-financing. She came to our class to speak about her work with Kiva. It was an interesting talk and the perhaps the first time I had heard directly from someone who was working in development.
In just over a year, Mount Allison's Kiva team's 58 members have lent $6,900 to worthwhile causes. Although a...financially impaired college student I was was able to make my first loan with a christmas gift to an entrepreneur in El Salvador.
In just over a year, Mount Allison's Kiva team's 58 members have lent $6,900 to worthwhile causes. Although a...financially impaired college student I was was able to make my first loan with a christmas gift to an entrepreneur in El Salvador.
I had always been interested in being engaged in local and international issues. In high school I led my school's Amnesty International group and organized a film festival on spotlighting different issues of concern, including input from a first nations group discussing the disappearance of native women across Canada and specifically on the "Highway of Tears" in Northern British Columbia.
I have for a while known I've wanted to work with an NGO and went about looking at different routes I could take to do that and eventually seemed as though earning a Master's degree in Public Administration (MPA) would be the most efficient route. I wanted to also include Peace Corps service and found that the Peace Corps has partnered with a number of schools throughout the US to provide graduate students a way to incorporate Peace Corps service in their studies.
In the fall I will be applying to a number of schools throughout North America. I believe that my increased interest and qualification for graduate level work in general and Peace Corps service in particular is due in large part to being able to be involved in campus groups and have a solid working relationship with professors, which is not the case with many other schools in North America.
Because I won't be applying to Graduate school and the Peace Corps for a number of months, I will post sporadically on the topics I promised earlier, those being:
Because I won't be applying to Graduate school and the Peace Corps for a number of months, I will post sporadically on the topics I promised earlier, those being:
- the Peace Corps application process
- preparing to take the GRE,
- thoughts about graduate school
- and moving back to the United States (going home 2.0?)
December 27, 2010
The Top Three Reasons Why You Should Go to Mount Allison University in Sackville, New Brunswick, Canada for Your Undergraduate Degree
While many American schools admissions deadlines passed or are very quickly approaching, the deadline for admission to Mount Allison University, is months away (March 15 for Scholarship Consideration, April 1 for Preferential Consideration for September enrollment). For years, many Americans have been going up north for education that is both more affordable and of a similar quality of education to many American schools. As I am now seeing the impact my choice to come to Mount Allison has had on my future job and education prospects, I thought I should write about why you (the Canadian/American/other international high school senior) should consider going to Mount Allison along with other top schools in North America.
For background, here's an NBC story on why many Americans are going up north for college.
In my previous post, I mentioned the new marketing campaign Mount Allison has recently begun...and I mentioned my hopes that future advertising would move beyond just its ranking.
For me it was personal recommendations and a visit to campus that more or less made the decision for me. The Macleans and other rankings simply confirmed everything that I had already heard about the school and eliminated any doubts I had about Mount Allison's national reputation (and more importantly if a Mount Allison degree would be respected back here in the United States. There are intangible aspects that may be hard to put into marketing material. It is knowing that you're going to be treated as an individual and not a number like students at larger Canadian universities commonly report. My three reasons at the time (which have been validated over three years of study) for going to Mount Allison University were:
1) You are able to feel comfortable from the first day.
2) You can be as active as you want to be in student groups.
You can develop a working relationship with your professors.
Quite possibly the first aspect of Mount Allison that made me want to come here was the sense of community I found even when visiting in the dead of winter. People seemed to enjoy being there and were genuinely friendly. This sense of community was confirmed during the first weeks here where I met some of the most interesting and caring people I've ever met. I'm still friends, if not close friends, with many of the people I met here during frosh week. Although it is difficult to accurately quantify a sense of comfort, it has been a major factor contributing to my success here. Even in times of anxiety I still have felt at home at Mount Allison.
Secondly, I saw that there was a vibrant student community with over a hundred active student groups. During my first semester at Mount Allison I joined different Students' Administrative Council Committees, became a blog writer for the school, and published an article about the US election in the Argosy, Mount Allison's independent student newspaper. I don't think there are many other schools of Mount Allison's calibre where a new student would be able to get so involved.
When I got back form the airport on the car ride back home I talked to my parents about the school year so far and they noted how my academic writing has improved over the years. I wrote earlier about how sometimes the intense stress of large assignments over a long period of time can make you refocus your priorities. It can make you a more efficient student and writer and after receiving my grades I'm even more convinced this is true.
This semester in four third-year courses I wrote in excess of 125 pages. Now a ten page assignment that seemed like a hassle in first year seems like very little after the gargantuan amount of work I completed this semester. I owe this success partially due to the Honors and AP courses I was able to take in high school that prepared me for university but it is the high expectations, excellent teaching, and advice from professors that forced and aided me in writing multiple 20+ page A-quality research papers. I firmly believe Mount Allison provides one of the most solid foundations anyone can have when applying directly for employment or to a graduate program.
For background, here's an NBC story on why many Americans are going up north for college.
 |
| Mount Allison in Winter |
In my previous post, I mentioned the new marketing campaign Mount Allison has recently begun...and I mentioned my hopes that future advertising would move beyond just its ranking.
For me it was personal recommendations and a visit to campus that more or less made the decision for me. The Macleans and other rankings simply confirmed everything that I had already heard about the school and eliminated any doubts I had about Mount Allison's national reputation (and more importantly if a Mount Allison degree would be respected back here in the United States. There are intangible aspects that may be hard to put into marketing material. It is knowing that you're going to be treated as an individual and not a number like students at larger Canadian universities commonly report. My three reasons at the time (which have been validated over three years of study) for going to Mount Allison University were:
1) You are able to feel comfortable from the first day.
2) You can be as active as you want to be in student groups.
You can develop a working relationship with your professors.
Quite possibly the first aspect of Mount Allison that made me want to come here was the sense of community I found even when visiting in the dead of winter. People seemed to enjoy being there and were genuinely friendly. This sense of community was confirmed during the first weeks here where I met some of the most interesting and caring people I've ever met. I'm still friends, if not close friends, with many of the people I met here during frosh week. Although it is difficult to accurately quantify a sense of comfort, it has been a major factor contributing to my success here. Even in times of anxiety I still have felt at home at Mount Allison.
Secondly, I saw that there was a vibrant student community with over a hundred active student groups. During my first semester at Mount Allison I joined different Students' Administrative Council Committees, became a blog writer for the school, and published an article about the US election in the Argosy, Mount Allison's independent student newspaper. I don't think there are many other schools of Mount Allison's calibre where a new student would be able to get so involved.
When I got back form the airport on the car ride back home I talked to my parents about the school year so far and they noted how my academic writing has improved over the years. I wrote earlier about how sometimes the intense stress of large assignments over a long period of time can make you refocus your priorities. It can make you a more efficient student and writer and after receiving my grades I'm even more convinced this is true.
This semester in four third-year courses I wrote in excess of 125 pages. Now a ten page assignment that seemed like a hassle in first year seems like very little after the gargantuan amount of work I completed this semester. I owe this success partially due to the Honors and AP courses I was able to take in high school that prepared me for university but it is the high expectations, excellent teaching, and advice from professors that forced and aided me in writing multiple 20+ page A-quality research papers. I firmly believe Mount Allison provides one of the most solid foundations anyone can have when applying directly for employment or to a graduate program.
December 23, 2010
Atlantic International Studies Organization January Conference: Keynote Speaker: Ian Smillie
Noted Blood Diamond Expert Ian Smillie will be the Keynote Speaker at the Annual Atlantic International Studies Organization (ATLIS) January Conference. He will be discussing the research from his book published in August on the diamond trade in Africa.
