The AVP, Students portfolio includes Student Life and Success, Brock Sports and Recreation, the Student Wellness and Accessibility Centre, and Student Affairs. These areas work cohesively with campus and community partners to shape the Brock student experience and support undergraduate and graduate student success.
In Student Affairs and Services, we are focused on supporting students’ development and growth- both within, and beyond, the walls of the classroom.
Our work is grounded in the literature that suggests student engagement is reflected in the amount of time and energy that postsecondary students dedicate to activities that are associated with their learning and development and what universities do to encourage and support student’s meaningful participation in these activities (Kuh, 2009).
We provide opportunities for all Brock students to be active and involved on campus and within our surrounding communities. We will help students get off on the right foot and will support students through challenging times that may arise. We will help to open their eyes to possibilities and guide students to get the most out of their university experience. We will help students to succeed in their academic endeavors and help them to build connections between what they learn in the classroom and the tremendous positive impact that they will have in the world.
Our hope is that because of these efforts, Brock students will grow as unique, community-minded leaders; and that, together with our students, Student Affairs and Services plays a key role in creating the many wonderful moments that shape an exceptional Brock student experience.
Brock Recreation
Brock Recreation provides innovative, engaging, high quality experiences in sport and recreation for the Brock University community and beyond.
- Intramural Programs: Over 65 leagues are offered for Brock students, involving over 7000 participants.
- Fitness and Aquatic Programming: Small group programs allow students to learn new skills, challenge themselves physically, gain a certification, and have fun while being active.
- Open Recreation: Students can be active in a non-structured way – working out at the Zone, using the track, swimming, basketball, volleyball, badminton, cricket, boccia, dance, soccer outdoors, etc.
- Sport Clubs: Student sport clubs are supported in their competitive seasons with facilities, travel, operations.
Brock Sports
Brock Sports provides 35 varsity sporting opportunities, on and off-campus, for student-athletes, competing at the highest university level, Ontario University Athletics and U SPORTS.
- Varsity Sports: Brock Sports operates under a student-centred, four pillar model of academic success, athletic excellence, leadership, and community engagement. Diverse, innovative, engaging, inclusive and high-quality university sport opportunities are provided for over 700 student-athletes. Teams have earned 86 provincial championships and 49 national championships to date.
- Brock Sports Performance: Provides expertise in testing, programming, and load monitoring for varsity student athletes to achieve high performance standards.
- Brock Sports Medicine: The Brock Sports Medicine clinic houses a multi-disciplinary team of experts who specialize in the assessment, rehabilitation and diagnostics of injuries sustained during athletic activities for varsity athletics.
- Student Leadership and Experiential Learning: Over 550 students are employed or volunteer each year in leadership, coaching, game day and instruction within Brock Sports and Recreation. Brock Sports offers over 100 experiential learning opportunities through athletic therapy and or sport performance positions with varsity teams.
- Facility Operations: Staff manage physical activity facilities and equipment used for academic classes, varsity sport, recreational programs, and aquatic programming. The Walker Sports Complex includes 3 gymnasia, a 15,000 sq ft Fitness Centre (the Zone), a 200 m Recreational track, a 50 m pool, 3 studios, and an indoor rowing centre. Outdoor facilities included three grass fields and one artificial turf, tennis courts, and an outdoor challenge course that has high and low elements with a rock-climbing wall. Daily usage of physical activity spaces through Brock Sports & Recreation is on average 5000 people per day.
Community Programs & Engagement
- Aquatics and community programs: Brock University provides swim lessons, competitive training and club swimming for all ages of participants from the community. Over 3000 community participants enroll in swim programs each year. Gymnasium based programs (Children’s Movement Program, SNAP, sport academy programs) are inclusive programs, modeled on the Physical Education program at Brock, and the Long-Term Athlete Development program.
- Camps: From sports and aquatics, to science, technology and dance, Brock camps provide a fun, learning opportunity for over 3000 youth each year. Led by enthusiastic, creative Brock students, we strive to have participants leave campus with an enthusiasm for learning in a fun way!
- School-based programming: Day and overnight programs for school groups involve over 8000 school children and youth each year. Leadership, technology, science, and physical activity programming follows Ontario school curriculum guidelines while exposing youth to the possibilities of higher education in a creative way.
- Brock Sports Performance: BSP Community provides training and testing for athletes from elite level teams, up-and-coming local athletes from the Greater Niagara Region as well as professional and National-level athletes from across the country. BSP Community employs 18 part time undergraduate and graduate students per year as performance coaches, employment with Ridley College, Wrestling Canada, Rowing Ontario, Niagara Rapids, Niagara North, Rugby Ontario, local football organizations.
