Open Mike - September 2012, Key opportunities to contribute to ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ vision

trevor.kenney — Mon, 17 Sep 2012 16:28:25 +0000

Fall is always such an invigorating time at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and I'm excited to welcome everybody to campus to begin another academic year. Whether you are a new student, staff or faculty member, or are returning from a summer break, it's great to have the campus bustling with energy again.

As you make your way around the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, you'll no doubt notice many of the physical changes that have taken place over the summer as well as some of the ongoing projects that continue to reshape and redefine our culture.

Now in our 45th year, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ has grown and matured dramatically since its inception, and with a rapidly changing post-secondary landscape, must continue to evolve to meet the needs of our students and society as a whole.

President Mahon encourages everyone to take some time think about how they can contribute to the vision of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge.

In the spring, I released an Open Letter to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ community that began the discussion about the future direction of the U of L. It was a means to introduce some initial thoughts on our strategic goals and priorities and to bring forth questions related to our future direction. Now, it is time to hear from you.

What do you think about the future of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge? What does it mean to you that we are Alberta's Destination ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and how does that shape the work you do for the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ today and in the future? What is your vision in terms of continuing to grow as a comprehensive university and how do you see the future structure of our university reflecting our academic and research aspirations?

I encourage you to take another look at the Open Letter (www.uleth.ca/president/presentations-communication) and to think of the themes introduced. There will be various opportunities for your feedback and your ideas will help shape the future direction of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge.

The first such opportunity is the Sept. 27 Fiat Lux Address (3 to 4 p.m., ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Theatre), which will be given by Provost & Vice-President (Academic), Dr. Andrew Hakin. The theme of his presentation is liberal education, how we now define it at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge and what it means to us going forward.

This is an excellent opportunity to not only hear Dr. Hakin's interpretation, but it is a forum at which you can bring your ideas to the fore in an open discussion.

On Oct. 1 (8:30 a.m. to 2:45 p.m., Students' Union Ballrooms), a Strategic Priorities Forum will present another opportunity for the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ community to engage in the decision-making process. Born out of the President's Task Force on Budget Process, this forum is designed to create greater transparency around priority setting from senior leaders across the institution.

Look for further communication in the UWeekly newsletter, on campus web pages and on digital signage for times and locations of upcoming forums as these are a valuable opportunity to give a voice to your ideas – the people who make the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge such a wonderful and unique community.

This story first appeared in the September 2012 issue of the Legend. For a look at the full issue in a flipbook format, follow this link.

Open Mike - June 2012, positioning the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ

trevor.kenney — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 16:55:26 +0000

It is hard to believe that another year has passed and this is the final Open Mike column until September.

In this issue of the Legend, you'll notice several pieces speaking to our strategic planning process at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, including my Open Letter to the community on pages 8 and 9.

I want to put great emphasis on the wording chosen for the name of this document. I specifically used the term 'open' to represent the intention of the letter, that it is both an opening of a process and a process that is open to your input and feedback.

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ looks ahead to its next Strategic Plan, positioning itself as Alberta's Destination ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ.

This letter is a starting point and by no means an end point or declaration of what we are planning to do as we enter the strategic planning process. Rather the items raised in the letter are touchstones of issues raised in various discussions both on and off campus over the past year. I urge you to not only consider the points brought forth in the letter but to look at other things you feel would help position the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge as we move forward into the strategic planning process for our next five years.

This letter opens that conversation and it is my intention to continue with an open mind as we form our next strategic plan.

One of the more important projects I will be undertaking this summer is the creation of a process of engagement for faculty and staff that does not overburden people with more work. I understand that planning can be very time consuming and we are all very busy with the day-to-day tasks that define our roles and power this institution. At the same time, I am mindful of the fact that it is essential we engage our community in the strategic planning process. It is my goal to define a process by which the community can engage in the planning exercises without being overwhelmed with additional duties.

As we head into summer, I want to look back on the recent Spring Convocation ceremonies, Chancellor's Dinner and related alumni festivities. What really struck me about these events was how much they reflect the progress we have made as Alberta's Destination ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ.

From our honourary degree recipients to our gold medal-winning students to the many alumni I had the pleasure of speaking with, I met people from all walks of life and all areas of the globe who had chosen to receive their education from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge.

Our honourary degree recipients alone represented the breadth of communities we connect with locally and internationally, while our convocating students included those who grew up minutes away from the U of L to those from the Republic of Congo and Ukraine.

The entire week was a celebration of the U of L as a destination university and I look forward to growing that reputation as we move into the next phase of our strategic planning process.

I want to thank everyone for their dedication to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ over the past year and the exceptional work you have put in for our students. Have a wonderful summer.

This story first appeared in the June 2012 issue of the Legend. For a look at the entire issue in flipbook format, follow this link.

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Open Mike - September 2012, Key opportunities to contribute to ��Ѹ�����Դ���߿�Ƭ vision

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