Strategic Plan

Dominican University College

Strategic Plan 2006-2011

Index

INTRODUCTION

ABOUT OUR COLLEGE

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

Goal 1 Achieve Financial Health
Goal 2 Increase the Presence of the College in the Wider Community
Goal 3 Foster Academic Excellence
Goal 4 Improve Facilities
Goal 5 Strengthen Alumni Support and Participation

INTRODUCTION

In April 2006, the Dominican University College undertook a strategic review and planning process, to identify:

Where we are going
How we plan to get there
Who will implement the plan

The plan provides a stable framework, within which the Board and the departments of the College can make key decisions, and develop more detailed administrative and operational changes.

The goals and strategies have a clear time frame, in which concrete actions should be undertaken. Limited financial resources should not impede progress, providing everyone is willing to demonstrate flexibility, commitment, and creativity in meeting the various phases of implementation.

We have identified individuals or groups who are responsible for reaching the goals. The President has the overall responsibility for maintaining the vision and strategic direction, while operations and management of initiatives will also be shared by individuals and groups within, and aligned to, DUC.

To monitor the success and implementation of the strategic plan, a forum of representatives (maximum 7) chaired by the President, will be formed immediately.

The planning process is initiated by a committee with the following members:

Mr. Gabor Csepregi, President and Regent of Studies
Mr. Jim Mitchell, member of the Board of Administration
Mr. Richard Sembera, professor, Department of Philosophy
F. Martin Lavoie, O.P., professor, Faculty of Theology, Prior of the Dominican Priory
Mr. Ryan Schmidt, President of the Student Association

ABOUT OUR COLLEGE

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Mission Statement

The College is a Catholic institution that provides, in French and English, a first class education in philosophy and theology, in the Dominican tradition of intellectual excellence, free inquiry, and spiritual growth.

History

Founded first as a House of Studies in 1899, the Dominican College was established in 1900, in Ottawa, by the Canadian Province of the Dominican Order.

The College received its Ontario University Civil Charter, through The Dominican or Friar Preachers of Ottawa College Act in 1967, granting it the right to offer civil university degrees in philosophy and theology. Since then it has welcomed students from outside the Dominican Order. The first female students were admitted in 1967.

Since 1975, by virtue of a decision of the Sacred Congregation on Catholic Education in Rome, the College has been authorized to confer ecclesiastical degrees to qualified theology students, and the Faculty of Theology has been declared a Pontifical University Faculty.

The College has three departments: the Department of Philosophy and the Faculty of Theology are in Ottawa, and the Institute of Pastoral Studies is in Montreal.

Academic Freedom

All College teaching and research is conducted in full respect of freedom of expression for both professors and students. The College is embedded in the Dominican tradition and open to discussing all trends of thought and to students from all religious backgrounds.

Teaching and Research

Teaching is done in both English and French. The students are exposed to a strong philosophical and theological culture. They acquire a solid education that will follow them in life, whatever career they choose.

Beyond the acquisition of fundamental knowledge, our undergraduate programs seek to develop in our students’ intellectual rigour, imaginative insight, and critical awareness. This is accomplished in philosophy by presenting a solid overview of the major currents of thought and, in theology, by providing a comprehensive vision of the Christian mystery.

The research interests of the philosophy faculty include history of philosophy and metaphysics, and contemporary continental philosophy. Theological research presently focuses on the Old and New Testament texts, ethics, and systematic theology. Students work closely with the faculty, as colleagues and collaborators, advancing many ongoing scholarly research projects. Our professors regularly publish books and articles, and attend conferences and symposia.

The Dominican University College is home for Science et Esprit, a long established bilingual journal in philosophy and theology. The editorial work International Journal for Social Economics is also done at the College; the current Editor-in-Chief and Assistant Editor are both members of the Department of Philosophy.

Some characteristics

Students have the opportunity to take courses and do research in a small college community with high academic standards. The ongoing intellectual exchange stimulates not only the inquiry and learning of the students but also the research activities of the professors. Both, students and professors, are united in a creative and imaginative acquisition of knowledge.

In addition, the Dominican University College offers students unlimited access to Faculty. A mentoring program assigns volunteer graduate students to new undergraduate students. We also hold every year an Essay Writing Workshop for all new students, as well as an Integration Seminar for students finishing their program.

Our library possesses a specialized collection of approximately 125 000 books. Its strengths are the period of middle ages and study of the scriptures. It possesses a unique collection of rare books, printed in the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries. This collection is carefully stored in a special room created thanks to the generous donation by the Wilson Foundation.

