Question 3

As we build our future, what do we need to keep doing well?

  • Our mission (To transform hopes and dreams into lifelong success).
  • Our values (Caring, Learning, Integrity, Respect).
  • Our view of students. We take a holistic view of services and success of students.
  • Professional Development (PD). We encourage learning, conferences, and training.
  • PD varies by department. Some consistently offer PD. Others are poor at offering PD.
  • We favour new initiatives.
  • Our talent is motivated, how do they catch up?
  • We do a lot well but do these activities help our long-term sustainability?
  • What defines value? Is this decision the right thing to do? What is critical (essential)?
  • Best programs. We really do this well: *academic excellence, *exceptional student experience.
  • Are we the top? An external review of our KPIs refused our eligibility for student scholarship.
  • Our reputation in Ontario strong – known for our digital strategy, as the digital college.
  • Learner Development Plan (LDP)
  • **Gains in TRC. Now we need to ensure success of our Indigenous students in the Canadian community.
  • We empower our people, our leaders.
  • Not all have permission to fail. Need to feel safe. Depends on reporting structure and the attitude of your 1-up.
  • Need resources for follow-through, for implementation, for consistent quality/implementation/operations.
  • Training (when available).

  • Connection with industry. We need to keep it fresh. We need more collaboration.
  • Co-op. Don’t change co-op. Keep it going the way it is. Doing well.
  • “The cool factor”
    • There is interest in the cool stuff going on such as the flashy maker space.
    • Highly visible, impactful (even small) projects spark enthusiasm, and ideas (e.g. dismantled computer).
  • Showcase to community VR/game development at the museum
  • ACCE living lab. Need to keep it up as a showcase. Need to repaint. Need website updates.
  • College branding, keep it up!
  • Merits of the applied degree here versus a degree at university. Need to promote this more.
  • Need more conversations regarding differences of college and university education.
  • Connect what we do well through the stories of others.
  • Internships in government labs.
  • Work in/with Silicon Valley North (SVN). We need to keep this going. Create a communications piece to bridge past success with new tech industry.
  • Kaleidoscope is needed but needs to be reinvigorated. Meetings are scheduled that conflict with participating. If leaders don’t go, the staff won’t go. Need to share and learn from one another, from guest speakers. Needs to build and grow.
  • AC Vision, the leadership events each semester (the breakfast, the picnic each term).
  • Our experts, our expert resources. Their contributions, knowledge need to be highlighted in bios online, to create a social side, as a marketing tool.
  • I like working with the people at this institution. I am very lucky to have a great job working with a wonderful team. I know not all of my colleagues feel the same way.
  • Welcoming all people, learners, faculty and staff is done well.

 

