UNews - Destination ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ

Committed to caring, Mirau supportive of SOS

trevor.kenney — Thu, 10 Apr 2014 22:12:34 +0000

Heather Mirau began her career at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge as director of Housing, Food & Conference Services. It was a position that suited her ambitions well – not just professionally, but personally too. Mirau always felt a responsibility to help students succeed, and as the department’s director, she monitored the pulse of the campus population and addressed the needs of residents as they arose.

Heather Mirau may have changed roles at the U of L but her commitment to students remains.

While Mirau has many memories and stories over her years at the U of L, the plight of one particular student stands out in her mind above the rest. Mirau describes the student as a shy, but friendly young man with a bright mind and positive attitude. By all accounts he had a promising future, but there was one problem: the student was struggling financially – and rather desperately at that.

“Every once in a while I’d buy his lunch to keep him going,” Mirau recalls. “Unfortunately there were a lot of stories on campus like his, and there continues to be today. Financial struggle is a very real issue for a lot of students, and it has ripple effects across the entire university.”

Mirau’s career has advanced over the years and her commitment to student success has grown right along with it. Three years ago she became director of Integrated Planning, a position that gives Mirau the opportunity to serve the needs of students in a much broader way. While her professional contributions have undoubtedly made a difference in countless students’ lives – as she did with the financially struggling resident years ago – Mirau continues to contribute personally to students as well by making ongoing donations to the Supporting Our Students (SOS) fund.

“If you care about students and want to help them succeed, the SOS fund is a great way to do that,” says Mirau. “SOS alleviates some of the financial pressure that many students face, which allows them to focus on their studies and become more engaged in university life. When you contribute to SOS, you become part of a caring community. You help shift the social dynamic on campus and proactively create the kind of university the U of L aims to be.”

Mirau believes that the size of the U of L gives the institution a unique advantage in its ability to become the type of university that attracts students based not only on programming, but also on cultural climate.

“We are a closely knit community. There’s a connective thread that runs throughout the institution,” says Mirau. “We are Alberta’s Destination ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and that defines how we support our students.”

SOS offers financial assistance to students in all Faculties and programs at the U of L. Contributors can choose a fund designation for their gifts or leave the allocation to the discretion of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ.

“It brings us together as a caring community and that’s something I really want to be a part of,” says Mirau of SOS. “Everyone who contributes to SOS feels the energy that’s created through the fund, and it grows with every new donation. The positive effects absolutely snowball.”

Join Heather and support our students today.

Open Mike - February 2014, Concern over the prospect of local oil and gas drilling

trevor.kenney — Mon, 03 Feb 2014 22:11:18 +0000

Now that we are once again in full swing, I wanted to take the time to welcome everyone back for the Spring Semester and address a few issues that have arisen since my last Open Mike column prior to Christmas.

Mahon looks forward to welcoming the community at the 3rd Annual Play Day event on Monday, February 17.

One of the most contentious issues that has come to the forefront in the last few months is the prospect of oil and gas drilling within the boundaries of the city of Lethbridge, and more specifically, on the city’s west side.

Just last week I had the opportunity to sit down with our local MLA, Greg Weadick, to share our mutual concerns over the proposed drilling plans. At this point, we are working, as are many of you, to fully understand the risk and safety implications of this activity and how it may affect not only our campus, but our community as well. We have great concern for the safety of our students who live in off-campus housing, for example. It is also troublesome to think of how the proposed drilling activity may impact the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ’s ability to recruit and retain faculty, staff and students. One of the U of L’s great advantages is the positive quality of life that Lethbridge affords people and it is concerning to see this potentially jeopardized.

As this debate continues to evolve, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ will do its part to advocate for the best interests of our faculty, staff and students.

We speak often of community and its many meanings here on campus because so much of what we do has a community focus, both internally and externally.

