News Articles
U of G at Top of the Class
Globe and Mail University Report Card gives high marks to Guelph
BY LORI BONA HUNT
The report card is out, and Guelph is a straight-A institu- tion when it comes to student satisfaction and quality, according to a national survey published last week by the Globe and Mail.
In the annual University Report Card, Guelph earned an A+ for having the most satisfied students — the only school among Canada’s small, medium and large universities to receive that mark. It also got an A+ for campus atmosphere and an A for overall quality of education.
The eighth annual survey was based on the opinions of 38,000 current undergraduate students across Canada. Letter grades were awarded in numerous categories and subcategories. Based on enrolment, universities fall into one of four divisions — large, medium, small or very small. Guelph is in the medium category.
“It’s gratifying that our students year after year reward us with top marks,” says president Alastair Summerlee. “It tells us that we are succeeding in our primary mission: providing our students with the most distinctive, engaging and satisfying learning experience possible. Simply put, students come first at Guelph, and this continues to distinguish us.”
In addition to overall quality of education and student satisfaction, U of G was ranked No. 1 in its division or tied for the top ranking in several key areas, including teaching, course availability, student services, food services, buildings and facilities, and campus technology.
New this year is the category “environmental commitment,” and Guelph received an A-minus, the highest grade awarded. U of G was one of only four schools in the country to earn that mark.
Guelph was also the subject of a separate news article published in the report card special issue. “A Quiet Campus Revolution” focuses on how Guelph is rethinking the way it teaches undergraduates.
Fourth-year B.Sc. student Nathan Lachowsky and fourth-year B.Comm. student Gavin Armstrong were interviewed and photographed for the story. It also quotes Summerlee and Prof. Maureen Mancuso, provost and vice-president (academic).
Simon Beck, editor of the special issue, also highlights Guelph’s efforts, saying the University has “embarked on a bold mission to reimagine the way it teaches undergraduates.”
Having U of G singled out for the quality of its undergraduate experience and efforts to rethink how it teaches is “immensely satisfying,” says Mancuso. “Our position as a leader is the result of careful academic planning, starting with our preparations for the double cohort and continuing today with integrated planning. But above all, it’s a testament to the quality and dedication of our faculty.”
In all, the University earned four A-pluses, nine A’s and 15 A-minuses on its report card.
U of G professors received A’s for subject knowledge, teaching quality and availability to students. The University also got top grades for academic reputation, quality of its teaching libraries, sense of community and personal safety, and tolerance for diverse opinions and ideas. It was also highly rated for its extracurricular activities, student services and helpfulness of staff.