University-Wide Meetings Keep the University Community Informed

So, how do you gather the student body and faculty together for special announcements and University updates when the medical school can’t schedule the auditorium for a campus meeting? At OUM, information is shared at University-Wide Meetings.

Held every three to four months each year, these meetings give all students the opportunity to gather for an update on University activities ranging from curriculum changes and new faculty introductions to fee updates, clinical placement site additions, and student resource/activity reports.

As an example, the October University-Wide Meeting, hosted by Associate Professor Nicolette McGuire, Associate Dean for Student Welfare, featured faculty members discussing new clinical sites under negotiation in New Zealand, the next Australia/New Zealand Student Conference & Graduation in May 2023, possible internship opportunities, and the establishment of the University tagline, “in pursuit of individual excellence.”

“Held via Zoom, students are able to see which of their classmates attend, as well as their Academic Advisors, or perhaps their course lecturers,” says Associate Dean McGuire. “A couple of weeks before each meeting, students are invited to submit questions for the Q & A session held during each meeting, but they also are able to ask a question in the chat box while the meeting is underway. We also record every University-Wide Meeting for those who are unable to attend live, and the meeting link is made available in the week following the event,” she says.

The OUM Student Association (OUMSA) typically shares a report on its current activities and upcoming meetings, as does each Regional Dean — Australia/New Zealand, North America, and Samoa & the Asia Pacific — along with the Chief Operating Officer on administrative matters and the Chief Information Officer on IT updates.

With its online culture, University-Wide Meetings are but one communications outlet which OUM uses to keep students, faculty, and staff informed. Others include Moodle Newsfeed announcements, group emails, social media messaging, the Student Information System (SIS), and the quarterly OUM Student Magazine.