  • 100% invested hard-working employees; its a lean organization.
  • Learner focus; intent on fixing challenges and doing better.
  • New innovative programs (except timelines) of the past; keep more coming in the future (e.g. online, green, ACCE, outdoor programs).
  • Great partnerships to develop material for programs, to innovate with our community.
  • Collaboration with the Student Association, Academic area, support services as well as collaborations with students. There is a good synergy of efforts. We’re in a “good groove”.
  • Positioned to be leaders across programming.
  • Strong extracurricular activity (e.g. Amazing Race, hockey and more).
  • Supporting one another. It’s a warm environment. People are helping one another.
  • Open door culture at our regional campus. We spend our time here each day, 5 days a week. We recognize this is unique.
  • Majority of coordinators are Academic Advisors; although challenging, it helps during tours with students/parents to review programs and to provide needed academic advising support (at the time when many questions are posed).
  • Safe, direct, honest, open dialogue is common. Respectful.
  • Strong connection to students, know their name, where they are from, form a connection (at our regional campus).
  • Consult students well. They have a strong voice on Program Council. Great listening, not necessarily making changes year to year.
  • *Learner Development Plan. Accessible, flexible plan.
  • Legacy of learner population at the waterfront campus (grandparent, parent, child go here).
  • Leadership is accessible, responsive locally. There is an open door culture that is inviting (particularly for students, also employees).
  • Town and Gown. Local community connection at convocation is excellent.
  • Branding. The direction of the College brand is good but need to do more.
  • Our leader could be used for our branding; he has a long career at AC in the academic area and now he’s a leader here.
  • Our part-timers. Our part-timers have great experience. We need more channels to cultivate their experiences. We could have shadow advisors to guide part-timers who join the College. Invest part-time skills into the department. Use all resources (such as the experience, the skills of part-time faculty, employees) at College to improve programs. The College would benefit from more interaction across teams.
  • (Let’s take our) Words to Action!
  • (Let’s) Think locally and act globally!
  • Our international presence (AC educational institutions abroad); less now, need to have more of this.
  • We have International (part-time and full-time) faculty who could share their experiences and be ambassadors for the College – locally with newcomers and internationally (in their networks).
  • Collaboration between staff, keep some of the flexibility. Entrepreneurship.
  • Perhaps more focus on scholarship of teaching and learning – perhaps offer some internal funding for promising proposals?
  • *Focus on our learners as our overall strategy. Not only the Learner Driven Plan. We need foundational planning of day-to-day operations that’s is well documented and communicated before we launch our next plan. There lots of concurrent planning (e.g. LDP, strategic planning, business planning, budget planning, tech planning, committees). Need time to reflect (to plan).
  • There is an organizational mismatch for our planning, to operationalize our plans
  • What we are doing on a day-to-day basis is lost. Our day-to-day focus needs to be on the learner. Need to recognize learners don’t want to be served accordingly to our organizational chart. There needs to be more synergy in our day-to-day operations.
  • Need to do a better job communicating how we integrate plans into everyone’s day-to-day, the day-to-day learner experiences. There is a disconnect between our plans and our understanding of how these new initiatives will impact everybody. We do plan well, with great ideas. We need to know what it means for employees, for our learners: what does it mean to me?
  • We are getting a lot done because we are doing so much. Need to be better at foundational pieces, such as standard operating procedures (SOPs) or successfully upgrading systems. Need to improve understanding of our processes with documentation. This takes time. , clients need to understand there’s a give and take
  • Employees/staff as learners. Employees need skills and confidence to fulfill our vision, to provide for our students, to transform hopes and dreams into lifelong success. We are all learners.
  • We do keep our values front and centre. This is important to continue. We talk, consider and decisions are aligned with our values. There is concerted effort to carry on, living our values (high awareness, understanding of our values).
  • Keeping that small college feel.
  • Integrity of programs. Industry respect. Feedback of industry: we are providing the skill sets needed for industry.