Blood on the Diamond
Blood on the Diamond
ATLIS Initiatives for 10/11
’10/11 Theme!
ATLIS’s theme for this year is ‘Alternative Solutions: Looking to a sustainable future’. We are looking for presentations that would explore a particular idea or innovation, evaluate its potential, and critique its effectiveness in the context of an ongoing issue. This includes a range of diverse, global issue, from health, justice, bio- conservation, security, to technology. We are hoping by emphasizing on a multi-disciplinary approach, we can gain new perspective and insight to persistent issues
Dear Mount Allison Students,
The Atlantic International Studies Organization (ATLIS) is requesting submissions for its annual conference on January 21-23, 2010. This year's theme is "Alternative Solutions: Looking to a Sustainable Future". This is a wonderful chance to experience presenting an academic paper and to receive feedback on your work and research.
The deadline for submissions is at November 21, 2010 at noon (e-mail to atlis@mta.ca). We encourage students from all years and all disciplines to submit their work for consideration.
Class papers, honours theses and individual research are all eligible for submission. An abstract of your work is sufficient for the submission deadline.
Work does not have to be complete by the time of presentation but should be sufficiently well developed as to allow for discussion.
Presentations will be 20-30 minutes in length, followed by questions and a round table discussion with conference attendees and faculty. Please note that all presenters are guaranteed to be published in our spring academic journal if they so wish.
All students (whether presenting or not) are invited to attend the conference, which will include social events, roundtable discussions about sustainability, and a keynote speaker Ian Smillie.
Smillie is an Ottawa-based consultant and writer and has worked for more than 30 years in international development. He will speak on the subject of implementing sustainable practices around conflict-free diamonds in Africa.
Please kindly confirm your attendance by November 21 and conference fees must be paid by December 5, in order to qualify for our early bird special.
Go to our website to see examples of previous years' presentations and for information on our year-long events: www.atlismta.org
Also join our Facebook group:
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/group.php?gid= 81172322054&ref=ts
Thanks, and please feel free to contact us with any questions.
The ATLIS Staff
About
The Atlantic International Studies Organization (ATLIS) was created in the winter of 2003 at Mount Allison University with the purpose of fostering informed undergraduate participation in international issues through scholarship and social and political involvement.The ATLIS Organization is committed to finding new and innovative ways to engage students with the world around them. Our peer-reviewed journal is one of the first of its kind in the region, and provides a much-needed venue for high- quality undergraduate essays.In attempts to promote scholarship and develop invaluable professional skills, ATLIS hosts an annual conference relating to a major issue facing the international community as an opportunity for students to present their own papers to their peers and professors. The conference also draws NGOs and government agencies from across Canada to speak, participate in discussions and present their activities.The ATLIS Organization is a dedicated group of students from many disciplines. We are united in the common goal of promoting undergraduate involvement and scholarship in international issues. ATLIS actively seeks partnerships with other organizations and clubs, other universities, and faculty and experts in the diverse fields of international studies
Update: Mount Allison University Branding Campaign
An update on the branding campaign I wrote about earlier. A brand concept should be coming out in late January. Story from Sackville Tribute Post.
Staff at Mount Allison is currently working to identify the university’s greatest strengths and assets in order increase their competitive edge when it comes to attracting top students.
Mount Allison looking to distinguish itself from competitors
Staff at Mount Allison is currently working to identify the university’s greatest strengths and assets in order increase their competitive edge when it comes to attracting top students.
Published on December 23rd, 2010
Katie Tower
What makes Mount Allison unique? What differentiates it from its competitors? And how exactly does a small-town undergrad university vie for the best students and faculty in an increasingly-aggressive market?
These are just a few of the questions being explored as part of a branding project that aims to provide a snapshot of the university’s greatest strengths and assets.
The purpose of the initiative is to provide Mount Allison with its own distinct identity, says Tony Frost, director of marketing and communications for the university, “so students really know what they’re getting when they come to Mount A.”
This will help pave the way for the university to distinguish itself more clearly from its peers, he says.
Today, universities need to be more competitive than ever in their efforts to attract top-notch students, faculty and donors, says Frost, and Mount A has to keep up with the best if they want to attract the best.
But with the number of high school students declining in the Maritimes, that poses a significant challenge for universities in the region that rely on 50 per cent of their students coming from the Maritime provinces.
“There’s a demographic challenge here in the Maritimes,” he says, “so we need to start looking outside the region.”
Through the brand positioning project, Mount Allison will be taking a “more integrated approach to who we are and what we are saying,” in order to market the university to a wider audience outside the Maritimes.
Fortunately, he says, the good news is that students, both national and international, are now more transient than they were 20 or 30 years ago and many of those students are looking for an experience outside their home university.
“So this is an opportunity for us to say, ‘hey, why not an Atlantic experience, why not a Mount Allison experience?”
The research phase of the project has just finished up, with a number of participants involved, including current, past, and prospective students, as well as business and government leaders.
“We spent time revisiting who we were and what it is that makes us different . . . and how we can market that to an external audience,” says Frost.
Of course, the size and the reputation of the school were the two key distinguishing features that were brought up time and time again during the discussions, says Frost.
But also gaining attention is the “experience” that comes with attending an institution in which students are treated to a “personal , intimate environment” where they can become their own individuals.
“That’s something not found anywhere else.”
The strategy development phase is now under way with the university expecting to come up with a proposed concept in late January, followed up by the creative development stage of the project.
December 20, 2010
New Career Services Coordinator at Mount Allison (Good news, but also what's missing)
“Career is a big word, it encompasses a lot. My job is to meet with students and help them discover not just what they’re good at but what they would enjoy doing. Sometimes this means further studies, sometimes it means heading into the work force right away but we’re working to help Mount Allison students better understand what’s out there so they can make informed decisions of where they would like their career path to go and what the next step is for them.”
Also as part of his job, new Career Services Coordinator Scott Yorke "will also be collaborating with other departments on campus to offer workshops in areas such as resumé writing, cover letters, and interview techniques"
It is great that the school finally hired a career services coordinator. And while all of the above job description is well and good. The fact is that there are students who have not made a resumé, cover letter, or ever had a job much less an interview so it is good to have the bare bones available. However those are skills most people learned in high school if not earlier and if not on their own volition. In a world where more and more companies do their recruiting online job seekers, especially recent college graduates need to make use of social networking (not only to avoid posting inappropriate material as mentioned earlier) but more importantly to use it in an active way to search for a job. As the New York Times article below describes, it is vital to use social media to find a job. As one recruitment expert said, "It’s nonnegotiable — you have to have a profile on a social networking site.” For some information on what exactly is needed see the related slide show below, and for why social networking is important in any job search see the NYT article. I'll soon be posting more specifically on Linkedin and VisualCV.
Social Networking Your Way to a New Job
By FARHAD MANJOO
Published: August 25, 2010
UNTIL just a few years ago, looking for a job was a relatively straightforward process. Write a résumé. Scour job sites or the classifieds. Submit an application for listings that seem appropriate. Reach out to recruiters. Then, wait.
“It doesn’t work that way at all anymore,” said Nancy Halverson, senior vice president for learning and talent development at the recruiting firm MRINetwork.
Like everything else in business, the job-search process has undergone a revolution since the advent of Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and other social networking sites. Job hunters today must learn to navigate the sometimes slippery social mores of online discourse — for instance, learning to promote themselves without coming off as self-involved.
At the same time, they must be constantly vigilant about managing their online reputation; the slightest slip may discourage potential employers.
