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August 2009
This is my first monthly ‘President’s Report’ and, as such, it is brief. While I officially started on August 17th, I have had the benefit of a number of meetings with the Senior Management Team, Board members, outgoing President Susan Witter, Deans and Directors. I thank all within the Douglas College community for your warm welcome to me and for your generous and open communication. I particularly thank Susan Witter, Barbara Bessey, Andrew Taylor and Paul Wates for easing the transition, Jan Carrie for stepping up to fill the VP Education position, and Laureen Dailey for moving to the position of Executive Assistant to the President.
Welcome back to all and welcome as well to new faculty, staff, and administration joining Douglas College this fall. The new academic year promises to be exciting as we collectively meet the challenges of delivering on our mission:
“At Douglas College, we are committed to enhancing the skills, knowledge, and values of
life-long learners in meeting their goals. At Douglas College, we respond to diverse
community needs in a rapidly changing society.”
Mission Statement, Goals and Values
As we move forward in continuing to deliver on our mission, it is important to both recognize and honour the excellent reputation of Douglas College programs, faculty, support staff, and students as well as to recognize and plan for the future needs of learners served by Douglas College. To do this, two critical tasks must be engaged. These are:
i) Filling the position of Vice-President Education
ii) Engaging in Comprehensive Strategic Planning
Vice President Education
Jan Lindsay’s appointment as President of North Island College has left a significant vacancy in senior management at Douglas College. Jan Carrie has generously and selflessly stepped up to fill the position on an acting basis and we thank her for agreeing to do this. There is a consensus on the SMT that we will initiate the process as soon as is possible to post the position on a permanent basis.
Strategic Planning
Strategic planning is a critical task that involves not only a review and revisiting of the overall vision, mission, values, and goals of the institution, but also a review of the external environment and the internal aspirations and capacities of the organization. Given changes in student demographics, the economy, the political and post-secondary environments, it is important to begin the planning process so that we can continue to be responsive to change and to learner needs. A strategic plan will determine the institutional direction over, at minimum, the next 3 to 5 years. While there are many different approaches to strategic planning, among the values that will guide the Douglas College process are:
i) The strategic plan will be evidence based.
ii) The strategic planning process will be involving of stakeholders/constituency groups.
iii) The strategic plan will, where possible, be approached from the perspective of appreciative inquiry.
As we engage in strategic planning for the medium to long run, we must, of course, continue to serve the learner needs at present. In this, the existing Academic Plan (2009-2012) will continue to guide program delivery. Strategic plans must be living, breathing documents and the solid work that has gone into the Academic Plan, the Environmental Scan, and other plans will serve as important elements guiding, where appropriate, the broader strategic plan.
Scott McAlpine,
President