Indigenous Student Success

Athabasca University respectfully acknowledges that we live and work on the Traditional Lands of the Indigenous Peoples (First Nations, Inuit, Métis) of Canada.  We honour the ancestry, heritage, and gifts of the Indigenous Peoples and give thanks to them.

If you’re an Indigenous student looking for resources to help you reach your full potential at Athabasca, or if you’d simply like to talk, Indigenous Student Success Support, Ivy Lalonde, and Program Administrator for Nukskahtowin, Priscilla Campeau, are always available to you!

Ivy Lalonde – Indigenous Student Success Support

Contact: ivyl@athabascau.ca

Priscilla Campeau – Program Administrator, Nukskahtowin

Contact: pcampeau@athabascau.ca

You can also check out the Indigenous Circle at AUSU below:

https://www.ausu.org/governance/committees/indigenous-circle-at-ausu/

A Message from your President

Dr.  Alex Clark, President at Athabasca University, welcomed students new and old to a university experience “like no other.” His message of hope included anecdotes of his own struggles in education, from failing his first year of post-secondary to completing a PhD, and all the invaluable knowledge about himself he accumulated along the way.  He believes that for Athabasca students, “it doesn’t matter where you’ve been, it only matters where you dream to go.”

AUSU Services Tour

At AUSU, student advocacy is what they do best! If you have any questions, complaints, or inquiries, your Students’ Union is the place to go.  Here are just a few AUSU services to help enhance your experience at Athabasca:

Wayfinding – if you’re wondering where to find a particular service or have general questions about how things work here at Athabasca, reach-out to AUSU’s general email address: ausu@ausu.org.

News and Updates – stay informed about what’s going on at your university via bi-monthly newsletters and social media pages.

Virtual Food Assistance Program – sign up and enter into a randomized monthly draw.  When you’re selected, you’ll be given a gift certificate worth $100CAD to a grocery store in your area!

2SLGBTQIA+ Community Page – AUSU Pride events are open to all members and allies from the AU undergraduate community.  If you’re facing any issues or simply want to connect with others, there is also a discord open for anyone to join (https://discord.com/invite/wmVv5s4txy).

Peer Course Review Service – if you’re new to Athabasca, you can view peer course reviews and see what other students think about the course(s) you’re registered in! When you finish a course, you can also provide insight for other students who may take that course in the future.

Awards and Bursaries – the next round of awards are opening soon (October 1^st, 2024)! There are many awards and bursaries to choose from, including but not limited to, bursaries for new students, the 2SLGBTQIA+ Award, the AUSU Indigenous Student Award, Travel Bursaries, Computer Bursaries, etc.

To view the full list of AUSU services, explore the website at https://www.ausu.org/!

Tips for your AU Learning Journey

• Apply for funding early. If you’re applying for provincial student aid and have a course registration plan, you’re a funded student.  For full-time status, you will need to take 3-5 courses with the same start date and apply for financial assistance at least 2 months prior to starting.  You must apply for courses by the deadline on the website.  Once the term starts, you have 4 months to complete your course work and exams.  Part-time students can complete 1-3 courses with the same start date in a 6-month period.  You can register and pay for courses online.
• Create a study schedule. Optimize your time with an online education.  Embrace your creative side and dig-in to free-form learning but keep yourself on track with a study schedule.  Create a study space, use the ‘Pomodoro method’, and use a calendar app to stay on top of your studies.  For more info, click here: https://www.athabascau.ca/support-services/tutoring-learning-support/learning-tools/creating-a-study-schedule.html?ss360SearchTerm=study%20schedule.
• Ask for help. There are Academic Counsellors to help assist you with choosing a program, academic readiness (going from part-time to full-time, or vice versa), time management assistance, and career guidance and progression.  For Academic Counselling contact couselling@athabascau.ca.  If you’re looking for help with course selection and program planning, clarifying undergraduate requirements, transfer credit help, or program plans, contact Advising Services at advising@athabascau.ca.

Upcoming Events

For a list of upcoming AUSU events, browse and RSVP through this link: https://www.ausu.org/events/.