  • Entrepreneurial spirit. Despite problems, we make it work, and we do it well.
  • Not sitting on our laurels. Not assuming students will always come. Get ahead and meet their needs. Facing challenges (e.g. Strategic Enrolment Management committee). Executives are looking at big picture, the outlook.
  • Lots of change. Resilient through change. Resilient spirit will keep us focus.
  • Break down of silo’ing between departments. Open communication, Community of Pratice/Chairs.
  • Supportive leadership. Above and below.
  • Lean practices, involving people in the front lines to get their input, get the perspective of front line, perspective of the student.
  • Working together with lots on our plate; these are OUR goals. Involving OUR goals to move forward.
  • Efforts are made to engage all, increases the feeling of ownership. Involved in decisions.
  • The group for the SIS, the SIS team, is fantastic. Group is working together to make it happen, to ease of process.Hope they continue.
  • People are here for the right reasons. Vast majority are here for the right reasons: our values, community improvement, etc. Good intentions here.
  • Very good reputation with industry, with employers. Let’s leverage it. Employers are with us. Let’s maintain these relationships to move forward.
  • Professional development within the college, for faculty, staff. Helps with AC pride. We are learners too.
  • We need to get the Chair back to doing Academic Leadership. With administrative expectations by the new systems, we now have our Academic leader doing more administrative tasks than ever. They are becoming overpaid Academic clerk.
  • Currently, the acquisition of the proposed GeneSIS replacement is a model of large system acquisition. I think if it keeps going that way, with the same philosophy of acquisition and implementation, it will be a success. Only time will tell.
  • *****We are not big, we are small. We embrace it.
  • Our story. Our messages are valuable; attracts the student who is looking for right fit.
  • ***Build relationships well. Relationships between staff, students, ourselves, and the community (too well!). Have this unique ability.
  • Keep delivering a quality student experience. Support ourselves (each other) and students.
  • Work together. We’re a hub. High volunteering time, love what we do, we stay late.
  • Collaboration. Nice here that we have freedom to work together (collaboration). Don’t have the divisions. Ability to combine efforts, come up with creative, collaborative ideas, events, programs. Creates engagement on campus.
  • Partnership we have with the community. We do that well. We get requests from community to join associations, to present at events, to be active in the community (e.g. Chamber, ECE students help out at Maple Fest, Rib Fest)
  • Don’t have the impenetrable bureaucracy. We are flat, have a lot of access.
  • Partnership with the Students Association (SA). Use of SA fees. Food drives. Kids Christmas. Community gets involved, across programming, across campus community. We work very closely together.
  • We put in our own time to make things successful. We love what we do. Real commitment that comes from within.
  • Community Employment Services (CES) is gold star; CES is there for students or anybody needing employment. We deliver workshops for police foundations, for specific sectors. Need to be known well throughout Perth. Need greater awareness as we are in another location (not at 55 Craig).
  • Increase Perth voice↑ Support students well. Care about safety. We are straightforward, honest and true. We care what we do. Students appreciate it.
  • Support for CE, PD, sabbatical, employee supports (e.g. pension). Want to see it consistently across areas of the College.
  • Student supports are great. They feel like a person. Feel resources and support to go to. Good job connecting to students and have time to support.
  • ***Compare. Culture here is different, it doesn’t exist in university. Students fell like a person; they are well taken care of, know their names. Faculty is connected.
  • Approach of working to bring all students up to a passing level. Facilitate achievement. Need to focus on our student success orientation.
  • The way we liaise with the community. True community partner. All levels, not just within our programs. Students upwards. We need time to do so.
  • Moving towards reconciliation. Doing well, taken good steps. Need to continue so it’s not tokenism.
  • Great work on inclusion (transgender, LGBTQ, refusing racism) Keep up understanding and acceptance.
  • We move quickly. Nice flat organization. Have access to other team players. Innovative ideas can be actioned quickly. A lot of resources here.
  • Supports for students are stretched, but the ability to take students to CAL, counselling and set them up, the people are responsive. There’s always someone there. Having these supports are integral.
