This note is more from the department or program perspective. How are students viewed, treated, and interacted with? There is a growing trend in the private sector called B Corporations (B standing for beneficial) where the focus is not all about the bottom line (whatever that means for the organization). “They are legally required to consider the impact of their decisions on their workers, customers, suppliers, community, and the environment.” (bcorporation.net). The themes are about equity, building credibility, trust and value.

We have taught a variety of courses over the decades and one is quality management to senior students. If one takes the B-Corp and quality perspective, what can that inform us about what to do when, and how to do it when it comes to the student and teaching component of our profession?

Some observations...

• Things are not left to chance or to the view that ‘people will do the right things, that they know how to do their job, they do not need to be told, or given structured instructions for how to do their job’.
• Some structure and consistency needs to be systemized to ensure a minimum level of quality. Without a formal structure and standards, sustained, consistent high quality rarely, if ever occurs.
• Quality processes extend beyond the organization itself, at least to the point of knowing and understanding upstream and downstream elements.
• It is important to know and understand the incoming body of students and monitor their quality and potential changes over time. How are the skills and experiences evolving? What are the students capable of? What do they need to learn to be more effective and efficient learners at the post-secondary school level?
• It is also important to know and understand what the students do upon graduation, 2-3 years on, and 5 years out. What do they do? What have they used from the program? What is missing?
• Quality processes focus on the major entry and exit points – not all parts of the process are ‘equal’.
• The first term for a student is perhaps the most important term. It will establish expectations, the relationship, and will be used as the baseline for future terms. It is the term to deal with the heterogeneity of the incoming flow, stabilize the flux, and set the students up for success. In many situations, the first process of a flow has greater investment, the most skilled workers, has priority. If there is an introductory concept course for the program, it should be special and have as many resources possible to make it a ‘wow’ experience for the students.
• The last term in a program is probably the second most important term. It is the term for the department to gauge its immediate success and if the students have achieved the learning outcomes associated with the program. It is also the last time to show the students how much they matter to the department/programs and they should be given as much help as possible to demonstrate their mastery! This implies more support and resources than the preceding terms. If there is a capstone type course, it should not be viewed as any other normal course, it should be ‘special’ in all ways. The capstone course should also be a ‘wow’ experience for the students.
• Active listening and caring is important in a quality process.

• How often does the Program Director, Assoc. Chair, or Department Chair interact with the students? Multiple times each term with each class/cohort? Does the senior management team for the program make time when students ask to meet? Does the team reach out and initiate meetings?
• If they meet, are the students talked ‘at’, or talked ‘with’? Is the process talked about? Are things transparent?
• Do the students feel that the department cares about them? Understands them? This does not mean doing everything the students want or desire, but do they feel that they have a voice or potential to be an active part of the process they find themselves in?
• If there are student activities, is there an opportunity for faculty involvement or communication? Messaging and ‘relationship management’ cannot be accidental and ad hoc. It has to be consciously done. It should not be assumed that ‘the University has sent an email’, or that the ‘Faculty has sent an email’ is sufficient. What have you said? Sent? Do they know you exist? Do they know that you know that they exist? What they are doing? Empathy with success and failure?
• Do those involved stop and talk with the students in the halls? Snack areas? Visit the labs? Are they doing what it takes to create a strong, healthy relationship and bond? Is your program like Cheers? The mythical bar where everyone knows your name?
• The ‘how’ and the ‘what’.
• When doing process evaluations, the ‘how’ and the ‘what’ are considered. A quality process has both; a quality process that results in a quality product. It is possible to get a functional end product without a quality process. You might be happy or ok with the final service or item, but you were not happy with the process it took to get it or create it.
• When a student graduates from a program, are they happy with what they have ‘obtained’, its value, and its potential use as they go out into the work force? This is the what. This is often the focus of exit surveys and such.
• When a student graduates from a program, are they happy with the interaction with the faculty? Are they happy about how they were treated? Have they felt cared about? Have they felt that they were valued? As much as research is valued? As much as just getting bums-in-seats for $$$?

Further reading

• B Lab. (2021). Certified B Corporation. https://bcorporation.net/
• Effective Communication: Barriers and Strategies. Centre for Teaching Excellence, University of Waterloo. https://uwaterloo.ca/centre-for-teaching-excellence/teaching-resources/teaching-tips/communicating-students/telling/effective-communication-barriers-and-strategies