A good example of this is the renewal of the Life Bus campaign and the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ’s partnership with the local chapter of Canadian Blood Services (CBS). This is the third year that the U of L has joined forces with CBS and after shattering the modest donation goals we set out for our community the first two years of this relationship, we are seeking 400 total blood donations in 2014. Please contact Patti Leeb at leeb@uleth.ca or at 403-329-5182 to sign up for this very worthwhile program.

Another great example of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ’s community spirit is the now annual Play Day activity that will be held on Family Day (Monday, Feb. 17).

This is also the third incarnation of Play Day on campus and I can’t understate how well received this initiative has been from the southern Alberta community. The opportunity to invite so many people to experience our campus, if even just for a few hours of play, is invaluable and I thank all those who have assisted as volunteers to help make this event such a success.

I encourage volunteers to sign up by contacting Kali McKay (kali.mckay@uleth.ca) so that we can once again put our best foot forward and offer southern Alberta families a wonderful day of play, and of course we hope many of you bring your families out to play as well.

In the next few weeks, we have two important events that will continue to help shape the future of our institution.

I am looking forward to the opportunity to sit down with our new Minister of Innovation and Advanced Education, Dave Hancock, as we discuss the priorities of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge and the importance of continuing to appropriately resource higher education in the province of Alberta.

I am also looking forward to introducing the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ’s new Strategic Plan on Wednesday, Feb. 12. I encourage everyone to come out to the launch event to share in our excitement as we unveil the plan that will help set the course for the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ over the next five years. Your valued input throughout the strategic planning process has given us a clear indication of what we value as Alberta’s Destination ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and where our successes can be best achieved moving ahead.

I hope to see you at this event and don’t forget to take some time to come out and play on Feb. 17.

Open Mike - April 2013, Discussing the provincial budget and letter of expectation

trevor.kenney — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 21:47:49 +0000

Having had the opportunity to speak with many of you in our campus community over the last few weeks, I understand the concern you have in respect to the Alberta Provincial Budget, the Letter of Expectation from the Ministry of Enterprise and Advanced Education (EAE) and how it will affect the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge's budget. We in senior administration share your concern and fully realize that this is a challenge for our institution, and something we will have to work together to move through.

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ community will guide the discussion around budget reductions.

From the outset we decided that it was very important to develop a process to guide us through the budget reduction consideration in a thoughtful and transparent manner, in keeping with the fundamental values of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge.

One of the key ideals of the
U of L has always been to engage our community, especially when we are facing difficult times. This situation is no different than previous challenges that have been met and overcome with the views of the collective community guiding the way.

This is just the starting point for us, and we will continue to be active in seeking out conversations with our various communities as we go through the process of identifying how best to approach budget reductions within the context of the values of our institution.

Ultimately, the values that shape our deliberations will be based on the contexts of our existing plans, including the Strategic Plan, Academic Plan and Research Plan. In moving forward, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge will not alter the strategic directions that have brought so much success to the institution and positioned us as one of Canada's emerging comprehensive universities and Alberta's Destination ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ.

It will be a difficult budget process but it will also be a thoughtful, strategic process that will be in keeping with the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's established vision.

There has been much talk in the media about the budget numbers and how they may or may not affect certain institutions in the province. We have been very careful not to speculate on what our budget reduction process may yield because speculation can be a very damaging thing when you do not fully understand the entire context of the process. We are not in a position to speculate at this point because we have yet to go through the process that will put us in the best place to make the necessary budget reduction decisions.

I hope the community appreciates why we have taken the time to move through this in a systematic manner.

By now, many of you have read the Letter of Expectation as administered by EAE. We have encouraged your input to help us craft a response to that letter, and I look forward to taking your thoughts with me on April 11 when I meet with all of the presidents of Alberta's post-secondary institutions, the minister and deputy minister of Advanced Education.

A consistent theme throughout the Letter of Expectation is the continued support of the Campus Alberta model and its ideals. As a longstanding partner in Campus Alberta and in many ways a driving force of the Campus Alberta initiative, I have the utmost confidence that we will be able to effectively communicate to the province the priorities of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge.

