Presidents Report Dec 2008

Brian G. Tamblyn Volume 10 Issue 4 December 16, 2008

G eorgian officially opened the new Great Lakes International Marine Simulation and Research Centre on November 21 before a standing-room-only crowd of more than 300 people in the Owen Sound gymnasium.

The event was a huge success in celebrating an $8.5-million renovation that has transformed our campus in Grey Bruce.

The highlight of the official opening was the unveiling of the world-class simulators that have positioned Owen Sound’s marine centre as truly the best in Canada, and among the leaders internationally. It is not very often that we at Georgian have the opportunity to open a facility that puts us on the world stage in training, but the Class A full-mission ship simulator is already drawing rave reviews from international marine interests. In fact, the day the new centre officially opened, training on the leading-edge simulators was already booked to 85 per cent capacity. This kind of premier facility would not be possible without the generosity of a number of partners, including: Transport Canada Marine Safety; the Ontario Ministries of Transportation and Training, Colleges and Universities; the City of Owen Sound; plus approximately 20 other contributors from the marine industry, for their financial support. I was delighted that the marine industry chose this event to honour and recognize Archie Dickson during the official ceremony. He was recognized not only for his tireless and dedicated work on the simulator project, but also for his longstanding leadership in the support of Ontario’s marine industry in general. Archie and his wife Mary will both be retiring shortly from Georgian College – the second “retirement” for Archie – and I want to wish him and Mary the very best as they turn a new page in their lives. The renewal and revitalization of the Owen Sound Campus is gratifying for the many people who have followed the growth and evolution of the campus over the years. The degree of pride that the civic leaders have for the campus was very evident throughout the November 21 ceremonies, and there was a strong sense that day that the latest addition of this international asset to the Campus can only help to put Owen Sound on the map. Two members of our Board of Governors who live in Owen Sound commented that the official opening of the marine centre was one of the best and most celebrated events ever held in the city. Honourable mention must go to Physical Resources Director John La Brie and his entire team for their outstanding work in completing the extensive campus renovation on time and on budget. Georgian is very fortunate to have such a highly skilled and dedicated group of individuals who, project after project, continually meet the challenge. One final thought on the Owen Sound event – I was very gratified that a full busload of Barrie and Orillia staff travelled to Owen Sound to join in the celebration and congratulate their colleagues on this great success. I know a number of other staff from across all of our campuses braved less than ideal conditions to drive to Owen Sound on their own. It was very heartwarming to observe the level of camaraderie among the staff, with a number visiting the Owen Sound Campus for the first time. I hope that this becomes a trend as we celebrate other events at our campuses in the future. There has been much to celebrate at Georgian this fall as we continue to experience record high enrolment across the board in college, university, and apprenticeship studies. The November 1 full-time enrolment report continued over...

Office of the President

Georgian College One Georgian Drive Barrie, ON L4M 3X9 Tel: (705) 728-1968 ext. 1248 Fax: (705) 722-1559 E-mail: [email protected]

revealed that the total domestic enrolment for all funded programs stands at 6,784 students, representing a healthy 6.33 per cent increase over the November audit count in 2007. The total increase for Laurentian@Georgian this fall is up 17.40 per cent. In addition, our fall international enrolment grew to 311 students, representing a very respectable increase of 55 students, or 19.93 per cent growth. Apprenticeship numbers are also up across the College and our annual count will be calculated later this winter. We have seen excellent results in student retention this fall compared to the same period last year, and I want to commend and thank all of our staff for reaching out to our students, particularly those experiencing a post-secondary environment for the first time. Georgian held open houses at all of our main campuses last month that attracted crowds conservatively estimated at 2,500 visitors. I had the pleasure of speaking to a number of prospective students and family members at the Barrie event, and I can say that the support and enthusiasm of the staff left a very strong impression with the participants. Applications for January intake programs are already well above last year’s numbers, and I have every confidence that we will carry our fall enrolment momentum into the winter semester. I continue to hear about success stories at Georgian that are a credit to the skills of our staff and their commitment to our students. For example, earlier this fall, Georgian graduates finished first among Ontario colleges in the most recent provincial exams for Veterinarian Technician. Seventeen of the 18 graduates eligible to write the exam were successful and, not only were they first overall; they recorded top scores in surgery, anaesthesia and dentistry, with close seconds in pharmacology and radiology. Congratulations to Program Co-ordinator Tine Curran and other members of the Vet Tech team. There were a number of other similar success stories this fall. The Ontario Fire Marshall’s office has chosen Georgian to participate in its accreditation process. It will represent all 12 Ontario colleges that offer the PreService Firefighter program. Program Co-ordinator Mike Cadotte explains that in effect this process allows for our curriculum to be recognized by the “Professional Board.” This honour is a tribute to Mike, to all of our program instructors, and to the students who have a deep passion for their profession. Together, they have made Georgian’s Pre-Service Firefighter program the very best in Ontario. Among those who sent congratulatory messages was City of Barrie Fire Chief John Lynn who commented, “There is no question in my mind that the program delivered by Georgian is a model for the province and the future of the Pre-Service program. Barrie Fire and Emergency Services is proud to be a partner with Georgian College, and pledge our continued support.” The dental programs at our Orillia Campus have long been Georgian’s shining examples in provincial achievement and this year was no exception. The College has once again achieved 100 per cent pass rates on the National Board Exams for both the Dental Hygiene and Dental Assisting programs. We should never take these exceptional results for granted because they are only possible through commitment to excellence by staff who teach in the program and those who help to ensure that our labs meet the latest technological standards. These staff strengths combine with the major renovation last year in the dental clinic to help ensure that dental graduates will achieve province-leading results for years to come. Congratulations to second-year Advertising and Marketing students who captured gold and bronze at the 29th annual Ontario Colleges’ Marketing Competition (OCMC) held on November 13 and 14 at Niagara College. The OCMC provides an opportunity for top students in these programs from across Ontario to demonstrate their abilities against very stiff competition. All events are judged by industry professionals. Thanks to the leadership of our faculty in our Advertising and Marketing programs, Georgian has established a strong reputation over the years in this provincial competition. Their efforts were appropriately recognized by their peers around the province when Georgian was granted the special honour of hosting the 25th anniversary of this competition in 2004. At the 2008 Provincial Continuing Education Conference, Georgian’s Nona McClung won the J. David Stewart Memorial Leadership Award for Support Staff Personnel in Continuing Education. This award recognizes an individual member of a continuing education operation who has made an outstanding contribution to, or has taken a leadership role in, their respective area of responsibility. Nona was recognized by more than 100 of her peers at the conference for demonstrating: excellence in leadership; integrity and professionalism; promotion of quality in education; concern for and sensitivity towards staff and students; and personal

