UNews - Open Mike

Open Mike - Preparing for the 2017 provincial budget

trevor.kenney — Tue, 07 Feb 2017 16:18:34 +0000

As we near spring and the impending announcement of the provincial budget, I feel it is important to begin updating the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ community on the preparation of our budget in relation to the Campus Alberta Operating Grant.

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ is still anticipating a two per cent increase in the operating grant, as was previously indicated by the provincial government, and while our budget scenarios begin with this figure, different scenarios have been calculated should the actual percentage be changed when the provincial budget is released.

U of L budget decisions are always guided by the three key values of people, quality and access.

Should the operating grant reflect a two per cent increase, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ will still be in the position of needing to reduce its overall budget by approximately $1.5 million, in large part due to the tuition freeze that is currently in place and no promise of alternate funding to make up for this shortfall.

Through a variety of reduction programs over the past few years, including voluntary exit programs, the use of strategic priority funds and not filling empty positions, we have positioned ourselves so that we do not anticipate having to introduce further initiatives to reduce the budget if the grant increase does indeed come in at two per cent. We feel that we have done the proper planning and made the right decisions around allocations, and that while we still must reduce funds in certain areas, we are in a favourable position to manage a two per cent increase.

One of the key factors that has allowed us to reach this level of confidence in our budget process is through the budget reorganization we initiated in 2013. That process and the subsequent changes it endorsed have guided the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ’s budget process since and given us a much greater ability to manage the overall budget of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ. It has allowed us to go through the decision-making process at a macro level, engaging all units on campus, and given us a much greater understanding at the costs per academic and non-academic unit. This has led to strategic, university-wide budget decisions.

I must emphasize that in the nearly-seven years that I’ve been here, we have had to go through this process of seeking reductions in our budget every single year and it is becoming more and more difficult to find savings. The decisions are not easy to make but in every instance, we are guided by the three key values of people, quality and access. As we go through the budget each spring, these tenets influence our decisions.

We are mindful that as we look to find savings, we are also actively seeking opportunities to continue to evolve as an institution. As we eye innovation and new directions, we are acutely aware that these bear costs. This underscores the continued importance of philanthropy and industrial and community partnerships that can support new and innovative programming. Whether it be the AGILITY program, the Centre for Oral History and Tradition or continued work in the Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience, to name just a few recent beneficiaries, we are continuously looking for external funds to support important academic and non-academic initiatives.

As we near the release of the provincial budget, I will continue to update the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ community on any elements that may affect our budget, and I thank you for your participation in this process.

Open Mike - 2016 a year of excitement for U of L

trevor.kenney — Mon, 19 Dec 2016 17:22:35 +0000

As we approach the holiday season, I can’t help but look back on the year that was 2016 and ahead to what 2017 may hold for the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge.

Excitement is the word I most associate with this past year, because it speaks to the energy and enthusiasm around so much of what took place.

The Destination Project is surely one of the most exciting undertakings in the history of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and it marked a number of milestones in 2016, namely its final approval, groundbreaking and recently the announcement of its first major sponsor in BMO Financial Group.

We have spoken often about how this project will be transformational for the U of L and a lot of work went into reaching this stage of its development. What is so exciting now is that we are finally able to begin showcasing what all the hard work was about. By putting shovels in the ground, beginning construction and welcoming BMO on board as a major sponsor, a signal has been communicated.

That signal reflects the extent to which the provincial government is supportive of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, by funding a monumental project that promises to shape post-secondary learning in both southern Alberta and the province for years to come.

It is also a signal to our community about how we continue to evolve and grow, and about how we are creating even more opportunities for engagement with young minds, through expanded science-on-display initiatives, and support for industry through an entrepreneurship and innovation focus that will percolate throughout the building.

Finally, through BMO Financial’s outstanding support, the signal is sent to the corporate sector that the Destination Project is a valued development that will benefit all of southern Alberta.

The year offered several other highlights, including the many teaching and research successes of our outstanding faculty, and in turn, by many of their accomplished students. I particularly want to congratulate five of our faculty members who were elected to royal societies around the world. Drs. Louise Barrett, Joe Rasmussen and Bruce McNaughton earned election into the Fellowship of the Royal Society of Canada, while Dr. Paul Hayes became the first U of L faculty member elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry and Dr. Artur Luczak was elected to the Royal Society of Canada’s College of New Scholars, Artists and Scientists.

