Capilano University is about to see an overhaul in the vision, values, mission and institutional goals and an implementation of these goals over the next near.
Board Policy One -Vision, Values, and Mission has been drafted and is in the process of becoming the new statement that Cap will give to people who are trying to figure out what the school is really about. This new draft highlights the ``dynamic and unique programs'' Capilano has to offer, as well as the institutional goals and strategic directions Capilano hopes to take.
Late last March ,``world-cafe sessions'' were held to gather input. Patrick Donahoe, Vice President of Student Services, described the sessions as ``retreats, open to all staff and students, where series of questions and constant stimulation allowed for input from a broad range of people. Not a lot of students showed up …we are slowly making progress [in involving more] students in the processes of the school.''
Jackie Snodgras, Vice President of Education, was unsure of whether more student input would have impacted the direction the draft took,
``Do I think the plan would have been different if we had more students at the sessions? No. I don't. I believe we've captured the things that are important to the faculty, staff and students, despite the low number of students attending.''
Now, six months after those cafe sessions were held, the first draft of ``Board Policy One'' has been distributed to those interested. Information sessions were held last week to explain them in greater detail.
While the PowerPoint presentations attempted to ratify some of the ambiguities found within the written draft, the institutional goals remained rather vague.
``They [the institutional goals] have to be general to apply to all of these programs [at Cap]. The idea is that these programs will articulate their learning outcomes, but they will also incorporate the goals into them [the learning outcomes]. It becomes much more detailed as you go down to each program level,'' Snodgras explained.
The strategic directions, which indicate how the University plans to reach the vision they have for the future, give an optimistic view of what's to come, as well as outlining how Capilano is such a unique school.
``[The University] started in the time of the hippies. It has a crunchie, earthy, granola feel in its history and style – add to it that every learner brings their own story. We really succeed when we value that,'' Donahoe explained.
Both Donahoe and Snodgras hope to see more open and informal places for students to learn outside the classroom, an idea that is prominent throughout the draft of ``Board Policy One''.
Snodgras was quick to point out one of the strategic goals. ``We have plans, when we can find the funding, to add another level to the library. The idea is to redesign the first level so it can become teaching and learning commons.''
The biggest challenge for the implementation of the strategic direction comes down to one word that both Snodgras and Donahoe stressed: ``Funding.''
Members of the CSU Executive Committee were contacted for comments, but at the time of deadline had not gotten back to the Courier.\
// Nicole Mucci
Writer
