college administrator The professional journal for Ontario college administrators | Vol. 16 No. 1 | Spring 2021
g n i v o Mthe Needle on Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion
inside
Military-Connected Students | Our Journey: Sault College
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This program is offered under the written consent of the Ontario Ministry of Colleges and Universities granted for a seven-year term commencing on September 18, 2020. Prospective students are responsible for satisfying themselves that the program and the degree will be appropriate for their needs (e.g., acceptable to potential employers, professional licensing bodies or other educational institutions). Central Michigan University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (www.hlcommission.org), a regional accreditation agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. CMU, an AA/EO institution, strongly and actively strives to increase diversity and provide equal opportunity for all individuals, irrespective of gender identity or sexual orientation and including but not limited to minorities, females, veterans and individuals with disabilities (see http://www.cmich.edu/ocrie). 10255b 4/21
Finding support at CMU
Bridging the gap, breaking the silence
Graduate student’s research brings new focus to the hijab on college campuses No one needed to tell Central Michigan University alumna Hanan Emhammed that wearing the hijab comes with its challenges. She lives that reality. But researching the experiences of other Muslim women – particularly how wearing the hijab impacts them in colleges and how Islamophobia affects campuses in Ontario – brought deeper understanding and broke new ground in Canada. “I found there was a breadth of literature that explored this in the U.S., Britain and Europe,” she said. “It wasn’t easy to find in Canada.” So Emhammed polled and sampled and sought out interview subjects for her research: women age 18-25 enrolled in postsecondary education who wear the hijab.
Leading in Canada
CMU has developed leaders within the Ontario college system for nearly 45 years through its Master of Arts degree in education with a community college concentration. Eight-week terms are taught face to face at select Ontario colleges, and online in the U.S. and Canada. Areas of emphasis are: » Administration and student affairs. » College teaching. » Training and development.
All reported experiencing animosity and feeling ostracized in classrooms. They knew they were always under scrutiny and sometimes even seen as perpetuating gender inequality for wearing the hijab. And yet, the hijab also bonded them in a kind of sisterhood. “They told me that it was a way to cope and exist with this stigma,” Emhammed said. “They looked for others who wore the hijab.” The support they shared helped them cope with hostility. Emhammed recently earned her Master of Arts degree in education with a community college concentration, taking CMU Global Campus classes at Mohawk College in Hamilton, Ontario.
“This degree prepares students to impact, influence and advance community colleges and postsecondary educational systems for the 21st century,” said Kaleb Patrick, MAE-CC program director and Educational Leadership faculty member.
While her courses prepared her to tackle this type of scientific study, Emhammed said closeness with her instructors — even though she’s never been to the United States — kept her on track to her degree. As a busy mother, employed as a parttime Arabic instructor at her mosque, she knew it wouldn’t be easy to balance life, work and her educational goals. A woman she met at a seminar told her about CMU’s program of Friday-Saturday classes hosted at Mohawk College. She applied because of the flexible schedule but graduated because of the encouragement she received from CMU faculty members Kaleb Patrick, Gavin Moodie and capstone mentor Scott Roberts. “Their tremendous help and support eased most of the stress I was under,” she said. “CMU has been supportive in so many ways,” she said. “It’s the instructors, the administration — getting instant answers to questions, saving 15% on tuition (an adjustment for the CanadaU.S. currency exchange rate). I cannot put it all on one factor. It was so many. The cohort of eight or nine other students going through the program with Emhammed also gave her a boost. “Discussions in class kept me motivated,” she said. “We got to know each other. The classroom leader brought food and sweets. It was always fun.”
Personal connections
Emhammed said her research means a lot to her personally because she wears the hijab and wonders what her own daughters may experience in life if they do, too. She’s proud that her leadership in researching the issue filled a gap in Canadian literature. “Learning about the prevalence of hate crimes toward Muslim women got me motivated to do more, hopefully to make a change and raise awareness,” she said. The biggest barrier to understanding that she sees is a lack of person-toperson communication over what the hijab and Muslim identity mean. Her advice: Break the silence. “I would recommend that people ask questions. Listen to the other side,” she said. “Ask these women in your life.”
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contents Vol. 16 No. 1 | Spring 2021
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President’s Message
7
Le Mot de la Presidente
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Call for Submissions
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24 CAAT: Secure Pensions Matter 28 The Value of Membership
6 Connecting, supporting and advancing management and leadership in Ontario colleges. OCASA Executive PRESIDENT Sara Budd Associate Dean, Business & Management, Automotive, and Manager, Partnerships, University Partnership Centre, Georgian College VICE PRESIDENT Ryan Dearing Manager of Admissions, Cambrian College VICE PRESIDENT Michelle Cole Director, Academic Quality, Centennial College TREASURER Krisha Marshall Associate Registrar, Enrolment and Student Financial Support, Algonquin College PAST PRESIDENT Krista Pearson, PhD Registrar, Algonquin College
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Moving the Needle on Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion
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Forward March: Military-Connected Students at Fanshawe College
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Marche Avant : Des étudiants ayant des liens au monde militaire au Collège Fanshawe
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Our Journey: Sault College
22 Respectful Cultures in the Workplace
Editorial Board Rachel MacDonald Human Resources and Corporate Communications Coordinator, Sault College Greg Murphy, MFA Executive Dean, School of Media, Art & Design, Durham College
OCASA 65 Overlea Blvd., Suite 210, Toronto, ON M4H 1P1 Phone: 866-742-5429 Fax: 866-742-5430 Email: info@ocasa.on.ca www.ocasa.on.ca
BIll Swan Retired Administrator, Durham College Founding Editor, College Administrator
Third Floor - 2020 Portage Ave., Winnipeg, MB R3J 0K4 Phone: 866-985-9780 Fax: 866-985-9799 Email: info@kelman.ca www.kelman.ca
Jim Whiteway, BAA, BH, MAed Director International Education, Loyalist College of Applied Arts & Technology
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PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
The New Normal Sara Budd OCASA President
W
elcome to the newest issue of College Administrator. This spring, we take a look at the world’s response to equity, diversity, and inclusion from a number of different perspectives and we explore how a new normal of respect and individualization is starting to emerge, both on our campuses and around the world. In this issue, we examine how college campuses across the province are working to take real action to address equity, diversity, and inclusion in ways we haven’t seen before. In the article Moving the Needle, Sheridan College President Janet Morrison and Allison Hector-Alexander, Durham College’s former (Hector-Alexander was employed by Durham College at the time of this interview) Director of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, share their memories of the global call to action that took place last year and express how policies and procedures are shedding light on how to help students and faculty of all backgrounds, privileges, and life experiences reach their full potential in an educational environment. Further, we look at how college administrators are collecting hard data to truly understand the diversity of their students, staff, and faculty – and then using that critical information to shape curriculum, staffing, best practices, and more. Forward March opens up the world of military-connected students at Fanshawe College, where both active members of the Canadian Armed Forces and veterans are being offered unique supports to help nurture their educational experience, transition into civilian life, and advance their careers. In our feature column Our Journey, Carolyn Hepburn – Dean of the School of Indigenous Studies and Academic Upgrading at Sault College of Applied Arts and Technology – shares how the campus welcomes a cultural learning journey of physical, mental, and spiritual health connected to language, culture, and heritage.
The last year has challenged us like never before. Despite these challenges, colleges in Ontario have responded remarkably … we continue to pivot and have begun to transform how we work and what we do. We are now at the forefront of this transformation.
