Good morning and welcome to the 36^th annual President’s Breakfast. This is a special year for Humber: we’re celebrating our 50^th anniversary and the many great achievements from this year and the last half-century. We’re also looking ahead to initiatives that will inspire and motivate us to maintain our leadership role in Ontario postsecondary education for the next 50 years.

It’s a great thrill to welcome the Humber family back as we begin the new academic year. I hope you’ve had a great summer and found time to relax and enjoy the season.

I particularly wish to welcome everyone new to the college and all who are at the breakfast for the first time. Let me also take a moment to recognize members of our board of governors, past and present: our past presidents Squee Gordon and John Davies, my incredible executive team, and of course, my wife and dance coach Vicki.

And lastly, a special welcome and congratulations to the 2017 Recognition Award recipients, who will be formally honoured today for their contributions to Humber.

The President’s Breakfast is a popular and important tradition. As the start of a new school year, today marks new beginnings for our incoming students. During Orientation and Start Up, they’ll take their first steps in their journey to an exciting future.  

This morning is also about everyone in the room and the integral role that we play in the student journey. As teachers, mentors and guides, we work together to continuously improve the student experience and learning environment.

On the occasion of our 50^th I hope that we can all make the effort to reflect on our past, learn from the present and apply lessons learned to help shape our future. Maintaining awareness of our history will help us to make informed decisions going forward.

An immediate example of our past shaping our future is that our 50^th anniversary coincides with consultations to develop Humber’s 2018-2023 strategic plan. I strongly encourage everyone to get involved and to participate in opportunities to share your perspective on what you think matters most to our future. We take great pride in our leadership position in the higher education landscape. We have worked hard to get to where we are, and will continue to do so, taking nothing for granted. Your ideas and your input are important, and we want to tap into and leverage the creativity that our diverse community has to offer.   

Please visit humber.ca/wearehumber to learn more about getting involved in the consultation process. There’s also an inspiring video about what strategic planning means to our employees and students. And look for an email when you get back to your desk with a link to the video. Thank you to the Strategic Plan Steering Committee and all those who have contributed so far.

When I reflect on Humber’s past, I can only imagine how exciting it must have been on September 11, 1967 when the college opened its doors to its first cohort of 439 students. I suspect it was a time of promise, pride and great expectations, likely mixed with uncertainty, nervousness and hope.

The Ontario college system was the start of something new – a great experiment of sorts. William G. Davis championed it and the government of the day rolled the dice – and their risk paid off. Incidentally, we had the chance to celebrate that gamble this past June when we awarded Premier Davis with an Honorary Degree at our Spring Convocation.

As I look to Humber’s future, I see many reasons for being every bit as excited about the opportunities that lie ahead for year 50 as those in year one. Ontario, Canada and the world are obviously different now than in 1967. However, there are parallels: new factors are driving change in the economy and new social influences are responding to old regimes and structures that are perceived as out of step with the modern world.

The Ontario college system was a response to a growing need for skilled workers as post-war industrialization was at its peak. And respond we did. New jobs demanded new education and skills that weren’t provided by universities or technical schools. Today, Ontario colleges serve more than 200,000 students annually, with more students starting at colleges every fall than at universities. Our applied, learning-centred and industry-connected approach has increased in popularity in a job market noted for its uncertainty, rate of change and demand for advanced skill sets.

Then, as now, colleges provided greater access and more affordability in postsecondary education. They reflected the growing demand for less elitism, more social justice and equal opportunity in a province that was recognizing the increasingly multicultural society we were becoming. Today, Ontario colleges continue to be institutions of access for traditionally underrepresented groups, while also becoming destinations of choice for high quality, leading edge education for both domestic and international students.

Let’s look at a few fun examples to illustrate how much we’ve changed over 50 years. In our first five years, we offered programs such as Home Economics, Supermarket Management, General Arts and Sciences – Horsemanship option, Hairdresser apprenticeship and Ski Area Management, complete with a course in Mixology, which shows that the apres ski has always been as important as the skiing itself. 

Keeping up with the times our programs today include Biotechnology, Electromechanical Engineering, Game Programming, Criminal Justice and Global Business Management. And to show how some things never change, we still do mixology, only now we call it Beverage Management.

Just as those college system pioneers would have had a hard time imagining what we have become today, it may seem equally difficult to imagine where Humber will be in 50 years.

It’s important that we all understand the necessity of awareness and adaptation in the face of powerful forces that influence the environment in which we operate. Demographics. Globalization. The Internet of Things. Fourth industrial revolution. Industry 4.0. Within this context we must ensure that our programs and institution are always meeting learner and labour market needs, so that we remain relevant and attractive to students and employers.

