As the first week of classes draws to a close, I am reaching out to express my sincere gratitude to all of you for a successful start to the Winter 2022 term.
Our shared commitment to our students’ success continues to be our college’s greatest strength, and that has truly shone over the past week as we have prioritized safety and our students’ experience and success. I know that the rise of Omicron has created new challenges in our work and in our daily lives and once again we have been called upon to temporarily adapt our programs, services and work as COVID trends shift. Whether you are currently performing your role remotely or delivering on-campus programs, services or essential functions, thank you for your important contribution to a successful start of term during difficult times. The energy, enthusiasm and perseverance that you continue to bring to your work every day is remarkable.
Understandably, much of the focus for the start of term has been on the current challenges, but they are temporary and I continue to look forward to 2022 with a strong sense of optimism.
This week we welcomed approximately 2,000 new students who will begin their Niagara College journey. Although current travel restrictions have affected our International intake for this term, our overall enrolment picture for the year remains stable, and we continue to track toward our annual targets and a balanced budget for 2021-2022.
Soon we will launch an ambitious new strategic plan that will guide us through the COVID recovery period and beyond, identifying our key areas of focus as we build on our position as an innovator and leader in postsecondary education in the years ahead. The plan, built through more than a year of consultation within our college and broader community, will be presented to our Board of Governors next month.
Academic excellence and student experience remain key priorities for us, and in the year ahead we’ll make important investments in these areas, including new faculty and support staff positions to support learning and mental health.
I look forward to sharing further updates on these and other initiatives in the weeks and months ahead, and I am hopeful that before long, 2022 will look quite different than it did as it began.
Thank you once again for making the start of term as smooth and successful as possible for our students and I wish you well for the term – and year – that lies ahead.
