Big Day in Aussie Land

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Well, today was a rather big day in Aussie land.

It started off with my tutorial this morning where I got my test back from 2 weeks ago. I actually did really well and am quite proud. I got a 95% which at home would be normal for a student to get but here is a bit of a rare occassion apparently because the shock in my tutor's voice was a bit odd for me. The class average was like in the 60's so I'm really quite proud...especially considering how flustered/frustrated I got when taking it...good to know I was able to re-gain calmness and do well on the test.

Then, I had my meeting with Tanya from Student Services here at Swinburne. It was quite an interesting exchange. I had emailed her questions beforehand and she said she was impressed with my questions and with the fact that I had sought her out to get information. What can I say, I'm a curious person? It was interesting to see the striking difference between the way things are done here and the way things are done at home. Even the very set-up of their office was so striking to me from the moment I arrived. I'm so used to just strolling in to see Dr. Beeny and sitting down in the chair in her office to chat. Well, here, I never even saw her office and don't even know if she had one of her own, or simply a cubicle of sorts. When I arrived on the floor, there was a reception desk with a phone and list of names/phone numbers. I dialled back to her and then she came out of the key-card only area. Then, we went outside where it was FREEZING and I was in short sleeves to talk and meet. It was so different and much less personal, I think.

Also, just in talking with her about the way things are structured, the aim of their work in student services, etc. Basically, they view themselves as just that- services. Dr. Beeny had warned me about that and gave me the reader's digest version of how the evolution of American student affairs has taken place. Their main area that is so successful is their Career and Employment area. To me, that is so strikingly different from home, where Student Activities, etc. are the major areas. Also, at the end she flat out asked me what the biggest difference I could see was and I said just that....that at home it seems to be much more student-learning/development centered and here it is more about what services can be offered for students and giving support that way. She even said that she knew that American Universities were much more focused on developing the leadership of students and they really do not focus on that at all. The main programs that they offer for students are very heavily based in Academics, which is cool in it's own right.

She told me about a couple of programs that they have centering around Academics and their networking with the different faculties of the uni that I thought were quite interesting. Their most successful one, she feels is the Academic Success Program. Which is basically a way for members of the academic faculty to contact student services about at-risk students, such as those failing a class or close to dropping out of the uni all together. These students are then forced to attend two workshops in like a 6 week period about time management, study skills, etc. to help them re-find the focus/motivation to be successful in their studies. I thought it was so interesting that this comes out of student services and such an interesting way of helping those students who are so close to being lost all together. A great form of retention, I felt.

Well, for those of you that could care less about Student Affairs, I will stop here. I guess that's why I'm choosing a career in it, because I find it so interesting. For those who are interested to know more, let me know and I'll be GLAD to share!

So, after that I went to my Wednesday night lecture/tutorial and we got our grade back on our presentation, we got the a Distinction+ which is basically the equivalent of a B+ in the US. So, I was pretty happy about that considering that I thougth we were going to do much worse.

And then...the other news of the day. I'm still weighing out how I feel about it at the moment. The exam schedule was released today. I have my first exam on Nov. 14 at 2 pm and my second one is Nov. 23 at 2 pm. For those of you that knew, you will know why this is semi-bad news...I was supposed to fly out on Nov. 23 at 1 pm. I was sure that I wouldn't be stuck with an exam on the last day of the exam period when I was only going to be having 2 finals. Well, just my luck- I have a final that day. So, I will be visiting the STA office down the street on Friday afternoon to get my flight changed. This is good news because it gives me more time to be here in Australia, maybe travel around a bit more locally and also a chance to get some work done on my research paper that is due for my online Bellarmine course when I get back. The bad part is that I was really hoping to be able to make it home for Turkey Day and see some of my friends that would be in the NKY for Turkey Day break...well, now that is most likely not going to work out as I will not be arriving home until Saturday or Sunday after the Thanksgiving...boo!

Well, that's it for now....until next time!
Cheers and Love!
Katie K

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