Mobile App

To get updates on what other students are up to and have access to University Information, Student Life, and the Student’s Union, download the mobile app: https://www.ausu.org/services/mobile-app/.

Quiz Time!

True or False: students can take both government aid funded and self-funded courses at the same time.

True – students can take both government funded and self-funded courses at the same time.

True or False: Counselling services can assist me with knowing whether part-time or full-time studies is right for me given the time I have in a day.

True – a counsellor can assist you in deciding which course load works best for your current schedule.

I wish to speak to someone regarding what program would be best for me.  Is this: a) Advising Services or b) Counselling Services

1. B) Counselling services – Counselling services can help students determine what program is best for them based on their career goals, experiences, etc.

True or False: If my provincial government knows about my accommodations, there is nothing else I need to do for Athabasca University.

False – Students need and are required to register with Accessibility Services at Athabasca University even though their provincial funding agency is aware of their accommodations.

At Athabasca University, if students are seeking connection and support, they have the option to: a) Speak to a counsellor, b) Get assistance from Care Path, c) Connect with other students, d) Find resources in their area, or e) All of the above.

1. E) All of the above – there are many places students can find connections and support!

True or False: students can borrow materials from the library’s physical collection.

True – contact Athabasca Library for more information on how to borrow materials, https://www.athabascau.ca/library/index.html.

Which one is correct: a) The Write Site can help with writing assignments and provide feedback prior to submission or b) All students can progress at their own pace

1. The Write Site can help with writing assignments and provide feedback prior to submission. https://www.athabascau.ca/write-site/index.html

Not all students can complete courses at their own pace.  Funded full-time students have 4 months to complete their coursework and funded part-time students have 6 months.

True or False: a student may be registered in courses provided from more than one faculty in both academic support models.

True – many students take an array of courses from other faculties.

True or False: Accessibility Services can assist students with accessibility related questions, even if they are not registered.

True – contact them with any questions regarding accessibility, https://www.athabascau.ca/support-services/accessibility-services/index.html.

Not only was it an enjoyable meet and greet, it also presented an opportunity to engage with our student representatives.  Jodi Campbell, the Executive Director of the AUSU, hosted the event, with help from his fellow council members – Olivia Shepherd: VP Community and Wellness; Diana Ramirez: VP Finance and Administration; Faustina Arsenault: AUSU Councillor; and Samantha Colvin: Social Media Coordinator.  Jodi and Olivia created trivia games, both a challenge and a nostalgic throw-back to “Summer Cruising Tunes” of the 80’s, 90’s, and 00’s.  Luckily, I was born in the 80’s, so I took first place in the first round, but was less lucky in the second – Olivia didn’t hold back, with questions like, “how much did the tree house in the 1995 movie Now and Then cost?” and “in the song “Summer Nights” from the movie Grease, how late did Sandy and Danny stay up?” (In case you’re curious, the answers are $129 and 10pm, respectively).  Winning bragging rights wasn’t the only reward of the night, several of us took home a $25.00 gift certificate from Amazon, and all who attended were able to claim free Athabasca swag.

By the end of the event, most of us were comfortable enough to unmute and chat with one another.  After some friendly competition, it was easy to fall into discourse about several topics, both personal and relating to our individual experiences with online learning at Athabasca.  Hearing the ‘why’ behind what drove others to choose this form of learning was gratifying and validating—especially when so much of what we do is isolating by nature.  It was also educational, as someone who has not taken an online exam yet, I learned useful tips and tricks about navigating the world of ProctorU vs.  in-person testing.

If you’re interested in connecting with fellow AU students, come to the Welcome Orientation by AUSU on September 5^th at 5:00pm MDT.  This event is for all students, new or returning, and will be a good opportunity to learn more about student services, ask any questions you may have, and meet members of the AUSU.

To RSVP to this, or any other upcoming events, go to https://www.ausu.org/events/

You can also download the Athabasca University Students app to get updates on what other students are up to and have access to the Student’s Union, University Information, and Student Life.