Leaders’ Forum November 17, 2005 Strategic Directions for Western: Our Academic Vision and Emerging Issues Dr. Paul Davenport Month/Day, 2005

• What catches your attention, in particular?
• What questions or concerns arise for you?

Key Issues for Strategic Planning • • • • An Environment of Opportunity Pursuing the Mission Addressing the Space Constraint Measuring Progress Dr. Paul Davenport Month/Day, 2005

• • • • A supportive Premier and Provincial Government Stronger public support for higher education, reflected by 10 Premiers Strong demand for high educational quality, residential experience, graduate studies, research output Federal support good, future direction uncertain

(continued)
• • • Massive transformation in faculty through retirements and new hiring Fierce competition for faculty, senior staff, and students Recognition of Western’s success in the student experience, efforts to outcompete us

Western ranked third overall in 2005 Maclean’s rankings • • • • • • • 1 st in proportion of students who graduate 1 st in classes taught by tenured faculty 1 st in student financial support (% of budget) 1 st in library acquisitions 2 nd in student retention 2 nd in third- and fourth-year class sizes 3 rd in average entering grade

Western placed first overall in 2005 Globe & Mail University Report Card • • • • • • • A+ overall academic reputation A+ attractiveness of campus A library services A university atmosphere A on-campus buildings and facilities A A tolerance for diverse opinions conduct leading-edge research

• • • How do we improve the student experience at the Undergraduate level? At the Graduate level?
How do we improve research performance?
How do we measure “student experience” and “research performance? Media surveys such as Maclean’s and G&M are indicators, but we need our own measures.

• Keep focus on outstanding teaching, student services, good relations between students and faculty and staff • New focus on the graduate student experience

Challenge: A highly competitive research environment, with more disparity between the research-intensive universities and others To meet that challenge, Western will need to: • • • • Recruit and retain faculty who can excel in both teaching and research Encourage a culture of high expectations for faculty with regard to research performance Identify its research strengths relative to other universities Provide high quality space and support services for research

• • • • Deans, Chairs, and faculty have made it clear they need more space to meet our objective to double PhD enrolment and remain a leader in research.
A fundamental objective in our space planning will be to move a significant part of our non-teaching operations from buildings at the centre of campus, which can then be used for teaching departments.
We also need to provide space for future large research projects, often before knowing the outcome of the grant competition (e.g., CFI). Commitment: to have a comprehensive space proposal in the Provost’s February document.

    Premier’s commitment to measuring the impact of funding priorities  New Accountability Framework, Including new Higher Education Quality Council NSSE and student engagement Graduate student experience Research performance by Western departments or government funding committees (e.g., Chemistry).
 Student recruitment

Western’s Academic Vision and Emerging Issues
Dr. Fred Longstaffe, Provost, VP Academic
Dr. Paul Davenport Month/Day, 2005

Western’s Academic Vision and Emerging Issues
Dr. Ted Hewitt, VP Research and International Relations
Dr. Paul Davenport Month/Day, 2005

• At your tables: What caught your attention, in particular?
• What questions or concerns arose for you?
• One question/comment from your table… (any question that doesn’t get addressed can be left on a card at your table)

Strategic Plan for Resources and Operations and Emerging Issues Dr. Paul Davenport Month/Day, 2005
Gitta Kulczycki, VP Resources and Operations

• • • • • • B&G Renovations Physics & Astronomy Renovations Althouse Building Renovations Westminster College Renovations • • Psychology Research Groups & Pre-School Consolidation of VP External’s Portfolio Biotron: CFI funded Science Building • • Chemistry, Physics & Astronomy Graduate Students, labs

• • • • • Support Services Building At Commissary Site Physical Plant, ITS, and possibly other Support Units Consolidation of Student Services • Possibly in Current Physical Plant Building • • Recreational Field House / Western Athletic Centre For Campus Recreation, attached to TRAC Additional funding could allow for more athletic facilities

• Create space in the core of campus for academic purposes.

• • • • Replace Bio-Engineering Building Renovate Chemistry Addition A building or addition to an existing building with CFI type space for future research projects Ivey additions at Spencer for the MBA program

• • • • • • • • Themes identified: Centre versus periphery Approaches to assessing space needs Contiguous space Cultural issues Design of space Mix in space, activities, people Dealing with outdated facilities

Institutional Planning & Budgeting Human Resources Physical Plant & Capital Planning Housing & Ancillary Legal Counsel & Internal Audit Campus Police A creative team working together to provide the best experience for those we support.
Financial Services

Resources and Operations Thematic Goals
A creative team working together to provide the best experience for those we support.
Align & Integrate business processes to better serve clients Pursue best practices and measure success Discover & develop our talent & recognize our success Strengthen opportunities for interaction & shared understanding of roles & goals

• • • • • Is there an opportunity? Indications are yes!
Utilize end to end process review.
Capitalize on technology.
Goals: fewest steps possible; improvement for ultimate beneficiary of process.
Some early mentions: Appointment notices for faculty and staff, expense claims, fee collection

• At your tables: What caught your attention, in particular?
• What questions or concerns arose for you?
• One question/comment from your table… (any question that doesn’t get addressed can be left on a card at your table)

The Western Award of Excellence • pick up a poster as you leave • • • • Upcoming Leaders’ Forum Meetings: December 22, 2005 February 9, 2006 – Antoni Cimolino, Executive Director, Stratford Festival March 16, 2006 April 27, 2006

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Carol Abraham Debbie Acton Jennifer Ashenden Becca Carroll Carol Curran Deb Dawson Veronika Elsie Frank DeGurse Sharon Farnell Monica Fleck Chantal Gloor Bob Gough Nancy Griffiths Stephanie Hayne Ruth Heard • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Kathleen Kevany Louise Koza Scott May Christine Mellon Nancy Patrick Terry Rice Ryan Rodrigues Peggy Roffey Malcolm Ruddock Harriet Rykse Valerie Smith Nancy Stewart Mary Stiles Glen Tigert Peggy Wakabayashi