UNews - ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's government

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ sees great value in its external relationships

trevor.kenney — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 18:04:50 +0000

By RICHARD WESTLUND

A couple of years ago, while at the Canadian Universities Government Relations Officers annual conference, I attended a presentation made by the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Western Ontario and the London Chamber of Commerce about the strong partnership they enjoyed.

At first glance, the session seemed understated and underwhelming, as it was slotted amid more noteworthy sessions that included federal deputy ministers, prominent media columnists and established strategists within government. However it was this session that resonated with me more than the others because it spoke to the great opportunities that arise when partnerships with local entities are established.

Western's relationship with the London chamber, at one point, was fairly one-sided. The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ would approach local businesses only when it needed something – such as support for a specific application for government funding.

The relationship changed when the London chamber reengaged the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and insisted that Western become a meaningful partner. After some concerted effort, the chamber and the university created a relationship of mutual benefit.

After returning home and pondering this example, I joined the Lethbridge Chamber of Commerce Governmental Affairs Committee. I had given the local chamber little thought prior to that point but now felt it was important to get involved. What I immediately found was that the Lethbridge and Western situations were hardly comparable.

I discovered that the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge's relationship with the local chamber goes back decades. On its website the chamber proudly states the significant role it has played in support of the U of L in the community. The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ has an automatic appointment to its board of directors and various committees have U of L representatives actively participating in events and meetings. Faculty of Management Dean
Dr. Bob Ellis, for example, serves on the Government Affairs committee.

As well, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ researchers have taken the time to share their expertise with the chamber. In the past few months alone, Dr. Geoffrey Hale has spoken on border issues and Dr. Judith Kulig advocated for federal funds to create a pilot program for initiatives that would help universities retain Aboriginal students and assist in their transition to the workforce.

Like the Lethbridge Chamber of Commerce, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge has a role to play in the economic development of the city and beyond. One of the key directions in the U of L's Strategic Plan is to enhance relationships with external communities. Faculty and staff from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ currently share their skills with a myriad of different local organizations. It is this spirit of sharing knowledge and expertise that benefits both the community and the U of L.

Looking at the emphasis the U of L places on community engagement, and by the number of advocates the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ already has in the community, fostering these meaningful partnerships and interactions will only help the city and the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ to thrive in the future.

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

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 - ��Ѹ�����Դ���߿�Ƭ's government

��Ѹ�����Դ���߿�Ƭ sees great value in its external relationships

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Mahon has government's ear

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UNews - ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's government

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ sees great value in its external relationships