We have a challenge in front of us, but it is one we will approach with great resolve and with the knowledge that the decisions to be made will be done in a thorough, open and thoughtful manner.

This story first appeared in the April 2013 edition of the Legend. For a look at the full issue in a flipbook format, follow this link.

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge explores partnerships with universities in Mexico

trevor.kenney — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 21:12:29 +0000

Trip also explores research and graduate student opportunities

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge President Dr. Mike Mahon will travel to Mexico to further dialogue with indigenous universities and to explore opportunities for partnership with CONACYT (Mexico's National Council for Science and Technology) February 11 to 14.

"Working with indigenous universities in Mexico will help the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ better serve its aboriginal student body," says Mahon. "Strategic research opportunities, student/faculty exchanges, the sharing of best practices and planning successful strategies to better serve aboriginal communities are just some of the outcomes that are possible by working in tandem with our Mexican counterparts."

Mahon will also meet with CONACYT senior executives. CONACYT's mission is to promote and strengthen the scientific and technological modernization of Mexico, through the formation of high-level human resources, promotion and support of specific research projects and dissemination of scientific and technological information.

The trip also includes a meeting with officials from the Federal Ministry of Education.

In March 2012, Mahon travelled to Mexico with representatives from eight Canadian universities (including six Presidents) to hold an inaugural meeting with 10 indigenous universities. Initiated by Dr. Brian Stevenson, the President of Lakehead ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ in Ontario, the meeting included several other university presidents who had a prime focus on aboriginal education or a long-standing commitment in this area.

The meeting was targeted to university presidents and rectors due to the importance of a high level, bilateral discussion regarding indigenous education. Roundtable discussions were held and led by panelists of both nations to create a foundational understanding of the challenges in aboriginal higher education in Canada and Mexico.

Expanding the internationalization of the U of L is a key strategic direction that can be found in the 2009-13 strategic plan. Also, in an open letter released last year to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ community entitled the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge – Alberta's Destination ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, Mahon reconfirmed internationalization as a key priority for the U of L.

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge has a long-standing commitment to Blackfoot and other First Nations Metis and Inuit (FNMI) education that is articulated in the many programs and services across its campus. It the first university in Canada to establish a Department of Native American Studies and President Mahon has made a strong commitment to furthering aboriginal education in southern Alberta. Further information on strategic initiatives at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge may be accessed at http://www.uleth.ca/president/fnmi

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge thanks donors for $10 million in support

trevor.kenney — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 18:30:45 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge achieved recognition from a number of national ranking agencies in 2012, thanks in no small part to the support of more than 2,000 donors who contributed nearly $10 million in support of the institution.

Recognized as one of Canada's leading research-intensive universities by national bodies such as Maclean's and Re$earch Infosource, the U of L has built an outstanding record of research academic performance in less than half a century. This achievement has been aided by the support of a strong donor base that continues to grow each year.

"The strides we have made as an institution would not have been possible without the support of individuals and organizations who share our commitment to students and research," says ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge President Dr. Mike Mahon, in advance of today's annual Donor Gala recognition event. "I want to thank our donors for sharing our vision and being such a key part of enabling that vision."

A total of $9,891,143.76 was raised in support of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ in 2012, with 251 different areas impacted.

As the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge has evolved from a primarily undergraduate institution to a destination ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ that offers both graduate and undergraduate programs, research opportunities for both faculty and students have experienced incredible growth.

"Through the support of our donors, we are able to further engage these research activities and provide a unique environment whereby students are exposed to research opportunities early in their undergraduate studies," says Vice-President (Research) Dr. Dan Weeks. "This provides valuable experiences for our next generation of researchers."

More than 950 new donors contributed to the U of L in the past year, while faculty and staff at the U of L contributed close to $200,000 to student scholarships and programs.

