Editor’s note: The following is a letter to the Laurentian University community from interim president Sheila Embleton and board chair Vern Cameron.
Dear Laurentian University Community,
As we approach the end of 2023, we reflect with gratitude and optimism on the remarkable journey we have undertaken together over the past year. It has been a period of transformation, defined by your resilience and unwavering commitment to the values of Laurentian University.
It’s hard to believe that just one year ago, we exited the CCAA proceedings - closing the chapter on the most challenging period in this university’s history. Together, we began a process that would drive this unprecedented transformation. We are honoured to help lead this journey with you, and thanks to you, significant progress has been made.
When we began our new roles as Board Chair and Interim President, we were quickly impressed and humbled by the pace of meaningful change. We’ve successfully attracted excellent talent to strengthen our academic programs, support our bilingual and tricultural mandate, and recruited skilled and experienced leaders to help guide and advance the transformation.
We have begun to stabilize our long-term financial sustainability, beginning with the Board of Governors’ approval of the 2023-2024 annual budget this past spring. This important budget included significant investments in faculty renewal (including 12 tenure-track faculty members hired to date), staff renewal, transformation projects, and deferred maintenance.
This summer, we established an agreement on a Term Sheet for the sale of real estate with the Province and we are now completing the due diligence process, which serves to confirm that public trails (including the Trans Canada Trail System and the Rainbow Route Sudbury trail network) are properly identified. We will seek to strengthen partnerships with the community for the ongoing use and enjoyment of Laurentian’s natural spaces.
We also began both the Transformation Plan (which is now approved by the Board of Governors and pending approval from the Ministry of Colleges & Universities) and Strategic Plan processes.
Throughout it all, you have worked so hard to ensure we are delivering on the student experience and the academic mission, while ensuring that supporting student success is central to planning and transformation. This Transformation Plan would not have been possible without the engagement of our labour partners (LUFA, LUSU, LUAPS), senior leaders, Board members, consultants from Deloitte, and members of the Laurentian University community.
We’ve also celebrated great moments together, including faculty achievements, student successes, and a very popular Open House earlier this month. We have also been happy to witness significant cultural events that make up the fabric of Laurentian University, including the raising of the Franco-Ontarian flag, events recognizing the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, as well as the launch of the Biodiversity Reclamation Trail featuring Anishinaabemowin plant names.
Your hard work is paying off.
We are now seeing a 19 per cent increase in the number of incoming students this fall term 2023, thanks in part to our efforts in recruiting more international students which now brings us in alignment with the Ontario university sector average.
We appreciate that this year has not been without its challenges. Even exhausting at times. But we have faced those challenges together, head-on, guided by a shared sense of hope and optimism for the future.
For that, we extend our deepest gratitude to each member of the Laurentian University community.
As we look ahead, we see a future filled with promise and opportunity. Together, we are writing the next chapter in the history of Laurentian University.
Warm regards,
Dr. Sheila Embleton,
FRSC, FRSA, Interim President and Vice-Chancellor
Vern Cameron,
Chair, Board of Governors