July 2020: Monthly update from the President
The close of July 2020 sees me in the midst of a significant and exciting road trip, one that has so far taken me from St. John’s, to Stephenville, the Great Northern Peninsula, the Coast of Labrador and the Lake Melville region.
This was part of my plan from the start of my tenure as the president of Newfoundland and Labrador’s only university. It was delayed, of course, by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. However, with new public health measures allowing for provincial travel, and summer in full bloom, the time had come to see the province.
It has not disappointed.
The journey has allowed me to see Memorial’s footprint across Newfoundland and Labrador, including Grenfell Campus, the Marine Institute’s Holyrood Marine Base and SERT centre in Stephenville, the Bonne Bay Marine Station and the Labrador Institute, now home to Memorial’s newest academic unit, the School of Arctic and Sub-arctic Studies.
More importantly, the voyage has introduced me to literally hundreds of people who are so fully invested in the success of the province’s only university, including politicians and other community leaders, our students and their parents, and our vast network of alumni found throughout the province, from Plum Point to Gander, Mary’s Harbour to Flat Bay.
I’ve met MPs, MHAs, mayors and councillors, and the leaders of most of the Indigenous groups in Labrador and Newfoundland. Of course, my days on the road have also allowed me the privilege of seeing the province in all its majestic beauty, and helped me further understand why people feel a special connection to this wonderful place.
And it’s not over yet. August sees me continue through Labrador, back to the island with stops in Central Newfoundland and back to St. John’s. I’ll be home for a week, then on the road again to meet with people in the communities of the north coast, including Fogo Island, Lewisporte and Twillingate.
If I missed you and your hometown this time, let me know and I’ll make every effort to include you on the itinerary on one of my future road trips. Oh, yes, venturing beyond the overpass will be a regular part of my responsibility as president of Memorial University.
And while this essential trip has been front and centre, also in my mind has been the upcoming fall semester. We announced in May that students would be returning to a primarily remote teaching and learning environment for the fall semester.
While there are specific exceptions, full in-person, on-campus courses will not resume before January 2021.
The shift to remote teaching and learning in March was a once-in-a lifetime event that I hope is never repeated. We had some time to consider program delivery for spring and summer teaching and learning. However, fall, with a full cohort of new and returning students, has required intense preparation, work that is still ongoing. Thanks to the efforts of our faculty, staff and, of course, our students, we will be ready come September.
Finally, we began our new strategic planning process in June with approval coming from both Senate and the Board.
The next few months will be critical as we plot the future of Memorial University. The current priorities include developing a request for proposals for an external consultant and preparing for an open call for individuals interested in participating in the internal facilitation team.
As we move through the plan’s development, all members of our community – faculty, staff, students, alumni and the public – will be asked to help build an aspirational, shared vision that reflects the diversity and complexity of Memorial.
Watch this space in the months to come for more on how you can participate in our shared future.