Here's what you need to know about Laurentian University's 5-year plan
It’s a hopeful, new beginning or the start of a new chapter for Laurentian University.
On Wednesday morning, school administration unveiled Laurentian’s new five-year strategic plan in a bid to carry the school forward over the next half a decade.
"The views of over 2,500 people contributed to the process,” said interim president and vice-chancellor Sheila Embleton.
"I believe this plan reflects the diversity of the community while bringing together realistic goals that reflect the university’s identity and potential. This plan sets forth a positive path forward through a clearer articulation of who we are, where we are going and the shared priorities."
Embleton spoke to a room full of staff although her comments were broadcast in a town hall to the university community by video.
The new plan identifies a vision, mission, values and four key priorities as the focus of the academic institution along with goals and initiatives to achieve them.
The priorities include enhancing the student experience, energizing the academic and research mission, building up the community Laurentian serves and valuing and supporting its people.
Read more about how the university will approach these goals here (see pages 7-10).
"Through the strategic planning process, we worked hard to identify values that would be important to Laurentian," she said.
"While developing the strategic plan, it was also clear that to a certain extent that the values we were to define would be somewhat aspirational given the harm that the challenges of the last few years have done to our community culture."
It’s also one of the first real directional documents it has issued since emerging from insolvency, short of its transformational plan released last year, that focuses on the future as it looks to leave its financial fallout and prioritizes what it calls 'the leaders of tomorrow.'
"I don’t know of any other university which has undertaken two such huge plans at the same time and really in record speed, working against mandated timelines,” said Embleton.
"So brave to us all in getting it done."
Work on developing the strategic plan first began in July 2023 and featured extensive participation from the Laurentian community.
Officials said there were workshops, consultations, town halls and surveys to organize the feedback gathered from students, staff and faculty.
StrategyCorp was hired as a consultant as it worked to make sense of the input and perspectives of the more than 2,500 people who participated.
It’s already being implemented and school staff say in the coming months, academic and research plans will have an important role in defining how key elements of the strategic plan will be put into place.
Embleton said a lot of the success that school receives will depend on how they can implement the values they are hoping to achieve into action.
Laurentian used the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act (CCAA) to declare insolvency in February 2021, which led to layoffs, program cuts and the end of its agreement with federated universities.
Embleton's last day in the interim role of president and vice-chancellor is on Thursday.
The new president, Lynn Wells, is slated to take over the helm on April 1.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparents killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 401 identified
A 60-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman killed in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 earlier this week have been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.
Police arrest 3 Indian nationals in killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar
Three people have been arrested and charged in the killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar – as authorities continue investigating potential connections to the Indian government.
Suter scores late goal, clinches series for Canucks
Pius Suter scored with 1:39 left and the Vancouver Canucks advanced to the second round of the NHL playoffs with a 1-0 victory over the Nashville Predators on Friday night in Game 6.
TD worst-case scenario more likely after drug money laundering allegations: analyst
TD Bank Group could be hit with more severe penalties than previously expected, says a banking analyst after a report that the investigation it faces in the U.S. is tied to laundering illicit fentanyl profits.
Quebec man who threatened Trudeau, Legault online sentenced to 20 months in jail
A Quebec man who pleaded guilty to threatening Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Premier François Legault has been sentenced to 20 months in jail.
Human remains found in rural Sask. possibly a decade old, RCMP say
RCMP say human remains found in a rural area in central Saskatchewan may have been there for a decade or more.
Britney Spears 'home and safe' after paramedics responded to an incident at the Chateau Marmont, source tells CNN
A source close to singer Britney Spears tells CNN that the pop star is 'home and safe' after she had a 'major fight' with her boyfriend on Wednesday night at the Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood.
Canadian doctor concerned new weight-loss drug Wegovy may be used inappropriately
As Wegovy becomes available to Canadians starting Monday, a medical expert is cautioning patients wanting to use the drug to lose weight that no medication is a ''magic bullet,' and the new medication is meant particularly for people who meet certain criteria related to obesity and weight.
Drew Carey is never quitting 'The Price Is Right'
Drew Carey took over as host of 'The Price Is Right' and hopes he’s there for life. 'I'm not going anywhere,' he told 'Entertainment Tonight' of the job he took over from longtime host Bob Barker in 2007.