  • Counselling is great, but closing hours need to be stretched, more services need to be open later. Treated with equity based on terms (summer hours can’t meet the summer student demand).
  • Faculty learning program –it’s great! Helped integration of newly hired faculty. It’s a good Community of Practice. It’s a huge investment by the College, but to have that grounding is essential.
  • Professional Development (PD), the Leadership development courses brought together people across the College for collaboration. Need to rotate the days it is available, the days to take integration courses.
  • We have weekend, evening courses; match services to our programs.
  • In-house services: ITS, Health Services…don’t outsource them. They work well.
  • Community profile. AC holds a very important place in Ottawa. Positive reputation.
  • Listening to our students. Meeting with them, meeting with student representatives. Deliver the changes, improve our delivery.
  • Truth and reconciliation, it’s a good start. There’s a huge gap in the classroom. Need to modify curriculum to build on our efforts and continue.
  • Mulit-cultural existence at the college. Harmonious. Living our values.
  • We do employ international students on campus. We give them opportunity to make their way.
  • Challenge one another, challenge ourselves to make sure action and words support our values as we go forward.
  • We keep improving our campus.
  • Our mental health focus. Removing the stigma associated with it.
  • Resources available for students are 10x what we had before. Brings a sense of pride. We are benchmarking, leading the way in the sector.
  • Inter-departmental service investments. It’s definitely paid off. Need to know how to leverage it more.
  • Time to talk to students. We do it well, but need more time. Website is a good resource, but they still want that 1 on 1. Human contact keeps your students coming back.
  • The passion we have here (staff wide) really speaks to students. We can’t put a time limit on being approachable.
  • A lot of pride in our work. Faculty has passion for student success
  • Industry is impressed with the level of professionalism of our students, and enthusiasm of our students!
  • Attempting to make the school environment welcoming. Physical, emotional, indigenous, LGBTQ, international. There is ongoing work to do, but doing it well.
  • We should be helping struggling students with the basics (e.g. English, math). Mature students who can’t make it during day time, have this help in the evening too.
  • Great strides in applied research. Good job laying the foundation. The Re/Action applied research showcase is impressive.
  • Staff appreciation is good here. Feel appreciated.
  • Communication is good, departmental communication is good. Huddles are a great addition, way of action.
  • How we start drawing in part- time staff. They are highly valuable but how can we connect with them further. We don’t want to lose the expertise.
  • Practical: keep costs low for students – the coffee, the food on campus. They need to feed themselves. Keep the food cupboard going. Students don’t have money. Day to day costs add up.
  • Listening, being available, Togetherness. Family feeling. No hierarchy.
  • Semester breaks are good for everybody (time to catch up on marking, work, etc.).
  • Annual retreats. Live Laugh Learn. These were the moments I became engaged. Met people, people in other departments. Creates awareness and strength through connection.
  • Post-implementation evaluation. Things get forgotten over time. Take advantage of our investments. If it’s working, how do we keep it going? We need ongoing support to continue initiatives. We have great ideas; how do we motivate collaboration and momentum? We need room for continuous improvement and follow-though.
  • President BBQ and breakfast. Casual atmosphere. Good for spirit, for conversations.
  • United Way activities. Air bands, Fun competitions. Fundraisers to give back. The flash mob. These create connections. Bring back the social events, the giving back. We need to integrate new people.
  • AC does have tremendous reputation in the community.
  • Our efforts to promote equality and inclusion.
  • Social responsibility, either student-led or volunteer events. Helps community get to know us. Wonderful to continue and expand upon these events.
  • Listening tours. Listening to us!
  • Year-end video. Allows us to recall, to celebrate our successes together. Builds our pride.
  • New systems are great. But the training needs to be consistent. There are guidelines, need to take them on.
  • We are working hard to create our selling points. In terms of enrollment and research partnerships, we are #1 in Canada. These are great selling points. We spent time promoting this – I hope we maintain the position.