“It’s almost like social media has replaced the white pages,” Ms. Halverson said. “Recruiters don’t even know how to find you if you don’t have a presence online. It’s nonnegotiable — you have to have a profile on a social networking site.”
For many people looking for work, however, the technological requirements of the modern job hunt present a profound hurdle. Increasingly, these people are turning up for help at the career offices and continuing education departments of their local universities and community colleges.
“Teaching people how to use these new tools is really becoming one of the main things that we do in career counseling offices,” said Nancy Richmond, assistant director of career counseling and exploration at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. “We’re showing them that using social media is a great way to show employers that they’re on the forefront of cutting-edge trends. It can be extremely helpful for their careers.”
Twice a semester, Ms. Richmond’s office holds workshops teaching students and alumni how to use LinkedIn and other social networks. She also offers one-on-one tutoring to help people brush up their online profiles and counseling on how to approach potential employers or networking contacts online.
Such sessions have become a mainstay at colleges around the country — often, colleges say, because students are demanding them. This fall, the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire will offer a series of continuing education courses called “The Language of Social Media,” which aim to give people a quick on-ramp to the world of online networking.
The course came out of a series of classes that Laurie Boettcher, a local social media enthusiast, had been teaching at her chapter of the Chamber of Commerce; the courses were so well attended, a university spokeswoman said, that the school decided to take up the series for itself.
“We think it’s important not just to teach people why they should have a presence online, but also to teach them about how to be consistent — what’s appropriate in how you represent yourself online, and how you should go about promoting yourself,” Ms. Boettcher said.
It’s sometimes a tricky process, as many people looking for work have never had reason to set up a presence online and have no idea how to go about it. These people worked in industries like manufacturing, where Facebook and Twitter weren’t a part of daily life. Or they had plugged away at the same company for decades and never felt the need to make a résumé, let alone a LinkedIn page describing their job history.
In an economy that ejected people from jobs suddenly, and with such finality, career counselors say, these people feel bereft — they have all the skills necessary for new jobs, but few of the skills required for the job-search process.
It’s not the technical skills that are the toughest to master; what’s often more difficult for people who haven’t used networking sites, say job coaches, is mastering the subtle social skills involved in asking people online for help.
It’s an art that can befuddle even technically adept people. In 2008, Oliver Schmid, an I.T. consultant based in Los Angeles, lost his job with a German technology company. Jumping into the job market for the first time in 20 years, Mr. Schmid did what job seekers have always done — he sent out his résumé and waited for companies to call him back. He didn’t get any takers.
“People who looked at my résumé just didn’t seem to fall in love,” Mr. Schmid said. The real problem, Mr. Schmid said he believed, was that the résumé didn’t tell his whole story — it didn’t explain his range of experiences, nor the full measure of his passion and creativity on the job.
Scouring the Web for tips on job hunting, Mr. Schmid found several sites and forums with advice on how to set up his “personal brand” online. He began to blog about his work and then to use Twitter to reach out to others in his profession.
“I was very uncoordinated at first, really stumbling a lot. I didn’t know what I was doing or what to talk about,” he said. But over a period of a few months, Mr. Schmid got the hang of it — he got better at writing short posts about his work, at pointing out his posts to the right people on Twitter and being consistent, but not overbearing, in advertising himself.
All of this took a lot of work. Miriam Salpeter, a job coach based in Atlanta, says that one of the main conversations she has with unemployed people concerns expectations — even if you do everything online correctly, there’s no guarantee you’ll find a job immediately.
“What you’re really trying to do on social networks is expand your sphere of influence,” Ms. Salpeter said. “You want to grow the number of people that know about you. As more people get to know about you and see who you are, that can pay off.”
That’s how things played out for Mr. Schmid. A former colleague noticed his posts on Twitter and recommended Mr. Schmid for a freelance position with a Norwegian technology company.
Mr. Schmid landed an interim freelancing position with the firm, which later turned into a longer-term contract. Without Twitter, he said, he probably would not have found the job. “They weren’t looking for me — they just spotted me online, and it worked out,” Mr. Schmid said.
Also as part of his job, new Career Services Coordinator Scott Yorke "will also be collaborating with other departments on campus to offer workshops in areas such as resumé writing, cover letters, and interview techniques"
It is great that the school finally hired a career services coordinator. And while all of the above job description is well and good. The fact is that there are students who have not made a resumé, cover letter, or ever had a job much less an interview so it is good to have the bare bones available. However those are skills most people learned in high school if not earlier and if not on their own volition. In a world where more and more companies do their recruiting online job seekers, especially recent college graduates need to make use of social networking (not only to avoid posting inappropriate material as mentioned earlier) but more importantly to use it in an active way to search for a job. As the New York Times article below describes, it is vital to use social media to find a job. As one recruitment expert said, "It’s nonnegotiable — you have to have a profile on a social networking site.” For some information on what exactly is needed see the related slide show below, and for why social networking is important in any job search see the NYT article. I'll soon be posting more specifically on Linkedin and VisualCV.
Social Networking Your Way to a New Job
By FARHAD MANJOO
Published: August 25, 2010
UNTIL just a few years ago, looking for a job was a relatively straightforward process. Write a résumé. Scour job sites or the classifieds. Submit an application for listings that seem appropriate. Reach out to recruiters. Then, wait.
 |
| James C. Best Jr |
“It doesn’t work that way at all anymore,” said Nancy Halverson, senior vice president for learning and talent development at the recruiting firm MRINetwork.
Like everything else in business, the job-search process has undergone a revolution since the advent of Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and other social networking sites. Job hunters today must learn to navigate the sometimes slippery social mores of online discourse — for instance, learning to promote themselves without coming off as self-involved.
At the same time, they must be constantly vigilant about managing their online reputation; the slightest slip may discourage potential employers.
“It’s almost like social media has replaced the white pages,” Ms. Halverson said. “Recruiters don’t even know how to find you if you don’t have a presence online. It’s nonnegotiable — you have to have a profile on a social networking site.”
For many people looking for work, however, the technological requirements of the modern job hunt present a profound hurdle. Increasingly, these people are turning up for help at the career offices and continuing education departments of their local universities and community colleges.
“Teaching people how to use these new tools is really becoming one of the main things that we do in career counseling offices,” said Nancy Richmond, assistant director of career counseling and exploration at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. “We’re showing them that using social media is a great way to show employers that they’re on the forefront of cutting-edge trends. It can be extremely helpful for their careers.”
Twice a semester, Ms. Richmond’s office holds workshops teaching students and alumni how to use LinkedIn and other social networks. She also offers one-on-one tutoring to help people brush up their online profiles and counseling on how to approach potential employers or networking contacts online.
Such sessions have become a mainstay at colleges around the country — often, colleges say, because students are demanding them. This fall, the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire will offer a series of continuing education courses called “The Language of Social Media,” which aim to give people a quick on-ramp to the world of online networking.
The course came out of a series of classes that Laurie Boettcher, a local social media enthusiast, had been teaching at her chapter of the Chamber of Commerce; the courses were so well attended, a university spokeswoman said, that the school decided to take up the series for itself.
“We think it’s important not just to teach people why they should have a presence online, but also to teach them about how to be consistent — what’s appropriate in how you represent yourself online, and how you should go about promoting yourself,” Ms. Boettcher said.
It’s sometimes a tricky process, as many people looking for work have never had reason to set up a presence online and have no idea how to go about it. These people worked in industries like manufacturing, where Facebook and Twitter weren’t a part of daily life. Or they had plugged away at the same company for decades and never felt the need to make a résumé, let alone a LinkedIn page describing their job history.
