Academic Plan

three students in a classroom
Academic Plan (2023 - 2026)
Cover of St. Jerome's University Academic Plan 2022-2024 booklet

Our university’s patron saint, St. Jerome, is perhaps best known for being a translator. While we are not all called to translate works into Latin, I think we are all increasingly called to the work of translation. Outside of the narrow context of foreign languages, translation can more broadly refer to the action of transferring, conveying, or moving something from one place, position, or person to another. St. Jerome’s as a university must translate our collective work in ever more directly comprehensible ways. In its substance, then, this plan provides several distinct “acts of translation."

- Carol Ann MacGregor, Vice President Academic and Dean

To read the PDF file of the Academic Plan. 

Current Academic Plan progress (2023-2026)

Keeping our promises, living our mission
Initiative Status

Build a plan for a unique “SJU Start”

First Year Curriculum/Experience.

In progress

Committee formed. Members of the committee include:

  • Michelle Atkin
  • Kieran Bonner
  • Sinead Costello
  • Norm Klassen
  • Clayton McCourt
  • Chad Wriglesworth

Call for Expressions of Interest released and shared with Academic Committee, Ad Hoc Working Group is considering next steps.

Separate Advising/Communication project around First Year courses at SJU being worked on by Britt Scowen and Christina Mancini. Handouts have been developed and shared with first-year students.

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)

Pursue teaching awards.

In progress

There were several nominations of SJU faculty for teaching awards at UW in 2024-2025.

Chad Wriglesworth awarded 2024 Arts Award for Excellence in Teaching.

Teaching Excellence (c)

Broaden communications strategy to include more teaching content.

In progress

VPAD holds bi-weekly meetings with Director of Marketing and Communication.

Have featured courses/instructors as part of HHUM launch.

Teaching Excellence (d)

Departmental Discussions about Equity/Experience strategy.

In progress

Ongoing conversations with Department Chairs.

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.

WIT (b)

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

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 trainings/certifications for those interested.

First training was offered Spring 2024, with additional training sessions scheduled for Fall 2024.

Implement SJU EDI Action Plan 

Recommendations that fall under VPAD office.

In Progress

The EDI Standing Committee meets monthly.

Work with Indigenous Advisory Circle

Leverage Indigenous Reading Collection partnership.

In progress

IAC formed, will work collaboratively on Indigenous Strategic Plan.

Address Human Sciences/Catholic Studies Program Reviews

(if not addressed by SJU Start program).

In progress

Pending SJU Start conversations.

Leveraging our strengths to reach new audiences
Initiative Status

Micro-credentials (a)

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

In progress

Cohort 1 has launched with 23 participants.

Diocesan endorsement for Employer Partnership/Certificate in Catholic Leadership.

Micro-credentials (b)

SMF - Summer Certification for Practitioners

Complete

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

Micro-credentials (c)

Other areas where there is an interest

In progress

Partnerships with ACCUC on shared courses

 In progress

Work Integrated Learning in MCT

 In progress

SJU Library materials for micro-credentials

In progress
Investigate a Living Learning Community (LLC)

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

In progress

SMF Summer Program in Summer 2024.

Summer components of Employer Partnership Program/Certificate in Catholic Leadership.

Summer Institutes (b)

High school student camps etc.

Summer Institutes (c)

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

In progress

Lecture Series (a)

Fundraise to establish Health Humanities series

In progress

Included in Case for Support.

Lecture Series (b)

Fundraise to establish Bridges series

In progress

Included in Case for Support.

Lecture Series

Fundraise to establish Lectures in Catholic Experience series

 In progress

Enriching lives through research
Initiatives Status

Commitment to Research (a)

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

In progress

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.
Commitment to Research (c)
Ensure our commitments to decolonization and indigenization include adequate consideration for alternative forms of knowledge in our internal funding allocation processes		  

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

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

 In progress