Office of the President

Georgian College One Georgian Drive Barrie, ON L4M 3X9 Tel: (705) 728-1968 ext. 1248 Fax: (705) 722-1559 E-mail: [email protected]

development/professional development. Congratulations to Nona on receiving this provincial award and kudos to all of the Georgian staff and various departments who took the time to either prepare or support the nomination. Last month, Georgian was chosen for the third consecutive year as a Gold recipient in the annual Healthy Workplace Recognition Awards selection. The College was selected for the Gold level of achievement by the Simcoe County Healthy Workplace Network for our active living initiatives, our “take back your lunch break” campaign, and our initiation of an active Healthy Workplace team. Thirteen businesses across Simcoe County were honoured on November 6 for establishing and promoting programs to create a working environment that fosters healthy behaviours and well-being for their employees. Activities ranged from raising awareness and introducing policies, to providing educational opportunities to help improve employee health. Congratulations to Steve Lichty, Anne-Marie McAllister and Tara Hardy in Organizational Planning and Development for their perfect track record in having received this annual award every year since its inception three years ago. Georgian held its second Dream Catcher Gala dinner at Casino Rama on October 17, and the event proved to be another outstanding success. The highlight this year was a $250,000 donation to the Power of Education campaign by RBC Royal Bank as part of the official program. The RBC donation will go towards the new Health and Wellness building at the Barrie Campus. It represents the largest single donation to date by RBC Royal Bank in the Barrie/Muskoka region. I want to acknowledge and thank Roger Denize, RBC Vice PresidentBarrie/Muskoka Commercial Financial Services and Anna Cheaney, RBC Regional Vice President for the Barrie Muskoka Region, for their support and assistance in making this donation possible. I also want to thank Board of Governors Vice Chair Charlotte Wallis from RBC Royal Bank for providing considerable advocacy support on behalf of the College. The gala was attended by more than 300 community leaders, staff and students. The RBC announcement was in addition to the support given by each individual who purchased a ticket to the Gala, as well as those who participated in the silent and live auctions. Proceeds from the Dream Catcher Gala totalled some $150,000 in support of Georgian’s student awards and scholarships program. Georgian is a leader in the Ontario college system for the largest value of awards and scholarships available to its students. I want to extend my sincere appreciation to Gala Chair Lisa McCarthy-Tamblyn, the organizing committee, the staff, student volunteers, and to the Office of Development and Alumni Relations, for organizing another stellar event. With these recent results, I am delighted to report that Georgian has so far raised over $9 million towards our campaign target of $25 million. In October, I made presentations to the County of Simcoe and the City of Barrie asking for municipal support for the Health and Wellness project. I requested commitments of $2 million and $5 million from Simcoe and Barrie, respectively, pledged over five years. On November 25, County Council approved an initial instalment of $400,000 towards the project. I anticipate that Barrie Council will make a final decision on our request next month, although they formally supported the request in principle at their October 28 meeting. The generosity of our communities and corporate partners is all the more gratifying coming at a time when the world is facing severe economic challenges. The Ontario government’s October economic statement predicted a $500-million deficit by the end of this fiscal year. The economic uncertainty in Ontario presents some significant challenges to Georgian and the Ontario college system, both in the immediate and short term. The status of our capital submission to the province, as well as provincial operating funding for this year and next, are two examples of major priorities that could be affected. I remain cautiously optimistic about our capital investment request given the merits of our Health and Wellness building application. The March provincial budget may include an economic stimulus strategy that I hope will include infrastructure investment in colleges and universities. The issue of provincial operating grants is more uncertain. At a time when the provincial government is facing severe losses in revenue due to the recession, the Ontario college system is experiencing growing enrolment pressures as people traditionally return to school during tough economic times. Ontario colleges are awaiting more information from the province concerning general operating funding for this year and 2009/10. In the meantime, the college system has been very active on the advocacy front at

Office of the President

Georgian College One Georgian Drive Barrie, ON L4M 3X9 Tel: (705) 728-1968 ext. 1248 Fax: (705) 722-1559 E-mail: [email protected]

the highest levels to emphasize the vital importance of investment in colleges as part of the province’s economic recovery strategy. I hope to have more to report on provincial developments, and Georgian’s response to our own financial challenges, in my next newsletter early in the new year. As the calendar year draws to a close, I want to thank all staff for their dedication and caring, making 2008 another year of considerable progress and success. I hope that you are able to enjoy the extended holiday break to relax and enjoy this special time of year with your family and friends. Lisa, Evan and I extend our best wishes to you and your family for a healthy and fulfilling 2009

Office of the President

Georgian College One Georgian Drive Barrie, ON L4M 3X9 Tel: (705) 728-1968 ext. 1248 Fax: (705) 722-1559 E-mail: [email protected]