Last reviewed by SCSR: January 2025, Matt Melnyk, Chair, OUInfo Editorial Board
Table of Contents
Mandate
As per the Standing Committee on Student Recruitment Terms of Reference (SCSR TOR), Article XII, Section 1, OUInfo is a bilingual website that provides information about university undergraduate programs, admission requirements, scholarships and additional resources designed primarily for Ontario high school students, parents and guidance counsellors. The university application service fee funds a portion of this publication. Information relevant to non-secondary school students may also be included in the website/publication.
OUInfo also incorporates data collection as a part of its interface. ‘Data Collection’ refers to the ability of various external interested parties to provide their contact information to institutions of interest as they navigate the OUInfo resources.
Initiative Lead
As per the SCSR TOR, Article II, Section 4j, The Ex Officio Member, Chair of the OUInfo Editorial Board (OUInfo-EB) serves as the chair of the Editorial Board that is responsible for the content of the Ontario Universities’ Info website, as referenced in Article XII.
Interested Parties
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| GCSR | The member institutions provide the mandate to the SCSR and are the first level of approval required for changes to the SCSR TOR. The GCSR reports to OURA. The OUInfo-EB includes a GCSR member-at-large. |
| SCSR | The Standing Committee is voted into their positions by the GCSR at the AGM and is responsible for overseeing and executing the collective initiatives stated in the TOR. The SCSR acts on behalf of the GCSR. |
| OUAC | The OUAC is an ex officio member of the SCSR that manages and controls the budget, production, management and marketing and communications related to OUInfo, and provides administrative support for the OUInfo-EB. |
| University Publication Contacts | All Ontario universities have representatives responsible for their institution’s content on OUInfo. They work directly with the OUAC on the production and development of OUInfo. |
| Guidance Community | The OUInfo-EB membership also includes 1-2 members from the Ontario School Counsellors’ Association (OSCA) so the guidance community’s needs and feedback can be taken into consideration during the production of OUInfo. Guidance counsellors are also consulted via a survey every few years for their feedback on OUInfo. |
| Prospective Students | On occasion, the OUAC, on behalf of the OUInfo-EB and the SCSR, will survey students on various aspects of OUInfo and their use of it to help guide the usability of the site. Ontario high school students represent the core user base of this website, though other prospective student audiences are also key interested parties. |
| OUCA | The OUInfo-EB includes an OUCA member. |
| OURA | The OUInfo-EB includes an OURA member. |
| Parents and Supporters | Parents and supporters of prospective students are also an important OUInfo audience. |
Associated Documents and Resources
Most OUInfo associated documents are housed on the GO2 Site hosted by the OUAC
- OUInfo Overview as part of the Recruitment Guide
- Additional pages that are updated by the universities through the OUInfo call for copy:
- University Contacts
- Extenuating Circumstances
- University Student Transition Resources
- Accessibility for Students
- Equity, Diversity and Inclusion information
- Indigenous Student Resources
- Budget document – Kept at the OUAC, shared at OUInfo-EB meetings
- OUInfo-EB meeting documents and ongoing reports and updates
- OUInfo key deadlines – peppered throughout the Recruitment Calendar
- OUInfo website
- OUInfo postcard and OUInfo Map Poster PDFs – available under OUAC Publications
Strategic Considerations for Review
| Consideration | Consultation/Action | Target Deadline |
|---|---|---|
| Budget Process Review: Consider the financial impact of each decision and the 3-5 year plan for OUInfo, and receive approval for changes that will have budgetary impacts – in particular, the cost of redesigning the website and associated rebrand/advertising costs. | OUAC Budget and Advisory Committee meetings take place twice a year; OUAC’s fiscal year is July 1-June 30; OUAC Communications and Events Department submits budget in December | Annual OUInfo-EB meeting in November |
| Addition of 105 Information on OUInfo | OUAC, universities (all levels), GCSR, OUInfo-EB, etc. | TBD (Future) |
| Joining of OUInfo With the OUAC Undergraduate Application | OUAC, universities (all levels), GCSR, OUInfo-EB, etc. | TBD (Future) |
| Website maintenance and improvement | Ongoing maintenance and review to ensure the website meets the needs of its users. | Ongoing |
| Website redesign: The current content management system platform is becoming obsolete. We distributed a Request for Proposal in early 2025 for a new design and system and intend to launch the new website August 2026. | OUAC, universities (all levels), GCSR, OUInfo-EB, etc. | Cycle 2027 |
Appendix – Completed Improvements
| Improvement | Consultation | Date Completed |
|---|---|---|
| Advertising Review | Discuss with OUInfo-EB (November 2018 meeting); Discuss with collective and develop plan (December 2018); Committee to review and recommend | Spring 2019 |
| OUInfo Rename and Website Refresh | OUAC to present suggestions for GCSR to decide (August 2018); Discuss communications plan, advertisement redesign, general website refresh ideas with OUInfo-EB (November 2018) | August 2019 |
| Website Redesign | Discuss ideas with OUInfo-EB (November 2019); Present ideas to GCSR (December 2019) | August 2020 |
| OUInfo Equity, Diversity and Inclusion landing Page | OUAC to create a blank URL field for universities to provide a link to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) information (March, 2023); OUAC to populate a new EDI landing page, using the links and resources provided. (August, 2023) | August 2023 |
| Inclusion of Indigenous Information on OUInfo | OUAC to create a blank URL field for universities to provide a link to Indigenous Student Resources; OUAC to populate a new Indigenous Student Resources landing page, using the links and resources (August 2023); Integration of information from OUIndigenous website into OUInfo (process underway). This initiative was approved by the COU | August 2023 |
| Website refresh and page improvements: Homepage refreshed made it more user-friendly and easier to find Offers of Admission information for more applicants; University Student Transition Resources enhancement made it easier to sort these resources for future and existing students. | OUAC, universities (all levels), GCSR, OUInfo-EB, etc. | Cycle 2025 |
Related links: