Planning

The 2010/11 year saw the rollout of the strategic plan, Thinking Forward… Taking Action. It has begun to shape many of the decisions about directions for the university, and equally important has begun to shape the communication, marketing and outreach strategies now beginning and under development. The Strategic Priority Fund, the heightened focus on students and the student experience, the intense analysis of our current realities and the things we must do to be successful (the bookends to the five priorities of the Strategic Plan)… all of these underscore the importance of staying focused on goals and having planning processes that will keep us as prepared as possible for what lies ahead. 

I would identify several issues that clearly necessitate on-going planning. These include the health of our finances and the need for vigilance regarding student recruitment and enrolment, pension costs, government funding and operating costs. In particular, while we may have achieved a balanced budget in the 2011/12 fiscal year, it is a tenuous victory given the significant incremental pension payments facing us in 2012/13. They also include our reputation, and the need to grow it based upon commitment to strategic goals, marketing, and advocacy to key external stakeholders. They also include the need to continually strive for outcomes that will make the university’s people, our community, and our broader constituencies proud of our excellence in teaching, research and social responsibility. 

Toward these ends, the following are goals have been established: 

1. Align revenues and expenditures transparently and strategically. This will include working with the Provost and Chief Planning Officer to continue to refine the budgeting processes of the university under Activity Based Budgeting, and to continue to refine the approach to budget realignment that minimizes across-the-board impacts and factors in unusual fiscal pressures such as special payments to pension plans. The Strategic Priority Fund and Activity Based Budgeting are important elements in the development of planning processes across the Faculties. It is essential to continually avoid long term structural deficits in the operating budget. 
    
2. Strive for sustainable enrolment growth that strengthens our reputation and our fiscal position. Specifically, I will be working with the Provost’s office as it embarks upon a revitalization of the University’s student recruitment and admission processes, and seek for greater clarity on how the president’s office can contribute strategically to student recruitment and retention. Enrolment growth projections (slide 5 in appended slide deck), which underpin our revenue projections for 2011/12, reflect the efforts in this regard. 
    
3. Provide greater clarity regarding the University’s research strengths. Working with the Vice-President, Research, the University will finalize a strategic research plan by December, 2011. This plan should guide how we allocate resources available for research support, and highlight activities within the university that can strengthen our reputation and make us more competitive for research funds. 
    
4. Increase donor support and alumni engagement. Working with the new Vice-President, University Advancement, we will commence a major revitalization of the fundraising and alumni outreach activities of the university. A reversal of the overall trends shown in slides 11 and 12 is essential if the University is to be successful. The full review of University Advancement that was done in 2010/11, and the recommendations coming from that review, have provided a solid base from which reorganization has begun. The goals are to have an operation that can support fundraising for CEI, continue to raise funds for students, and prepare the university for a broader campaign in concert with the 50th anniversary in 2013. 
    
5. Let people know about our University. Working with the Executive Director, Public Affairs and Communication, ensure that we have an effective communication and marketing plan for the 2012/13 academic year. 
    
6. Begin to envision the campus of the future. Pending resolution of whether we will proceed with the construction of a parking garage/innovation facility, and the development of a downtown campus, develop a master plan vision for the campus, taking into account the recognized priorities to improve the library, provide better support for international students, and make the campus more attractive and convenient for people who work, study, and visit it.