University Of Western Ontario

The Board of Governors meeting focused on several key items including the President's report covering anti-racism initiatives, campus events, and university rankings. The agenda also included reports from various committees: Property & Finance, Senior Policy & Operations, Governance & By-Laws, and Audit. Significant actions involved the approval of revisions to the Policy on Gender-Based and Sexual Violence, the renaming of academic chairs, and various committee appointments. Additionally, the Board reviewed investment performance reports and received updates on university scholarship and award terms.

The board meeting included a report from the President regarding international research funding, upcoming student recruitment events, and alumni participation in the Olympics. The Property and Finance Committee presented the Key Financial Indicators report and secured approval for a new Climate and Sustainability Strategy, as well as revisions and rescissions related to various research and administrative policies. The Fund Raising and Donor Relations Committee obtained approval for updates to policies concerning advertising, commercial activity, and fundraising. Additionally, the Board received reports on scholarship awards, operating and ancillary budget updates, and an annual report from the Office of the Ombudsperson, and discussed the ongoing consultation process for a new responsible investing policy.

This document introduces the Research Program Canvas, a tool designed to assist researchers with strategic planning for their programs. The canvas supports building and maintaining impactful research programs by helping articulate attributes and benefits, formulate a guiding vision, and operationalize the program. Key areas include identifying required resources, fostering partnerships, integrating program evaluation, and ensuring sustainability and success. It further aids in scaling research programs through grant funding and strategic investment.

This newsletter provides an update on the institution's strategic plan, highlighting progress across several key initiatives. It details advancements in establishing a new School of Public Health, growth in research programs and grant activities, and the development of an academic health sciences network with community hospitals. Furthermore, the plan includes efforts to restructure the school for optimized service delivery and a strong focus on global health and internationalization through expanded international collaborations, healthcare assistance in developing regions, and strategic partnerships with specific geographic and institutional areas.

The event featured an address by Dr. Max Eisen, the recipient of an honorary degree. Dr. Eisen discussed his life story as a Holocaust survivor, detailing his deportation to Auschwitz-Birkenau, the loss of his family, his survival through slave labor and a Death March, and his eventual liberation by the 761st Black Panther Tank Battalion. He emphasized the importance of education and acting from the heart, citing examples of humanity he experienced, such as a piece of bacon shared by his father, the risk taken by Dr. Thaddeus Assessment (Khanna) to save him from the gas chambers, and the kindness of strangers in Pilsen who threw bread to the prisoners. He concluded by urging the graduates to use their knowledge and courage to build a better world, act with integrity, and remember the Hebrew words 'Kazak We Amatz' (Be strong and of good courage).