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College Administrator | Spring 2021
We learn how campus Indigenous Elders-in-Residence lead ceremonies, traditional teachings, and mentoring, and we take a tour of Enji Maawnjiding – a gathering place for students and staff. Finally, as we move into the future, we are proud to offer our magazine as fully digital – with a brand-new look and feel. We will continue to offer thoughtful and meaningful discussion on the topical issues facing our administrators across Ontario colleges, as well as practical news and information. Throughout the issue, you will find easy-to-navigate links that will lead you to websites to learn more about our stories, our valued advertisers, and our community of colleagues that make this association so worthwhile. We hope, too, that you will find our new normal a fulfilling and worthwhile experience. September 2021 will be the launch of our second annual Leaders and Innovators VIRTUAL conference. From September 2021 to June 2022, we will host a series of online conference events and professional development opportunities, much like we did this last year. We hope to return with a face-to-face conference in the fall of 2022 in lovely Niagara Falls. More details to come, so please stay tuned. To conclude, the last year has challenged us like never before. Despite these challenges, colleges in Ontario have responded remarkably. As a result of the global pandemic, we continue to pivot and have begun to transform how we work and what we do. We are now at the forefront of this transformation. On behalf of the OCASA Board of Directors, thank you for your continued leadership. W
Students at Georgian College.
RAPPORT DE LA PRÉSIDENTE
La Nouvelle Normalité Sara Budd Présidente de l’APACO
B
ienvenue à ce tout nouveau numéro de College Administrator. Ce printemps, nous examinerons comment le monde réagit aux questions d’équité, de diversité et d’inclusion dans différentes optiques et nous découvrons comment cette nouvelle normalité de respect et d’individualisation commence à se dessiner, tant dans nos campus que dans le monde. Dans ce numéro, nous nous pencherons aussi sur comment les campus collégiaux de la province prennent des mesures concrètes pour aborder l’équité, la diversité et l’inclusion de manière inédite. Dans leur article, Janet Morrison, rectrice du Collège Sheridan, et Allison Hector-Alexander, directrice de l’équité, de la diversité et de l’inclusion au Collège Durham, se souviennent de l’appel à l’action mondial qui a eu lieu l’année dernière et expliquent comment certains processus et politiques font la lumière sur la façon dont elles peuvent aider les étudiants et les professeurs de tous milieux, privilèges et bagages à atteindre leur plein potentiel dans un milieu d’études. Vous découvrirez également comment les administrateurs des collèges recueillent des données concrètes pour mieux comprendre la diversité qui règne parmi les étudiants, le personnel et les enseignants, et comment ils utilisent ensuite ces renseignements essentiels pour orienter leurs programmes d’études, leur affectation de personnel, leurs pratiques exemplaires, etc. Nous explorerons l’univers des étudiants ayant des liens à la vie militaire au Collège Fanshawe, un établissement où les membres actifs et les anciens combattants des Forces armées canadiennes bénéficient d’un soutien unique leur permettant d’enrichir leur expérience pédagogique, de faire la transition vers la vie civile et de faire progresser leur carrière.
La dernière année nous a mis au défi comme jamais nous l’avions été auparavant. Compte tenu de ces difficultés, les collèges de l’Ontario s’en sont sorti de façon remarquable. La pandémie mondiale continue à nous obliger à nous adapter et à nous faire transformer nos façons de faire. Nous nous trouvons maintenant à l’avant-garde de cette évolution. Dans la chronique Our Journey, Carolyn Hepburn, doyenne de l’école d’études autochtones et de perfectionnement scolaire du Collège Sault d’arts appliqués et de technologie, explique comment son campus favorise un parcours d’apprentissage culturel axé sur la santé physique, mentale et spirituelle et rattaché à la langue, à la culture et au patrimoine. Nous découvrirons aussi comment les aînés autochtones en résidence dirigent des cérémonies, livrent des enseignements traditionnels et font du mentorat, et nous explorerons Enji Maawnjiding, un espace de rassemblement pour les étudiants et le personnel. Enfin, le regard toujours tourné vers l’avenir, nous sommes fiers de vous présenter notre nouvelle publication qui a fait peau neuve et qui est maintenant entièrement numérique. Nous comptons continuer à amorcer des discussions importantes sur les questions d’actualité que connaissent les administrateurs des collèges de l’Ontario et à vous offrir des nouvelles et des renseignements pratiques. Au fil de nos articles, vous trouverez des liens conviviaux qui vous mèneront vers des sites Web où vous pourrez en apprendre davantage sur notre contenu, nos inestimables partenaires publicitaires et la communauté de collègues qui rendent cette association si précieuse. Nous espérons également que vous trouverez dans notre nouvelle normalité une expérience enrichissante et utile. En septembre 2021, nous lancerons la deuxième édition de notre conférence annuelle VIRTUELLE Leaders and Innovators. De septembre 2021 à juin 2022, nous organiserons une série de conférences en ligne et d’activités de perfectionnement professionnel, tout comme nous l’avons fait l’année dernière. Nous espérons pouvoir revenir au mode présentiel à l’automne 2022, dans la charmante ville de Niagara Falls. Restez à l’affût, d’autres détails suivront. La dernière année nous a mis au défi comme jamais nous l’avions été auparavant. Compte tenu de ces difficultés, les collèges de l’Ontario s’en sont sorti de façon remarquable. La pandémie mondiale continue à nous obliger à nous adapter et à nous faire transformer nos façons de faire. Nous nous trouvons maintenant à l’avant-garde de cette évolution. Au nom du conseil d’administration de l’APACO, je vous remercie pour votre leadership continu. W
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College Administrator | Spring 2021
g n i v o Mthe Needle
“Diversity is having a seat at the table. Inclusion is having a voice. Belonging is having that voice be heard.” -L I Z
F O S S L I E N
By Tammy Marlowe Johnson, Managing Editor, College Administrator
2 A L L I S O N H E C TO RA L E X A N D E R
020 was the year everything changed. We started to see life as we used to understand it from a very different lens in many ways – including a sea change in the efforts to truly move the needle on diversity, equity, and inclusion. Many point to the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis last May and the global outpouring of grief, exasperation, and protest that followed as the catalyst for real movement – both around the world, and here in the Ontario college community. Allison Hector-Alexander, Durham College’s former Director of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, remembers feeling the earth start to shift under her feet. “The global response to the George Floyd murder really elevated and really brought the concerns in the US and Canada for many, many years … to the forefront. We actually saw action,” Hector-Alexander recalled. “I think now, there’s a different kind of accountability that is expected.”
www.ocasa.on.ca | College Administrator
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As we navigate unprecedented challenges, we must continue to live our values and position equity, diversity, and inclusion at the forefront of everything we do. -JA N E T
JA N E T
M O R R I S O N
“That renders change – particularly urgent change,” echoed Sheridan College President Janet Morrison of Floyd’s death. “You can’t just express solidarity. We don’t even feel better by saying or hearing that language. It just makes us all feel gross and inadequate.” That urgent change is taking shape on campuses across the province. Today, most Ontario colleges have in place (or are in the process of implementing) policies to pay much more than lip service to the concept and ideals of equity, diversity and inclusion. Morrison believes it’s critical for post-secondary institutions to be accountable for continually modeling and facilitating social change. “That is our business,” she said. “Safety, security, and well-being are pre-cursors to learning.” Sheridan’s campuses are highly diverse, hosting 8,700 international students from 110 countries. Its Office of Inclusive Communities is part of the school’s fabric, with a mandate to ‘purposefully foster and reaffirm an inclusive campus that embraces the rich diversity of Sheridan’s community to foster a strong sense of connection, respect for others’ rights to belong and equal opportunity to engage, thrive and succeed for everyone.’ Sheridan’s Centre for Equity and Inclusion also provides consultation and education to staff, students, and the larger educational community.