In an economy that ejected people from jobs suddenly, and with such finality, career counselors say, these people feel bereft — they have all the skills necessary for new jobs, but few of the skills required for the job-search process.
It’s not the technical skills that are the toughest to master; what’s often more difficult for people who haven’t used networking sites, say job coaches, is mastering the subtle social skills involved in asking people online for help.
It’s an art that can befuddle even technically adept people. In 2008, Oliver Schmid, an I.T. consultant based in Los Angeles, lost his job with a German technology company. Jumping into the job market for the first time in 20 years, Mr. Schmid did what job seekers have always done — he sent out his résumé and waited for companies to call him back. He didn’t get any takers.
“People who looked at my résumé just didn’t seem to fall in love,” Mr. Schmid said. The real problem, Mr. Schmid said he believed, was that the résumé didn’t tell his whole story — it didn’t explain his range of experiences, nor the full measure of his passion and creativity on the job.
Scouring the Web for tips on job hunting, Mr. Schmid found several sites and forums with advice on how to set up his “personal brand” online. He began to blog about his work and then to use Twitter to reach out to others in his profession.
“I was very uncoordinated at first, really stumbling a lot. I didn’t know what I was doing or what to talk about,” he said. But over a period of a few months, Mr. Schmid got the hang of it — he got better at writing short posts about his work, at pointing out his posts to the right people on Twitter and being consistent, but not overbearing, in advertising himself.
All of this took a lot of work. Miriam Salpeter, a job coach based in Atlanta, says that one of the main conversations she has with unemployed people concerns expectations — even if you do everything online correctly, there’s no guarantee you’ll find a job immediately.
“What you’re really trying to do on social networks is expand your sphere of influence,” Ms. Salpeter said. “You want to grow the number of people that know about you. As more people get to know about you and see who you are, that can pay off.”
That’s how things played out for Mr. Schmid. A former colleague noticed his posts on Twitter and recommended Mr. Schmid for a freelance position with a Norwegian technology company.
Mr. Schmid landed an interim freelancing position with the firm, which later turned into a longer-term contract. Without Twitter, he said, he probably would not have found the job. “They weren’t looking for me — they just spotted me online, and it worked out,” Mr. Schmid said.
December 1, 2010
Academic Stress
As this is the time papers are due and exam study begins I wanted to find a good definition of stress...but the best (first) definition I could find was this non-definition:
Since there isn't an agreed upon definition I can make one up myself that will have as much merit as well established ideas, right? Right: this is how academia works.
From the past few weeks I've found in addition to the general feeling of pressure to perform, Academic Stress can be caused by a lack in confidence in your ability to do something demanded of you. In this respect going through University, particularly upper year courses (Frosh: Don't complain now, it only gets harder) increases not only your ability to deal with stress but also lowers it because (,assuming you complete the assignments and eventually graduate) it increases the amount and quality of work you are confident in your ability to complete. This assumes it eventually work stops increasing faster than your perceived ability level.
That thought aside, aside, it really feels good to turn in a paper to have it done with. There's always something else to work on but sometimes you need a break in order to have the mental focus to work effectively on whatever is next. For now here's a song you might enjoy (or might hate me for posting, depending on when your next assignment is due and how much of it you've finished) by Hey Rosetta! (which played in Sackville last year) that I find very fitting for the moment you click send or let go of your paper:
If you were to ask a dozen people to define stress, or explain what causes stress for them, or how stress affects them, you would likely get 12 different answers to each of these requests. The reason for this is that there is no definition of stress that everyone agrees on, what is stressful for one person may be pleasurable or have little effect on others and we all react to stress differently.
Since there isn't an agreed upon definition I can make one up myself that will have as much merit as well established ideas, right? Right: this is how academia works.
From the past few weeks I've found in addition to the general feeling of pressure to perform, Academic Stress can be caused by a lack in confidence in your ability to do something demanded of you. In this respect going through University, particularly upper year courses (Frosh: Don't complain now, it only gets harder) increases not only your ability to deal with stress but also lowers it because (,assuming you complete the assignments and eventually graduate) it increases the amount and quality of work you are confident in your ability to complete. This assumes it eventually work stops increasing faster than your perceived ability level.
That thought aside, aside, it really feels good to turn in a paper to have it done with. There's always something else to work on but sometimes you need a break in order to have the mental focus to work effectively on whatever is next. For now here's a song you might enjoy (or might hate me for posting, depending on when your next assignment is due and how much of it you've finished) by Hey Rosetta! (which played in Sackville last year) that I find very fitting for the moment you click send or let go of your paper:
Mount Allison Students' Administrative Council (SAC) Newsletter (Honorary Degree Process and Student Health Insurance)
If you haven't seen it yet Mount Allison's Students' Administrative Council (SAC) their first Quarterly Newsletter, the Union Quarterly. In in, SAC President Samuel Gregg-Wallace outlined some of the key issues and initiatives for the SAC this year.
These include: The awarding of the first ever SAC Excellence in Teaching Award to Geography Professor Dr. Michael Fox. He also mentions his role as the President of the New Brunswick Student Alliance wherein his priorities are "establishing a multi-year funding agreement with universities to ensure stable tuition prices, eliminating interest on student loans, and expand the Timely Completion Benefit."
The four page newsletter includes sections on the process of awarding honorary degrees. SAC Vice President Vice President Nathan Walker writes about the controversy and what the SAC has done improve the degree granting process.
Following the controversy surrounding the awarding of an honorary degree to Heather Reisman at May’s Convocation ceremony, the SAC recognized the need for a close reevaluation of the role honorary degrees play at our university and the procedure by which they are awarded. In this particular instance, Ms. Reisman, CEO of Indigo Books and Music, was honored with a degree in recognition of her corporate success. At issue with some of the university’s faculty and students were her ties to the Heseg Foundation, which provides financial support for Israel’s “lone soldiers” – members of the Israeli Defense Forces who have no family ties to the country but wish to settle there.
While the SAC did not take a stance on the awarding of Ms. Reisman’s degree, the need for a discussion of the current honorary degrees policy was apparent. Subsequently, the SAC Executive Committee, Academic Affairs Committee, and the Students’ Administrative Council as a whole have undertaken a review of the principles and procedures surrounding these degrees and made a series of recommendations to Dr. Robert Campbell, University President and Chair of Senate.
After careful consideration, we felt that the current criteria and rationale for the awarding of honorary degrees are appropriate, provided they are followed. These criteria are best summarized by assertion that “when granting an honorary degree, we are projecting our values and vision to our community.” However, the current procedures seemed to lack transparency and do not facilitate informed, engaged decision making by members of senate, and therefore need to be addressed. To this end, the SAC President, Vice-President Academic, and Student Senators submitted a number of proposed procedural changes to the members of Senate, including a request that information on proposed honorary degree recipients be distributed to Senators with enough time to conduct research and contemplate the university values each candidate reflects. Additionally, we requested a list of candidates previously approved by senate but on whom a degree had not yet been conferred, to ensure that the candidate continued to embody the university’s ideals.
