Learn More at an Upcoming Town Hall

—From the desk of Maggie Matear

Dear Colleagues,

I’d like to provide an update on our new strategic plan, which we've been developing since January. Our new framework marks a shift from our previous operationally focused plans to a high-level strategy that emphasizes our unique strengths within BC's post-secondary landscape. It highlights our location, place-based learning opportunities, and our commitments to sustainability and community. I'm deeply grateful to everyone who contributed insights and ideas through surveys and consultation sessions.

Adopting a distinctive, long-term strategy will help us focus on our vision and make better decisions on competing priorities, but it’s not a silver bullet. I don’t want to gloss over the challenging times ahead. We have unprecedented financial pressures, including significant revenue losses from changes in international enrolment. I know this creates a lot of uncertainty and anxiety, especially around job security. And I know this isn’t easy to hear, but I want to be transparent: we expect these pressures will lead to hard decisions, including staffing changes. In this context, our new strategy is an important tool to help us face these challenges thoughtfully and strategically by:

• Guiding resource allocation to areas of greatest impact, allowing for potential growth in demand-aligned programs.
• Leveraging our unique strengths, which could help attract more domestic students and new revenue streams.
• Informing our approach to organizational transformation, ensuring we maintain our core mission and values.

The steering committee has recommended that the Board of Governors approve the strategy at its next meeting. Once approved, we'll share the full strategy, and schools and departments can begin implementing it through their operational plans.

For those affected by anticipated staffing changes, please know that we're working on some support measures, including:

• Career transition services.
• Help with job searches within and outside the college.
• Ensuring you know that if you need immediate support, you can call Homewood Health 24/7 at 1-800-663-1142 or 1-888-384-1152 (TTY).

We’ll have more information about these changes in the new year. The reason it’s taking time to share details is that continuing federal policy changes require ongoing re-evaluations of our projections. We want to make sure our decisions are based on the most accurate data possible.

Please consider attending the virtual town hall on November 27 for another update and Q&A opportunity.

As we go forward, I hope we can approach our future with cautious optimism and determination. Together, I know we can get through this difficult period stronger and more focused on providing exceptional education for the next seven generations and beyond.

Thank you again for your continued dedication to Selkirk College and our students, and for your resilience and understanding during difficult times.

Maggie M.