The students benefit from the scholarship and culture of an exceptional academic staff, including the full time professors of the College and visiting professors from other universities. Each year several important scholars come to the College to teach or carry out research activities.

The impressive building on Empress Avenue houses both the College and the Priory of the Dominican Friars. Students are in close contact with the Dominicans in the cloister, refectory, and church. Many of them choose to participate in some of the communal activities.

Students come from all over the country and abroad to live a unique experience of learning, which allows them to progress in their career and to develop as mature individuals.

Our graduates

Our graduates can be found today in the most diverse sectors of our society. There are professors, teachers, pastoral workers, priests, church scholars, policy advisors, lawyers, politicians, doctors, journalists, business executives, psychologists, social workers, etc. In their own way, they make a significant contribution to the society at large. The recently founded Alumni Association organizes activities for all former students and informs them about all aspects of the academic life through the publication of the Alumni Bulletin 96Empress.ca.

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

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The following five goals clearly indicate the key areas for development and progress for our university community:

1. Achieve Financial Health

2. Increase Presence in the Wider Community

3. Foster Academic Excellence

4. Improve Facilities

5. Strengthen Alumni Support and Participation

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Goal 1 - Achieve Financial Health

Increase the funding of our programmes of study

Strategy	Time Frame	Responsible
Secure a successful affiliation with a publicly funded university	2006-2007	President Board
Obtain the accreditation from the Ontario Council of Graduate Studies for the Graduate Program in Philosophy	2006-2007	Chair, Department of Philosophy Master of Studies
Obtain the accreditation from the Ontario Council of Graduate Studies for the Graduate Program in Theology	2006-2009	Dean, Faculty of Theology Master of Studies
Participate actively in the fundraising campaign of the Foundation of the College	2006-2008	President Foundation Departments Administrative Board
Participate actively in specific outreach and fundraising activities	2006-	President Communication Officer Development Officer Departments

Increase the number of full-time students

Strategy	Time Frame	Responsible
Increase the number of full-time students by 60% over the next five years	2006-	Communication Officer Development Officer Departments Administrative Board
Attract students from the worldwide Dominican community	2006-	Communication Officer Departments Registrar
Attract international students	2006-	Communication Officer Departments Registrar
Attract a greater number of francophone students	2006-	Communication Officer Departments
Attract a greater number of retired adult students	2006-	Communication Officer Departments
Make a greater use of the alumni to attract students	2006-	Communication Officer Development Officer Alumni Association
Increase the number of targeted scholarships	2006-	President Departments Foundation

Develop a programme of fund-raising

Strategy	Time Frame	Responsible
Hire a full-time Director of Development and Alumni Affairs	2007-2008	President
Diversify the means of fund-raising and targets	2006-	President Foundation Development Officer
Develop a network of friends of the DUC	2006-	President Communication Officer Development Officer Departments
Develop a collective awareness of fundraising	2006-	President Vice-President Departments
Call upon professional expertise in fund raising	2006-	President Board

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Goal 2 - Increase the Presence of the College in the Wider Community

Strategy	Time Frame	Responsible
Offer more outreach events (concerts, public lectures, expositions, book sales, guided visits, etc.)	2006-	Communication Officer Departments
Reach out to identified communities of interest to the College (churches, religious communities, schools, universities, community centres, local business community, professional associations, all groups that might be interested in using the college facilities for the purposes that are morally, aesthetically, and spiritually consistent the mission and values of the College	2006-	President Vice-President Communication Officer Departments
See a much higher profile in both the English and French media	2006-	Communication Officer
Enhance the profile and importance of both philosophy and theology by giving talks in high schools, colleges, and other learning centres	2006-	Communication Officer Departments
Consider giving lectures in various Dominican priorys	2006-	President Vice-President
Consider giving lectures and courses outside Ottawa (provided that no territorial problem is created by such an activity)	2008-	Departments
Invite eminent figures of culture, arts, religion, sports, and politics to the College	2006-	President Vice-President
Organize concerts for the College choir in various religious and cultural centres	2007-	Choir Director

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Goal 3 - Foster Academic Excellence

