Academic Plan

Build a plan for a unique “SJU Start”

Linking Co-Registration to Academic Experiences.

In progress

Following the work of an initial working group and a call for expressions of interest that was considered by Academic Committee, a pilot section of SJU Start was offered using the HUMSC 101 course code in Fall of 2025.

In 2025-2026 we will reflect on the success of the pilot, determine lessons learned, and consider next steps in identifying a potential "St. Jerome's Seminar" course code, SJS.

In addition to the SJU Start initiative, the First Year Advisor and Scheduling Specialist now work closely to publicize options for St. Jerome's students who are interested in taking more courses at St. Jerome's.

Teaching Excellence (a)

Address amongst ourselves how we engage in practices that incorporate peer and learner feedback.

Complete

Senate Council has agreed to ongoing use of the UW online course perception instrument.

Will need to continue to discuss ways to address this beyond these instruments, including more qualitatively.

Teaching Excellence (b)

Support Teaching Award Nominations.

Ongoing

The office of the VPAD encourages colleagues to nominate colleagues for peer-driven awards and will support the creation of teaching award nomination packages for student-driven teaching award processes when needed.

Chad Wriglesworth was awarded a 2024 Arts Award for Excellence in Teaching.

Chad Wriglesworth was awarded a 2025 Distinguished Teacher Award.

Courses in the Department of French and Italian Studies have been nominated for Centre of Extended Learning (CEL) awards with significant praise from CEL reviewers.

Teaching Excellence (c)

Broaden communications strategy to include more teaching content.

In progress

A re-organization of units in the university has led to Marketing and Communications reporting up through the Vice President Academic and Dean. This should create organic ways for teaching related studies to be featured more frequently. 

Our internal SJU Start newsletter is another mechanism for colleagues to share information about publications that have emerged from student course work or to invite participation in student presentations open to the public.  

Teaching Excellence (d)

Departmental Discussions about Equity/Experience strategy.

Ongoing

Ongoing conversations with Department Chairs. These conversations are both more complicated and crucial in times of constrained budget.

Create Wellness Implementation Team [WIT] (a)

Translate McMurray report into specific action plans within Student Affairs.

Complete

WIT is established and work in this area is ongoing.

Wellness Supports programming information

WIT (b)

Explore additional collaboration between student-support units and academic departments (e.g. Well-Link, SRF).

Complete

WIT is a collaboration with the Well-Link lab and work in this area is ongoing.

WIT (c)

Develop strategies for supporting faculty and staff who find themselves on the frontlines of new and challenging student mental health and accessibility challenges.

Complete

Wellness Coordinator Angelina Dodds has recently been certified as a Mental Health First Aid Facilitator from Mental Health Commission of Canada and this will allow us to do internal training/certification for those interested.

First training was offered Spring 2024, with additional training offered on an ongoing basis.

Implement SJU EDI Action Plan Recommendations that fall under VPAD office.

In Progress

The EDI Standing Committee meets monthly. The VPAD serves as Chair and the progress is separately reported to the community each year.

Work with Indigenous Advisory Circle

In progress

IAC formed, will work collaboratively on Indigenous Strategic Plan.

Ongoing

The Library is working alongside our partners at United College to build an outstanding print collection in Indigenous Studies. The librarian has consulted with the faculty teaching in Human Rights and Indigenous Studies to ensure that the collection we are building is meeting the research needs of faculty and students. The Indigenous Studies collection is one of our highest circulating collections at the St. Jerome's Library, with titles being requested to be shipped to other libraries at UW, OMNI partner, and for interlibrary loans on a near daily basis. We have also used the space in our ASA Reading Room (where this collection is housed) to promote the minor in Indigenous Studies, as well as the Waterloo Indigenous Students Centre (WISC), and the Office of Indigenous Relations available at the University of Waterloo.

Address Human Sciences/Catholic Studies Program Reviews

(if not addressed by SJU Start program).

