Academic Council met for its annual retreat on Monday, June 10 and Tuesday, June 11, 2013, at the North Campus. In the interest of keeping the Humber community informed about upcoming events, new initiatives, and important issues, I’ll be reporting on the highlights of the monthly meetings. For more information on any topic, or to give me feedback on the reports, please feel free to contact me directly, at lisa.salem-wiseman@humber.ca.
Keynote: Alex Usher
Monday morning began with a keynote address by Alex Usher, President of Higher Education Strategy Associates and Editor-in-Chief of Global Higher Education Strategy Monitor. Usher’s talk was entitled “Fiscal Policy and Labour Markets: What College Leaders Need to Know,” and it focused on possible scenarios and trends for the next five years. Usher suggested that, rather than worrying about an upcoming labour shortage, Canadian colleges need to focus on encouraging talent among our students, including a greater stress on outcomes, productivity, and teaching soft skills and leadership skills.
If you are interested in reading more from Alex Usher, his blog can be found at higheredstrategy.com/blog/.
Strategic Plan Update
After this interesting presentation, Council members heard about the latest developments in the Strategic Planning process. Ruth MacKay, Director, Planning and Government Relations, walked us through an overview of the 2013-2018 Strategic Plan. The consultation process for the plan, led by President Whitaker and Humber’s Board of Governors and supported by a cross-institutional Strategic Planning Steering Committee, was the most extensive and collaborative process undertaken by Humber to date. More than 1,600 individuals engaged with the strategic planning process. The five-year plan is centred around three main priorities:
- Strengthening our Polytechnic Identity
- Sustained Focus on Learning Excellence
- Maximizing the Impact of Partnerships
To download a PDF of the 2013-2018 Strategic Plan, please visit: /humber.ca/imaginehumber/staff/2013-2018-strategic-plan
The Future of Academic Council
Discussion then turned to the evolution of Academic Council’s identity, as Humber moves forward with the new strategic plan. President Whitaker noted that all colleges are required to have a College Council, and the intended function of this body was to provide advice to the President. A new strategic plan gives Council the opportunity to provide the President with input on the college’s strategic direction.
Members of Council engaged in an interactive discussion that explored a number of potential areas for change, including the Council’s name, communication plan, presentation protocol, and meeting format.
As a result of our discussion, the following changes will be implemented beginning in fall 2013:
- The name will be changed to College Council, to more accurately reflect the breadth and scope of Council’s mandate.
- College Council will become more of an advisory body. Future meetings will include more discussion and consultation, and will involve a process for reporting back to President Whitaker.
The second day of the retreat began with an address by President Whitaker, who announced that he is looking forward to his first Spring Convocation at Humber, followed by an eventful summer, which will include the first stages of construction of the new Learning Resource Commons (LRC) at the North Campus. The coming year promises to be an exciting one, as we roll out the new strategic plan in the fall and welcome two new Vice Presidents to the Administration team. President Whitaker is also looking forward to the President’s Breakfast on Monday, August 26, 2013, when he will address the Humber community regarding the 2013-2018 Strategic Plan and the year ahead.
Planning and Construction Update
Carol Anderson, Director, Facilities Management, and Scott Valens, Associate Director, Capital Development, provided an update on current and planned projects. As those of us who work at or have visited the North Campus are aware, construction has begun on the new LRC, and it is anticipated that the most disruptive work will be completed before the Fall term begins. For more information, including frequent updates, artists’ renderings, a video, and two live webcams, please visit http://www.humber.ca/learning-resource-commons/
Recent real estate purchases include a vacant property at northwest corner of Highway 27 and Carrier Drive, which will be developed to provide parking for 400 cars. This will provide additional parking for both the Centre for Trades and Technology at 110 Carrier Drive and the North Campus (via shuttle service).
Upcoming projects at the North campus include the construction of a new Data Centre (N224), the renovation of the Humber Room, and the addition of a new elevator in Building M. At the Lakeshore campus, there are plans for the construction of a Welcome Centre, the addition of a Centre for Teaching and Learning in Building F, and the construction of a trading floor for the Business School.
Annual Report Update
Ruth MacKay and Amy Kaufman gave a presentation on the 2012-2013 Annual Report, with the purpose of providing an overview of Humber’s accomplishments in delivering on the 2008-2013 Strategic Plan.
