Finding new ways to support

Photo of person using laptop — Student Affairs is working to offer their services remotely.

As students adapt to life away from campus, they may be looking for ways to feel connected to the Queen’s community, or they may need support. To meet these needs, many units in Student Affairs have begun to offer services that students can access remotely, no matter where they are.

“Students are quickly adapting to a new academic situation, and Student Affairs is doing everything it can to support them. We still have many services in place that they can rely on for help in a range of areas, including health, wellness, and academic support. Being away from campus doesn’t mean students are disconnected from Queen’s,” says Ann Tierney, Vice-Provost and Dean, Student Affairs.

Engaging students online

While many units within Student Affairs typically use in-person consultations, workshops, and activities to connect with students, they are now finding innovative ways to engage online. A number of groups that offered one-on-one appointments, like Career Services, Student Wellness Services, and Student Academic Success Services, are now offering appointments through online video conferencing platforms.

Other groups, like the Student Experience Office and Faith and Spiritual Life, are experimenting with ways to hold community-building activities online. Through services like Zoom, students will be able to gather to play trivia, share their experiences studying remotely, and generally stay connected to the Queen’s community.

“Everyone in Student Affairs has shown great creativity in thinking of ways to adapt the services we offer to an online environment. We will continue to experiment and innovate as we work to ensure that we’re meeting the needs of Queen’s students during this time,” says Tierney.