  • Two-way engagement. The information we provide to applicants and students. I was a student at Dalhousie, a major institution. We are well ahead of curve in terms of communications.
  • Recognition within Ottawa. Our College reputation. When I mention I work at AC, 99.9% time AC is well liked.
  • Employee recognition is good.
  • Developing partnerships (e.g. Tech companies, Royal Ottawa Hospital-ROH, Rideau Perley. Its great for students and for PR.
  • *Listening to ideas. New employees are listened to – we’re open to get new technologies to help job performance.
  • ******We help each other allot. We pick up after each other. Never scared to ask for help. Employees have good intentions, good passion.
  • Professional development opportunities, PD opportunities.
  • **Strategic direction. Learner Driven Plan is fantastic document. It makes sense. With the new SIS analysis, how do we support the process to put the pieces all together?
  • Being innovative. We have innovative thinking. We have an overarching way of thinking. Our mindset in departments, in open houses with the LDP, with micro-credentials.
  • We need to differentiate ourselves as a polytechnic (1/11 in Canada). Awareness is increasing.
  • **Brand imagery is night and day. Wayfinding reflects better our ethos. The brand strategy implementation is good. We are showcasing the College well in our marketing.
  • Truth and reconciliation. Proud. We are doing well. We are looked as leaders. Doing well relative to the sector.
  • We hire immigrants. Our College is inclusive and representative.
  • Mamidosewin Centre is hidden at the corner/edge of the College. It’s great, and a great open space. I love it, it’s so nice. Its meditative. I wish it was more assessable, to have a more visible presence.
  • Relationship with the Student Association (SA); it’s positive.
  • Great job of connecting with alumni and involving them in our marketing and communications. We need to do more, to strengthen the relationships with graduates (as employers) for future growth.
  • **Increase alumni and students in our marketing and communications.
  • Call the President.
  • Conduct a Listening Tour.
  • ****Move recruitment to the front entrance. Make it a fun- make a branded lobby. This could be a hangout for current students too (with the prospective students and families that enter). Set up a café to bring people over.
  • Continual, consistent employee engagement. Ask, hear wants, do it on a regular basis.
  • Communicate to students, be student-facing. Give us time/permission to be student-facing.
  • Find quicker ways to communicate. Random employee polls/short surveys. Create different/multiple ways and venues for reaching out.
  • Post the listening tour, what happens next. Communicate to employees what will be the focus. Follow-up. What happens next from these listening tours?
  • Whole online campus. It’s astounding the lengths and effort we’ll go for a student success story. It’s not always in the most positive way. Some students consistently fail, and we allow it to happen and then we re-enroll them; it’s a great disservice. Early alerts would help student success. Better, help match the right student, with the right fit, to the right program.
  • Onboarding of students needs to be more creative – to help students with the information they need from the start. Week 1 we need to help students know if they are in the right program of study or if there is a better fit.
  • How do we help students on site? We need to make help more available. Appointments are set two weeks out; the response is too slow. We will likely lose the student. Make career counselling and academic advising more available when students are on site.
  • **Claude was welcoming students at the door this fall; let’s do more of that.
  • Filling courses that won’t fill up. Evaluate what is sustainable to keep from a program perspective. What do we keep, suspend or cancel. We spend a lot of resources to fill a course that may not be on demand. We have programs year over year that are not doing well.
  • Do we have a higher responsibility? If we continue to increase sections for high enrollment programs/highly competitive programs. Will there be jobs for all these graduates? What is best to graduate students into employment?
  • Our default rates (if OSAP is not being paid back). If default rates are high, then the program may be cancelled. If not OSAP funded, why would we offer it to students?
  • Partnerships with the outside community – employers or educational partners. We need to have them on campus. Having them on campus would benefit students with their career trajectory, especially with data requirements from the province.
  • Focus on “focusing”. We try to do so much that it dilutes our efforts across the board. Executives recognize this – it impacts our efforts for implementation.