"As a Destination ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, we are proud of our liberal education philosophy, our commitment to the student experience and our unique blending of teaching and research," adds Mahon. "Together, these guiding principles provide our students with a comprehensive education and an unparalleled student experience. None of this would be possible without the support of our many donors."

http://www.uleth.ca/advancement/

Past shaping the future

trevor.kenney — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 19:14:47 +0000

The coulees offered extraordinary opportunities: dramatic heights and depths unusual in the Prairies, and the possibility of outlook, proximity to the river and a microclimate milder than the windswept flatlands.

Standing there on the far edge of the coulee I saw etched against the sky the light tracery of an old iron railway bridge, 300 feet in the air, spanning a mile across the river.

I came to the conclusion that though any building upon the exposed flatland should be interred in earth berms so that they would become part of the land, the academic building could span the coulees and, like the old bridge in its rigid flatness, reveal the rich contours of even the most level prairie.

It seemed to me that the top storey of the university should lie below the tableland in an uncompromising straight line spanning the haunches of
the prairie.
...
Dr. Arthur Erickson (LLD '81)

The Architecture of Arthur Erickson
With text by the architect

When renowned Canadian architect, the late Dr. Arthur Erickson (LLD '81), first came to Lethbridge to design ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Hall and formulate the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's Development Plan, he was in awe of the coulee landscape, inspired by the High Level Bridge and concluded the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ should be part of the land.

"Architecture, as I see it, is the art of composing spaces in response to existing environmental and urbanistic conditions to answer a client's needs," Erickson once said. "In this way the building becomes the resolution between its inner being and the outer conditions imposed upon it. It is never solitary but is part of its setting and thus must blend in a timeless way with its surroundings, yet show its own fresh presence."

The construction of ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Hall began with a simple sod turning ceremony.

The vision as outlined in the 1969 Erickson-Massey Development Plan saw academic space integrated with residences "so that learning becomes part of living." The 1969 planning objectives also included attractive pedestrian walkways that linked to green spaces; closely knit, clear organization of campus buildings that took advantage of unique views of the river valley; and building sites chosen to ensure reverence, preservation and protection of the coulee landscape.

Construction of the original ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Hall was a monumental task.

Over the years, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ campus has expanded and evolved with recommendations initially set out in the Campus Development Plan Review (1993), the Master Plan Report (2000) and the Core Campus Expansion Plan (2001) – the latter of which is the springboard for the new ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Campus Master Plan (UCMP), which was ratified by the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Board of Governors in December 2012.

Spencer Court, architect and associate director of Campus Planning and Architecture at the U of L, has been leading the current UCMP renewal. He says the new plan takes previous planning history into consideration and maintains key planning initiatives while advancing the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's current strategic goals.

"Key elements from past plans have been retained, but the earliest plan had the most fundamentally correct principles or truths that continue to provide value and timeless importance today," he says.

Those principles of strengthening the existing site and building features, creating a compact campus, integrating campus with nature, and using an appropriate brand of architecture to produce a unique campus identity and experience are instilled in the 2012 plan.

Prepared in a collaborative effort with the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ by Moriyama & Teshima Architects and Planners, Gibbs Gage Architects and Educational Consulting Services, the UCMP sets out a series of recommendations aimed at guiding larger-scale planning decisions for the main campus of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ over the next 25 years.

According to the UCMP, these guidelines "accentuate the existing campus design – organizing systems to allow the unique beauty, original order, coherence and distinctive setting of the campus to re-emerge." The UCMP suggests "a highly interconnected system of buildings and pedestrian networks to create an intimate and harmonized learning environment, integrating both academic and residential programs."

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Hall as we see it today, nestled in the coulees and taking advantage of the natural landscape.

What makes the UCMP unique is the way it frames and defines the academic core with a celebrated gateway accessing the heart of campus, while promoting pedestrian-friendliness and retaining the physical geography that informs future buildings and outdoor spaces.

