Academic Council met for the first time this semester on Thursday, January 17, 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.
Strategic Planning
President Chris Whitaker spoke about the strategic planning process currently underway at Humber, particularly about the need for the process to be as inclusive and collaborative as possible. Recognizing that Humber staff, students, and faculty want to be engaged in the process of imagining Humber’s future, President Whitaker encouraged the Humber community to add their voices to the process by visiting the new strategic planning website, Imagine Humber, at www.humber.ca/imaginehumber, submitting an online feedback form (available on the website), and participating in the Student Success Roundtables and upcoming Town Hall sessions. President Whitaker will also be communicating with the Humber community about issues related to the strategic planning process on his new blog, “Chris’s Corner.”
Rick Embry and Ruth MacKay provided an overview of the consultation phase of the strategic planning process, which includes the following:
Strategic Planning Kick-Off Survey
Nearly 800 faculty, support staff and administrators responded to some or all of the questions on an anonymous online survey conducted between December 11, 2012 and January 6, 2013. The over 4,500 individual responses to the ten open-ended questions reveal an extraordinary level of commitment to Humber and its success. Results of the survey indicate that a focus on students and their success is the most important measure of Humber’s effectiveness as an institution. Additionally, many responses highlight pride in Humber’s reputation for program quality and teaching excellence. A further report on findings, with sample answers, is available on the website (click on “What We’re Hearing”).
Humber Students’ Federation (HSF) Roundtable Dialogue
On Thursday, January 10, members of the HSF Board of Directors met with President Whitaker and members of the Strategic Planning Steering Committee to participate in a facilitated discussion on the following four themes: Career Development; Academic Quality; Academic Delivery; and Student Engagement. A summary of the dialogue is available on the website.
Student Success Roundtables
Six round table discussions are being held between January 21 and February 1, 2013. The objective is to determine goals for us as an institution, related to student success. There is space for 50 Humber employees at each session. To register, please visit the website.
Upcoming opportunities for input include roundtables for Humber’s industry partners, a survey of alumni and community partners, town hall sessions for faculty and staff and a virtual town hall for students at all campuses.
Startup
John Mason gave us an overview of Winter 2013 startup activities. This January, Humber welcomed over 3,000 new students and over 20,000 returning students. Highlights include the following:
Registrar’s Office
A new webpage has been launched to guide students on the choice and availability of electives, and online forms are now available to facilitate the request of transcripts, confirmation of enrolment, and confirmation of graduation.
Student Success and Engagement
Learning Skills Workshops for students are now available online. The first four workshops – “Tips for Success,” “Time Management,” “Study Skills,” and “Presentation Skills,” are now available at www.humber.ca/peertutoring/workshop-videos
Student Access, Wellness, and Development
Over 110 Humber employees received Mental Health First Aid training during the fall semester, raising the total number trained to 320.
Humber Libraries
Humber Libraries launched the Humber READS campaign, in which students post their favourite books on Humber’s Facebook page and are entered in a draw every Friday. In addition, Humber Libraries has expanded its social media presence by launching its own Twitter feed.
Lakeshore Bone Marrow Registration Initiative
Lakeshore students Maria Arias and Blain Tattersall spoke to council about an upcoming initiative in which Humber is teaming up with OneMatch Stem Cell and Bone Marrow Network to register potential donors on campus. There is a particular need for young (17-35) male donors from ethnically diverse backgrounds. OneMatch will be registering students at the Lakeshore Campus on February 11, between 10 am and 5 pm in the Lakeshore Commons (L1017).
Credit Transfer Process
Rhonda Harrison explained the transfer credit process. In 2011/12, over 17,000 transfer credits were processed. The charge for processing Transfer Credits is $25 for one course, $50 for two courses, and $75 for three or more courses when submitted at the same time. The form, along with an official transcript, is sent to the registrar’s office for assessment, which is based on criteria such as learning outcomes, hours of instruction, and textbooks. Recently, the application form has been updated to make it more user-friendly, the database of universally approved courses has been updated to ensure accuracy and integrity and a new website was launched to create and improve student pathways and mobility.
Uniterra – Leave for Change
Nancey Adamson informed Council about Uniterra, an organization that pairs professionals with partners in developing countries. Humber faculty and staff can volunteer to spend between two and four weeks of their vacation time working in one of twelve participating countries, contributing their skills and experience to specific development projects, with the goal of building capacity in local organizations. The partnership is currently in its sixth year, and to date, twenty-four employees have participated.
Nancey was joined by three Humber employees who shared their experiences with council. Bill Linton (Community Outreach and Workforce Development) volunteered at Haiphong Community College in Vietnam, sharing best practices for employer and student engagement; Michelle Jordan (Liberal Arts and Sciences) travelled to Phan Thiet, Vietnam, to share her expertise as a Curriculum Development Advisor with the employees at Binh Thuan Community College; and Fredy Mejia (Student Success and Engagement) traveled to La Paz, Bolivia, to volunteer as a publisher and website advisor, facilitating sessions on computers, software, and social media. All three spoke passionately about how their experiences have given them knowledge of other places and cultures, better understanding of life as a newcomer, and a new appreciation for resources we take for granted in Canada.
Humber will sponsor up to six volunteers this year; for more information, please contact Nancey Adamson at nancey.adamson@humber.ca