- Community facility memberships: Community members are welcome to join the Walker Sports Complex. Work out in the Zone, swim in the pool, use the track and courts!
Student Affairs
The Student Affairs team supports students through by leading the Campus Assessment Response and Education (CARE) team and the Non-Academic Misconduct process. The goal of the CARE team is to connect students with the appropriate service(s) that addresses their unique situation while providing the student with support to enable a healthy and successful academic and personal future.
The Student Affairs team takes a restorative approach to administering the Student Code of Conduct. Violations of the Student Code of Conduct are managed through the non-academic misconduct process wherein education and safety are prioritized. At all times, Student Affairs is here to help and support students.
- Supporting students in distress and those with failing mental health,
- Adjudicating non-academic misconduct matters,
- Notary Public services,
- Decision maker, Brock Sexual Violence and Harassment Policy,
- Support off-campus student portfolio,
- Lead the accommodation and adjudication process toward COVID safety measures.
Student Life and Success
Student Life and Success is a dynamic department offering programming and services that support student success both academically and outside the classroom.
The core functions and areas of oversight include:
- Learning Services: supporting students with a broad range of academic challenges as they transition to and progress through their university life. Workshops and drop-in services are available throughout the year to help students with time management, note-taking, writing, math and science, exam preparation, tutoring and more.
- Student Engagement & Campus Involvement: providing students engagement opportunities to enhance their student experience and be active and engaged in co-curricular activities at Brock.
- Orientation & Transition: supporting students’ successful transition into university through the development and implementation of first year transition and orientation programs, such as BU101, LEAP, New Student Welcome and Academic Orientation, Welcome Weeks, and Frost Week.
- Leadership Development: supporting student skill development through a variety of programs, such as Brock Leads, Building Leaders, and our flagship professional development series Foundations in Leadership. We also support honours societies on-campus including the Brock Leaders’ Citizenship Society and the Golden Key International Honour Society.
- Community Engagement: providing local, domestic, and international co-curricular service-learning and volunteer initiatives for all students such as the Brock Cares Day of Service and Brock Cares Alternative Reading Week programs.
- Off-Campus Living & Neighborhood Relations: supporting students who are living off-campus, commuting, or considering living off-campus, and helping them to be responsible community members. We work with community partners to develop and enhance positive relationships with students and residents in the Niagara Region.
- Faith and Life: offering a wide variety of religious, spiritual, and secular supports and provide a safe and inclusive community space for all students, staff, and faculty that call Brock home.
Executive Director, Student Wellness and Accessibility Centre (SWAC)
Student Wellness and Accessibility Centre (SWAC)
SWAC is comprised of an integrated team of professionals providing confidential, student-centered health, wellness, and accessibility services. The staff facilitate and create equal opportunities so every student can flourish throughout their journey at Brock.
Core functions and areas of oversight include:
- Student Accessibility Services: Student Accessibility Services (SAS) facilitates academic accommodations and provides learning and assistive technology supports for students with medical, sensory, physical, mental health, and learning disabilities. SAS offers First Year Transition Support Programs to assist students with disabilities at various stages of the transition process. Working with students on an individual basis, we liaise with campus partners and faculty to provide awareness and advocacy on issues of inclusive education and services. The office also works within the University community to identify, address, and reduce barriers to accessibility.
- Student Health Services: Student health services are available to all registered Brock students, they need to have either an OHIP or UHIP health insurance. The health services are provided out of two key locations. The urgent care drop-in clinic is at the Heritage Plaza and the primary care clinic is at Harrison Hall. The primary care clinic is a multidisciplinary clinic that strives to meet students’ health needs including mental health while they are away from their home area. Working with students on individual basis the team uses the Ontario health equity framework to support health outcomes for each student and connect them to other service providers in the community.
- Personal Counselling: Personal Counselling services are offered as part of the ancillary fees that students pay annually. There are two counselling teams, one is an externally resourced team of 5 counsellors from LifeWorks on the 4th floor in ST (Schmon Tower) and the second is an in-house team of therapists that provide more long-term therapy and specialized programming via a physician referral. Working with students on an individual basis using a trauma informed lens the teams provide each student with the support needed to achieve their wellbeing goals and graduate successfully.
- The Student Health and Wellness HUB: The Student Health and Wellness HUB is a space for students to receive health education and information on various student health-related topics such as substance use, nutrition, sleep, sexual health, mental health, and wellness. A team of trained Peer Health Educators (PHE) who also provide peer-to-peer support drop-ins for the Brock community. The HUB also hosts various events such as free STI testing, naloxone training, mindfulness meditations, puppy room and mini massages.