"Campuses are like people in that they mature and become complete over time," says Court. "As key participants at a critical point in the development of our campus, we are privileged to produce a planning vision at a time when many are likely to witness the campus evolve into a more complete place."

The UCMP points to three key directives that align with the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's 2009-2013 Strategic Plan and 2011-2015 Capital Plan. The first is to physically support the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's mandate to be a comprehensive and academic research institution and to provide opportunities for a community of learners – students, faculty, researchers and staff – to interact in purposeful spaces. Second is to reinforce the quality of built and natural environments at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ with an emphasis on improving campus life and the everyday student experience. Third, the plan will provide guidance in planning and management of assets while being stewards of the land.

These directives will aid in creating the physical "Destination U" that is currently being defined at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge. U of L President Dr. Mike Mahon agrees.

He says this UCMP is vital for establishing this legacy.

"As individuals who have various roles on campus, we are at one point in time, but universities live for a long, long time. It's critical that we look to the future from a planning perspective, and plan for years ahead that we can't even imagine. It is vitally important that our buildings and grounds deliver on the notion of the Destination ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ," says Mahon. "The U of L is very fortunate to have had the kind of vision that Erickson had around building into the coulees and really connecting the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ with the topography and with nature."

The UCMP aims to create a unique identity to differentiate the U of L from other universities and to offer a distinctive and memorable experience for its students. To do that, the plan outlines specific design work including a refocused ceremonial entrance along Aperture Drive, and framing a new "Coulee Quadrangle" north of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Library, bordered by ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Hall and future buildings to form a campus heart. The UCMP also establishes a network of interconnected buildings that engage the coulees using a unique brand of landform architecture that fully integrates with the landscape. In addition, the construction of the "Prairie Quadrangle" adjacent to Markin Hall will serve to improve connectivity from the academic core to Exploration Place.

The updated Campus Master Plan will further the vision first established in 1969.

One of the biggest values of the new UCMP is creating a compact campus that fosters a better sense of community. Although the UCMP organizes the physical campus, it is the arrangement of those spaces and places that not only leads to a sense of community but also supports academic programming and student life.

Establishing Aperture Drive as the ceremonial entrance to the U of L is just the beginning. The gateway will be framed with a building element linking the Library to the Students' Union Building, as well as a signature building travelling southward that responds to the coulee setting and the Oldman River vista. This building will act as a bridge directly linking the residence precinct to the rest of campus.

Retaining the land in its natural state is also part of the UCMP proposal, and so, the natural coulee space south of the library will be left in its pristine state to preserve the natural view. It's the shared experience of the beautiful scenery of the unique prairie and coulee landscape that brings the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ community together and that's an important consistency of the UCMP, says Court.

"We are located in a world-class, unique setting that our forebears committed to being, literally, in this place. That is the driving force in how we go forward," he says. "It is the threshold experience between plateau and river valley we want to be, and since we are here, we should capitalize on that because in the physical sense it's one of our most significant differentiators."

While the prairie land surrounding the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ is vast, a key UCMP goal is to create a campus with synergy, ease of access and more importantly, logical pedestrian circulation.

"There's a point where everyone who arrives here by transit, bicycle or automobile becomes a pedestrian, and in the master plan the campus nucleus is predominantly pedestrian-based," says Court. "The master plan has tried to focus on creating a compact, pedestrian-oriented, connected campus that responds to external factors such as weather or the opportunity for memorable views and seriously considers how people move through it."

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Campus Master Plan is just that – a plan. At this point, campus planners have not initiated detailed design studies, but most of the features will likely be developed over time. The recommendations in the UCMP, however, are critical for the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ to reach its strategic goals, says Chris Eagan, director of Facilities.

"The UCMP follows the institution's strategic planning. It allows the creation of a common vision of what space, building and landscape places look like to fulfill our strategic goals," he says. "The UCMP is a broad vision that will be accomplished incrementally through individual capital projects. These projects have urgent and important needs that must be subservient to the institutional requirements outlined in the master plan. It will give the structure and guidance of university planners to all those who design and implement the plan for years to come."

