Previous Mandate
In 2008 the Board of Governors approved a presidential mandate that was envisioned as a ‘change agenda’ for the five years leading up to the celebration of Trent’s 50th anniversary. In addition to requiring that the President be a hands-on CEO, the mandate for 2009-2014 focused on issues of recruitment/retention, financial viability, quality, identity and stewardship. It emphasized philanthropic initiatives, institutional planning and the development of partnerships.
Changing External Environment
Since 2008, the postsecondary landscape has changed significantly.
Government expectations around differentiation, quality, evidence- based decision- making, value for investment, learning outcomes, student mobility and financial efficiency have intensified. Ontario universities must address this broad range of new policy directions that are transforming the sector, while safeguarding academic excellence and dealing with increasing financial pressures.
Proposed New Mandate
In these challenging times, Trent University needs its President to be a
passionate advocate and champion. Never before has it been so important for the presidency to focus on external positioning, reputation, relationship-building and exceptional communications at both the provincial and federal levels.
For these external efforts to be most effective, the President must have a deep understanding of Trent’s culture including the aspirations of its faculty, staff and students, and the institution must have a strong sense of its own distinctive identity. Internal leadership will be needed to ensure that Trent’s identity is clear, focused and bold, yet grounded in core strengths and values. This shared sense of purpose and vision can be used by the President to unify and inspire the University community and to show the way forward, even where difficult decisions may be required.
The overall success of a university, its reputation, enrolment and financial stability are all underpinned by the excellence of its academic programs and the quality of the experience it offers to students. The mandate for the next presidential term should include a focus on these areas.
Challenging though it is for a President to be highly engaged both externally and internally, this dual mandate will be needed to successfully lead Trent University through to the end of the decade. It is recognized that the support of the senior team and the leadership of
others across the institution will be necessary to ensure that both external and internal issues receive adequate attention.
All Presidents are expected to provide effective leadership in each of the academic, administrative and management areas. The planning initiatives undertaken in the current presidential term identified academic excellence, financial sustainability, strategic enrolment management and community engagement as four key priorities for the institution. These inter-related priorities should continue to guide the work of the next presidential term, with the focus on continuing to implement actions already identified in the Integrated Plan and
Academic Plan as well as developing a new planning framework for the next planning period. In part icular, the priorities that support academic excellence and financial stability must be pursued with vigor.
Government relations, positioning, land planning and Oshawa plan initiatives already in progress will further inform the execution of the new mandate.
In addition to these general expectations and ongoing priorities, the Board of Governors gives the President a mandate that identifies priorities requiring particular attention during the upcoming term. These areas of emphasis are then reflected in annual presidential objectives and tracked through a performance review process. The proposed mandate for 2014-2019 appears on the following page.
The Presidential Mandate for 2014-2019
As the University begins its next fifty years, the president needs to:
- Be a transformational leader who inspires belief in a positive and
exciting future for Trent University. - Clarify, articulate and celebrate the University’s distinctive identity
and promote its brand of student-centred education and research
excellence, both internally and externally. - Lead the University community in moving the institution forward
while building on its traditional strengths and values. - Actively position Trent University as an influential institution in
Canada’s postsecondary landscape, and a destination of choice for
students.
In fulfilling this over-arching mandate, the President is expected to focus significant attention on the following interconnected priority areas:
- The President will provide inspiring internal leadership that supports
academic excellence and clearly defines Trent’s identity both in
Peterborough and in Oshawa. The President will engage the academy in the strengthening and renewal of programs and foster a culture of leadership within the institution. - The President will drive initiatives that enrich the student-centred
experience both inside and outside the classroom. These may
include new teaching and learning initiatives, infrastructure
improvements and special enrolment/retention initiatives for international students. Particular attention may be given to Aboriginal student recruitment and retention. - The President will devote significant time and effort to external
relations activities on behalf of the University with a special
emphasis on government relations. Additional priorities will include
fundraising, community and regional development/engagement,
alumni relations and inter-institutional relations. - The President will lead the University to financial sustainability not
only through domestic and international enrolment growth, integrated budget development and disciplined budget management, but also through fundraising, program renewal, endowment lands development and other innovative sources of revenue.
Respectfully submitted by the Advisory Committee to Review the Presidency:
- Bryan Davies (Chair)
- Noranne Flower
- Kyle Morrissey
- David Bignell
- Julia Harrison
- Rosalind Morrow
- Craig Brunetti
- Brandon Koebel
- Robin Quantick
- Stephen Bocking
- Harvey McCue
- Susan Bartsch (Secretary)