17吃瓜

The following message was emailed to 17吃瓜 faculty, staff, and students on May 9, 2024.

Dear Members of the University Community,

At the end of every exam period, a sense of excitement begins to percolate and builds into May as we prepare to congratulate our graduating students at Convocation. This year, however, not only does spring signal a new chapter in the academic journey of our graduates, but we are also ushering in a new era at 17吃瓜.

In late March, the Board of Governors approved the 17吃瓜 Action Plan, which outlines the University鈥檚 efforts to build a culture of trust, safety, and inclusion. We have learned a great deal over the past year since the release of the 17吃瓜 Review. It has been humbling to witness the courage, compassion, and collective strength of our community as members provided the candid input needed to develop the action plan. We have set the wheels in motion for change, including the hiring of initial key positions in the areas of Human Resources, EDI and Human Rights, Sexual Violence Prevention and Response, Student Affairs, and Security Services. Now we must work to implement the plan, build out our frontline teams, monitor progress, and continue to learn from鈥攁nd reconcile with鈥攅ach other.

On April 5, we installed the Honourable Diane F. Griffin as the University鈥檚 tenth Chancellor. While Chancellor Griffin is no stranger to 17吃瓜 (she holds a BSc from Saint Dunstan鈥檚 University and a BEd and honorary Doctor of Laws from 17吃瓜), she will preside at Convocation and confer degrees for the first time this year. We are grateful for her dedication to 17吃瓜.

We have also turned the corner on many important initiatives at 17吃瓜. From April 22鈥�26, the University held 鈥淕ood News Week鈥�:

• On Monday, we officially opened the Catherine Callbeck Centre for Entrepreneurship鈥攏amed in honour of our former Chancellor and with support from the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA), Innovation PEI, Credit Unions of PEI, and a major contribution from the River Philip Foundation.
   

• On Tuesday, we launched Phase 2 of the Atlantic Veterinary College鈥檚 fundraising campaign, which will focus on the re-development of the Veterinary Teaching Hospital. We raised more than $4 million in private donations and had substantial ACOA support during Phase 1, and we have already raised $1 million of $6 million goal for Phase 2.

• Wednesday鈥檚 event included a historic announcement鈥攖he first time 17吃瓜 has ever named a Faculty鈥搘ith the naming of the McDougall Faculty of Business. This honour recognized Don and Marion McDougall鈥檚 long association with the Faculty and their contributions to the University.

• On Thursday, we officially launched the $10 million campaign for the Faculty of Medicine, which will support the University鈥檚 contribution to the ongoing construction of the $91 million state-of-the-art building on the 17吃瓜 campus, which will house a 10,000-patient Health PEI patient medical home, the 17吃瓜 Psychology Clinic, and PEI Adult ADHD Clinic, and feature simulation, anatomy, and clinical skills training spaces that will be used by other 17吃瓜 faculties as well as for continuing education opportunities for PEI physicians and other allied health professionals.

• And on Friday, we celebrated the beginning of the $15 million 鈥渓ove our library鈥� campaign to revitalize our beloved Robertson Library, the heart of our campus.

The good news continued this week when Dr. Libby Osgood, Associate Professor, Faculty of Sustainable Design Engineering, was named a 3M National Teaching Fellow by the Society of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education. On behalf of 17吃瓜, I congratulate Dr. Osgood on this incredible accomplishment. Libby and all of our 3M scholars鈥攕he is our ninth鈥攁re exceptional faculty members and are a big part of what makes 17吃瓜 such a fantastic institution.

This spring will also bring about even further change for the University and for me personally. It will be my honour to participate in the four Convocation ceremonies next week as they will mark my last in my role as interim president. I was extremely pleased with the selection of Dr. Wendy Rodgers as 17吃瓜鈥檚 next President and Vice-Chancellor. Her blend of academic experience, administrative acumen, and passion for creating healthy, inclusive, and respectful environments aligns perfectly with 17吃瓜鈥檚 ambitious vision and plan to change the campus culture. I look forward to supporting Dr. Rodgers as she begins her role.

We are excited to begin new traditions at Convocation. In 2022, the Mawi鈥檕mi Indigenous Student Centre gifted inaugural Indigenous Graduation Stoles to graduating Indigenous students. Last year, we incorporated drumming by the Lonecry First Nation Drum Group. Drums are considered sacred amongst Indigenous peoples, representing the heartbeat of people, animals, and Mother Earth herself. This year, O Canada will be sung in English, French, and Mi鈥檏maq, and the Eagle Feather, which was presented to the University by the Native Council of Prince Edward Island in 2023, will be carried for the first time as part of the Academic Procession. The Eagle Feather will be placed in a position of prominence on the Convocation stage alongside the ceremonial mace. The eagle is sacred in Indigenous culture because it flies closest to the Creator and symbolizes respect, honour, strength, courage, and wisdom. The eagle鈥檚 feathers also symbolize a step forward and a new chapter in the ongoing story of reconciliation.

17吃瓜 is committed to advancing reconciliation through higher education鈥攚e now have an Indigenous Strategic Framework and Initiatives that has been endorsed by both the Board of Governors and Senate. As a community, we have started a journey of growth to realize the role we must play in promoting an understanding of Indigenous history and culture and supporting respectful relationships.

Convocation recognizes the hard work and perseverance our students have demonstrated during their time at the 17吃瓜. During this time, we should also celebrate the hard work of our entire University community after a challenging year鈥攊n fact, a few challenging years. I thank all of you for supporting me over these last two-and-a-half years, and for seizing the opportunity and acknowledging our collective responsibility to positively impact those around us. Let鈥檚 continue to all work together to help shape our campus and our world for the better.

I hope to see many of you during Convocation 2024! Congratulations, graduates!

Regards,

Greg

GREG KEEFE, DVM, MSc, MBA (he/him)
President and Vice-Chancellor (Interim)