So let’s consider where we are now and how it influences our future. For those who have heard my breakfast speech a few times, you know there are many points that show Humber’s position of strength and leadership. We are the largest college in Canada, which means the most students, the most applications, the most varied program mix and the biggest budget.

And while size brings certain benefits, what matters most to our students is the quality of education and experience they receive. As we look ahead, it is important to re-affirm that this is where our priorities lie. Success for Humber is not about size. Any of the financial benefits associated with size and growth are simply a means to the end of fulfilling our mandate and mission.

We are in a period of flat enrolment growth and entering a new era in which government operating grants no longer provide incentives to grow.

The challenge (and opportunity) is to maintain a focus on and investment in quality and innovation so we can continue to differentiate Humber as a preferred destination for students and industry partners. We have been doing much in this regard over the past few years, and we are fortunate that our institutional strength has afforded us the capacity to invest in ways that others can’t.  

Our primary investment is in our people and our culture – the real keys to our success. Everything we achieve depends entirely on every employee and their skills, knowledge and willingness to do the right thing for our students and the college. Given the occasion of our 50^th, it is important to recognize that we stand on the shoulders of several generations of dedicated Humber employees who shared our enthusiasm and helped build what we are today.

Part of this investment is evident in the work that our Human Resources division is doing – introducing a new comprehensive Human Resource Management system, developing the institution’s ability to manage change, and introducing STARS, our new peer-to-peer recognition system.

Our engaged and committed faculty and staff allow us to embrace the changes required to adapt to our dynamic world. Having confidence in ourselves and others helps us to have the courage to innovate and to try new things in the face of change and uncertainty.

As we look towards our next strategic plan, I can confidently say that the work we have done over the last five years has created a solid foundation on which we will continue to build. Guided by our formal commitments to students and polytechnic identity, our priority has been to invest in areas that enhance the quality of the learning experience - more specifically: people, programs, services, and infrastructure.  

As a prelude to our strategic planning consultations we have been working on renewing our three-year Strategic Mandate Agreement with the provincial government. The document captures our institutional aspirations and areas of strength and differentiation, and sets targets and metrics to measure performance. The SMA process gives us an opportunity to reaffirm and further define our polytechnic identity and vision.

For Humber, polytechnic refers to a model of advanced education that combines theory and practice to produce career-ready graduates. It is characterized by a comprehensive credential and program mix, pathways and transfer opportunities, focus on applied research, entrepreneurialism, and industry partnerships. In addition to being a model of education, we use the term to describe a different type of institution.

Our main distinction compared to other Ontario colleges is the growth of our bachelor’s degrees, where we continue to lead the province with 28 degrees running or approved. Along with postgraduate certificates, these two credentials represent our fastest-growing areas of enrolment demand, reflecting our responsiveness to the needs of the modern economy.

As we plan for the future we wish to align our polytechnic vision with government priorities for greater differentiation in postsecondary education. As institutions are being encouraged to no longer be all things to all people we need to think and act like a system, leveraging our individual distinctiveness to benefit each other. This is a significant shift, and we need to move from operating in an environment of competitive independence to one of cooperative interdependence. 

We will continue to invest in our full range of credentials and multidisciplinary strengths, and we will place increased focus on being a receiving institution for students seeking transfer options particularly into degrees and graduate certificates. To do so we will work with other colleges to create partnerships and develop system solutions for government priorities related to student access and mobility, contributing towards Ontario’s highly skilled workforce, and a stronger college sector.

While we can do much of this within current regulations, we will continue to advocate for formal polytechnic status to more clearly communicate and deliver the opportunities we have. This will not change who we are or what we do, but will enable us to more fully embrace our model of education, as we are already a polytechnic in all but name.

All of us should take tremendous pride in the work we do to provide a high quality and rewarding educational experience to so many students, while equipping them with skills for future success. I am convinced we are on the leading edge of the future of advanced education and we continue to gain momentum and support thanks to the efforts of everyone in this room.

So let’s review some of the activities and achievements from the past year that show the things we’re doing to support our vision and mission.

Our 2016-2021 Academic Plan is both forward thinking and challenging, providing focus and context as we renew our strategic direction. This year, we will be launching five new programs, including graduate certificates in User Experience Design, Sport Business Management, and Wellness Coaching, and honours degrees in Workplace Health and Wellness, and Community Development. As we refine our program offerings, our academic division is developing both a Flexible Learning Strategy and institutional learning outcomes, to ensure that our program delivery and assessment of students’ performance support the needs of our learners.

