Academic Guiding Principles
(as developed by )
One of Canada's top universities, Trent University (Trent) was founded on the ideal of interactive learning that's personal, purposeful, and transformative. Consistently recognized nationally for leadership in teaching, research, and student satisfaction, Trent attracts excellent students from across the country and around the world. Here, undergraduate and graduate students connect and collaborate with faculty, staff, and their peers through diverse communities that span residential colleges, classrooms, disciplines, hands-on research, co-curricular and community-based activities. Across all disciplines, Trent brings critical, integrative thinking to life every day.
Today, Trent's unique approach to personal development through supportive, collaborative community engagement is in more demand than ever. Students lead the way by co-creating experiences rooted in dialogue, diverse perspectives and collaboration. In a learning environment that builds a life-long passion for inclusion, leadership, and social change, Trent's students, alumni, faculty, and staff are engaged global citizens who are catalysts in developing sustainable solutions to complex issues. Trent's Peterborough campus boasts award-winning architecture in a breathtaking natural setting on the banks of the Otonabee River, just 90 minutes from downtown Toronto, while Trent University Durham Greater Toronto Area, delivers a distinct mix of programming in the east GTA.
The position of President and Vice-Chancellor presents an exceptional opportunity to lead this illustrious university at a time of challenge and complexity.
Background Context
Moving into its 60th anniversary, Trent University has much to be proud of and to celebrate.
At the same time, Trent must address the challenges emanating from a more competitive and constrained operating environment; plateaued enrolment, increased financial pressures, and greater career choice for faculty. At Trent, as at most universities in Canada, emerging technologies are redefining the educational experience.
These various environmental forces are converging at a time when Trent must submit interim and final Strategic Mandate Agreements in response to the Province’s Differentiation Framework requirements.
The opportunities inherent in this set of challenges are compelling. Trent has enormous strengths and capabilities. There is a substantial repository of goodwill with its various publics that has been developed over the last half-century. Its system of Colleges, level of scholarship, new professional schools, world class graduate programs, and rapidly growing Oshawa presence, provide an exceptional foundation from which to make strategic choices with confidence. Trent has the opportunity to claim its position as the source of outstanding liberal arts and science education, and carve a distinctive niche in the Canadian university system.
A strong cohesive executive team, loyal alumni base with many notable members, and a longstanding history of community commitment, are among the positive assets the institution will be able to leverage going forward.
Trent has an unparalleled opportunity to work with its core constituencies, its regional institutional partners, and various levels of government, in order to conceptualize and implement an innovative model of post-secondary education. This model could serve as the benchmark of collaboration, synergy, and distinctiveness for the Province, if not well beyond.
Role and Mandate
The President and Vice-Chancellor provides leadership for all aspects of university affairs, both internal and external, to ensure the performance, societal contribution, and vitality of the institution, commensurate with the Board of Governors’ and the provincial government’s expectations.
For the period 2019-2024, the mandate for the President and Vice-Chancellor is decidedly transformational: to take stock of the current challenges and opportunities, and the distinctive positioning soon to be put forward in a Strategic Mandate Agreement submission; to implement a bold and compelling strategy; to align internally and externally; to galvanize key stakeholders; and to secure the institution’s future for generations to come.
Short and Medium Term Priorities
In his/her first six months, the new President and Vice-Chancellor will gain the confidence of, and establish productive working relationships with, the Board of Governors, faculty, students, staff, and alumni, and officials at the municipal, provincial and federal government levels. Importantly, s/he will establish a visible presence on campus and in the community.
S/he will translate Trent’s Strategic Mandate Agreement into a sound implementation plan which reflects a deep appreciation for Trent’s history, traditions, current circumstances, and future imperatives, a strong sense of identity and associated priorities, and a high degree of intra and inter-institutional alignment.
Doing so will entail strategic choices which will be made through a requisite level of engagement, with due regard for the past consultations leading up to the Strategic Mandate Agreement submission.
In the medium term, the next President and Vice-Chancellor will have positioned Trent as a differentiated institution characterized by high levels of student engagement, teaching and research excellence, and financial stability. S/he will also play a key role in positioning Trent as a leader in the provincial and national post-secondary ecosystem.
Ideal Candidate Profile
It would be desirable for the incumbent to possess executive-level experience in a comparable postsecondary institution with demonstrated experience working with government and the community, and relationships in/knowledge of Ontario’s post-secondary system.
Experience leading complex organizational change, undertaking strategic programmatic decisions at the undergraduate and graduate levels, engaging core constituencies, and building institutional enrollment and performance are further attributes of the ideal candidate.
Demonstrated competence in financial management, fundraising, strategic deployment of technology, and creative partnerships, is important.
The ideal candidate will have graduate and scholarly credentials, a demonstrated understanding of the liberal arts in a university setting, and concurrently, a deep appreciation for synergy between liberal arts and the sciences.
Articulate, consultative, strategic with a commitment to action, and passionate about post-secondary education and the history and promise of Trent in particular, the new President and Vice-Chancellor will bring a high degree of energy, enthusiasm, confidence and humility to the role.