The main purpose of SOTA has remained consistent throughout the years, although its presence on campus has fluctuated. The main focus has been to provide a place where mature students can go to receive the help they need when transitioning to life as a student. This has come in many forms.

1985 saw a Daycare Fact Finding Program whose purpose was to assess daycare services on campus. At the time spaces were limited and costs were too high to really benefit students. This program also focused on the effects of needing childcare for evening study, the costs of placing children in private homes during daytime hours and the possibility of alternative daycare services.

During this point in SOTA’s history, the membership was very involved in the political scene. They presented briefs to different government sectors, such as the Liberal Task Force on Day Care, and the Coalition for Equality in Education Development. It also made presentations to the Council of the Students Union (now MUNSU).

In September 1986, SOTA held a three-day conference to focus on how support services on campus had to be revamped to meet the needs of the changing Memorial University student body. At the time more focus was needed in terms of daycare facilities as well as housing and other general issues.

The late 80s also saw the creation of a Mature Student Handbook. Happily this has been reworked into an online resource, with printed copies available in the centre as well as at the QE2 Library. The handbook contained information applicable to any first year student at MUN, but centred its attention on the concerns of mature students.

SOTA was involved in orientation for non-traditional students throughout the 80’s. Somewhere along the way SOTA lost its presence in Orientation, but regained its attendance in the new millennium. In 2004 SOTA is working with Student Affairs and Services to offer mature students an orientation focused towards their needs, specifically Mature Student Orientation.

The 90s saw many changes for the center. The location changed a few times, as well as the status of the group. In 1999 SOTA became a centre, it had grown past the title of society. Throughout this decade the membership participated in the Bowl For Millions, Students for Literacy Spelling Bee, as well as other community based activities.

With a start up fund of only 100 dollars, SOTA has made incredible progression. With the advancement from a society to centre status in 1999, SOTA has become part of the lives of many mature students, offering a wide range of services and social events. SOTA still continues to grow, keeping in mind the reason it exists, the people on campus who need the same services mature students have always required and will continue to require in the future. As they say, the more things change, the more they stay the same.

Thank you to the MUSE and the Gazette. Most of this information contained in the above article came from old articles found in a scrapbook in the centre.

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