Beginning a decade is like turning over a new leaf — full of promise and new ideas, the start of a new era.
Wasn’t there a UCC pool here? The year kicks off with some shiny new classrooms and lecture halls in areas vacated by Campus Recreation in the University Community Centre. Areez Remtulla, second-year biology, and Michael Glen, second-year psychology, are among the first students Tuesday to take a seat in one of the new classrooms on the lower level.
And many new adventures are on the horizon for The University of Western Ontario, as President Amit Chakma begins acting on new priorities for the university.
But, it will be difficult to step into 2010 without a bit of caution in the face of financial challenges. Exercising restraint will likely be part of the financial mantra for the next few years.
Few surprises expected in budget
The financial markets have improved from a year ago but Western is not going to make any sudden financial movements based on this assumption.
With the end of the fiscal year in April, the university is preparing for a difficult budget year. Fred Longstaffe, Provost & Vice-President (Academic) says the university is unlikely to use investment income in the upcoming operating budget. Financial guidelines put into place for the 2009-10 operating budget should remain in place for 2010-11.
The university is approaching the final year of its four-year planning process. As Western administrators stress the need to keep expenditure growth at a rate equal to revenue growth, the importance of spending restraint will be central in budgetary planning.
It remains uncertain whether further budgetary reductions will be needed. A great deal will depend on funding promises from the provincial government, and Western’s ability to secure revenue sources and control costs.
One of the biggest unknowns is the amount of funding that will be provided by the provincial government. Not only is Ontario experiencing a record deficit, but the province is approaching the end of the multi-year Reaching Higher Plan.
Meanwhile, the federal government is being lobbied by the Association of Universities and Colleges for support on three fronts: international student recruitment, educational opportunities for Aboriginal Canadians and a spending boost for the three federal granting agencies. The federal budget is expected to be made public in March.
Plans will likely take shape over the next year to initiate new revenue sources for Western.
Expiring labour contracts
In 2009 the university settled contract agreements with several employee groups, including the Professional and Managerial Association and the University of Western Ontario Faculty Association – Librarians and Archivists.
The faculty association, which went down to the wire with the librarians’ contract, will return to the table this year. The collective agreement for about 1,100 faculty members expires in June.
Also expiring in June is the contract for the University of Western Ontario Staff Association, representings nearly 1,200 administrative and technical staff and Western employees at London teaching hospitals.
Other contracts up for renewal in 2010 include TAs, operating engineers and Professional and Managerial Association.
New vice-presidents take charge
The newly named Vice-President (External) Kevin Goldthorp takes over his post in April. He comes to Western from Toronto’s Sunnybrook Foundation where he served as Chief Executive Officer. Helen Connell, Associate Vice-President of Communications and Public Affairs, is filling the position in the interim.
Goldthorp inherits Western’s most ambitious fundraising campaign yet, pushing ahead on the $500-million campaign with the help of campaign chair Geoff Beattie.
In another changing of the guard, Fred Longstaffe steps down as Provost and Vice-President (Academics) on June 30 to return to full-time teaching and research. His replacement is expected to be announced early this year.
Graduate expansion continues
Graduate expansion funding is the only guaranteed money forwarded to universities from the provincial government, making it imperative to meet targets for 2010.
Chakma has signaled graduate expansion and research intensity is a top priority for the university. Look for work to advance on expansion of professional master’s programs and establishing a research cluster to make Western a hub for specialized study.
In the works will be preparing for the next planning stages, particularly the transition to a new four-year plan in 2011-12.
New buildings and renovations
The new location for the Richard Ivey School of Business will start to take shape just east of Brescia University College. Construction on the $100-million building to house Ivey’s growing undergraduate and graduate programs is scheduled to be completed by March 2011. The 234,000-square-foot, three-storey facility will be the second Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design-certified (LEED) building on campus.
The university has completed the last phase in renovation of the Biology and Geology Building and received an occupancy permit in December. Staff and researchers have started moving into their new locations.
Students have begun using new classroom space on the first and second floors of the University Community Centre. It marks the culmination of a one-year project to renovate space vacated by Campus Recreation, including demolition of the swimming pool, washrooms and change rooms, squash courts, cardio/aerobic studies and support space. Seventeen classrooms with a capacity for 50 to 250 people occupy the 45,000 square foot space.
The renovation of Stevenson and Lawson Halls continues in 2010. The project includes a substantial realignment of space to create academic offices, general university teaching facilities and several building upgrades. The first phase has been completed, with occupants already moving into the space, the second phase is expected to be completed in August, with completion of phase three in 2011.
Modernization of the Physics and Astronomy Building was put on hold in 2009, however the university is anticipating the start of construction as early as next month. The outcome of the renovation will be more efficient design of space to create modern faculty/staff offices, classrooms, teaching laboratories, research facilities, and support spaces. As well, 15,600 square feet of new space will be added to one of the oldest campus buildings by enclosing a courtyard.
The design work for the Canadian Foundation for Innovation-funded expansion of the Museum of Ontario Archeology was started in November and construction could begin this year.
Similarly, the Wind Engineering Energy & Environment “WindEEE” project will get underway. The research facility will be used to perform scale model experiments on all aspects of wind energy and the interaction of wind with the natural and built environment.