At the recent November 18th Senate meeting, Dr. Campbell announced that these proposed changes, in addition to others put forward in our letter, would be implemented in the upcoming deliberation of honorary degree candidates in December. We are gratified to be working towards an improved process and look forward to further engagement with the university community in the near future. For more information about honorary degrees or the SAC’s letter to Senate, please contact Nathan Walker, Vice-President Academic at sacacademic@mta.ca
This article still leaves many questions unanswered, particularly because, to date almost none of the details have been made public and all discussions, it seems, have been behind closed doors. It is unclear exactly how having a list of preapproved honorary degree candidates provided to the SAC can "ensure that the candidate continued to embody the university’s ideals." Is it supposed to imply that the SAC will have a say in who receives degrees. Will the SAC also be provided with names of future possible degree recipients. Will student opinion be taken into account besides the one student (out of eleven members) on the Honorary Degrees Committee? How is that student chosen? The webpage about Honorary Degrees is unclear about how the Committee functions and whether a majority vote is needed in order to provide the Senate with a select list of acceptable recipients. This makes it very unclear if the new recommendations will increase transparency as the SAC hopes.
However, in a situation like this it is quite possibly it is in the best interest of the University that the procedures and deliberations of the Committee and Senate are not made public and that transparency is not always necessary or appropriate. The ultimate recipients are important for the future of the University in terms of providing it with increased national recognition (Peter Mansbridge, 1999) and other positive benefits, and I believe that we ought to put enough faith in our representatives (or in case of students, representative) that they will make appropriate decisions on our behalf. However I, and undoubtedly those who opposed awarding Heather Reisman a degree hope that in fact the implementation of the new recommendations will allow for more informed decisions in the future.
Another piece of note is by Vice President Campus Life, noting that, what do you know, yes, a large majority of student 66.5% and 64.5%, respectively) do want mandatory, opt-out extended health and dental insurance. The plan is to have health and dental insurance for all students by September 2011.
Here is the newsletter (archived from the SAC website.
Mount Allison University Students' Administrative Council's Union Quarterly
November 7, 2010
Odd things that are still on the internet...
So a while back I did the whole "Google yourself" thing and came up with very little that was actually me.. unfortunately I'm not a character in the Australian TV show Home and Away. But after looking for specific locations it is pretty surprising that you can find things from say, grade ten. It kind of supports the idea that anyone born after me would have their whole lives documented online. Anyway here's a couple cool things I found back from my time in Squamish, BC.
Here's a story that a new reporter for the Chief, a weekly Squamish Newspaper, wrote about the Squamish Film Festival. There's a pretty cool picture they put in the print version...I'll have to scan and post it later.
Amnesty International Film Festival Squamish, BC April 12-14, 2007
A newsletter with a notice about how the Amensty International Film Festival I helped organize and my trip to the RCMP Youth Academy at Camp Stillwood... in Lindell Beach, BC which is 30 minutes from Chilliwack, BC which is in the middle of nowhere, BC.
It's still online as well but oddly it is at "www.hss.bc.ca/news/newsletters/HSS%20Jan.%2022,%202007.pdf"
Seriously...you can't open it directly but search for it on google and click "Quick View".
Howe Sound Secondary January 22 2007 Newsletter
and while I'm posting things from Scribd here's some more:
A letter of recommendation from CARS BC, a nonprofit road safety organization ...which unfortunately ran out of funding...but its projects were taken up by ICBC (Insurance Corporation of British Columbia...think the DMV...except not five hour lines)
Counter Attack and Road Safety (CARS) Society of BC Letter of Recommendation
Youth Counter Attack and Road Sense Society (CARS BC) Letter to Stakeholders Jan. 24 2007
Here's a story that a new reporter for the Chief, a weekly Squamish Newspaper, wrote about the Squamish Film Festival. There's a pretty cool picture they put in the print version...I'll have to scan and post it later.
Amnesty International Film Festival Squamish, BC April 12-14, 2007
A newsletter with a notice about how the Amensty International Film Festival I helped organize and my trip to the RCMP Youth Academy at Camp Stillwood... in Lindell Beach, BC which is 30 minutes from Chilliwack, BC which is in the middle of nowhere, BC.
It's still online as well but oddly it is at "www.hss.bc.ca/news/newsletters/HSS%20Jan.%2022,%202007.pdf"
Seriously...you can't open it directly but search for it on google and click "Quick View".
Howe Sound Secondary January 22 2007 Newsletter
and while I'm posting things from Scribd here's some more:
A letter of recommendation from CARS BC, a nonprofit road safety organization ...which unfortunately ran out of funding...but its projects were taken up by ICBC (Insurance Corporation of British Columbia...think the DMV...except not five hour lines)
Counter Attack and Road Safety (CARS) Society of BC Letter of Recommendation
Youth Counter Attack and Road Sense Society (CARS BC) Letter to Stakeholders Jan. 24 2007
October 20, 2010
Third Year Workload
I'm aware that I've been posting very infrequently compared to last year and especially first year. This is because third year makes people into actual students. I've got a lot more work in one class this year than I did for more or less all five classes first semester. Before the end of the next month I've got 18 page paper on (possibly) Neo-mercantilist vs. Neo-gramscian perspectives on international development, a 30 page paper on cultural and political integration in the European Union, a 15 page paper on the impact of U.S. foreign policy past and present in Sudan, and a 20 page paper on Revolutionary Terror and the legacy of the French Revolution.
So with 83 pages to write in just over five weeks...I won't be writing on here as often as I have in the past. However, in the midst of those essays I will write the promised posts about looking at Grad school, peace corps, and American/Canadian...ness.
Until then I'll leave you with this thought:
So with 83 pages to write in just over five weeks...I won't be writing on here as often as I have in the past. However, in the midst of those essays I will write the promised posts about looking at Grad school, peace corps, and American/Canadian...ness.
Until then I'll leave you with this thought:
One of the symptoms of an approaching nervous breakdown is the belief that one's work is terribly important.-Bertrand Russell
October 11, 2010
Mount Allison University Branding Campaign
As I mentioned in an earlier post I participated in a student focus group as part of a new branding campaign led by Mount Allison's director of marketing and communications Tony Frost. For two hours I sat with a few other American students and we talked about...well...what you'd expect at a focus group: When we first heard of Mount Allison, what we first thought of it, what other schools we looked at, what the admissions process was like, what factored into the decision to come here, discussing a photo we chose that symbolized Mount Allison for us, choosing from a list of positive school attributes which most matched Mount Allison, and then critiquing other schools' (Atlantic Canadian, Ontario, and small liberal arts school in the eastern US) brochures. Hopefully all the information they gathered will be put to good use.
I'm generally supportive because I think Mount Allison deserves a lot more attention than it has gotten...especially (as I have noted a few times already) in US news about Canadian universities. Mount Allison is on par academically with a lot of $40,000+/year schools in the US but is virtually unknown outside of Canada and that's really unfortunate because a lot of people are going to not so great state schools when they get a much better education at Mount Allison for not much more.
The only thing is that I'm concerned that in the strive to get noticed what's special about Mount Allison might be lost...especially if student enrollment continues to increase without an appropriate increase in services and quality residence accommodations. That can be seen in the website redesign that I've previously mentioned. The new website is more of the 'popular' and presentable kind but it is obviously more commercial and directed to parents of new prospective students with half of the screen decicated to a campus beat which is news stories about Mount Allison and press releases by the school. I think this xkcd comic might express it best.
Besides those small concerns I think it's a great idea and it's even better that it is all being funded by a Mount A alum. Here are the details:
I'm generally supportive because I think Mount Allison deserves a lot more attention than it has gotten...especially (as I have noted a few times already) in US news about Canadian universities. Mount Allison is on par academically with a lot of $40,000+/year schools in the US but is virtually unknown outside of Canada and that's really unfortunate because a lot of people are going to not so great state schools when they get a much better education at Mount Allison for not much more.