The four strategic priorities approved by the Board of Governors in March 2008 were: Manage Enrolment Growth, Commitment to Teaching and Learning Excellence, Commitment to Human Resource Planning and Professional Development, and Commitment to High Quality Services to Support Student Success and Business Practices.
As evidenced by the Annual Report, 80 per cent of our performance indicators either achieved or exceeded the goals of Humber’s five-year Strategic Plan. Notably, we exceeded our targets in enrollments, applications, and growth.
Student Leadership Programs Update
Jason Hunter, Dean of Students, introduced Aisling Burke and Melanie Chai, from Student Life Programs, who spoke about Humber’s Student Leadership Programs. The 2012 report of the Canadian Association of Career Educators and Employers (CACEE) shows that employers are looking for graduates with strong group and leadership skills. In order to produce graduates with these highly prized skills, Humber has developed a number of opportunities for students to develop and enhance their leadership skills while at Humber. Two of these programs, the Student Leadership Institute and the All U Can Lead Workshop Series, follow the Social change model of leadership development, moving from individual values, to group values, to social and community values.
The Student Leadership Institute (SLI) was launched in 2010 to provide students interested in leadership with opportunities to develop their skills. Students who express an interest in the program or who are recommended by faculty are invited to a two-and-a-half-day conference in June, featuring keynote speakers, and a variety of workshops facilitated by Humber staff and faculty. When these students return to campus in the fall, they are invited to participate in an afternoon workshop that centres on leading others and working in groups. Finally, in the early spring, students participate in an event that focuses on civic engagement and community leadership. This year’s SLI, held from May 25-26, was the most successful yet, with 109 students participating from seven academic schools. Students attended sessions focused on four core competencies: leadership, communication, teamwork, and diversity. Feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with 95 per cent of participants rating the sessions as excellent/good, 94 per cent agreeing that the sessions added value to their overall experience at Humber, and 96 per cent agreeing that they will be able to apply what they learned outside Humber.
New for 2012-2013, the All U Can Lead Workshop Series, developed and facilitated by senior Humber students, provides Humber and Guelph-Humber students with the opportunity to learn and practice leadership skills. By participating in a selection of workshops and completing ten hours of community service or equivalent campus leadership, students earn a Leadership Certificate. In its first year, over 280 students registered for 71 workshops, on a wide range of topics within three categories: Leading Self, Leading Others, and Leading Society. The feedback on these peer-led workshops was positive, with 92 per cent rating the sessions as excellent/good, 91 oer cent agreeing that the sessions added value to their experience at Humber, and 95 per cent agreeing that they will be able to apply what they learned outside of Humber.
Alumni Relations
Adelia Marchese, Manager, Advancement and Alumni Relations, and Brendan Dermody, the new Alumni Coordinator, gave members of Council an update on recent activities in the Office of Advancement and Alumni Relations. Its objective is to provide value to Humber’s graduates through affinity programs, on and off campus benefits, and networking opportunities.
One of the priorities is building a culture of alumni among students while they are on campus. In 2011, the Alumni Office partnered with Student Success and Engagement to establish presence at Orientation, and since 2012, they have interacted with close to 6000 new students at Orientation activities. Since 2010, the Alumni Office has been present at every Convocation ceremony to present new graduates with their Humber Alumni pin immediately after they receive their credential.
Humber’s Alumni magazine, Humber Dialogue, was launched in Spring, 2010, with a mandate of fostering connections with Humber’s alumni and friends, sharing successes, and highlighting distinguished faculty and alumni. After just six issues, the circulation has grown from 48,489 to 54,727, and in 2012, Humber Dialogue was honoured with a Silver Accolade award from the Council of Advancement in Support of Education (CASE).
Humber launched our official alumni presence on social media in June 2011. Currently, we have 1,134 likes on Facebook, 915 followers on Twitter, and 586 members on Linked In. Future presence is planned on other social media sites, including YouTube and Instagram. Future plans include the launch of an alumni engagement survey, a redesign of the website and the launch of an e-news feature, and the establishment of an alumni awards recognition program.
For more information, including the latest issue of Humber Dialogue, please visit Humber.ca/alumni.