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College Administrator | Spring 2021
MOR R I S ON
“Our challenge is to try and leverage the tremendous value of our students’ lived experience,” said Morrison. “We know how students learn most when dignity and individualization are valued and respected.” Algonquin College penned its 2019-2022 Inclusion and Diversity Blueprint as part of the post-secondary institution’s commitment to building a “house for diversity.” “In Canada, our country aspires to equality and the protection of fundamental rights, building it into our own Charter of Rights and Freedoms,” Algonquin College President Claude Brulé said at the time. “That belief in equality is also what we aspire to every day at Algonquin College. Not just because it is the law, but because it is the right thing to do.” Thunder Bay’s Confederation College undertook a systemic racism review in 2018 and 2019, and in January 2020 released its antiracism assessment tool: the Diversity, Equity, and Indigenous Lens. The document – a series of questions to help ensure the college’s policies, programs, and practices are ‘free of elements that knowingly or unknowingly enable the exclusion of Indigenous peoples’ – was built on a ‘common understanding of the colonial history of Canada.’ “How can we achieve better outcomes for our Indigenous students, have more Indigenous faculty to reflect our region, and better partnerships with our Indigenous communities?” President Kathleen Lynch said at the time. At Durham College, staff also provide critical support for faculty and students to understand their rights surrounding a number of protected grounds, including discrimination, college sexual violence, Pride, Black History, consent, cyber harassment, and more.
Durham College Indigenous Coaches
“It is reflected in our overarching strategic plan. We’ve had existing policies for many years,” she said. “It is my mandate that people can feel that they can bring all of themselves to the space. The institution has prioritized it – not only for students, but how we engage employees as well. It’s important that people feel included.” Hector-Alexander came on board as a diversity officer in 2009, and as the role evolved, she moved into the director position in 2016. She very recently left the position to become Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for the Region of Durham. Hector-Alexander said it’s exciting to see the movement toward paying attention to “the language that we’re using, the actions that we’re taking in how we engage the entire college community.” In that same spirit of knowledge is power, Durham recently conducted its first Diversity Self-Identification Survey, to help paint a clearer picture of the depth of diversity in its corridors and classrooms. Hector-Alexander said she is thrilled to be able to start to have a tangible understanding of the multi-layered fabric of her professional community, so the choices made at a higher level properly reflect the true campus environment. “I’m beyond proud of that initiative, because it highlights the priority to the institution and shows the institutional commitment to looking at data,” she said. “It’s actually data: how does this align with the institutional goals or mission? How do we look at our research activities? How can we really engage with people in a meaningful way about how they see themselves?”
Further to the student experience, Hector-Alexander said college faculty are also learning about each other, too. She said the college is able to examine how the representation within the faculty compares to the student group, and who is included in the content being created. “How can we be more intentional with our hiring?” she said. “It’s driven by the data.” Sheridan also conducted its first Employee Diversity SelfIdentification Census, with a slogan of ‘You Matter. Be Counted.’ Morrison said the hard data collected during last year’s survey “positions us to act with integrity.” “As we navigate unprecedented challenges, we must continue to live our values and position equity, diversity, and inclusion at the forefront of everything we do,” she said. Hector-Alexander and Morrison both expressed that leaders in the college community know these ideals are a challenge, and it’s not easy work. Moving into a position of becoming an ally is a journey. Durham College recently hosted dialogue sessions about anti-black racism that opened the floor to “uncomfortable” discussions in order to foster growth and understanding. “White folks could say, ‘I want to be an ally, but I don’t know where to start.’ There’s some fear around asking,” said Hector-Alexander. “If we’re sitting in comfort, then I don’t think any learning is happening. When people resist that, then we’re not really moving anywhere.” Hector-Alexander added the openness to admit that these discussions can be difficult and there are no clear answers are inspiring for her as everyone continues to work together to move the needle. “What has really given me hope is that willingness. We don’t have to know it all – there will be missteps. We’re talking so much more … and that itself gives me hope.” “This is tough work,” echoed Morrison, adding she understands that some in her community are “understandably impatient” with the sometimes-tiny steps in the right direction. “I empathize with that. It never moves as quickly as we’d like. It doesn’t move fast enough,” she said, adding, “Even in the incremental space and where there is accountability, though, there’s positive news.” Ultimately, HectorAlexander said she hopes the inclusive environment at Durham College carries with students and staff into their lives as they move outside of the college over the long term. “I want people to know who they are,” she said. Durham College Professional Development Day “What privilege are you
www.ocasa.on.ca | College Administrator
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What privilege are you walking in with and what does it look like? How can you be an ally when you come into the workplace? It’s more than just tolerating people – it’s about accepting. -A L L I S ON H E C T OR-A L E X A N DE R
Durham College Indigenous Coaches
walking in with and what does it look like? How can you be an ally when you come into the workplace? It’s more than just tolerating people – it’s about accepting.” Morrison agreed. “When we teach students how to think critically and creatively, with an open heart and an open mind, they leave the institution as graduates incredibly capable of navigating an increasingly complex world.
“Our success as educators should really be measured on that meter. Our job is to create and facilitate learning experiences that leave a lasting impression – teach skills and competencies that will affirm and inspire innovation and change. “You do the best you can until you know better. It’s often said: when you know better, you do better,” said Morrison. “There is this uniformity of voices to learn and to change – and to finally evolve.” W
2021 CMU/OCASA Outstanding
RESEARCH AWARD Congratulations to the 2021 award winner, Hanan Emhammed, on her work titled Being Me: Living with the Stigma, Intersectional Feminist Exploration in the Lived Experiences of the Post-Secondary Hijab Wearing Students Her study sheds light on how wearing the hijab impacts the lives of Muslim women and if Islamophobia penetrates Canadian campuses.
Are you ready to take the lead with your own original research?
Master of Arts degree in Education/Community College
Apply today!
» global.cmich.edu/international » 877-268-4636
This program is offered under the written consent of the Ontario Ministry of Colleges and Universities granted for a seven-year term commencing on September 18, 2020. Prospective students are responsible for satisfying themselves that the program and the degree will be appropriate for their needs (e.g., acceptable to potential employers, professional licensing bodies or other educational institutions). Central Michigan University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (www.hlcommission.org), a regional accreditation agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. CMU, an AA/ EO institution, strongly and actively strives to increase diversity and provide equal opportunity for all individuals, irrespective of gender identity or sexual orientation and including but not limited to minorities, females, veterans and individuals with disabilities (see http://www.cmich.edu/ocrie). 10255 4/21
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College Administrator | Spring 2021
Military-Connected Students Find Community and Camaraderie at Fanshawe College By Tammy Marlowe Johnson, Managing Editor, College Administrator
M
axine Strybos was raised in a Dutch immigrant family and decided to join the Canadian Army Reserves after learning at a high school co-op at age 16 about what the military could offer for her life. “My grandparents are immigrants from Holland after the war,” said Strybos. “As a young person, to have opportunities open up because of the reserves – that was really meaningful to me.” After becoming a reservist and then a regular force member in armoured reconnaissance, Strybos, a Corporal, was medically relieved due to physical injuries to her knees. “It changed my entire lifestyle,” Strybos remembered about leaving the military world behind. “I felt like I lost community at the time.” Enter Fanshawe College, where Strybos is now immersing herself as a student in the Business Logistics and Supply Chain Management program. Strybos also found the community she’d lost as an ambassador to military-connected students on campus – part of a unique initiative spearheaded by Fanshawe and Darryl Cathcart of Release Point Education. Cathcart himself is a veteran, serving 26 years in the Canadian Armed Forces after enrolling as a soldier right out of high school. As an infantryman in the Royal Canadian Regiment, Cathcart said he quickly learned he wouldn’t rise in the ranks past officer without an undergraduate degree, so he upgraded his schooling to earn first an undergrad and then a master’s degree. Like Strybos, an unexpected medical diagnosis also forced Cathcart out of the armed forces, and in 2017 he once again turned to school – this time to explore the idea of how education and the military could more seamlessly integrate to create better outcomes for students. “There’s a certain identity when you belong to the Canadian Armed Forces. There’s a different lived experience when you’re in the military as compared to out of the military,” said Cathcart. “When you’re translating this to more traditional students, it starts to differentiate the groups.”
