Grenfell Campus embarked on extensive consultation and planning to produce a new strategic plan. Launched virtually on April 16, 2020, Committing to Communities will guide the institution for the next five years.
“While responding to the unprecedented challenges COVID-19 presents to those studying and working at Grenfell remains our overriding priority, we are still actively planning for a brighter future,” said Dr. Jeff Keshen Grenfell’s vice-president.
“Our new strategic plan is comprehensive, ambitious and representative of an extraordinary community. I am very grateful to members of the Strategic Plan Steering Committee, to the Grenfell community (including many Grenfell alumni), to participants from other Memorial University campuses and numerous others living throughout Western Newfoundland and Labrador for their invaluable contributions to this process.”
With this plan as a guide, Grenfell will continue to grow a student-focused and community-engaged campus that uses its strengths to innovate, to respond to the needs of its stakeholders, particularly in Western Newfoundland, and to lead in achieving transformative change for sustainability.
Planning process
With the current strategic plan set to expire in 2020, a strategic planning committee was formed in 2018. The process began with a series of consultations with students, staff, retirees and representatives from other Memorial campuses. It was further complimented by visits to communities throughout the region. This consultative approach formed the foundation for the document.
“Through this plan we underscore our deep commitment to communities, both internal and external, and our capacity to spur growth, foster diversity and to improve the area in which we live and learn.”
Through these consultations, the committee was motivated by the sense of ‘home’ and the feelings of commitment to Grenfell expressed by participants. Other themes quickly emerged including the reputation for excellence in fine arts, increasing success in Indigenization, connection of communities, and expertise and leadership in environmental, agriculture, forestry, entrepreneurship and innovation.
“The plan outlines how Grenfell has and will continue to take very seriously Memorial’s University’s special obligation to the people of our province,” said Dr. Keshen. “Grenfell has always been able to anticipate and embrace challenges and opportunities as an engine of change and pinnacle of pride for this region. Through this plan we underscore our deep commitment to communities, both internal and external, and our capacity to spur growth, foster diversity and to improve the area in which we live and learn.”
Student focused and community engaged
Grenfell Campus’s mission is to continue to grow a student-focused and community-engaged campus that uses its strengths to innovate, to respond to the needs of its stakeholders and to lead in achieving transformative change for sustainability.
The values identified are extensive and include an institution that is: focused, diversified, personalized, caring, accountable, ethical, relevant, contributing, unique, respectful, accessible, equitable, collaborative, courageous, practical, responsible, sustainable and excellent. The themes and goals of the plan have been categorized into teaching and academic programming; recruitment and retention; health and wellness; research and creative works; public engagement; internationalization; Indigenization; environmental sustainability; and alumni, retirees and fundraising.
Committing to Communities is available online.