In progress

Pending SJU Start conversations.

Micro-credentials (a)

Using feedback from Advisory Committee, develop at least one micro-credential that is formally recognized by Diocese of Hamilton

Complete

Diocesan endorsement for Employer Partnership/Certificate in Catholic Leadership.

Cohort 2 has launched with even more participants than Cohort 1.

Micro-credentials (b)

SMF - Summer Certification for Practitioners

Complete

Summer SAR Certification took place on June 1-2 , 2024.

Micro-credentials (c)

Explore other areas where there is an interest

In progress

Partner with ACCUC on shared courses

Work Integrated Learning in MCT

SJU Library materials for micro-credentials

Complete

The library collection continues to have collections that are able to meet the needs of the micro-credentials developed to date.

In progress

Pending outcome of SJU Start.

Student Affairs beginning its own strategic planning and benchmarking work which could inform desire to pursue.

Summer Institutes (a)

Tie micro-credentials to summer institutes

Complete

The Certificate in Catholic Leadership program has incorporated an established local intensive service-learning option and is growing an international partnership option. The staff of the university also support individualized programs of service for CCL participants.

Summer Institutes (b)

High school student camps etc.

Summer Institutes (c)

Service learning for graduate students, alumni, and other community members

In progress

On July 9-11, 2025, St. Jerome's will facilitate a local immersion experience for eight participants in the Certificate for Catholic Leadership that focuses on social and environmental justice issues surrounding food. The experience combines education, service, and reflection components in an intensive three-day program. The program will include: facilitated workshops to learn about food justice in the local and global contexts; opportunities to visit, learn, and volunteer with several local community organizations which are addressing various aspects of food justice; guided reflections about each day's learning and experiences.

Lecture Series (a)

Fundraise to establish Health Humanities series

In progress

Included in Case for Support.

Lecture Series (b)

Fundraise to Re-establish Bridges series

In progress

Included in Case for Support.

Lecture Series (c)

Fundraise to support Lectures in Catholic Experience series

In progress

Included in Case for Support

Commitment to Research (a)

Explore whether internal funding can be used to buy out time rather than offset expenses

Complete

Faculty Research Release Pool established in last round of Collective Bargaining creates six course credits to be distributed by the Committee on Research and Scholarship.

Commitment to Research (b)

Develop internal opportunities for successful grant recipients to support those who have not yet applied for or received funding

Complete

Previous Research Officer established Teams space/mechanism for connecting people working on applications. Ongoing support from current Research Officer.

In progress

Employer has presented ideas to the Academic Staff Association

Investigate creation of a Research Centre as an umbrella research hub

In progress

Enhance opportunities for students to learn about and participate in faculty research and faculty-student collaborative research (a)

Encourage external funding applications

In progress

Enhance opportunities (b)

Fundraise for scholarships to fund students interested in working with a faculty mentor for a semester

In progress

Included in Case for Support.

Enhance opportunities (c)

Consider mechanisms for recognizing faculty who take on significant mentorship work

Enhance opportunities (d)

Establish culture of student-meet-prof events

Transform SJU Archives into site of expanded scholarly activity

In progress

The library has identified several special and archival collections for further development and study. These are:

• The Collected Papers of Rev. Dr. Louis Funcken (founder of St. Jerome's College)
• The Schoolman Student Newspaper (1905-1918)
• The St. Jerome's High School and St. Jerome's College Memorabilia Collections
• The Our Honour Roll Project (which uses university and public records to trace the involvement of our faculty, staff, students, and chaplains during the First World War)
• The Catholic Relics Project (research partnership between the Library and the DRAGEN Lab)
• St. Jerome's Library Rare Book Collection

The Archives support course activities in Michelle Atkin's section of ARTS 160 and co-op students have enagaged in archival work that has led to public presentations.

Create a process and framework for creation and periodic evaluation of Centres, Labs, and Institutes that wish to be housed or continue to be housed at SJU