Education

6 WINNIPEG FREE PRESS - WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2016 UNIVERSITY OF MANITOBA COMPLEMENTING THE CLASSROOM By Holli Moncrieff for the Free Press The growing importance of co-curricular records, or CCRs for short, is encouraging more university students to get involved in extracurricular activities. Cora Dupuis, director of student life at the University of Manitoba (U of M), explains that a CCR is a more complete picture of a student than a transcript alone, as it details each student's interests, volunteerism, non- academic awards and leadership activities. "Competing as a student athlete, volunteering at the campus radio (station) or school newspaper, participating on the university senate — co-curricular activities are an expected part of the full university student experience," she says. "We firmly believe that learning outside the classroom complements learning inside the classroom." Many employers agree. According to Kevin Oliver, student life co-ordinator at the U of M, a recent survey revealed that 80 per cent of employers accept a CCR at some point during the hiring process. "Employers welcome receiving a CCR in a hiring package. Just this past summer, a network of institutions with CCRs undertook a survey of employers and found that 71 per cent ranked (a CCR) as important or very important," he says. "It's also useful when students apply for awards and future education." At the U of M, CCRs are managed through the UMCommunityLINK portal, where students are able to view, download, print and edit their official record at any time. Students can print a free copy of their official CCR on security paper through Student Life. The CCRs capture learning and development and articulate each student's personal learning experience through the reflection portion that appears under the description of each activity. "Every time students participate in a recognized activity, a note is added to their CCR. It's great when a student is preparing a resumé or applying for a job. It summarizes the activities a student has participated in," Dupuis says. "Each year, more students are getting involved so more activities are recognized." Not every co-curricular activity will be recognized on a CCR. Only university-approved and facilitated activities that support student development are accepted. A committee of staff, faculty and students decides which activities apply. Currently, the U of M recognizes over 400 different activities. "Students who appreciate certificates and getting gold stars really appreciate the CCR. It's a big driver for some students to get involved," says Dupuis. "For others, it's collecting those experiences. A CCR helps students reflect upon their time at the university." Getting involved with co-curricular activities gives students an opportunity to meet like-minded people on campus and make new friends, she adds. "You're going to find a group of people you have something in common with. There are hundreds of options, so there's something for everyone." CCRs are not a new invention — Dupuis says a version of them has been around since the '70s. The modern version was developed in 2011. "Employees are looking for people who have great skills, and year after year, we're getting more students asking for their CCRs and accessing them. They can reach out to us and we can print them whenever they need them." The Student Life department also encourages students to get involved in a number of different ways. A student newsletter goes out every Wednesday that highlights different opportunities and activities. Posters are also used to publicize a variety of options. "Students are sharing their experiences on our webpage — we're shining a spotlight on them, and we have regular student takeovers of our Instagram account, which shows the students doing something cool," Dupuis says. "The CCR is for all students — graduate students and undergraduates." For more information on U of M student CCRs and how to access them, please visit their website at umanitoba. ca/faculties/graduate_studies/workshops/ccr.html. ❚ "We firmly believe that learning outside the classroom complements learning inside the classroom." U of M students work at orientation. University of Manitoba photos

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