Academic Plan 2015-2022
Academics
Past Academic Plan - 2015-2022
Events
The St. Jerome’s University Academic Plan 2015-2020 was built on a shared vision of an academic community that is collaborative, collegial, inspirational, and creative. This plan included the perspectives of students, faculty, academic support staff, alumni, and key external stakeholders who are affected by our academic activities and outcomes.
This plan was presented as a statement of how we understand ourselves in light of our 150-year history, as an affirmation of the importance of the liberal arts for society, and as a set of priorities that guided the development of our academic activities over the course of its five years.
The Closing Report, found here, summarizes SJU's progress, and highlights our accomplishments and provides a foundation for a new round of academic planning.
Priority 1: Academic Programming
To distinguish St. Jerome's University as a leading liberal arts university that promotes critical thinking, fosters social engagement, and inspires reflection and action in the pursuit of a more just and peaceable world
Commitments
- Explore opportunities for the creation of an SJU first-year seminar and capstone course
- Offer courses with enrolment caps that, to the greatest extent possible, promote personalized interaction between instructors and learners
- Enhance SJU's course-based experiential learning opportunities that foster leadership development, community engagement, and solidarity with local, national, and international social justice organizations and movements
- Build on SJU's interdisciplinary strengths through program renewal and development
- Support the creation of courses that use a variety of delivery modes, including online and blended e-learning, to help meet curricular objectives
- Create spaces that accommodate diverse course deliveries, teaching styles, and learning styles
- Build on SJU's tradition of excellence in teaching with the establishment of teaching fellows designed to enhance the quality and profile of teaching at SJU
Priority 2: Student Experience
To distinguish St. Jerome's University as a "go-to" place on the University of Waterloo campus for students seeking a vibrant academic community, highly personalized academic support services, and formative co-curricular opportunities
Commitments
- Raise SJU's profile among high school students within a 150 kilometre radius of SJU
- Establish and implement recruiting measures that foster diversity and reward leadership, service, and academic achievement
- Enhance the academic support services offered by the Office of Student Success
- Redesign the library and enhance library services
- Establish and promote links among SJU's academic activities, residential programming, and co-curricular initiatives
Priority 3: Transformational Research & Creative Activity
To distinguish St. Jerome's University as an academic community engaged in transformational research and creative activity
Commitments
- Increase public recognition of innovative scholarly and creative activity
- Promote local, national, and international research that is community-situated, collaborative, and action-oriented
- Enhance opportunities for undergraduates to participate in faculty-directed, peer reviewed research projects
- Create and enhance opportunities for graduate students and post-doctoral fellows to work with SJU faculty
- Explore opportunities to establish research networks, centres, or institutes
Priority 4: External Partnerships
To strengthen and establish mutually beneficial relationships with local, national, and international partners
Commitments
- Develop partnerships with civic, not-for-profit, religious, and community organizations that enhance teaching, learning, and research
- Enhance relationships with Catholic education partners
- Enhance SJU's profile in Waterloo Region as a hub for continuing education and dynamic public lectures
- Establish mechanisms that will enable SJU to be a source of continued support and academic opportunities for SJU alumni
- Explore new opportunities to work with and serve marginalized and under-represented communities.
Priority 5: Academic Governance
To ensure that academic governance at St. Jerome's University is collegial and sustainable
Commitments
- Review membership structure of Senate Council and its standing committees
- Review current resourcing support of Senate Council and its standing committees
- Review the current administrative and organizational structures of departments and interdisciplinary programs
- Establish meeting protocols for all academic governance bodies
- Provide professional development opportunities for academic staff to enhance their knowledge and skills as academic leaders