Teaching

Strategy	Time Frame	Responsible
Maintain the high quality of teaching: small classes, close interaction with students, senior faculty teaching undergraduate classes	2006-	Departments
Create a multi-purpose meeting place for students	2007-2008	President Vice-president
Broaden the scope of the undergraduate programs; this would involve a more generalized programme of study in the first year with concentration in philosophy or theology thereafter	2006-2008	Department of Philosophy Faculty of Theology College
Study the concerns of potential students and institutions (church, corporations, schools, universities, etc) and propose reasonable and feasible adjustments	2006-2008	Departments
Promote the confessional character of the institution (a certain number of students come to the College because of this character)		Departments Director of Communication
Hire at least six more full-time professors (three in philosophy, three in theology)	2007-	Departments
Strive to hire more women faculty	2007-	Departments
Invite internationally recognized scholars to teach graduate seminars	2007-	Departments
Obtain sponsorship for guest lectures	2007-	President Development Officer
Offer more common courses between philosophy and theology	2006-	Departments
Prepare and implement international exchange programme agreements	2007-2009	Vice-President Master of Studies Communication Officer
Offer attractive summer activities to high school students	2007-	Departments Communication Officer

Research

Strategy	Time Frame	Responsible
Obtain grants for research from external funding agencies (e.g. SSHRC)	2006-	Master of Studies Departments
Create a chair in both philosophy and theology and reinforce the research orientation of both graduate programmes	2006-	Departments
Increase the number of symposia, conferences and lectures. Insure the regular and continuing participation of faculty and graduate students.	2006-	Departments Master of Studies
Create and maintain specific research centres for phenomenology, ancient and medieval thought, scripture study, and ecumenism at the College	2006-	Departments
Create research activities in collaboration with scholars of other Canadian universities	2006-	Master of Studies Departments
Promote the creation of research networks on the international scales	2007-	Master of Studies Departments
Maintain the high quality of the journal Science et Esprit and publish an electronic version	2008-2010	Editorial Board
Increase the amount of financial support for publication, travel, and research	2007-	Master of Studies
Encourage research activities and dissemination of the results among professors. Increase the number of publications by members of the faculty	2006-	Departments Master of Studies
Invest in the library by maintaining and expanding collections	2006-	Librarian Departments
Undertake the physical expansion of the library	2008-2010	President Librarian
Solicit collections from retired professors and other possible donors	2007-	President Librarian

Administration

Strategy	Time Frame	Responsible
Establish an equity of salary. Both the lay and religious faculty will receive the same salary	2007-2009	President Vice-President Administrative Board
Move to a merit-based approach to hiring and promotion	2007-2009	Departments
Offer sabbatical years for research	2007-2009	Departments
Improve the university’s academic and administrative support service by hiring additional staff	2007-2008	President Vice-President
Modernize the administrative structure of the College	2006-2008	President
Create a full-time registrar office	2008-2009	President
Foster initiatives among administrative staff	2006-	President Vice-President Departments

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Goal 4 - Improve Facilities

Strategy	Time Frame	Responsible
Make a better use of the existing facilities by modernizing the infrastructure	2007-2009	President Vice-President
Make the classrooms, entrance hall, Albert the Great Hall, galleries, and library more attractive and cleaner	2007-2008	President Vice-President
Introduce a special “look” that guides changes in painting, décor, furniture, curtain, etc.	2007-2008	President Vice-President Communication Officer
Create for the student a common study room. This exists in all universities. This large room could be used for receptions and similar public events (book launching, lectures, etc.)	2007-2008	President Vice-President
Create a board outside the College for a greater visibility	2007-2008	President Vice-President Communication Officer
Re-design parts of the building for a more efficient use	2007-	President Vice-President
Improve the entrance of the College so the faculty and students can come and go with ease without endangering the security of the building and its inhabitants	2007-2008	President Vice-President
Set up a recreational facility for both students and staff	2009-2010	President Vice-President

It is proposed that, over a ten-year horizon, the College aims at

the purchase of the building from the Dominican Order, provided, of course, that such a purchase suits the interests and objectives of both parties	2006-2016	President Board
the purchase of an additional building	2006-2016	President Board

It was noted that heritage designation of the building may be useful as a means of securing funds for restoration and maintenance of this historic structure.

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Goal 5 - Strengthen Alumni Support and Participation

Strategy	Time Frame	Responsible
Cultivate the alumni as perpetual members of the College and develop their support	2006-	President Departments Development Officer
Develop methods of collecting and updating mail and e-mail addresses	2007-2008	Development Officer
Organize activities regrouping alumni graduating in the same year	2006-	Development Officer Alumni Association
Publish a bilingual Alumni Bulletin at least twice a year	2006-	Development Officer
Involve alumni in fundraising and outreach activities	2007-	President Departments Alumni Association
Call on alumni for the promotion of the College	2006-	President Communication Officer Departments Alumni Association
Involve alumni in recruitment activities	2006-	President Communication Officer Departments Alumni Association
Create awards for the recognition of distinguished alumni	2007-2008	Alumni Association