I was pleased that so many of you were able to join our virtual holiday reception yesterday, as we marked the end of a very different year in a very different way. While I look forward to a time when we can once again gather in person, it gave me great joy to connect with so many of you virtually at this special time of year.
As we near the end of a truly unforgettable year, I wanted to extend my sincere appreciation for your remarkable work and dedication, and share a video message with my best wishes for a safe, happy and restful holiday season.
And while we reflect on a year that tested our strength and revealed the very best of our resilience, our NC DNA and our ability to work together, I also wanted to look ahead to 2021 and a few of the items that are on the horizon for the Winter term.
On January 11 we will welcome new and returning students to our virtual and on-campus classrooms and labs, as we continue with a mix of fully-remote and hybrid academic delivery. With incredible, ongoing work by our Enrolment Services, International and Marketing and Recruitment teams, along with our approval as a Designated Learning Institute with an approved COVID-readiness plan by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), we are striving to meet our revised domestic and international enrolment targets and project a total enrolment of 9,300 new and returning students for the Winter term.
In January you will also hear more about our upcoming Employee Engagement Survey, along with updates on the action plans that were developed to leverage the important feedback generated from the 2019 survey. Employee Engagement Surveys are an important part of our continuous improvement process, and I hope you will ensure that your voice is heard when the survey takes place in February.
As we enter the new year, the provincial government has also approved our third Strategic Mandate Agreement (SMA3), which runs until 2025. The SMA3 recognizes that Niagara College’s programs support a range of industries in Niagara and beyond, and align with major sectors in the region, including manufacturing, tourism and agriculture. Performance-based funding is the key feature of the new SMAs, although the increase in the amount of funding tied to performance metrics has been delayed for two years due to the impact of COVID-19. The SMA3 sets out the metrics on which this funding will be based, in the areas of skills and job outcomes, economic and community impact, and productivity, accountability and transparency. You can view the SMA online here.
I also want to celebrate the fact that in a year that has affected our operations in so many ways, the Niagara College spirit of giving is alive and stronger than ever.
As announced yesterday, our United Way Campaign has generated a record-breaking $45,120 for local agencies, at a time when community support is critically important. Thanks to campaign co-chairs Michele O’Keefe and Shelley Panetta, and everyone who participated in United Way events or contributed to the campaign.
Residents of local long-term care homes received much-needed holiday cheer from students and faculty in our Recreation Therapy program who gathered and delivered gifts from our College community. Residents at Community Living in St. Catharines will enjoy a virtual Christmas party next week thanks to Educational Assistant and Special Needs Support students led by field placement officer Amie Huisman.
A small group of third-year Broadcasting TV students focused on supporting a local initiative offering Zoom calls with Santa in support of Niagara-on-the-Lake Community Palliative Care. Broadcasting – Radio, Television and Film students from NC radio station CRNC The Heat also helped to battle student hunger through their annual Rock Around the Clock radiothon. This year’s fundraiser was held on December 4 through a 12-hour Facebook Live event in support of our NC Student Administrative Council’s Nourishing Minds program.
Generosity was in full bloom at our Teaching Greenhouse, which spread the beauty and bounty of the season to local residents, seniors and newcomers to Canada. Poinsettias and tomatoes were donated across Niagara to recipients including Community Care St. Catharines and Thorold, Beamsville High School, YWCA Niagara Region, Women’s Place of South Niagara, Niagara Regional Native Centre, the Welland Heritage Council and Multicultural Centre, and Millennium Trail Manor.
These are but a few examples of our College’s continued support for our community this holiday season, which I believe – especially through these challenging times – is a testament to the strength of our NC DNA.
I am immensely proud of the resilience, commitment, and passion of our NC community. Our students, faculty, and staff have worked so hard to meet the challenges arising from the pandemic. I hope you will take an opportunity to rest, reflect, and recharge over the term break. I look forward to the start of the new year and the Winter term in January, and wish you all the best as we reach the end of 2020.