After the UCMP is formally ratified in December 2012, a public open house celebrating the new plan and its document release will be held early in the new year.

According to Court, the new UCMP offers many advantages as the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ looks to the future.

"Overall, it's addressing original concepts that the institution has already put substantial resources and value into," he says. "Those early ideas are treasured fidelities – concepts we shouldn't turn our backs on. If we've learned anything, we've learned that they are important and they still apply going forward."

...

For more information on the UCMP, please visit: www.ulethbridge.ca/masterplan

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

Alberta's Destination ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ

trevor.kenney — Wed, 23 May 2012 22:01:13 +0000

Apply by June 1st to be eligible for scholarships up to $2,000. Click on this link.

Fiat Lux an opportunity to speak to the community

trevor.kenney — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 16:13:30 +0000

It is hard to believe that summer has come to an end and we're back for the Fall 2011 Semester.

Welcome to all new and returning students, as well as staff and faculty. As much as the summer break seemed especially short this year, probably due to the fact we're just now enjoying summer-type weather, I am very excited to be starting a new semester.

There is a special kind of energy that's associated with the start of a new academic year, and I look forward to what lies ahead.

One of the goals I had when I started my Open Mike column last year was to keep the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ community informed about what was happening within the Office of the President. I have always seen transparency as an absolute necessity in a university setting, and have strived to be open and clear about the major issues that affect our university.

The inaugural Fiat Lux Address is scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 28 at 3 p.m. in the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Theatre.

As we begin a new series of columns, I want to take that transparency to another level and further involve our university community in shaping the
U of L's future.

On Sept. 28, at 3 p.m. in the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Theatre, I will be giving the inaugural Fiat Lux presidential address to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ community. I see this as a forum to talk to you about where we've been as an institution, where we are today and where I see us going and needing to go in the future.

It is important that you know about decisions that are made at the executive level and what challenges the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ faces as it moves forward. The Fiat Lux talk will speak to where the U of L is in terms of student numbers, our budget and the challenges we see before us. There are external pressures that will affect our future, including issues such as government funding, the competitive educational landscape, the economy and even short and long-term demographic forecasts.

We have established strategic priorities and directives over the past few years and this address is a chance to examine what we've done to move these initiatives along. More importantly, I will speak to where I feel we need to be focused going forward and what we, as an emerging comprehensive institution, should aspire to achieve.

I intend to discuss such specific initiatives as an FNMI and community engagement strategy as well as philosophical questions such as current institutional structure and our aspirations as a Destination ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ.

I expect the Fiat Lux address to serve as an important communication tool for the internal ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ community, and I see it as the start of a larger scale effort to further connect with our community on a more regular basis.

There are exciting things unfolding at the U of L this year and I urge everyone to come out on Sept. 28 so that we can discuss what I see as a time of unprecedented opportunity for our ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ.

Mahon has government's ear

trevor.kenney — Tue, 10 May 2011 20:02:16 +0000

By RICHARD WESTLUND

The arrival of a new president on campus has given the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ an opportunity to re-engage members of government at all levels. In the same way that the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge campus community has been interested in hearing about a renewed vision for our ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, there has been significant interest shown by government officials across the province and country in learning more about President Mike Mahon and his priorities.

Shortly after his installation speech, President Mahon began to outline his four pillars: Student First, Comprehensive ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, Community Centered and A Destination ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ to a variety of government members. This was initially done in one-on-one meetings with select individuals – the Premier of Alberta, Minister and Deputy Minister of Advanced Education and Technology and others.