The only thing is that I'm concerned that in the strive to get noticed what's special about Mount Allison might be lost...especially if student enrollment continues to increase without an appropriate increase in services and quality residence accommodations. That can be seen in the website redesign that I've previously mentioned. The new website is more of the 'popular' and presentable kind but it is obviously more commercial and directed to parents of new prospective students with half of the screen decicated to a campus beat which is news stories about Mount Allison and press releases by the school. I think this xkcd comic might express it best.
Besides those small concerns I think it's a great idea and it's even better that it is all being funded by a Mount A alum. Here are the details:
The Mount Allison Brand
- Mount Allison University has set itself an audacious goal: to be considered one of North America’s best undergraduate universities.
To help achieve this objective, the University has begun a brand positioning project that will help define that which differentiates us from our peers and competitors. This initiative will enable us to articulate our vision, values, stories, and unique attributes in clear and intentional ways.
This site is intended to keep the University community apprised of the project’s status and contain links to any and all information related to the Mount Allison brand. I would invite you to visit the site regularly to stay up-to-date with this exciting and important initiative. - Tony Frost
Director of Marketing and Communications
The Mount Allison Brand
- About Brand Positioning Programs
A brand positioning program (“branding” for short) involves the discovery and consistent presentation of verifiable strengths and attributes that make an organization unique to its competitors. While such programs are most often associated with the private sector, they are becoming much more prevalent in the post-secondary education sector. The reason for this is the recognition that they can be a strategic driver for sustained institutional success.
In Canada such programs have been completed or are underway at UBC, Wilfrid Laurier, Guelph, York, Saskatchewan, Ottawa, and Carleton. In each case, their goals were the same: Identify that which makes them unique and leverage it to create greater awareness and brand preference.
As with other universities, Mount Allison communicates with many audiences (prospective and current students, faculty, alumni, donors, businesses, the media, etc.) and for a variety of reasons. However, when looked at collectively, they vary significantly in terms of their look, voice, and messaging. Some even conflict. While our audiences all have different needs they should be engaged with in a consistent manner that strengthens our identity and reinforces our competitive advantages. In this way, all of our interactions with our constituents become what may be called “reputation-defining” opportunities focused on achieving the University’s strategic plans.
Mount Allison’s brand positioning project has been structured as three phases, each building on and informing the next: (1) reputational research; (2) brand strategy; and (3) creative design. In order to create a sustainable marketing and communications program, measurable performance indicators will be developed. As well, the process will include a review of communications needs, tactics, structures, resources, and training for the University community.
To ensure that the results meet the needs of our community and accurately reflect the University, the project will gather a significant amount of input from students, faculty, staff, alumni, and key external audiences. As well, a Brand Council, made up of representatives from across the University, will be directly involved to provide insight and review of the project’s deliverables.
The Mount Allison Brand
- Current Student Focus Groups
GROUP Date Time Composition 1 Monday, Sept 20th 4-6pm 1st year students from Atlantic region
Mix of program areas including NB Francophone students2 Monday, Sept 20th 6-8pm Upper year students from Atlantic region (2nd-4th year)
Mix of program areas including NB Francophone students3 Tuesday, Sept 21st 4-6pm International (non-US), mix of years
Mix of states
Mix of private/public/ IB program4 Tuesday, Sept 21st 6-8pm Other Canada (non-Maritime) mix of years
Mix of countries
Mix of private/public/IB program5 Tuesday, Sept 21st 8-10pm US, mix of years
Mix of provinces
Mix of private/public/IB program - High School Student Focus Groups
6 Wednesday, Sept 22nd 5:30-7:30pm
and
7:30-9:30pmGrade 12 students
Halifax, NS7 Thursday,
Sept 23rd5:30-7:30pm
and
7:30- 9:30pmGrade 12 students
Oakville, ON
The Mount Allison Brand
- Q: Why are we doing this?
A: Currently, much of the University’s communication efforts differ in terms of their look, feel and voice, and conflict in terms of their message. Additionally, many are out of alignment with the institution’s strategic goals. This project will help the entire community understand what the Mount Allison brand stands for and ensure key audiences receive a clear and consistent brand experience.
Additionally, the University is facing growing pressure due to regional, national and global competition in the PSE sector, a declining Atlantic Region population, and increased student mobility (students could go anywhere, so why here)? The University must position itself for long-term success and strategic branding initiatives are a key driver for this.
Q: Is this about developing a news logo and tagline?
A: No, logos and taglines are expressions of a brand. A brand is the sum total of all that is known, thought, felt and perceived about an organization. Other expressions of a brand include:
- The actual product
- Advertising/promotional activities
- A Name
- A package
- Corporate colours
Q: Who is leading the brand position project and how will decisions be made?
A: The Marketing and Communications Office is leading the brand position project with the assistance of an external firm: The Strategic Counsel. The program also involves a University committee called the Brand Council, which is made up of internal and external representatives. We have attempted to include individuals who will provide a diversity of perspectives, allowing those with marketing and branding expertise to partner with those who have a good understanding of the institution’s history and culture. - Q: What is the Mount Allison Brand Council and how does it work?A: The Brand Council was formed to ensure that a wide University perspective was given to the brand position project. When the project is complete, the Brand Council will continue to meet regularly to plan, promote, support, and facilitate brand- related decisions for Mount Allison University.
- Q: Who is on the Brand Council?
A: Dr. Jeff Ollerhead, Dean of Science
Dr. Andrew Nurse, Canadian Studies
Dr. Rosemary Pollegato, Commerce
Samuel J. Gregg-Wallace, SAC president
Gayle Churchill, Director of Student Life
Chris Parker, Registrar
Tony Frost, Director of Marketing and Communications
Mark Fraser, Alumni - Q: Will the University community be involved in the branding position program?
A: Yes. There will be many opportunities for the Mount Allison community to participate in the process by providing input and feedback.
Q: Will the University’s visual identity change?
A: The last phase of the project will involve creative design, which will include a review and development of the University’s visual identity. How much it will change will be based on the first phase of the program which is a survey on how the University is perceived by key audiences — students (prospective and current), faculty, alumni, and opinion leaders. We will also research our strengths and areas of differentiation. From that research a brand strategy will be developed that will guide the look, voice and messaging of the University’s identity.
Q: What is Mount Allison University’s strategic purpose?
A: The Mount Allison’s broad strategic objective is to position it as among the best primarily undergraduate universities in North America. We want to be known for academic and program excellence, and be identified as a distinctive and top quality university in a number of concrete areas and ways. Our aim is to be the destination place for lively, imaginative, creative and talented students, faculty, and staff, and for our alumni to characterize it this way after they graduate.
Our mission is to work together to make the Mount Allison experience a unique and creative one, which integrates an excellent academic program with compelling and lively extracurricular activities, in a series of communities that students establish amongst themselves and with faculty, staff, and the local community. There is no one single Mount Allison experience but, rather, a series of rich and compelling experiences, opportunities, and possibilities that reflect students’ interests, decisions, and choices.
The Mount Allison experience is more than a degree: it is a stepping-stone to a larger world, whether to further graduate or professional studies or employment. This experience aims to help students — and faculty and staff — to develop their capacities and their potential as fully and widely as possible, from the intellectual and the social, to the physical and the creative, so when they leave Mount Allison they have the personal capacity to make a successful, meaningful intervention into and contribution to their society and the world.
Q: What will the project deliverables be?