 

  • Interactions across departments, with leadership (e.g. Leadership training ALEI).
  • Corporate Training -good at making it happen, we’re ready for students without making it seem like it was a challenge.
  • Customer service – we have great service to students, partners.
  • Engagement in the community – reputation, present at community events – asked about it, proud of being an employee. Respected in community.
  • Very proud to say I work here.
  • Great intentions with employee engagement. The more engaged the employees are, the better the college experience (for all – students, employees). It’s the right focus, continue that.
  • *Rapid Improvement Events. AC Way initiative.
  • The Lean journey and process mapping, huddles, white belt, yellow belt, keep up the momentum. It’s the right direction, keep it up. We are making improvements
  • MyAC is a good vehicle in getting news, College wide events and happenings. Let’s improve it.
  • Social events for getting to know people in departments. Met a lot of people I wouldn’t have. Social events are important.
  • Continue the great support for our students.
  • Focus on our potential. We focus more on what we are doing well, instead of past failures: our potential.
  • Over the past 5 years, labour relations have really improved. Hope it continues.
  • This building, this space (The Lodge). It’s a beautiful College.
  • Lunchtime activities available to students and employees such as Yoga, Volleyball, AC Hub.
  • Savoir Faire.
  • Horticulture centre, the gardens.
  • Employees are student-focused, on the best experience for students.
  • Fun at the College such as Food trucks in the summer.
  • Dining for employees. We need to improve our dining area to be more a staff lounge, to allow for staff time for work, for interactions with employees. Should not just be a lunch space, more of a staff lounge.
  • Honouring Indigenous community, our Indigenous heritage.
  • Increase efforts of inclusion and diversity. Be meaningful.
  • Hiring the right people.
  • Continue producing great students and grads. Our learners are top notch. Impressive.
  • Continue building relationship and partnerships with employers. Flexibility is great, we can implement things they didn’t think was possible. They say ‘We love the skills you are teaching, and the initiatives they come up with.’
  • Personal touch is appreciated by employers. Builds relationship because it’s personal.
  • Trying to connect with donors, reminding them we are here and fostering these relationships. Fostering environment where people want to connect with us, we need to continue to build on.
  • Better student response time. International students need help, more ways to get them employed or employers to access funding or external programs to help our international students.
  • We assure the learning is Applied Learning. We are in a position to try our very best to get industry experience so they are sharing their experience instead of info from a book.
  • Learner Drive Plan; students want the personal touch. They’ll recognize the flexibility. How can we make this easier? How will it look in five years? It’s more open, accessible, and learner driven.
  • Being inclusive. I’m very proud to work here. Passionate.
  • Alumni. You become a champion of AC when you step into the classroom. We have lifers: employees and students.
  • Promoting respect for diversity. Safe Space. Intercultural workshops. Women in sciences. College to continue focus on this. Creates a positive environment for student and staff.
  • Bleed Green. Community connection.
  • Quality of staff. Willingness to help. Hiring is great. Living our values, not just words
  • Reputation in the workplace is high. The fees going into college is for good. Employers have to pay for training anyways, they chose to give it to a reputable source.
  • International reputation.
  • Sharing alumni stories. Distinction awards.
  • Sharing successes of students.
  • Communications: primarily emails from faculty to students..
  • Faculty informal office hour availability/ies.
  • Brightspace has an announcement feature. Captures everyone.
  • Layout of school. The open work spaces. Don’t need to rely on library.
  • We have a great range of activities compared to the other schools around. More events here. There’s something going on everyday. Good job advertising it. Strong Student Association. Helps to integrate different people from college.
  • Health insurance. Standard Industry offers. But increase the dental.
  • We don’t get doctors. It’s a delay to see a doctor, and the wait is not helpful. Better to use a family doctor if Canadian.
  • Wonderful inspiring spaces for students. This space, study spaces, about collaborating, opens communication. Employee spaces are not as good – ours should be as inspiring to help us collaborate.
  • DARE is fantastic. It’s a good thing – bringing a lot of different groups together. See it everyday. People within and outside see it as a great engaging space. People are using it.
  • Do great job offering work integrated learning opportunities .
  • Having this conversation. Motivating us, and making us feel free to reach out within each other and help us understand and find resources. More outreach and helping each other. Strengthen that community.
  • Events for alumni: helps students to see next steps and gives hope to enter the workforce.
  • Current state of hiring. transitioning dedicated people that helped us get this far to full time opportunities
  • Classroom creativity. Ability to find solutions to reach more students. Brings students together. Openness to be creative to teach.
  • Flaming passion for doing great stuff. Really passionate to see student success. To feel project empowerment helps push us forward.
