Senate receives update on strategic planning process

At Concordia’s Senate meeting, on Friday, October 3, the university’s president Alan Shepard presented an update on a strategic planning process that will begin this fall. The ultimate goal, he explained, will be to figure out how Concordia “can thrive in the emerging context.”

The first stage of the planning process will involve a series of campus conversations aimed at assessing the university’s current position and articulating the challenges ahead. The process will culminate with the drafting of a brief document defining the university’s strategic direction.

Next year, Shepard said, the university’s individual departments, faculties, and research units will be asked to undertake their own planning in response to the strategic direction.

The president said he hopes to get as much input from members of the university community as possible, beginning with a conversation during an upcoming Senate meeting.

Budget update and Voluntary Departure Program

President Shepard followed up with Senate on the university’s recent announcement that it would address the Government of Quebec’s current budget compressions by offering a Voluntary Departure Program (VDP).

After contextualizing the $15.7 million in new cuts to Concordia’s funding expected this year, the president acknowledged the difficult budget-balancing work undertaken by the university’s chief financial officer Patrick Kelley and his staff, in partnership with the Office of the Provost. Regardless of how it deals with the cuts, Shepard said the university is bound to feel their impact.

The idea for the VDP came out of the budget discussions held across the campus in the winter 2014 term. So far, the program has been generally well-received by the university community, Shepard said, before reminding Senate that enrolment in the program is entirely voluntary and there is a limit to how many applicants will be accepted. The VDP will provide $12 million per year in savings for the university, beginning in 2015-16.

Co-op presentation and update

Gerry Hughes, director of Concordia’s Institute for Co-operative Education, gave a presentation to Senate on the university’s co-op programs, which are offered across all four faculties.

The integration of work terms with academic terms enhances Co-op students’ overall learning experience, while giving them a chance to “test drive” their career choice, gain confidence and earn some money to support their studies, Hughes told Senate.

Over the past three years, the institute has grown by 35 per cent. This year, it added three new programs: in journalism, sociology and anthropology, and political science. The institute aims to place a minimum of 90 per cent of its members in paid work terms.

More than 1,700 students are currently enrolled in Co-op. They graduate with up to 12 months of relevant work experience and the associated revenue from their paid work terms.

The institute’s main goal, Hughes said, is to enhance students’ employability. “When our students cross the stage at Convocation, it’s not uncommon for them to have a job offer in their back pocket.”

Presentation from Advancement and Alumni Relations

Bram Freedman, Concordia’s vice-president of Development, External Relations and secretary-general and Marcel Dupuis, the university’s new associate vice-president of Development, gave a presentation to Senate on the work of the university’s Advancement and Alumni Relations.

The department measures its success based on how its efforts contribute to supporting Concordia’s strategic objectives, Freedman told the assembled members of Senate. “That’s why we exist, that’s why we’re here, to support the academic and research mission of the university.”

During his portion of the presentation, Dupuis explained that big donors don’t support the university unless there are clear projects and priorities. Support from faculty and staff in articulating the university’s needs is essential for the success of any fundraising campaign, he added.

“If we don't have collaboration with the academic side, we won't be able to improve and raise more money,” he said.

Standing in for Concordia’s new senior director of Alumni Relations, Leisha LeCouvie, who was out of town on business, Freedman provided some details about a recent survey of Concordia alumni. Respondents were generally positive when asked about their time at Concordia, but overall it showed a need to foster stronger engagement with the university among alumni, Freedman said.

"Those alumni who have favourable feelings about the university, they want to remain engaged, and to support it through positive word of mouth and donations. The challenge that we have, like all universities, is how do we keep our alumni engaged?"

Academic Plan update

Benoit-Antoine Bacon, Concordia’s provost and vice-president of Academic Affairs, began his regular update to Senate on the Academic Plan by thanking the organizers of the recent well-attended and successful e.Scape Conference. The two-day event featured a panel discussion and workshops on new learning technologies available at the university.

During his report, Bacon also acknowledged the recent successes of Concordia’s District 3 Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, which recently earned two awards from the International Partnership Network.

Finally, Bacon told Senate that the university is on track with the planned renovations to the R. Howard Webster Library, and will be going to the Board of Governors soon to seek approval for the rest of the amount of money needed for the project to go ahead.