From Laurel’s Desk – June 2018 | Academic Newsletter | Seneca Polytechnic

in the June 2018 issue

Convocation season will arrive in three weeks. Once again, we will be celebrating the achievements of our newest alumni, the Class of 2018.

While much will be remembered about the 2017-18 academic year, and some of those memories are very difficult, I would like to focus on the resilience and accomplishments of our students and employees.

Individual students, student teams, and faculty were recipients of a number of awards and recognition at the provincial, national, and international levels. Student teams made an impact within their local communities through programs, such as Seneca360.

We continue to develop opportunities for our students to experience other cultures through a variety of means, including travel abroad for competitions, short courses or full semester study abroad, international pathways upon graduation, and, for those who are unable to travel, connecting with international partners using technology. In this issue, Professor Holly Cybulski (on page 4) writes about how she and a colleague at Artevelde University College in Ghent, Belgium designed an experience for their students to learn together without getting on a plane.

At the provincial level, we are working with Canadore, Cambrian, Lambton, and Fleming Colleges to design flexible learning opportunities that will enable students to complete programs where there are challenges with critical mass or accessing new pathways. Closer to home, we have entered into an agreement with Humber that signals a new way of working together to further polytechnic education in Ontario. All of these partnerships, which are based on the principle of collaboration over competition, will present new opportunities.

The Academic College Council (ACC) played an important role in the significant policy work we have undertaken this past year. ACC members have participated in working groups to review and revise policy and procedures. All members have participated in the discussion of new or revised draft policies as we move these through the approval process. ACC agendas, minutes and meeting documents, including the aforementioned policies, are posted on the website.

We have launched new programs, developed more that will be launched over the next year, and have more under consideration. We are in the final stages of drafting our Digital Learning Strategy, which will guide our approach to the development and support of high-quality technology-enhanced learning experiences for our students.

While these initiatives help to contribute to the vibrancy of Seneca, they pale in comparison to the work that is done by faculty and staff each and every day. You model professionalism, creativity, and resilience, and serve as mentors that our students and graduates will remember for years to come.

Thank you for your contribution to the Class of 2018!

Laurel

Photo credit: Jordann Rae, second semester student in the Independent Digital Photography Program

View the June 2018 issue of the Academic Newsletter.