It is no wonder the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ earned yet another top ranking by Maclean’s, the fifth consecutive year that we have achieved a top-three standing in the country’s primarily undergraduate classification.

The year did not come without its challenges, as we continue to deal with an unstable fiscal landscape. While this has forced all of us to examine where our province is headed economically, and has reiterated the need to be mindful of how we operate on a daily basis, the reality is that this is the new normal. Operating with fiscal constraint and maximizing our resources has necessitated a creative approach to reaching our goals and planning for our future.

We are fortunate in many ways that we are located in southern Alberta, an area with a uniquely diversified economy, in part thanks to our contributions, that continues to garner investment and growth. It is up to us to harness that energy and to seek further engagement with these sectors.

I am extremely excited to look ahead to 2017 and the celebration of our 50th anniversary. While we will spend time looking back on the last 50 years and how we came to be, we’ll also start imagining the next 50 years and how we will push ourselves in terms of a new academic programming perspective. Even within the context of fiscal constraints, we need to challenge ourselves to continue to grow. This is a subject that Drs. Andy Hakin and Erasmus Okine will explore in the new year at our annual Fiat Lux address.

Please, take some time over the holidays to enjoy your families and all the holiday season has to offer, and I look forward to seeing you next year at one of the many 50th anniversary events that will undoubtedly make 2017 a year to remember.

Open Mike - May 2014, How the province's Social Innovation Endowment fits within the U of L vision

trevor.kenney — Mon, 12 May 2014 20:28:24 +0000

People often ask me if things are slowing down here at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge as we approach the summer months, and I’m always pleased to tell them that, no, there is always something going on at the U of L.

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge has a history of engaging with the community across multiple disciplines and Faculties.

This spring is as busy as ever with a number of major initiatives in the works, including one at the provincial level that relates very well to the work already being done here at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and to the strategic initiatives within Destination 2020, our newly approved strategic plan.

The Government of Alberta’s Social Innovation Endowment (SIE) is a $1 billion fund that is just now starting to unfold. Targeted toward the social sciences, humanities and fine arts, the SIE is a seemingly perfect fit for our institution because it is unique in supporting research that is very much connected to strengthening community.

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge has a history of engaging with the community across multiple disciplines and Faculties. Whether it’s our work with young children or older adults, our connections with the Blackfoot and other First Nations, Métis and Inuit communities, engagement with community arts and culture or our focus on social entrepreneurship, the U of L has a lot to offer and a lot to connect to as it relates to this new provincial emphasis on social innovation.

As a researcher myself, who has engaged in social innovation research for the last 25 years, I can fundamentally see the great value of this fund and the programs it will spawn. As the president of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, I’m excited to have been asked by the province to participate in a think tank exercise this week to help further conceptualize the plan and implementation of the SIE.

Destination 2020 very much speaks to the concept of social innovation, of doing new things in new ways to address complex socio-cultural issues, and it’s exciting to see that the province has recognized social responsibility and innovation as a similarly key directive.

One of the initiatives unfolding at the U of L that fits nicely with the SIE is the establishment of THINC, or The Home for Innovative New Companies. In the conceptual stage now, THINC is focused on the development of new technologies and ideas from the sciences, social sciences, humanities and fine arts that will support students interested in developing concepts into commercial ventures.

THINC is also about social innovation, with a commitment to finding ways to harness ideas with potential socio-cultural impact and transitioning those ideas from the classroom and lab to the community in an active and engaged manner.

To that end, I have asked Dr. Dan Weeks, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ’s vice-president (research) to take a short, special leave to help us bring THINC fully to life over the next few months. I’m pleased that Dan has accepted this task and urge you to reference this message for further information on THINC and Dan’s pending short term reassignment of duties.

As we approach our Spring Convocation, I’m eager to watch our newest crop of graduates cross the stage, knowing that they are emboldened with the ability to make a difference in their local communities, in the province of Alberta and beyond. Social innovation comes to life through these great young minds, who have not only learned from their professors, but who have also had the opportunity to participate in such things as co-op programs, applied studies and volunteer experiences. The connections they have already established with their communities, while still students, provides them with the confidence and experience to be ready and able to make a difference in the world.

UNews - Open Mike

Open Mike - Preparing for the 2017 provincial budget

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Open Mike - 2016 a year of excitement for U of L

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Open Mike - May 2014, How the province's Social Innovation Endowment fits within the U of L vision

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