A: Deliverables are to include:
- Comprehensive, written and public summary of the research findings;
- Strategic assessment and recommendations for brand opportunity areas;
- Strategies for maintaining, monitoring, and measuring success of the branding process;
- Brand strategy composed of a brand definition, positioning statement, brand promise and articulation of distinct brand personality and attributes;
- Messaging platform identifying specific positioning statements, messages and functional/emotional benefits for key audiences;
- Basic brand incorporation strategies for University entities with specialized messaging needs (e.g. faculties and departments);
- Marketing and communications plan
- Recommendations for resourcing/structure needs;
- Identification of key performance indicators;
- Brand guide;
- Graphic identity materials (e.g. logo, symbols, typography, key messages, colour palette;
- University stationery (letterhead, envelopes, business cards and labels);
- Masthead and page design for the University’s alumni magazine;
- Collateral materials such as exterior and interior signage, banner, clothing, advertising for magazine, poster, newspaper (brand, recruiting and classified);
A: The project is being financed completely off budget through the generous donation of a Mount Allison alumnus.
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Q: What agencies are working with Mount Allison on the brand position process? - A: The Strategic Counsel is developing qualitative and quantitative research to Identifies the core strengths, characteristics, attributes, and values that make up the University brand and set it apart from other institutions. They will also help to
Measures awareness, knowledge, perception, and favourability (brand preference) of Mount Allison.
Trajectory is working with the University to develop brand strategy.
Partners and Edell is performing a review of the Marketing and Communications function, structure, resources, and tactics.
Q: How long will the brand position project take?
A: The project is expected to be completed by winter of 2011. Once that is done, communication projects will begin using the new brand guidelines. However, one of the key outcomes of the project is the establishment of key performance indicators for ongoing brand management and measurement.
Q: I would like to provide feedback. Who should I contact?
A: Contact the University’s Marketing and Communications Office at 364-2345 or send an e-mail to:tfrost@mta.ca.
The Mount Allison Brand
Mount Allison University Brand Research/Strategy Request for Proposal
- I. INTRODUCTION
II. PURPOSE
III. SCOPE OF WORK
IV. RFP SCHEDULE AND DEADLINES
V. COMMUNICATIONS REGARDING THE RFP
VI. PROJECT BUDGET
VII. RFP BID FORMAT
VIII. PROPOSAL EVALUATION
I. INTRODUCTION
Mount Allison University has established itself as one of Canada’s top primarily undergraduate universities, but it is not as well known as many of its peers. In order to pursue its objective of being considered one of the very best undergraduate universities in North America, it must identify, articulate, and utilize the attributes that make it unique. - This request seeks proposals for research that is specifically designed to provide the requisite market intelligence and recommendations to drive the development of a brand strategy for the institution. Such research will help the University expand its reputation among business, government, media, and opinion leaders and support its objectives for attracting high-achieving faculty and students, fundraising, alumni engagement, as well as fostering community support.
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II. PURPOSE
This project may comprise two phases. Phase one is split up into two components, each with their own set of deliverables. In the first phase, Mount Allison University will require the contracted firm to accomplish four objectives:
Identify brand strengths that provide strategic marketing advantages, and provide recommendations on how to use these advantages to enhance the Mount Allison brand and help the University reach its strategic goals. These goals include increasing donor support, attracting high-achieving students and faculty, enhancing the University’s reputation, and other goals already known or identified through the branding research process.
Establish a distinct brand message that will generate interest and excitement and position Mount Allison as one of the very best undergraduate universities in North America.
Provide guidance on how faculties, centres, and units can more effectively leverage the Mount Allison brand to reach their respective goals, while also strengthening the overall perceptions of the University’s brand.
Provide a launch plan for an immediate effort to spread the word about why Mount Allison is a desireable place to study, teach, and do research
The above objectives will be reached through a review of existing research and by conducting new research, both quantitative and qualitative. The successful firm will work closely with university leaders and Mount Allison’s Director of Marketing and Communications to produce final recommendations and a plan with milestones and outcomes that align with the University’s goals and expectations.
Measurable Outcomes:
Through the branding process, Mount Allison University intends to enhance its reputation, raise its visibility, and increase engagement among key audiences, all in measurable ways.
To achieve these goals, the University will pursue the following results:
- Clear articulation of the University’s unique position and brand identity in the Post Secondary Education marketplace among key audiences, all based on qualitative and quantitative research.
- Prospective students;
- Current students;
- Faculty and staff;
- Alumni;
- Donors;
- Business leaders;
- Guidance Counsellors;
- Government officials;
- Elected officials;
- The General public;
- Development of a well-defined brand position and supporting brand architecture that reflects the University’s mission and unique character and differentiates the University from its peers
- Strengthened brand preference for Mount Allison to increase actions such as:
- Successful recruitment and retention of high-achieving students, faculty, and staff;
- Financial support by alumni, parents and donors;
- Positive responses from students opinion leaders in reputation surveys;
- Increased involvement of alumni and friends in University activities and events;
- Increased awareness of Mount Allison University, its areas of strength and its contributions to society and the economy.
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III. SCOPE OF WORK
Phase IA: Research and Discovery
Description: The research and discovery phase is to provide an evaluation and assessment of current perceptions and recognition of the University through research with key audiences as listed above. This information will be combined with existing research to form a body of background research from which an informed and comprehensive approach to brand development can occur.
Components of the research and discovery proposal should include the following:
- On-campus meeting(s) with University personnel to discuss and define the University’s goals for marketing and communications;
- Review of current Marketing and Communications efforts;
- Analysis of existing University research;
- Competitive landscape analysis;
- Qualitative research, such as interviews with key internal or external constituents or in-person focus groups;
- Quantitative research to provide data for the brand position and a benchmark for future assessment;
- Compare and contrast Mount Allison’s marketing and communications efforts with those of two Universities seen as similar in type, two universities considered to employ branding best practices and three key competitors;
Deliverables: Deliverables should include but are not limited to the following:
- Comprehensive, written summary of the research findings, including an analysis of the data collected in each component of the research process and the implications of the findings for the institution’s brand position;
- Strategic assessment and recommendations for brand opportunity areas and key messages to be further explored and tested with great precision in Phase II;
- On-campus presentations to internal constituents outlining research findings and recommendations for messaging and branding;
- Recommend strategies for monitoring and measuring success of the branding process, and maintaining support for the branding process among internal constituents.
NOTE: All data, information, recommendations, and reports will become the property of Mount Allison University. Back to Top
Phase IB: Brand Positioning and Strategy
Description: The brand positioning and strategy phase should build on the research findings and recommendations completed in the research and discovery phase.
Components of a brand positioning and strategy proposal must include, but are not limited to, the following:
- A brand strategy for the university composed of a brand definition, positioning statement, brand promise and articulation of distinct brand personality and attributes;
- A complete messaging platform identifying specific positioning statements, messages and functional/emotional benefits for each key audience;
- Basic brand incorporation strategies for University entities with specialized messaging needs (e.g. faculties);
- Testing and validation of the brand strategy and key messages if needed;
- Development of marketing and communications plan to meet the short-term and long-term goals of the University. This is to include a plan for how the brand experience will be delivered to the internal audience (e.g. Launch event that creates excitement and awareness on campus and motivates internal community to be brand champions). It will also include a plan for how the brand will be deployed to the external audiences across a broad range of channels. This plan should include options for non-paid brand exposure-creative ways to promote and develop brand awareness, recognition and retention.
- Make written recommendations for the appropriate staffing needs for the plan that is created.
- Assist in the development of an acceptable budget and timeline to roll out the integrated marketing and branding plan over a period of time.
- Help determine the most effective organizational structure to deliver the plan and support its sustainability.