  • Mental heath for staff, and students supports are positives. BrightSpace for change management – well staffed, hours were great, good participation in decisions.
  • Students commons area. Be able to be easily orientated . Seeing services available
  • New full time . New PD for full time staff. Was a doubter, but welcomed it.
  • PD for the part time. Helped me tremendously.
  • Market research and what is in high demand for employability.
  • Having conversations with students to help students with career pathway. to enhance your skills. give clarity to what programs are about.
  • Student life. Collaboration with Student Association. Building events.
  • Conscience including indigenous culture into our spaces.
  • Learning disabilities: seen the changes and college has been very supportive of program. Maybe that whole piece needs to go up the ladder to government to support/ funding the learning (Alt learning) . Should be looked upon as a leader in this area.
  • Transition support centre. are the leaders, how to continue that. there’s a lot of requests.
  • continue working on the loop – accessibility. Not just physical space but for mental health. Lessen the need for accommodations if we continue focus on this.
  • despite challenges, everybody here is doing their best jobs. People are really helpful. Focused, dedicated. Great place to work because of this.
  • indigenous support, learner support, also adaptable to cultural change. Hundreds of cultures here, mixing, interacting. We are a very welcoming institute. Leadership.
  • Support union: labour relations and HR are very open in communicating and solving problems without grievances . Solve problems through collaborations.
  • Supporting in-house talent. Grads or employees, turn colleagues into friends. Help each other, communication together.
  • hire a lot of our alumni. Valuing our grads.
  • creating more services for students. New library. collaborative spaces for student.
  • Resources that are available here are really good.
  • Advertising of programs and events going on – on campus, on reserve.
  • All of this here, it’s pretty cool. To see these incremental changes is amazing. I am witnessing it. It’s a lot more about us, than it is about the outsiders. For us to stay united, more people will learn about us.
  • We should be celebrating our differences as a people, cultures. Important to be able to distinguish between cultures. Here it’s clouded to one culture (First Nation – many nations, Inuit, Métis). Different areas equal different traditions. You can’t say you care if you don’t take time to differentiate. It’s such a big umbrella. Others here don’t know the cultural services we can get. Would help have pamphlets and information about services for First Nations, or even international students. Just someplace we could get information. Sharing organizations that are available.
  • They need to have more programs for people making the change to come here. It’s two very different things learning here, and on reserves. People here aren’t very educated on where to go – it’s overwhelming. One centre to find everything would help.
  • A lot of staff with passion for student success.
  • Brain trust leaving and we don’t do as many things together as we used to. Maybe the family is too big now, but there is no such thing as Mr. and Mrs. Algonquin. We are Algonquin. The people is what make Algonquin. Keep that motivation up. Don’t lose that.
  • It’s a really good place to work. Keep valuing people – let them know they are valued. Recognition.
  • Campus services: that’s a huge part of what makes us special. Binds us together: food services, campus store, parking services. Passion for the college. One of only post-secondary who have their own chefs. Makes us special is the community here. Students come here and feel the caring. No reason to come here and not be successful, we care about their success.
  • Facility management and construction. Really cool coop program so strong, get jobs in companies that do work for us. We treat the suppliers well, open and transparent. AC pride is extending to all.
  • The services delivery group in campus services: employee ownership is far more passionate, deep vested interest goes into their work. We understand the student’s values and needs, and go out of our way to suit them.
  • Partner piece: business partners ‘how are you going to help us in sustainability’. Continue having this community building reputation, we need to protect that.
  • We need to support the community because the community supports us! Do what’s good for the community.
  • Sense of caring. Being a student I felt it first. Sense of caring. It’s why I came and worked here. Let’s not lose that, not forget it.
  • Sustainability, we use it wisely. Partnership, community, it all needs to be factored in (e.g. supplier contracts, the way we build). Can’t just look at it financially, look at their sustainability (of the approach). Be a leader. It’s not much when we look at it and work at it. It’s a tough decision. Students coming they want it. Look beyond financial
  • Giving young people a chance at careers here. Opportunity to put something valuable on their resumes.
  • Branding – we have a good reputation in Canada. Keep building it!
  • Be a community college! Important still focus on community. too much focus on revenue generation for sake of revenue generation. Right program for right student.

*asterisks note agreement among attendees.




Comments

  • N. Blackburn Says:

    Keep offering professional development for employees; continue to encourage learning and growing.

  • David Thibodeau Says:

    Our core business/transaction is teachers managing the learning experiences of students. This should be our priority for continuous improvement.]

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