Interview - Dave Prang, director of student services

Recently I had the opportunity to get in touch with Dave Prang, the director of student services on campus. I wanted to ask Prang about what services are available to students, such as myself, who are struggling to get by.
Student services are supposed to be there to help enrich the life of students at Laurier. Prang listed several different services that are available to students in need of a hand, including light financial counseling through counseling services, the WLUSU student food bank and the scholarship, OSAP and Bursary opportunities that are available through the Student Awards Office.
So, really, the services that are available to studnets to offer them support on campus are limited. That being said, these are still vital services which can and have helped me out in my hour of need.
The student food bank particulairily seems to function to help those who are in the middle of a real pinch and just need some food to get by.
Of course, students are not the only ones who are struggling to get by these days. The current recession has affected student services budget, something which Prang made note of; "WLU SS went through a budget rationalization exercise, where we carefully examined each of our budget lines, and made some cuts. Overall, we have noticed an increase in Counselling Services demand, Writing & Study Skills Resource Centre, Accessible Learning and the Student Conduct Board. We have moved to a largely part - time staff in Counselling, to be more flexible and allow for longer hours of service Wed-Fri."
Overall this would seem to suggest that while there are services out there for students, they now have to be more proactive if they wish to access them.
Prang also spoke of the importance of volunteerism on campus, stressing that it is a great way to get involved and gain experience that future employers will value. However, Prang also encouraged students living on a budget to be realistic. "Volunteerism can be extremely rewarding and valuable to career prospects, but if a job is what is required to help pay the bills, it can be difficult to balance those commitments. One thing to always keep in mind, is that no one is perfect! Try your best, but also allow yourself to not have to be "perfect" to everyone!"

If you are interested in getting in touch with student services you can find them on the second floor of the Student Center on Darling Street.