Renison President and Vice-Chancellor Rev. Dr. Marc Jerry takes a selfie with the crowd at his Presidential Installation, September 17, 2024.
Dear Renison Community:
This is my first letter to the community in our Annual Report as President and Vice-Chancellor of Renison University College following the conclusion of Dr. Wendy L. Fletcher’s term as President from 2014-2024. On behalf of the entire Renison community, I must express my sincerest thanks and gratitude to Dr. Fletcher for her time and service as our President. As you all well know, Wendy’s time here has been transformative for the institution having led us through the impacts of the pandemic and more recently through the development of a new strategic plan.
2023-2024 marked a significant period of transition for the college, including a presidential search and the development and ratification of a new strategic plan by the Board of Governors. The strategic plan, entitled “Meeting the Moment,” which runs from 2024-2027, was created out of an extensive community engagement process and embodies “who Renison is” in addition to articulating the work that we do. Five priorities emerged:
- nurturing transformative leaders;
- embed indigenization, decolonization, and inclusion, diversity, and equity throughout all aspects of Renison life;
- foster a strong, inclusive, and healthy community;
- continue to be an inspirational place of teaching, research, and learning; and
- establish institutional sustainability.
Moving forward, much of the work needing to be accomplished in this current academic year centres around operationalizing the strategic plan and prioritizing and resourcing the activities that support these priorities. In a time of resource challenges, we also need to engage in the hard work of answering the question: “what are we going to stop doing in order to support these stated priorities?”
As laid out in our strategic planning documents: “…the combination of challenges and opportunities creates a unique moment in time for Renison. Meeting this moment with determination, tenacity, and optimism will allow Renison to be more prepared as we boldly step into our future.” Our teaching, research, and community life work are all centred around supporting students who will make a significant difference in the world! I am proud of the work that Renison does and of the people who work, live, and study here as we live out our mission.
I look forward to getting to know all of you as we join together to accomplish these shared goals.
Sincerely,
The Rev. Dr. Marc Jerry
President and Vice-Chancellor
Renison University College