As a new academic year starts, and on behalf of our dedicated faculty and staff at UPEI, I extend a warm welcome to all new and returning students to UPEI. As a newcomer to the Island myself, I can understand a little of what our new students are experiencing as they gear up for a new set of courses. This can be both a stressful and exciting time. Rest assured that we will do everything in our power to make you feel at home and try to help you during those inevitable bumps along the road.
Based on preliminary estimates, you are not alone in your decision to attend UPEI. This is shaping up to be one the largest classes of incoming students we have ever had at UPEI, not only for undergraduates but also for international and graduate students.
People have many reasons for deciding to attend university. Some do so for the sheer pleasure of learning. Others want to be better prepared to find, or build on, a satisfying and rewarding career. Two recent studies speak to the economic value associated with obtaining a Bachelor’s degree. Using Census data from 1981 to 2006, a CD Howe Institute report http://www.cdhowe.org/pdf/ebrief_104.pdf suggested that male students who graduated in 2005 with a Bachelor’s degree were earning 45 per cent more than male high school graduates. Female Bachelor’s graduates earned, on average, 60 per cent more than female high school graduates. A recent report released by the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada confirms this finding http://www.aucc.ca/publications/auccpubs/value-of-a-degree/brochure_e.html. Their report also indicates that a holder of a university degree can expect to earn, on average, $1.3 million more over the course of their career than the average high school graduate. It has also been shown that university graduates volunteer more, live healthier lives, and engage to a greater degree in social and political activities.
Of course, the results of these various studies may not mean very much over the course of the next few months as you find yourself immersed in reading, writing your next essay, and studying for multiple mid-term exams. However, know that you are not alone. If you find yourself struggling, talk to your instructor, the staff at Student Services http://www.upei.ca/studentservices or the Webster Centre http://www.upei.ca/webstercentre and the students around you.
In the short time I have been here, I have been impressed with the sense of commitment that faculty and staff have to making this one of the best small universities in Canada. The achievements of our faculty and the dedication of our staff are unparalleled. Ultimately, that commitment means that we are here to make this experience one that you will cherish, regardless of your motivation for being here.
Jim Randall
Vice-President Academic
