9  Student Support, Accessibility, DEI (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion)

My commitment to student success goes beyond my own courses and is embodied in major departmental structures that I lead.

9.1 Centre de Dépannage et d’Apprentissage (CDA)

The CDA is the core support system for mathematics and statistics at Universite Laval. As coordinator, I manage a team of about 30 teaching assistants who provide daily support to students from 32 different programs.

9.1.1 A Large-Scale Support Ecosystem

This service represents approximately 3,000 visits per semester. To maintain consistent quality at this scale, I implemented a professionalization project (funded by PAIP) including:

  • Structured training: onboarding pathway for new teaching assistants focused not only on mathematical content but on pedagogical approach (how to guide without giving the answer).

  • Teaching assistant hub: an internal platform for sharing resources and best practices.

  • Hybrid innovation: GPT-CDA deployment helps offload repetitive questions so assistants can focus on complex conceptual support.

9.2 Inclusion and Diversity: Concrete Actions

9.2.1 Welcome and Integration

Each year, I run a dedicated welcome session for new students with an immigration background. This session aims to demystify the Quebec university system and present available resources (CDA, tutoring) to support fast integration and reduce isolation.

9.2.2 Universal Accessibility

A major barrier to inclusion is the cost of pedagogical materials. All my courses (STT-1100, STT-4230, etc.) are built on open educational resources (OER):

  • No expensive mandatory textbook.

  • Course notes available as a Quarto website, accessible on mobile and tablet.

  • Exclusive use of free software (R, Python, Git) so students can work on their own devices without paid licenses.

9.3 Ethics and AI: An Inclusive Approach

The rise of generative AI may widen gaps between those who know how to use it and those who do not (or cannot pay for “Pro” versions).

  • Democratized access: by deploying tablets with GPT-CDA at the support center, I ensure equitable tool access for all students regardless of personal equipment.

  • Ethical guidance: in my courses, AI use is framed by clear guidelines on data protection and transparency, turning a potential source of anxiety (“Am I allowed?”) into an explicit professional skill.