School of Justice's unique Special Events Auxiliary Team helps keep Durham College campus secure

March 10, 2008

Security operation program included in two justice programs

OSHAWA, Ont. – Durham College’s School of Justice is quickly gaining province-wide attention for providing students with a rare opportunity to gain valuable hands-on experience as part of their program curriculum, while also helping to further campus security and safety. The Special Events Auxiliary Team (SEAT), a security operation designed to teach the fundamental principles of security services to students, is unique amongst Ontario colleges and proving to be a great benefit to Durham College.

Originally created as a voluntary security service, SEAT has now been added to the course curriculum of two separate programs at Durham College. Students in the Law and Security Administration (LASA) program attend Security Practices class, while students in the Advanced Law Enforcement and Investigations (ALEI) program have the Security Leadership & Operations course within their curriculum.

“The SEAT program embodies the core values of Durham College,” said Stephanie Ball, dean of the School of Justice. “It provides opportunities for outstanding real-world learning experiences that greatly assist graduates by transferring their classroom learning experiences into tangible work skills that serve as pathways to promising careers in the security field.”

The service was developed in 2005 by Professor Geoff McCombe, when Rubin ‘Hurricane’ Carter, a former professional boxer who was wrongfully imprisoned for more than 20 years, was attending a speaking engagement on campus. The need for additional security was determined and after completing a predetermined screening process, 26 students were chosen to provide supplementary voluntary security coverage.

Following their successful handling of Carter’s visit, the team was called upon to develop and implement a security presence at all varsity athletic events hosted by the college. Students in the ALEI program are responsible for the operational planning, strategizing and event co-ordination, while their peers in the LASA program provide supplementary security services. The result is a permanent organization to handle future events, otherwise known as SEAT.

By incorporating SEAT into the two School of Justice programs, students are provided with the opportunity to augment their in-class learning with a significant amount of hands-on, self-directed learning. The group will continue to evolve and respond to the changing needs of the labour market.

“The SEAT program learning model will continue to grow and develop here at Durham College and it will also serve as a model for other colleges to follow,” said Neil Gonsalves, a professor in the School of Justice and interim SEAT steward. “There is no greater reward than witnessing a student realizing he or she has succeeded because they have transitioned from the acquiring of classroom knowledge to successful application.”

For 40 years Durham College has provided students with quality learning experiences and support in finding pathways to jobs and productive citizenship. By offering high-quality, relevant programs that focus on workplace readiness and are taught by exceptional teachers, Durham College graduates have the market-ready skills to obtain great careers and make a difference in the world.

About Durham College
Durham College is the premier college in Canada for career-focused students who will succeed in a challenging, supporting and inclusive learning environment. Offering approximately 80 full-time market-driven programs and hundreds of part-time and continuing education courses, the college has provided students with access to exceptional teachers with real-world experience for 40 years. With a graduate employment rate of over 90 per cent and employer satisfaction rate of close to 95 per cent, Durham College gives students everything they need to obtain great careers and make a difference in the world. The college has more than 6,100 full-time students, thousands of part-time students and almost 1,600 apprentices. For more information, visit www.durhamcollege.ca or call 905.721.2000.

Media contact:

Michelle Good
Communications and Marketing
T: 905.721.2000 ext. 2197
michelle.good@durhamcollege.ca

 

 

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