Believing in the power of education for military members, both present and past, Cathcart started to study the role of training in education and how it potentially positively impacts transition to civilian life. Cathcart pointed to approaches toward discipline, responsibility, and authority as all aspects that can start to set military-connected students apart “in terms of structure and communications and leadership and decision making.” “That structure is a huge part of the taxonomy,” he said. More practically speaking, there are other unique aspects to a military-connected student’s life experience that many postsecondary institutions may not be aware of when a person first comes to the campus. For example, a student still in active service may require extra compensations for time on exams or assignments because they are soon deploying, or have been called up to duty on short notice.
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A parent, spouse, or family member being deployed or returning from tour also can add pressure to a student at home, and some members may be coping with the ongoing emotional or physical effects of their time in the military – all of which can affect what’s happening at school. “Military families move quite often,” explained Cathcart. “If … you went from urban Canada to rural Canada, does your program have that transferability?” Finally, for those soldiers leaving the armed forces, like he and Strybos did, transitioning from military to civilian life also comes with identity entanglements that one doesn’t necessarily expect. “Releasing from the military is very disorienting. That’s why social support is such a big deal – your identity shifts,” he said. “It’s developing peer supports … Opportunities for military-connected students to rely on each other and navigate the school system. It’s really great to know that support is there in a whole new lifestyle.” With all these unique aspects in mind, Cathcart began working with Fanshawe College to create a framework to support students with a background or current life as a member of the Canadian Armed Forces.
O’Neill said she is thrilled with the early successes of the militaryconnected programs, and proud to see students thriving in a truly inclusive environment where their unique perspectives are respected and they are given a voice. “The students are so grateful – so much pressure is taken off of them … They are very appreciative of it,” she said. “There’s not always a clear understanding of what they do and what they have done to support us. We are going to do everything possible to make accommodations … so students can be successful. (In terms of) mental health and student satisfaction, we are making a significant impact.” As a parting gift upon graduation, Fanshawe came up with the idea of giving military-connected students a commemorative coin to honour both their time at Fanshawe and their academic accomplishments. To underscore the true complexity of military-connected students, O’Neill said the first coin to be handed out went to a 35-year-old man posthumously. “He couldn’t fight the demons,” O’Neill said of the student, who had served in the forces for seven years. O’Neill said President Devlin sent a handwritten card to the student’s mother, along with the coin, and the community held a moment of silence for the man, as per military tradition. “It was very poignant, very powerful,” she said. Cathcart said ultimately, he would love to see tighter-knit partnerships between postsecondary institutions across the country to empower military-connected students to complete programming – whether that’s upskilling, upgrading, a diploma, or a degree. “I want to continue to build on the success we’ve created,” he said. Fanshawe President Peter Devlin, himself a long-time respected and decorated armed forces veteran, echoed that sentiment. “Our military-connected students are a diverse group who share a common thread. At Fanshawe, we recognize their unique experiences and have built a holistic framework of academic and social supports to ensure their future success,” said Devlin, a former Lieutenant General who served as Commander of the Kabul Multinational Brigade in Afghanistan and Deputy Commander of the Canadian Expeditionary Force Command, among many other appointments. “I hope they have fond memories of their time at Fanshawe and continue to share their experiences within their community after they graduate.” Although Strybos had to leave the military all those years ago, she said she is thankful to have found her sweet spot in the excitement of this new initiative – a place that allows her to continue serving her country in a new and innovative way. “This role is not only just about representing the military-connected community,” she said, “it’s also giving me a lot of confidence and a new voice to lead.” O’Neill is proud she and her colleagues are marching forward with this tangible change to illustrate the benefits of true inclusion. “It really speaks to how committed (Fanshawe) is to being there for individuals and not just saying an empty, ‘Here’s our promise,’” she said. “They’re really making detailed efforts at every level. There are just so many things we are doing to make the college a college for everyone.” W
Our military-connected students are a diverse group who share a common thread. At Fanshawe, we recognize their unique experiences and have built a holistic framework of academic and social supports to ensure their future success. P E T E R
D E V L I N
In November 2020, Fanshawe announced its status as a militaryconnected campus. At Fanshawe, Canadian Forces members can receive advanced standing in some programs and there are specific financial incentives in place for military-connected students. And, of course, there is Strybos – a like-minded and understanding student ambassador with shared experience to help guide the way. Strybos said she is proud she and her peers can create a community for those in need. “It’s really important to have people come back from deployment feel that they’re going to be able to get an education, career support, and something specific to what they’re doing with their goals,” Strybos said. “Who can I turn to? What qualifies me to turn to somebody and ask for help? Community means not being alone in it. That can make a world of difference.” While students have benefitted in a number of ways from the initiative, Fanshawe faculty, administrators, and staff are also enriched from their growing relationship with the military experience, said Darlene O’Neill, Director of Employment and Student Entrepreneurial Services. “The nice thing about this project is that it’s opened a whole new area of learning for faculty and staff,” said O’Neill, who herself is the daughter of a retired member and has military-connected siblings. “I was honoured when I was asked to lead this project.”
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Des étudiants ayant des liens au monde militaire trouvent un esprit de communauté et de camaraderie au Collège Fanshawe Par Tammy Marlowe Johnson, Managing Editor, College Administrator
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axine Strybos a été élevée dans une famille d’immigrants néerlandais. À l’âge de 16 ans, elle décide de s’engager dans la Réserve de l’Armée canadienne après avoir appris, lors d’une activité coopérative à son école secondaire, ce que l’armée pouvait contribuer à sa vie. « Mes grands-parents sont venus de Hollande après la guerre », raconte-t-elle. « Étant jeune, ce n’était vraiment pas anodin de voir toutes ces avenues s’ouvrir à moi grâce à la Réserve. » D’abord réserviste, puis membre de la Force régulière dans la reconnaissance blindée, Mme Strybos, alors caporale, a été relevée de ses fonctions pour motif médical en raison de blessures aux genoux. « Mon mode de vie tout entier s’est transformé », dit Mme Strybos à propos de son départ du monde militaire. « J’avais l’impression d’avoir perdu ma communauté. » Entre alors en scène le Collège Fanshawe, où Mme Strybos étudie actuellement la logistique commerciale et de gestion de chaînes d’approvisionnement. En tant qu’ambassadrice des étudiants ayant des liens avec l’armée sur le campus, une initiative unique du Collège Fanshawe et de Darryl Cathcart de Release Point Education, elle y a également trouvé la communauté qu’elle avait perdue. M. Cathcart est lui-même un ancien combattant, ayant servi 26 ans dans les Forces armées canadiennes après s’être engagé comme soldat dès la fin de ses études secondaires. Dans ses fonctions de fantassin du Royal Canadian Regiment, M. Cathcart dit qu’il a vite compris qu’il ne pourrait pas passer au rang d’officier sans un diplôme de premier cycle. Il a donc poursuivi ses études pour obtenir d’abord un diplôme de premier cycle, puis une maîtrise. Tout comme Mme Strybos, M. Cathcart a dû quitter les Forces armées en raison d’un diagnostic médical inattendu. En 2017, il s’est à nouveau tourné vers les études, cette fois pour tenter de comprendre comment l’éducation et l’armée pourraient mieux s’harmoniser afin de créer de meilleurs résultats pour les étudiants. « Les Forces armées canadiennes nous donnent une certaine identité. L’expérience vécue n’est pas la même quand on fait partie de l’armée que quand ce n’est pas le cas », confie-t-il. « Quand
on applique cette notion aux étudiants plus traditionnels, les deux groupes commencent à se distinguer l’un de l’autre. » Convaincu du pouvoir de l’éducation pour les militaires, qu’ils soient toujours en service actif ou non, M. Cathcart s’est penché sur le rôle de la formation dans l’éducation et ses répercussions potentiellement positives sur la transition à la vie civile. Il en a conclu que les approches en matière de discipline, de responsabilité et d’autorité sont autant de facteurs qui peuvent distinguer les étudiants liés au monde militaire des autres « sur le plan de la structure, de la communication, du leadership et de la prise de décisions ». « Cette structure joue un rôle important dans la taxinomie », ajoute-t-il. Pour ce qui est du côté plus pratique, il y existe d’autres aspects uniques du vécu d’un étudiant lié au monde militaire que de nombreux établissements postsecondaires ignorent peut-être complètement quand ces personnes arrivent au campus. Un étudiant en service actif, par exemple, pourrait avoir besoin de mesures particulières quant au temps consacré aux examens ou aux devoirs en raison d’un déploiement ou d’un appel à servir imminent.
