Statement on

Reconstituting Iona College

          While honouring our United Church roots, Iona College has chosen to become an inter-faith college, and ecumenical within the Christian tradition. With support from representatives from diverse faith communities and traditions, and in co-operation with our partners in the Chaplaincy Network and the University, Iona intends to continue serving the students, faculty, and staff of the University, as well as the surrounding community.

           Over many years, some of our programs have fallen into inactivity due to a shortage of money, or volunteers, or both. Some will fondly remember the student dinners of former years. Our bursaries are now largely administered by the University of Windsor Student Awards office.

           Other programs are thriving. The North Campus food bank, has never been stronger, thanks to the generous sponsorship of the Student Law Society and student volunteers. Iona also thanks the staff, faculty and students of the Law Faculty through their patronage of the Amicus Curiae Café, and for their donations. Special thanks goes to Canterbury College for hosting and housing the food bank.

          Our courses have been dependant on Dr. Norman  King, and a special thanks goes to him. We hope that the next phase of Iona’s life will see revised and expanded course offerings, building on Norm’s legacy. Norm has also been the coordinator of the Interfaith Group of Windsor and Essex County, which is one of the sources of inspiration for Iona’s reconstitution

           One of the reasons for becoming an ecumenical and interfaith college is so that we can relaunch our chaplaincy work to embrace all faith groups and make spiritual development a more prominent part of the University life.

           Iona thanks our friends and partners in the Chaplaincy Network, Assumption College, Canterbury College, and the University of Windsor, as we enter an exciting new era of co-operation and service to our community.

           The new membership and Board of Iona will have the difficult, but rewarding duty of making crucial decisions over the coming months and years.

          The Faculty of Law building is closing for extensive renovations at the end of the current semester. This will mean the closing of the Amicus Curiae Café. The Café is currently our major source of revenue. We will also be losing Iona’s long serving Office Manager, Café manager, food bank supervisor, staff secretary, etc., etc., etc.; Sandi Rose. Sandi is retiring at the end of this semester. She cannot be thanked enough. It will quite literally be impossible to replace her.

          So the new membership and Board will have many issues to grapple with:

1.               Shall Iona continue its provision of the North Campus Food Bank? 

2.               How will Iona fund the food bank without the Café? 

3.               Does Iona wish to revive the Café in the renovated building? 

4.               Who could possibly lead such an endeavour? 

5.               Should Iona seek to raise funds for more bursaries and scholarships for students, in line with the new inter-faith and ecumenical mandate? 

6.               How can Iona further co-operate and co-ordinate with the other members of the chaplaincy network to foster spirituality in the University community and the surrounding area? 

7.               Should Iona seek to partner with Canterbury to revive the student dinners?