Where are we going?
New policies and people to shape university’s future
October 1, 2007
Lauren Thompson
Few would argue that Trinity Western University is experiencing numerous changes. With last fall’s inauguration of a new president, and the release of the yet-to-be-finalized 10-year strategic plan, change is being seen—and projected—at every level of the university.
In light of this, President Dr. Jonathon Raymond sat down with Mars’ Hill to discuss the future of the university, and look forward to the next Board of Governors (BOG) gathering, which the president calls a “watershed” in the future of TWU.
Information Centered
According to Raymond, many upcoming changes will occur as the result of shift to a more information-driven approach to running the university.
“Many universities operate on rumour, innuendo, anecdote; [only] sometimes on information,” he said. “We want to be a university that’s very much driven by good, quality information.”
The president feels that “in spite of a very first rate [information technology] department, our data systems need to be shaped up, they need to be cleaned up, more accessible, more helpful in decision making.”
In order to collect this data, Raymond has added a new member to his administrative team, Dr. Chima Adiele of the University of Lethbridge. Adiele, whose specialty is web data integration, will be taking over the role of Dr. Ken Kush as Vice President of Policy, Planning and Research.
Kush resigned from this role after 17 years of employment at TWU on July 5, and has relocated to San Diego to attend to family matters.
Adiele’s task will be to analyze “quality information” from the various departments, such as Admissions, Student Life, and the financial office.
In addition, Raymond has brought up Dr. Mira Kim to conduct student surveys and institutional research for the Administration, which she had formerly been doing for Student Life.
Policy Centered
The purpose of increased information flow, according to the president, is to help the Administration interpret and apply policies currently being set by the BOG.
Over the summer months, the BOG has worked to establish what the president calls a “means policy,” which is “how the board governs itself, how it relates to the president, and the limitations it puts on the president.”
These policies, in turn will direct an “ends policy,” which will “probably speak to the kind of student preparation the university is dedicated to and the student’s impact on the world,” said Raymond.
Neither of these policies could be articulated at this time, as they are still being debated and determined by the BOG.
The president hopes these policies will be in the fine-tuning stages by the November BOG meeting, where the adjusted strategic report document will also be presented.
“It’s a pretty critical board meeting; not only will they build an ends policy, they will debate and discuss whether or not this is a vision that they can get behind,” he said.
Student Centered
In establishing board and administrative policy, Raymond emphasized the importance of student input.
“The president has to engage a number of means of keeping the thumb on the pulse of a diverse group of students in different levels, different places,” he said.
How will he accomplish this? “I’m establishing in the next few weeks, a university policy advisory council,” he said, which is to be made up of two students, two faculty and two staff. These representatives will meet regularly with President Raymond, Provost Denis Jamison, VP of External Relations Ron Kuehl, and Operations Consultant Marilyn Crone to interpret and apply the ambiguous “board policy” to university operations.
President Raymond feels this opportunity is more effective than the oft-heralded student representation on the BOG.
“It’s rather daunting to say one student on the board is going to get the job done,” he said, explaining that it is a “roll of the dice” whether or not one student would adequately represent the breadth of student experience.
But, he insisted, “It’s important that faculty, staff and students have a voice, and a voice that has an impact.”
Christ Centered
In the midst of talk of re-evaluating and restructuring, Dr. Raymond remains loyal to the idea that for the university to succeed, it must remain Christ-centered.
“To stay Christ-centered has everything to do with the fact that the university is a people, a people who have a relationship to Christ, individually and as a community,” he said.
Dr. Raymond emphasised “doing all we can to develop [faculty] personally and professionally.”
When asked if the university is doing all it could to do this, the answer was ‘no.’
“Not yet,” he said, “we’re resource challenged…but we need to invest more. We need to invest in our people for sure.”
And although nothing has been finalized, Dr. Raymond assures that “board policy will call the president to do that.”
Dear Fellow Students of TWU,
In writing this story, I was struck with many questions about the future of our university. Where will the strategic vision take us? What should be included in the ambiguous “ends” and “means” policies that the Board of Governors (BOG) is establishing? Where should TWU’s priorities for growth be? The Mars’ Hill News section is committed to bringing you the information necessary to engage in the monumental conversations that are taking place; we promise to present the facts, but it is up to you to interact with them. Therefore, let me encourage you to go and make an appointment to talk with President Raymond, have coffee with a VP, email BOG chair Gary Inrig, comment on the Strategic Direction site at twu.ca, or join the conversation on marshilloline.com. Vocalize both your criticisms and your commendations. Just because we aren’t on the BOG doesn’t mean we can’t let our voice be heard.
It’s the students’ university: let’s own it.
Sincerely,
Lauren Thompson
News Editor
Now you go...
2 Responses to “Where are we going?”
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Has there been any word on how the students on the university policy advisory council will be selected and what the terms of such a position would be?
President Raymond informs me that Glenn Forrestor has been (or will be) working with current TWUSA president Brian Weir to inform that decision.