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Le déploiement ou le retour à la maison d’un parent, d’un conjoint ou d’un proche peuvent également exercer une pression sur les étudiants, et sont aussi aux prises avec des répercussions émotionnelles ou physiques à long terme attribuables à leur passé militaire. Tous ces facteurs peuvent influencer ce qui se passe à l’école. « Les familles militaires déménagent souvent », rappelle M. Cathcart. « Si vous passez d’un milieu urbain à un milieu rural au Canada, pourrez-vous trouver un programme d’études semblable? ». Enfin, pour les soldats qui quittent les Forces armées comme M. Cathcart et Mme Strybos, la transition de la vie militaire à la vie civile s’accompagne parfois de remises en question identitaires auxquelles on ne s’attend pas nécessairement. « On perd nos repères quand on quitte l’armée. C’est pourquoi la solidarité sociale est si importante : votre identité n’est plus la même », affirme M. Cathcart. « Il s’agit d’améliorer le soutien des pairs... Les étudiants liés au monde militaire peuvent compter les uns sur les autres et s’orienter dans le système scolaire. C’est vraiment génial de savoir qu’on a du soutien dans notre tout nouveau mode de vie. » Tenant compte de tous ces facteurs uniques, Cathcart a commencé à travailler avec le Collège Fanshawe pour créer un cadre de soutien aux étudiants qui sont ou ont été membre des Forces armées canadiennes. En novembre 2020, le Collège Fanshawe a annoncé son statut de
professeurs et au personnel », ajoute Mme O’Neill, qui est elle-même la fille d’un militaire retraité et qui a des frères et sœurs qui œuvrent dans ce milieu. « Je me suis sentie honorée quand on m’a demandé de diriger le projet. » Mme O’Neill se dit ravie des premières réussites des programmes connexes à l’armée et fière de voir les étudiants s’épanouir dans un milieu véritablement inclusif où leurs points de vue uniques sont respectés et où ils peuvent s’exprimer. « Les élèves sont tellement reconnaissants, ils ressentent beaucoup moins de pression... Ils sont très, très reconnaissants », dit-elle. « Les gens ne comprennent pas toujours ce qu’ils font et ce qu’ils ont fait pour nous. (Nous) allons faire tout notre possible pour les accommoder... afin qu’ils réussissent. Nous avons une réelle incidence (sur le plan de la) santé mentale et de la satisfaction des étudiants. » En guise de cadeau d’obtention du diplôme, le Collège Fanshawe donne aux étudiants ayant des liens avec l’armée une pièce commémorative pour souligner à la fois leurs études au Collège et leurs résultats scolaires. Afin de souligner la véritable complexité du monde des étudiants ayant un lien avec l’armée, la première pièce a été remise à titre posthume à un homme de 35 ans, raconte Mme O’Neill. « Ses démons l’ont emporté », dit-elle de cet étudiant qui avait servi dans les Forces armées pendant sept ans. Le recteur a envoyé une carte rédigée à la main à la mère de l’étudiant, accompagnée de la pièce, et la communauté a observé une minute de silence pour l’homme, comme le veut la tradition militaire. « C’était très émouvant, très puissant », confie Mme O’Neill. Pour M. Cathcart, un des objectifs est de voir se forger des partenariats plus étroits entre les établissements Les étudiants qui ont un lien avec l’armée constituent un groupe d’enseignement postsecondaire de tout le pays afin de diversifié ayant un point commun. Au Collège Fanshawe, nous permettre aux étudiants liés au milieu militaire de suivre des reconnaissons le caractère unique de leur expérience et nous programmes, qu’il s’agisse de perfectionnement, de mise à avons mis en place un cadre holistique de soutien scolaire et niveau, d’un diplôme ou autre. social pour assurer leur réussite future « Je veux continuer dans la lancée de réussite que nous avons créée », affirme-t-il. P E T E R D E V L I N Peter Devlin, recteur du Collège Fanshawe et lui-même campus axé sur la communauté militaire. Son recteur, Peter Devlin, un ancien combattant respecté et décoré des Forces armées, fait écho à détenait le titre de lieutenant général lorsqu’il a pris sa retraite des ce sentiment. Forces armées canadiennes. Il a et a lui-même servi outre-mer. « Les étudiants qui ont un lien avec l’armée constituent un groupe Au Collège Fanshawe, les membres des Forces armées canadiennes diversifié ayant un point commun. Au Collège Fanshawe, nous reconnaissons peuvent bénéficier d’un statut particulier dans certains programmes. le caractère unique de leur expérience et nous avons mis en place un cadre De plus, des encouragements financiers particuliers existent pour les holistique de soutien scolaire et social pour assurer leur réussite future », étudiants liés au monde militaire. explique cet ancien lieutenant-général qui a été, entre autres, commandant Et, bien sûr, il y a Mme Strybos : une étudiante ambassadrice qui de la brigade multinationale de Kaboul en Afghanistan et commandant comprend ces réalités et qui puise dans ces expériences communes adjoint du Commandement de la Force expéditionnaire du Canada. pour tracer la voie. « J’espère qu’ils garderont un bon souvenir de leur parcours au Collège Elle est fière de pouvoir créer avec ses pairs une communauté pour Fanshawe et qu’ils continueront à faire part de leurs expériences à la ceux qui en ont besoin. collectivité après avoir obtenu leur diplôme. » « Il est essentiel que les personnes qui reviennent d’un déploiement Bien que Mme Strybos ait dû quitter l’armée il y a bon nombre d’années, aient le sentiment qu’elles ont accès à l’éducation, au soutien elle se dit reconnaissante d’avoir trouvé sa place dans l’enthousiasme de professionnel et à quelque chose qui correspond à leurs objectifs », cette nouvelle initiative : un rôle qui lui permet de continuer à servir son pays souligne-t-elle. « Vers qui puis-je me tourner? Qu’est-ce qui me permet d’une façon inédite et innovante. de me tourner vers quelqu’un et de demander de l’aide? Être en « Il ne s’agit pas seulement de représenter la communauté des personnes communauté, c’est ne pas se retrouver seul quand on essaie d’avancer. liée à l’armée. C’est aussi un rôle qui me donne beaucoup de confiance et C’est un facteur qui peut faire une différence énorme. » une nouvelle assurance pour diriger. » Si les étudiants ont profité de l’initiative à de nombreux égards, les Mme O’Neill est fière d’aller de l’avant avec ces collèges pour opérer un professeurs du Collège Fanshawe profitent également de leur relation changement concret qui illustre les avantages d’un véritable esprit inclusif. croissante avec l’expérience militaire, affirme Darlene O’Neill, directrice « On voit à quel point (le Collège Fanshawe) s’est engagé à être présent des services d’emploi et d’entrepreneuriat étudiant. pour les gens et à ne pas se contenter de dire “Voici notre promesse”. Ils font « Ce qui est vraiment, vraiment génial à propos de ce projet, c’est vraiment des efforts ciblés à tous les égards. Nous faisons une foule de choses qu’il a ouvert un tout nouveau domaine d’apprentissage qui s’ouvre aux pour nous assurer que le collège est un collège accessible à tous. » W
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Save the Date June 22nd, 2021
OCASA AGM and HR Consultant Webinar: How to Avoid HR Emergencies as the COVID-19 Vaccination Rolls Out Please join us for the OCASA AGM and a brilliant webinar from an HR expert. Join Josée Larocque-Patton to find out how to manage your way through the potential HR minefield around employee vaccinations.