- Develop a metric of success guideline that measures the performance of each element of the integrated marketing and branding plan, recognizing that various components will have very individual metrics for measuring effectiveness and efficiency. All components should demonstrate a capacity to contribute to improvements made in the University’s image, awareness, reputation and support from the marketplace.
NOTE: All data, information, recommendations, reports will become the property of Mount Allison University.Back to Top
PHASE II
Description: Phase II involves the development of a wide range of creative materials. This implementation may be carried out with or without the assistance of a subcontracted firm, depending on the resources and expertise of the primary contractor. The bidding for this section is for all creative development and the work managing the implementation; it does not include any costs associated with media purchase or other means of implementation. The bidding firm must clearly state whether it would use subcontractors and, if so, under what circumstances.
Deliverables: Components of this phase should include, but are not limited to, the following:
- A document outlining the tested and recommended brand strategy and messaging platform;
- Development of a graphic identity standards manual for print and web;
- A suite of graphic identity materials (e.g. logo, symbols, typography, key messages, colour palette, tagline(s)). Electronic and original files, must be provided of all the graphic identity materials;
- University stationery (letterhead, envelopes, business cards and labels);
- Development of masthead and page design for the University’s alumni magazine;
- Collateral materials such as exterior and interior signage, banner, clothing, advertising for magazine, poster, newspaper (brand, recruiting and classified);
- On-campus presentations to internal constituents outlining recommendations for brand positioning and strategy as well as creative.
- Templates must be provided in electronic file format for Adobe inIndesign;
- Letterhead, stationery and labels should also be provided in Microsoft Word;
NOTE: All data, information, recommendations, reports, and creative development will become the property of Mount Allison University.
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IV. RFP SCHEDULE AND DEADLINES
- RFP Release Date: March 19, 2010
- Question and Answer Period Deadline: March 26, 2010, 2:00 PM ADT
- Question and Answer Addendum Posted: Week of March 29, 2010
- RFP Response Deadline: April 9, 2010 4:00 ADT
- Oral Presentations: If required, to be determined
V. COMMUNICATIONS REGARDING THE RFP
Proposers may make written inquiries concerning this RFP by mail, fax or e-mail to the
person below. All inquiries must be received by the Question and Answer Deadline above. Individual questions will not be answered directly to submitter. All questions submitted shall be responded to as an addendum to the RFP. The addendum will be e-mailed to each potential responder of record. The identity of the submitter of any particular question will not be disclosed.
Direct all questions to:
Dale Creelman, Purchasing Manager
Tel/Voice: (506) 364-2294 | Fax: (506) 364-2216 | Email: dcreelman@mta.ca
VI. PROJECT BUDGET
The project has a budget of $165,000 (including applicable taxes.)
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VII. RFP BID FORMAT
All proposers must submit RFP responses in the following format, responding to each item in the order presented. The University recommends responding in open text format directly below each question or numbered item, without changing any of the identifying headers or letters.
A. Executive Summary
Proposals are to include a two to three-page document that summarizes the firm’s relevant experience and expertise as it relates to comprehensive market research and brand positioning services.
B. Company Profile
Proposals should include relevant information about the firm and include an organizational chart, business model (e.g. services offered, even if outside the scope of this RFP), number of staff, their status (e.g. full-time, part-time, contract), and an overview (sufficiently detailed to be evaluated) of experience in strategic research management consulting in higher education.
C. Assumptions
State any assumptions that the firm has made that may affect this proposal. Assumptions may relate to issues not specifically mentioned. For example, assumptions related to implementation timing, involvement of Mount Allison personnel, or technological issues that were not specifically mentioned in the RFP document should be listed.
D. Project Approach and Detailed Project Plan
Describe the firm’s approach to projects and explain the methodology to this project based on the information provided in the RFP. Proposals must include a detailed project plan including work breakdown by major milestones and tasks as well as timing and the expected involvement of company personnel and University team members.
E. Proposed Team
Provide an overview (sufficiently detailed to be evaluated), resumes and introduction of the proposed team member(s), including their experience with similar projects in higher education organizations. The University reserves the right to make any changes to the contract should the consultant change the project team structure once the contract has been signed. As the strength and experience of the project team is a critical element of the project, the proposed team must be available for the duration of the engagement.
F. Project Fees
Provide a detailed budget for the project (please note the budget maximum in section VI of this document). Additional costs that are expected to be incurred during the project that are not part of the proposal must be identified along with an estimate for them.
G. Project References
Provide the names and full contact information of at least three references from other higher education institutions with whom you have worked on a similar project and who are willing to provide a reference for your company.
H. Additional Information
Firms are welcome to include any additional information considered essential to the proposal and not specifically requested in other sections. If there is no additional information to present, state in this section: “No additional information.”
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VIII. PROPOSAL EVALUATION
Mount Allison will evaluate all submissions and supporting data on the basis of the responses received using the following weighted system:
- Executive Summary (10%)
- Company introduction;
- Appropriate references.
- Qualifications (30%)
- Considerable direct expertise with similar projects;
- Appropriate staffing resources;
- Experience in higher education marketing and in branding complex; organizations with multiple sub-brands, and research driven positioning methodologies;
- Demonstrated ability to perform stated project at the highest level;
- Degree of involvement of senior partner with this project.
- Functional Approach (25%)
- Proposed methodology;
- Proposed schedule;
- Ability to meet project requirements
- Project Cost (35%)
- Cost of services with details as to the method and basis of compensation;
- Breakdown of overall cost.
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Robert M. Campbell, Ph.D
President and Vice-Chancellor
Research, branding, and design for our future
I am writing to inform you of an exciting project that I hope will strengthen Mount Allison’s ambition to be recognized as one of North America’s best undergraduate universities. This reputational exercise will help us reach our goal of being a sustainable, high quality university.
Mount Allison has clearly distinguished itself in Canada as an exceptional, top-tier undergraduate university. To maintain and extend this position and our reputation presents us with a challenge. There are many exceptional undergraduate institutions in North America. To achieve our goal – to build this enlarged reputation – will require that we extend our reach to audiences that may not have heard of Mount Allison, nor appreciate our sterling reputation.
We are all aware that competition for the best students and faculty continues to grow and intensify, particularly given the demographic decline in the Atlantic region. So, it becomes ever more important that our vision, values, stories, and unique attributes be communicated in powerful and intentional ways, if we are to position ourselves for long-term success.
To this end, the University has engaged in a brand positioning project that will help us to define and articulate that which differentiates us from our peers and our competitors. For this exercise to be a success, it must reflect the true heart, soul, and reality of Mount Allison through the engagement of all those who comprise our community and its experiences. Marketing is no longer an activity that is solely generated by a Marketing and Communications Office. Clever designs and compelling words and phrases may not accurately reflect the underlying reality of our University – and these would actually work to negative effect.
For this project to be effective, we must tap into and celebrate the real, verifiable competitive advantages and values that define Mount Allison and make sure that they are directly connected to the University’s mission. In this way, marketing and communications becomes a strategic, instrumental driver as we pursue our institutional plans.
The project will be led by the Marketing and Communications Office, who will be assisted by a firm with deep experience in our sector: The Strategic Counsel. Well known for their work on The Globe and Mail’s annual University Report Card, we are most fortunate to have them involved in this initiative. I should note that this project will be financed entirely ‘off-budget’ by an external contribution to the University through the JUMP campaign.
This is an exciting time for Mount Allison University. As a reputational and academic leader in Canada, we are in an extraordinary position to realize our goal of achieving a reputation for being one of North America’s best undergraduate universities. Allow me to thank you in advance for your cooperation and involvement in this exciting project.
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