And while we have many student achievements stories to tell, here’s a snapshot of some of the notable accomplishments from the past year.

Following spectacular performances last year in mechatronics at Skills Ontario and Skills Canada, Humber students Avery Bird and Theo Willert will be heading to WorldSkills in Abu Dhabi in October. This year, Humber continued its winning streak, garnering seven medals at Skills Ontario and three at Skills Canada.

The team from Humber’s culinary program won a gold medal at the 2016 Culinary Olympics in Germany – the only Ontario college team to win a top spot in their division.

Architectural technology students placed first in two of three categories in a province-wide college design competition.

Business students competed at the International Career Development Conference, winning medals in Retail Management and International Marketing.

And when history was being made last November, Journalism students were on the ground states-side to cover the US election.

Through Applied Research and Innovation, almost seventeen hundred students have participated in applied research projects with more than two hundred external partners, in turn, helping businesses and giving students work experience.

Our Centre for Entrepreneurship has established itself as a significant resource to young entrepreneurs, with more than four hundred members, 13 funded start-ups, three funding competitions and numerous events to support the development of new businesses.

And we can expect more community and industry collaboration and opportunities for work-integrated-learning for our students as our three Centres of Innovation – in technology, health and wellness, and creative business – mature.

We continue to develop initiatives for students to get the support they need both in and outside the classroom. We’re in the process of implementing a new hub and spoke model of academic advising, ensuring students receive seamless, cohesive support starting with their academic school and extending to our many other campus services. We’ve also offered comprehensive advisor training to advisors, faculty and program coordinators across the college.

Looking towards supporting our students even beyond graduation, we held a transition-to-work event for our graduates with disabilities, the first of its kind at Humber.

Further, many people across the college are involved in leading access, inclusion and diversity initiatives.

Our Centre for Human Rights, Equity and Diversity continues to offer thought-provoking workshops, including the popular Deep Diversity program. These workshops bring together people from across the institution to learn together and from each other.

In collaboration with Colleges Ontario, Student and Community Engagement hosted a system-wide meeting to discuss a response to the Truth and Reconciliation Committee’s 94 Calls to Action. The Aboriginal Resource Centre oversaw the creation of the first-ever Aboriginal viewbook and Indigenous Knowledge action plan. And just last month, we hosted more than 800 athletes from across the continent as part of the North American Indigenous Games, the largest continental sporting and cultural gathering of Indigenous people.

This year also marked the launch of the Here to Play campaign, a national award-winning collaboration between Humber’s LGBTQ+ Resource Centre and our Athletics department to encourage inclusion in sport.

Our athletics teams also had a stellar year. We continue to lead both the Ontario Colleges and the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Associations in overall medal count – and we had a record number of student-athletes recognized for their academic achievements.

In addition to our many successes at home, our students are also making good on our promise of global leadership.

Last year saw a record 500-plus students participate in study abroad and service-learning opportunities around the world. Among the many trips, Health Sciences students traveled to Guatemala, HRT students traveled to Nunavut, and Social and Community Services students went to Tanzania. Additionally, Humber students from across the academic schools traveled to New Zealand this summer, earning academic credits by studying indigenous issues and environmental sustainability. I am incredibly proud of our students’ desire to make a difference by taking their skills to the world and using them to help others.

We are further extending our global reach in establishing our first international English language centre in Shanxi, China, with plans for additional centres in Vietnam, Taiwan and France.

Following the successful completion of our five-year Sulawesi Economic Development Strategy, our International Development Institute has been awarded another significant project: a $1.6 million initiative to develop mechanical engineering and renewable energy programs at three polytechnic schools in western Kenya.  

And as we continue to expand our internationalization strategy by partnering with other polytechnic institutions around the globe, we are also bringing the world through our doors, and are immeasurably richer because of it. This year, more than 4,700 international students will call Humber home, bringing a wealth of perspectives to our campuses.

As you can see, we are making a difference in and outside of our classrooms, at home and abroad.

As we continue to evolve and grow, most of you are familiar with the seeming omnipresence of construction and renovations. A year ago, we celebrated the opening of the Centre for Entrepreneurship, the Student Welcome and Resource Centre and the Fitness Centre at our Lakeshore Campus. These new and refurbished facilities are an important investment as they enhance the campus experience.

And the investment in the Lakeshore Campus doesn’t stop there. We have started the planning phase for the redevelopment of A/B building, which will house the Centre for Creative Business Innovation.

At the North Campus, construction has begun on our new Centre for Technology Innovation – or as we know it - the CTI. Planned to LEED Platinum standards, the CTI will pioneer new approaches to teaching and learning that are focused on collaboration and partnership and connecting students, staff and industry to create technological solutions that contribute to economic development.