For more information and to register, visit www.ocasa.on.ca.
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college administrator We want to hear from you! College Administrator is seeking articles of interest to administrators in Ontario colleges for our Fall 2021 issue. College Administrator is the bi-annual digital publication of OCASA (Ontario College Administrative Staff Association). The magazine aims to engage and connect with hundreds of administrators at Ontario’s 24 colleges, along with college presidents and all members of boards of governors. We’re looking for timely and topical articles and columns to inspire lively and meaningful discussion on topics important to the Ontario college community. College Administrator provides hands-on help with writers in the editorial process. Digital copies of final edits and page proofs are provided to writers. Back issues of the magazine are available on the OCASA website at www.ocasa.on.ca/communications/college-administrator. Feature stories run about 1,500 to 2,500 words, with columns at approximately 750 words.
Our editorial deadline for the Fall 2021 issue is Friday, July 23.
College Administrator wants to hear YOUR stories about: • • • • • • •
• • •
current issues facing administrators. emerging challenges for the future. reports on academic papers. interesting people and colleagues in the college community. noteworthy projects happening at your colleges. new and innovative approaches to situations. insights on how developments in areas like information technology, student services, and more impact the role of administrators in other departments. societal shifts that are affecting how colleges function. how we can learn from other colleges outside of Ontario. AND MORE!
Please reach out anytime to College Administrator Managing Editor Tammy Marlowe Johnson at tammy@kelman.ca or 204-985-9717 with questions, story ideas, and submissions.
OUR JOURNEY
Sault College
Celebrates the Languages, Cultures, and Traditions of Indigenous and Métis Students
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ault College in Sault Ste. Marie (with campuses in Toronto and Brampton) offers a unique learning environment – celebrating the languages, cultures, and traditions of Indigenous and Métis students. The curriculum incorporates cultural worldviews, in addition to Indigenous-specific programs, Indigenous student support services, and a positive, social environment through Enji Maawnjiding, the school also features the ‘Where We Gather’ Indigenous Centre. Students have access to Elders, Indigenous professors, and instructors, and can become involved in the Indigenous Student Council. Scholarships, bursaries, and awards specific to Indigenous students are offered, as well as an Aboriginal Apprentice Centre. Sault College is located on the Robinson Huron Treaty territory and the traditional territory of the Anishinaabek and Métis people. The Indigenous Circle on Education (ICE) is an advisory council to the College’s President and Board of Governors. Carolyn Hepburn, Dean of Indigenous Studies and Academic Upgrading, shares details about the learning experience at Sault College and why inclusionary educational supports are critical to a student’s college experience. Why overall are culturally appropriate educational supports important to a student’s college experience? In Ontario and across Canada, we know an increasing number of Indigenous people are enrolling in post-secondary programs and successfully completing them; however, completion rates remain significantly lower than those of non-Indigenous Canadians. The devastating intergenerational impacts of the residential school system and cultural differences coupled with the geographical remoteness of our communities has further contributed to the complexity of barriers Indigenous people face in accessing postsecondary learning opportunities.
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OUR JOURNEY
“Our students benefit greatly by learning in an environment where they can feel a sense of belonging and inclusion, and where they feel comfortable learning about, expressing, and celebrating their own cultural identities.”
To successfully meet the needs of Indigenous students, an education system that puts Indigenous learner achievement at the centre of all decision making is critical. Our students benefit greatly by learning in an environment where they can feel a sense of belonging and inclusion, and where they feel comfortable learning about, expressing, and celebrating their own cultural identities and the provision of Indigenous-specific wrap-around support services are key to the retention and success of our learners. As Indigenous educators with lived experience, our understanding of culture and community – along with our knowledge of postsecondary education – makes us well-positioned to assist the students we serve, and as the fastest growing population in Canada, it is anticipated there will be even greater need for culturally appropriate student supports for Indigenous students moving forward. Why was the Indigenous Circle on Education created? In what ways does this forward-thinking group continue to address the needs of Indigenous students? To provide a bit of background: Prior to 1990, the Indigenous presence at Ontario post-secondary institutions was minimal in terms of student numbers, staff, programming, etc. and Indigenous community engagement was not a common practice. Recognizing the need to address these issues, seven Provincial Territorial Organizations (PTOs) lobbied the Ministry of Education and Training (now the Ministry of Colleges and Universities) in the early 1990s to put strategies in place to increase Indigenous presence at post-secondary institutions and to increase student retention and success. As a result, the Aboriginal Education and Training Strategy (AETS) was created in 1991. As part of the funding eligibility criteria, colleges and universities who participated in the AETS were required to establish a local Indigenous Education Council with membership from local Indigenous communities and organizations and were required to demonstrate that the Council had direct access to the governing body of the institution on all matters related to Indigenous education.
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Now referred to as the Indigenous Student Success Fund for Colleges and Universities, these funding criteria remain in place today and the IECs continue to play a vital role within our institutions. As Indigenous community-based councils provincially mandated to direct and monitor the work of post-secondary institutions with respect to Indigenous specific academic, training, and support programs, the IECs ensure the efforts being undertaken to advance Indigenous education remain community driven and directed. Sault College built Enji Maawnjiding nearly 30 years ago. What role does the centre play today in sharing Indigenous culture with the greater college community? In 1993, we received funding from the Jobs Ontario Capital fund to expand and improve the Native Education and Training facilities (now referred to as Indigenous Studies) and, as a result, Enji Maawnjiding (Where We Gather) was built to enhance the campus environment for our growing Indigenous student population. The Centre’s circular design, red flooring, and use of cedar is reflective of Indigenous peoples and culture and remains a safe, comfortable environment in which our students and community members feel both welcomed and acknowledged. Enji Maawnjiding continues to be a central gathering place for our students, staff, and community members, and it is host to numerous events throughout the year that allow us to showcase and share our culture with one another and the greater College community. Home to a variety of social, cultural, and educational events throughout the year – such as Elders’ teachings, traditional craft workshops, seasonal ceremonies, talking circles, as well as contemporary events such as guest speakers, fashion shows, movie nights, language bingos, weekly lunches and more – the Centre includes a small kitchen and servery, which are utilized on a regular basis for potlucks, feasts, and daily use by students and staff. Offices for faculty and staff are also located adjacent to the Centre providing a centralized area for Indigenous student services on campus. 30 years later, Enji Maawnjiding remains a critical component in the services we provide to students.