In an effort to reach a larger number of government members, President Mahon then made formal presentations to the federal Alberta Caucus, the federal Liberal Caucus, the Alberta Rural Caucus, the Calgary Caucus, reeves and mayors of South West Alberta as well as to specific federal and provincial deputy ministers. At the conclusion of the upcoming Capital Region Caucus meeting, the four pillars presentation will have been shared with almost every MP and MLA in the province as well as a significant number of municipal leaders in our geographic area.

Introducing this vision to these groups has been important for a variety of reasons.

At the federal level, it has been an opportunity to reinforce the importance that research plays in creating a dynamic learning environment for our undergraduate and graduate students. In the past couple of years, larger universities have been pushing the federal government to concentrate research dollars to the larger institutions. Stories such as the success of U of L undergraduate students who developed an enzyme that cleans oilsands tailing ponds and subsequently received gold-medal standing at the MIT IGEM competition, underscore the benefits undergraduate students enjoy when research and learning are linked.

At the provincial level, the U of L story speaks to the need of having a destination university in the province. Currently 70 per cent of the students attending the U of L are from outside of Lethbridge. The U of L allows students from all over Alberta to benefit from a first-class educational experience without leaving the province. President Mahon has pointed out that the U of L is often described as a "best-kept secret". Certainly that perception is beginning to change and will no doubt continue to advance.

Finally, at the municipal level, underscoring the notion of community has resonated with local leaders. President Mahon has shared his goal of having all undergraduate students participate in a community engagement experience before they graduate. Some mayors are already contemplating how they too can play a part in this vision.

Despite the fact that the U of L is geographically removed from Edmonton and Ottawa, the U of L's contribution to teaching, research, culture, sport, economy and quality of life for all is becoming increasingly known. When federal ministers and northern Alberta MLAs alike give unprompted endorsements of specific U of L successes, as we have seen in recent months, it speaks to the institution's growing reputation. Maintaining that momentum in this area is extremely important. Knowledge about the U of L among the various levels of government is critical in ensuring the interests and aspirations of the U of L are realized.

Richard Westlund is the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's government relations director

This story first appeared in the Legend. For a look at the Legend in a flipbook format, follow this link.

Government listening

trevor.kenney — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 17:36:23 +0000

The arrival of a new president on campus has given the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ an opportunity to re-engage members of government at all levels. In the same way that the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge campus community has been interested in hearing about a renewed vision for our ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, there has been significant interest shown by government officials across the province and country in learning more about President Mike Mahon and his priorities.

Introducing this vision to these groups has been important for a variety of reasons.

Despite the fact that the U of L is geographically removed from Edmonton and Ottawa, the
U of L's contribution to teaching, research, culture, sport, economy and quality of life for all is becoming increasingly known. When federal ministers and northern Alberta MLAs alike give unprompted endorsements of specific U of L successes, as we have seen in recent months, it speaks to the institution's growing reputation. Maintaining that momentum in this area is extremely important. Knowledge about the U of L among the various levels of government is critical in ensuring the interests and aspirations of the U of L are realized.

Richard Westlund is the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's government relation's director

For a look at the Legend in a flipbook format, follow this link.

UNews - Destination ��Ѹ�����Դ���߿�Ƭ

Committed to caring, Mirau supportive of SOS

Related Topics

Open Mike - February 2014, Concern over the prospect of local oil and gas drilling

Related Topics

Open Mike - April 2013, Discussing the provincial budget and letter of expectation

Related Topics

��Ѹ�����Դ���߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge explores partnerships with universities in Mexico

Related Topics

��Ѹ�����Դ���߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge thanks donors for $10 million in support

Related Topics

Past shaping the future

Related Topics

Alberta's Destination ��Ѹ�����Դ���߿�Ƭ

Apply by June 1st to be eligible for scholarships up to $2,000. Click on this link.

Related Topics

Fiat Lux an opportunity to speak to the community

Related Topics

Mahon has government's ear

Related Topics

Government listening

Related Topics

UNews - Destination ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge explores partnerships with universities in Mexico

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge thanks donors for $10 million in support

Alberta's Destination ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