Introduction
(A) College Profile
Since its official launch in 1967, Mohawk College of Applied Arts and Technology has served the residents of the Golden Horseshoe region on the western shores of Lake Ontario. This rapidly growing and densely populated area includes the cities of Hamilton, Brantford and Burlington. In delivering quality academic programming, the College must address a diverse range of needs and issues. Hamilton and Brantford are industrial communities that have responded to recent economic challenges with a shift in focus to ‘high-tech’ manufacturing and health care. In Hamilton and Brantford, employment levels tend to fluctuate and educational levels are lower. There is also a strong aboriginal presence in these communities and they are a popular destination for immigrants. These demographics have influenced both the range of programs and the nature of student support the College provides. Working with other community partners, Mohawk launched an ambitious and highly successful Access Strategy to encourage participation in post-secondary education in communities at risk, and complemented the strategy with a suite of student success initiatives. The College Strategic Plan (0.1.01) champions 5 key Values that guide decision-making and define the college culture: Student Focus; Commitment to Excellence; Community Engagement; Inclusivity; and Accountability. This focus has realized very positive results. For the last three years, Mohawk College has been recognized as the # 1 College in the Greater Hamilton/Toronto Area in student satisfaction (0.1.02).
College services are primarily delivered at three campuses in Hamilton and Stoney Creek. Fennell, Mohawk’s main campus, is home to the Faculties of Business, Media and Entertainment, Human Services, Justice and Wellness Studies, Engineering Technology and Interdisciplinary Studies. In 2009, the College launched the Fennell Campus Renewal Project (0.1.03), the largest renovation in its history. This project, which is still ongoing, has as its foundation the College’s Strategic Priorities of Quality, Innovation and Sustainability. The goal of the multi-faceted renewal plan is to enhance services to students, ensure barrier-free access, increase wireless capacity, and foster a climate of learning excellence and student commitment.
The Mohawk-McMaster Institute for Applied Health Sciences (IAHS) is located at the McMaster Campus. IAHS combine colleges and university health sciences education and research under one roof. The IAHS is home to collaborative nursing and medical radiation sciences programs. In addition, Mohawk and McMaster University work together to offer the collaborative Bachelor of Technology program.
As well, Mohawk College is one of the largest delivery agents in Ontario of the in-school components of apprentice training. The Stoney Creek Campus (formerly the STARRT Institute), the hub of the College’s Apprenticeship and Skilled Trades training and the largest trades-based facility in the province, offers state-of-the art training in Automotive and Motive Power, Electrical, Industrial and Construction Trades.
Recently, Mohawk College significantly reduced its presence in Brantford , closing the Brant-Elgin Campus and re-locating Justice and Wellness and Graphic Arts programs to the Fennell Campus. Effective September 2014, the downtown Brantford campus will also be closed, and the remaining post-secondary Community Services programs will move to Fennell. However, Mohawk will continue to deliver academic upgrading and support community and education partners with School-College-Work initiatives, field placements and co-operative work terms. These decisions were difficult but well considered, motivated both by the need to address the financial sustainability of the College and to ensure access to a full range of services and supports for students from the Brantford community.
(B) College Offering
Currently, 12,500 students are enrolled in full-time, post-secondary study at Mohawk College. Students can choose from 103 full-time programs in Arts, Science and Communications; Business; Health; Engineering Technology; and Human Services. Credentials include certificate, diplomas, advanced diplomas and degrees. The 5,000 adult learners who pursue part-time learning opportunities can choose from more than 110 diploma and certificate programs, and hundreds of individual courses, with flexible study options that include traditional classroom study, on-line learning or a mix of both. Continuing education is a popular option at Mohawk, attracting 25,000 – 30,000 registrants annually (0.1.05).
In addition, the College welcomes over 400 new international students each year. Mohawk has also established partnerships with several educational institutions in China. The College has joint three-year diploma programs offered in partnership with Siyuan University, Nantong Shipping College, Wuhan Institute of Technology, and Changzhou Institute of Technology. Joint two-year diploma programs are offered in partnership with Shanxi Applied Technology College of Biology. A joint English training program is offered in partnership with Jienengsen (Shanghai) Education Centre (0.1.06).
Mohawk is a leader in skilled trades and the classroom portion of apprenticeship training. More than 4,500 students are enrolled in the 21 apprenticeship programs offered by the College. In addition to the program offerings at the Stoney Creek Campus referenced above, Mohawk also offers Child and Youth Worker, Child Development Practitioner, Developmental Service Worker, and motive power apprenticeship programs at the Fennell Campus.
Training outreach to the private sector is accomplished through Mohawk College Enterprise Corporation (MCE) (0.1.07). A number of partnerships have been established to address innovation and workplace skills development. Offerings include certificate programs, workshops and customized training in advanced manufacturing, computer applications, leadership training, and specialized skills training.
Mohawk works closely with McMaster University in arguably the strongest partnership in the province that involves joint development and delivery of three full-time four-year programs and four degree-completion programs (0.1.08). These include the Collaborative Nursing Degree, the Medical Radiation Sciences Advanced Diploma and Degree Program, Bachelor of Technology Degree Completion Program, and the Bachelor of Technology combined Degree/Diploma Program. Mohawk also has a partnership with the Ogwehoweh Skills Training Centre and Six Nations Polytechnic, and offers a number of programs dedicated to Aboriginal students.
(C) Impact of Unique Characteristics and Program Offerings on the College's Quality Assurance Processes:
In the College Strategic Plan, inclusivity is championed as one of the values that guide Mohawk College operations. Through the College Access Plan (0.1.09), Mohawk has introduced several successful outreach strategies to attract under-represented students and those who wouldn’t ordinarily consider post-secondary education. As a result, based on 2011/12 figures: post-secondary students with disabilities, who choose to identify themselves with Accessible Learning Services, account for 8.8% of the student population; First Generation Full-time students account for 37.8% of Mohawk’s enrolment; and 4.2% are Aboriginal students. Since nearly half of the student population is drawn from under-represented groups, Mohawk has given special consideration to academic supports including academic upgrading and program pathway options , corporate directions, and programming initiatives to reinforce these students’ opportunities for success. These initiatives are both indications of and contributors to the College’s commitment to high academic standards and a quality assurance framework that benefits all students enrolled at Mohawk.