Tell us a little about your Indigenous Elders-in-Residence, Barbara Nolan and Ted Recollet. Both Barbara and Ted are instrumental in supporting our students, department, and institution as a whole. We know that the role of Elders within our communities is a significant one as they hold invaluable knowledge, skills and wisdom pertaining not only to our history but also to our traditions, culture, language and ceremonies. These are the individuals we look to as leaders, teachers, and advisors as they have an important role in both spiritual and governing matters within our communities. As our Elders-in-Residence, Barbara and Ted engage our students in meaningful ways that provide opportunities to strengthen cultural knowledge and understanding, provide opportunity for positive role modeling, that strengthens Indigenous pride and identity as well as creating opportunities for increased cross-cultural engagement, dialogue and learning with the larger College community. Contributing to the overall mental health of both Indigenous and nonIndigenous students, Barbara and Ted facilitate numerous engagement activities throughout the year such as one-on-one mentoring, classroom presentations, workshop facilitation, cultural competency training, talking circles, traditional teachings, and cultural ceremonies/ observances, in addition to providing curriculum development/faculty support and participating on various Sault College committees. Barbara and Ted bring with them numerous gifts that contribute to creating a learning environment based on mutual respect and inclusion, and that celebrate language, culture, and tradition. What more would you like to see in terms of culturally appropriate supports and commitments, both at Sault College and at other post-secondary institutions across the province/country? The release of final reports, such as the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and its Calls to Action, the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls and documents such as College and Institutes Canada’s National Indigenous Education Protocol and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of
Indigenous Peoples, reinforce the need to rethink and renew our relationships with Indigenous peoples. A commitment to helping Indigenous students achieve their fullest potential is essential if we are to advance the status of Indigenous people in Canada. This commitment will require joint leadership, trust building, accountability, and open/honest communication. This means having the courage to participate in difficult conversations about what has occurred to Indigenous people in Canada and how this legacy continues to impact the work of our institutions today. By making the much-needed investments to effectively undertake this work, we foster and grow the interconnections and collaborations needed to transform systems so we can provide positive, culturally relevant post-secondary learning opportunities and experiences that not only contribute to the learning aspirations of our students, but also contribute to the wider recognition of Indigenous peoples’ place within the fabric of Canada and their ongoing contributions as ‘First Peoples.’ Ultimately, how do you hope students’ experiences at Sault College will enrich and inform their lives after post-secondary education? (Or: Ultimately, what do you hope students take with them into the world once they have completed their studies?) We want to provide a learning experience where students of Sault College not only gain the necessary skills needed to participate and succeed in the Canadian labour market, but where there they also have the opportunity to build upon and strengthen pride in who they are as Indigenous people – where all learners gain greater crosscultural understanding and appreciation of Indigenous people, history, and culture, and where we can foster a mindset where students can continue to grow and thrive no matter where their path may take them. We want to develop lifelong learners who have the skills to help them reach their full potential – where students get the education they want, to feel it was worth coming here, and that the experience changed their lives for the better. Our students are the future our ancestors dreamed of and we want them to recognize they have the potential to accomplish whatever they set out to do. W
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Respectful Cultures in the
Workplace
By Tammy Marlowe Johnson, Managing Editor, College Administrator
Infographic courtesy of the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety. For more information, please visit www.ccohs.ca.
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hat does it mean to have a respectful culture in the workplace? Putting in place and nurturing an environment of respect at work is truly a journey – important steps that keep a workplace moving forward and that never come to an end. So, how do organizations, including colleges, make sure respect is woven into the fabric of their professional environments?
Many Ontario colleges have specific policies and procedures in place to ensure students, staff, and faculty are respected on campus. These procedures are critical to forming a foundation of respect. The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety also offers some informal guidelines on how to nurture a respectful culture in the workplace. Some examples: Give your full attention to a conversation. Value others’ time. Address uncivil behaviour. Practice humility. Be a role model. According to the CCOHS, tangible benefits to a civil and respectful workplace include better teamwork, improved morale, greater perceptions of fairness, engagement in problem resolution, and reduced sick leave and turnover.
Making civility and respect a priority throughout the organization, from policy and program development to small everyday actions, can help everyone feel valued and appreciated in the workplace. CANADIAN CENTRE FOR OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY
The Centre offers posters, infographics, publications, e-courses and more to help workplaces learn to develop an environment where employees are recognized and regarded. “Making civility and respect a priority throughout the organization, from policy and program development to small everyday actions, can help everyone feel valued and appreciated in the workplace,” the CCOHS states. Finally, respect is a living, breathing thing. Just as a plant requires a consistent diet of water, sunlight, food and attention to thrive, so does a respectful culture in the workplace. The CCOHS makes clear there are tangible benefits for doing the work to nurture this type of environment. For colleges, that means happier, more productive, more invested students and colleagues, who will in turn pay it forward and spread the culture of reverence. W
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SECURE PENSIONS MATTER
By Derek W. Dobson, CEO, CAAT Pension Plan
“I’m proud of the lasting impact CAAT is having by providing access to secure retirement income to a growing number of working Canadians.”
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espite the challenges the pandemic created, the CAAT Plan remains resilient and your pension secure. We entered 2020 with healthy funding reserves and I’m proud to say we ended the year stronger. The Plan’s funding reserves grew to $3.3 billion, up from $2.9 billion, and our funded status increased to 119% – which means the Plan has $1.19 for every dollar promised in pensions. CAAT’s investment returns for 2020 were 11.1%, net of fees, contributing to an impressive 10-year annualized net rate of return of 9.9%, well above the 4.95% discount rate required to keep the Plan strong. During 2020, the Plan’s assets grew to $15.8 billion from $13.5 billion at the start of the year. Despite these impressive numbers, we’re working tirelessly to improve the long-term health of the Plan by building Plan champions, promoting Modern defined benefit pensions, and growing Plan membership.
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Although workplaces are changing, the need for valuable, secure pensions is not – and now good pensions are more important than ever. CAAT provides secure income in retirement to 70,000 members who work at one of the 111 employers in nine industries across Canada. Last year saw steady growth in membership and in the number of employers. The Plan grew by 7,500 members and by 39 employers. Who were some of these employers who recently joined? The Greater Toronto Airport Authority joined January 1. The biopharmaceutical company, Sanofi Canada and St. John Ambulance joined April 1. The Globe and Mail joined on May 1, and the Conference Board of Canada on June 1. Since DBplus was introduced in 2019, we have welcomed about 60 employers from coast to coast to coast including Brink’s, United Way of Greater Toronto, the Vancouver Foundation, Lawyers Financial and the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Newfoundland and Labrador.
CAAT’S STRATEGIC PRIORITIES CAAT’s strategy is focused on keeping member benefits secure. Other principles to be upheld are that members and employers receive value for their contributions, that funding decisions consider equity across generations and groups of members. Promoting Modern DB Pension Plans – is part of CAAT’s advocacy efforts to improve retirement income security in Canada through world class efficient and well-governed pension plans. Growing and Diversifying Plan Membership – encompasses increasing and varying the composition of the membership through new participating groups, thereby strengthening the Plan through improved risk pooling and efficiencies, while making secure workplace pensions more available. Building Plan Champions – focuses on raising stakeholder awareness and understanding of the significant value of the Plan so that all stakeholders can be well-informed promoters of CAAT.
We believe all workplaces in Canada should have access to a good, sustainable pension, and we need your help to spread the news. When opportunities arise, talk about the advantages of having a good pension, especially CAAT’s flexible, pension-sector leading DBplus. Many of the employers who have joined CAAT have come to us through word of mouth. Informed CAAT members and leaders, like you, have raised the possibility of a secure, fixed cost and valuable pensions to their networks and have introduced our team to interested organizations. Here are the key points you can use when introducing CAAT and DBplus: • Members receive predictable retirement income for life, enhanced for inflation, with a spousal survivor pension. • A good pension reduces stress by improving financial security in retirement for employees. • Employers can attract and retain top talent with a valuable pension.
• Employers can focus on their core business while CAAT takes care of the retirement plan. • DBplus offers what Canadians need and want – predictable secure lifetime pensions at a fixed cost that employers can afford – and leveraging your networks will help the CAAT Plan grow stronger. • Visit www.caatpension.ca/pensionsolutions for more information to help you get the conversations started. I’m proud of the lasting impact CAAT is having by providing access to secure retirement income to a growing number of working Canadians. I invite you to stay informed: • Annual Report Webinar: Resilient and Ready, May 4 at 12 noon. Free registration – if you miss it, the recording will be posted to our website by mid-May. • 2020 Year in Review, on the CAAT website. This engaging new digital format tells the story of CAAT’s performance. If you haven’t already experienced it, I would encourage you to visit it soon. Follow CAAT or me, Derek Dobson, on LinkedIn. W
LA SÉCURITÉ DES PENSIONS EST IMPORTANTE par Derek W. Dobson, chef de la direction du Régime de retraite des CAAT
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algré les difficultés créées par la pandémie, le Régime des CAAT reste robuste et votre pension demeure sure. Nous avons commencé l’année 2020 avec une réserve de financement saine, et je suis fier d’annoncer que nous avons terminé l’année encore plus forts. La réserve de financement du Régime est passée de 2,9 à 3,3 milliards de dollars et notre taux de capitalisation a atteint 119 %. Cela signifie que le Régime dispose de 1,19 $ pour chaque dollar de rente promis. En 2020, le Régime des CAAT a enregistré un rendement de placement de 11,1 %, après déduction des frais, ce qui a contribué à un taux de rendement annualisé impressionnant de 9,9 % sur dix ans, bien supérieur au taux d’actualisation de 4,95 % requis pour garantir la stabilité du Régime.
