Ask Me...

about students at Memorial

An information column provided by Student Development Office of Student Affairs and Services


(October 1998)

By Dr. Donna Hardy Cox
Director, Student Development
associate professor, Social Work

Memorial takes pride in the many services, programs, and facilities provided to support student learning.  We hear too often from faculty, staff and students, "I wish I knew..."  or "I don't know the answer." This column will help answer many questions about students and student life, and is designed to provide information that will be helpful in your day-to-day interactions with students. Ask Me builds on an annual information campaign sponsored by the Student Volunteer Bureau to encourage new students to ask questions about their new home —Memorial University.
The Ask Me column will also provide you with a forum to raise questions you may have received from students and receive a reply.  Members of the Student Development team will respond commonly asked questions. A prize will be awarded for the question featured in each issue.  Please forward questions to Suzanne Ryan at sryan@morgan.ucs.mun.ca or 737-2664.

A popular question addressed this year during the orientation program was:
Who are Memorial students? The following facts describe in a nutshell the general characteristics of Memorial University students:

•  Majority are females — almost 60 per cent
•  Approximately one-half of the students live outside of St. John's, Mount Pearl and CBS
•  Approximately one-half of the students receive student loans
•  Over 95 per cent of students are from Newfoundland
•  Over 50 countries are represented by international students
•  Approximately 10 per cent of students are graduate students
•  Over half of students are the first in their family to attend university
•  Seven per cent of undergraduates attend as part-time students
•  All are, bright, active and the future of our province.

Memorial University is a diverse community with a common goal:  to provide a high quality of education to every student.  The Ask Me column will help us to share information to achieve this goal.