Construction has also started on a one thousand-stall parking deck, complete with eight electric vehicle charging stations. On track for a Spring 2018 opening, the deck meets our need for more parking, and is an important element in allowing construction of the upcoming Finch LRT project to proceed.

And while all that new construction is happening, we’re continuing to implement our Backfill 2 plans, renovating newly vacated spaces at North and Lakeshore, including the creation of new SIM labs as well as refurbishing faculty offices.

I want to thank everyone for their patience throughout the multiple backfill, renovation and development projects. Construction can be disruptive, but the payoff for our students and employees in new facilities and spaces will be worth the inconvenience in the end.

All our infrastructure work is informed by our commitment to sustainability, and we have achieved some important milestones in that area. For the second year in a row, Humber was named one of Canada’s Greenest Employers. Plans are in place for car and bike share programs, and we’re pursuing a Fairtrade designation at Lakeshore, which will make us the first Fairtrade designated college in Ontario.

Our new Integrated Energy Master Plan has set ambitious goals for the institution in terms of energy sustainability: we have committed to reducing our water and energy use by at least 50 per cent and reaching a net zero carbon footprint by 2034.

As our campuses evolve, our technology infrastructure is changing too. We are moving forward on our new Human Resources Management System, Banner will undergo a major upgrade, a new flexible registration system is underway, and we are planning a new data centre for Lakeshore.

Another key element of our polytechnic identity is to create impactful partnerships. This year has been exceptional for collaboration with industry, government and many other organizations.

We have partnered with Harley Davidson to deliver our motorcycle training programs. We have joined forces with the Real Estate Council of Ontario to host and deliver their broker and salesperson program to 55,000 people annually starting in 2019. And the CTI has significantly broadened technology partnerships, as we have MOUs and agreements with world leaders such as Festo, Cisco, Siemens, Rockwell Automation and SEW Eurodrive.

In addition to partnerships, we have also had significant donor success. Led by our Advancement and Alumni department, we raised more than $2.5 million for the college, including more than $260,000 for student awards and scholarships through our annual golf tournament and Humber Gives campaign. We honoured our donors with the opening of Gratitude Hall at the North Campus and this year we’ll be launching a formal fundraising campaign to further support our students.

Our alumni continue to amaze us too. Larnell Lewis, a graduate of our music program and now a Humber professor, won a Grammy with his band, Snarky Puppy. Ron Suter, a graduate of our marketing program, and now the executive vice-president of NBCUniversal and Universal Studios Canada, won a Premier’s Award. And we continue to see Dina Pugliese, a graduate of our journalism program, on Breakfast Television every morning – and if we can’t watch BT because we’ve woken up early to be at Humber, we simply include her in our video.

There are also many faculty and staff who have completed PhDs, won teaching awards, participated in expert panels and conferences, published books and articles and appeared in the media. Every year at Showcase and through the Centre for Teaching and Learning, I discover more about the amazing depths of our faculty, and it is so inspiring for me to be surrounded by so many accomplished people each and every day.

I am certainly grateful to be here, and, in closing, have some specific thank yous.

First, to IGNITE. You play a significant role in supporting our students and building a dynamic and engaging campus culture. Thank you for all you do.

Thank you to the Board of Governors for your guidance, enthusiasm and commitment to making Humber a vibrant place to learn and work.

To the executive team – Alister, Jason, Laurie, Lori and Rani – thank you for your exceptional leadership, energy and dedication. We’re a high performance team that also knows how to have some fun.

Thank you again to Deborah Green, for overseeing the President’s office, doing her best to make me look good - an uphill battle on a good day, supporting the Board of Governor’s, and planning today’s breakfast with the rest of the committee.

Thanks to Jason Powell for your energy, enthusiasm and the tremendous job you’ve done emceeing multiple breakfasts. I think at this point you probably bleed coffee.

Finally, to our amazing faculty and staff. I am so proud of all that you do and your ongoing commitment to our students and to each other. Thank you.

Our reputation for excellence and innovation in teaching and learning continues to serve us well as we celebrate 50 years. Institutional success has come as a result of multiple generations of talented people who have all made a difference in the lives of our students. As we look ahead to the next 50 years, beginning with the development of our next strategic plan, we face new challenges, operating in a very different world from 1967. I hope you will join me in renewing your passion for our mission and this great institution, as the work we do has never been more important.

I am confident that together we will continue to achieve great things.

Thanks for having breakfast with me today, and I wish you every success in the exciting year ahead!