Le Régime a conclu l’année 2020 avec un actif de 15,8 milliards de dollars, une nette augmentation par rapport à son actif de 13,5 milliards au début de la même année. Malgré ces chiffres impressionnants, nous travaillons sans relâche pour améliorer la santé à long terme du Régime en formant des champions du Régime, en faisant la promotion des régimes de retraite modernes à prestations déterminées et en augmentant le nombre de participants au Régime. Les milieux de travail évoluent, mais la nécessité d’offrir des pensions de valeur reste la même. Bénéficier d’une pension de qualité supérieure est important aujourd’hui plus que jamais. Le Régime des CAAT fournit un revenu de retraite sûr à plus de 70 000 participants qui travaillent auprès de plus de 111 employeurs
www.ocasa.on.ca | College Administrator
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PRIORITÉS STRATÉGIQUES DU RÉGIME DES CAAT L’objectif central de la stratégie du Régime des CAAT est de maintenir la sécurité des prestations. Les autres principes à respecter sont que les participants et les employeurs reçoivent une valeur en échange de leurs cotisations, que les décisions de financement tiennent compte de l’équité entre les générations et les groupes de participants. La promotion des régimes de retraite PD modernes est l’une des activités de défense d’intérêts du Régime ayant pour but de garantir une sécurité du revenu de retraite à un plus grand nombre de Canadiens, et ce, grâce à des régimes de retraite de calibre mondial, efficaces et bien gérés. La croissance du nombre et la diversification des participants. Cela comprend l’augmentation et la diversification de la participation grâce à de nouveaux groupes participants. Par le biais d’une meilleure mise en commun des risques, de gains d’efficience et de l’amélioration de l’accès à des régimes de retraite d’employeur surs, le Régime sera plus solide. Accroitre le nombre de champions du Régime. Des efforts sont réalisés pour mieux faire connaitre et comprendre aux parties prenantes la valeur exceptionnelle que leur procure le Régime, afin que ces derniers deviennent eux-mêmes des défenseurs bien informés du Régime des CAAT.
provenant de neuf industries au Canada. Le nombre d’adhésions au Régime a augmenté de façon constante l’an dernier : 7 500 participants supplémentaires et 39 nouveaux employeurs nous ont rejoints. Voici quelques-uns des employeurs qui se sont joints à nous récemment : l’Autorité aéroportuaire du Grand Toronto s’est jointe au Régime le 1er janvier. La société biopharmaceutique, Sanofi Canada et Ambulance Saint-Jean nous ont rejoints le 1er avril. Le Globe and Mail se joindra au Régime le 1er mai et le Conference Board du Canada le 1er juin. Depuis le lancement de DBplus en 2019, nous avons accueilli environ 60 nouveaux employeurs d’un océan à l’autre, notamment Brink’s, Centraide du Grand Toronto, la Vancouver Foundation, la Financière des avocates et avocats et le Collège des médecins et chirurgiens de Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador. Nous croyons fermement que tous les milieux de travail canadiens devraient avoir accès à une pension durable et de bonne valeur, et nous avons besoin de votre aide pour répandre la nouvelle. Lorsque l’occasion se présente, parlez des avantages d’avoir une pension de qualité supérieure, en particulier de DBplus du Régime des CAAT, une conception flexible et de premier plan dans le secteur des pensions. Bon nombre des employeurs qui ont adhéré au Régime des CAAT nous ont rejoints grâce au bouche-à-oreille. Des participants et des dirigeants bien informés, comme vous, ont évoqué la possibilité d’accumuler une pension sure, à cout fixe et de grande valeur auprès de leurs réseaux et ont présenté notre équipe aux organisations intéressées. Voici quelques points clés que vous pouvez utiliser lorsque vous présentez le Régime des CAAT et DBplus : • Les participants reçoivent un revenu de retraite prévisible à vie, indexé en fonction de l’inflation, avec une rente de conjoint survivant. • Une pension de qualité supérieure réduit le stress des employés en leur garantissant une sécurité financière à la retraite. • Les employeurs peuvent attirer et retenir les meilleurs talents grâce à une précieuse pension.
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College Administrator | Spring 2021
“Je suis fier de l’impact durable du Régime des CAAT sur un nombre croissant de travailleurs canadiens, en donnant accès à un revenu de retraite sûr.” • Les employeurs peuvent se concentrer sur leurs activités principales pendant que le Régime des CAAT s’occupe de leur régime de retraite. • La conception DBplus offre ce que les Canadiens recherchent : des rentes viagères sures et prévisibles à un cout fixe et abordable pour les employeurs. En tirant parti de vos réseaux, vous aiderez le régime CAAT à se renforcer. Visitez la page www.caatpension.ca/ pensionsolutions sur notre site Web pour obtenir des renseignements qui vous aideront à entamer la conversation. Je suis fier de l’impact durable du Régime des CAAT sur un nombre croissant de travailleurs canadiens, en donnant accès à un revenu de retraite sûr. Je vous invite à rester informés : • Webinaire portant sur le rapport annuel : le Régime demeure robuste et prêt, le 4 mai à midi (inscription gratuite). Si vous manquez le webinaire, un enregistrement sera publié sur notre site Web à la mi-mai. • Notre bilan de l’année 2020, sur le site Web du Régime des CAAT. Ce nouveau format numérique attrayant offre un historique du rendement du Régime des CAAT. Si vous ne l’avez pas encore découvert, je vous encourage à y jeter un œil dès que possible. Suivez le Régime des CAAT ou suivez-moi, Derek Dobson, sur LinkedIn. W
UPCOMING
2021 OCASA CONFERENCE OCASA is hosting a new virtual conference, starting in September. Once again, all conference events are free for members. You’ll see your perennial favourites like the Presidents’ Panel, the VP Panel and the Chairs’ Summit, as well as new content on hot topics. Watch for the kick-off plenary session with Linda Franklin in late September! In September 2022, we’ll resume our in-person conference in beautiful Niagara Falls, in line with then-current health directions.
FREE
See you there!
for OCASA Members
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Jeff Kutny, Marketing Manager jeff@kelman.ca | 866-985-9789
What’s the point of OCASA
membership?
Do you know that OCASA represents you to your pension and benefits provider?
Membership Benefits
Who is OCASA?
NETWORK SUPPORT
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The Ontario College Administrators Network is a professional community shaping excellence in college leadership.
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OCASA members work together to realize our mission of connecting, supporting, and advancing management and leadership in Ontario colleges.
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OCASA supports members through professional development, networking and mentoring, and strong relationships with the College Employer Council, Colleges Ontario and CAAT.
More Information?
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A vital community of practice connects you with administrators across Ontario; supporting your leadership growth.
CAREER SUPPORT • • •
Affordable, accessible, high quality professional development Mentorship program Free, on-demand legal assistance
LEADERSHIP SUPPORT • • •
Annual Chairs’ Summit Annual Leadership Conference Leadership roles on OCASA Committees, Board, and CAAT
Visit www.ocasa.on.ca/membership or reach out to us at 866-742-5429 or info@ocasa.on.ca.