President's Column

That we know, and that we await

By Bonnie Patterson

As we head into the final part of our academic year, we have many things of which we are certain, and many things which remain unknown. I do know that students, having just returned from reading week, will soon be experiencing the pressures that come in the count-down to final exams, and dreaming of the summer jobs and the break from Trent ahead. The approach of the year's end means we are but three months away from celebrating the convocation of over 1000 new graduates. We also approach a time when staff and faculty begin to think ahead to summer's welcome and deserved holiday period. But that too is a few months off.

I'd like to share a few thoughts on those other things we do know about now, and those matters we await as a university.

We were delighted this month to receive news of Trent's impressive pool of applicants for fall entrance. Our increase is the highest in the province! After a number of years of declining interest, it is very encouraging to see a 25 per cent jump in applications for entrance in Fall 2000. I commend the recruiting work of our staff, students, faculty and alumni who have been involved in this success. I again welcome your help with our open houses and university tours on March 13 and 16 and in the collective efforts that will be needed to turn applications into student registrants in September.

On the subject of increases, I'm also pleased to report that our Beyond Our Walls fund-raising campaign is now over $11,090,000. The priority needs of Trent as established by the university have allowed the campaign cabinet and volunteers and staff to stay focused through the campaign, and generate excitement around our future. Our volunteers have been working extremely hard on our behalf securing meetings with decision-makers at Foundations, in the private sector and with individuals, always focusing on building relationships we can be proud of. The Bell partnership will bring, for example, a highly desired access to high-speed Sympatico service for on- and off-campus students, staff, faculty, alumni and friends of the university by September 2000. Individuals and organizations in our community would not have had this access and service prior to our partnership for several years hence.

Other components of the campaign are gaining speed. Scholarships, funds towards the First Peoples House of Learning and Humanities centre concept, campus renewal and badly-needed technology infrastructure are objectives that have all received support at various levels. The on-campus solicitation continues and the campaign is very pleased with the results of the personal requests to date.

On the academic front, the Watershed Ecosystems graduate program (M.Sc. and PhD) successfully passed its mandatory, periodic (seven-year) appraisal by the Ontario Council on Graduate Studies (OCGS). All graduate programs in the province must undergo such rigorous, cyclical reviews. Trent's program was approved to continue and judged to be of "good quality" which is the best rating possible. The appraisal committee also complimented the program on the quality and thoroughness of its submission to OCGS, and on the demonstrable improvement in the program since the last appraisal.

We do know that the federal government's budget will be presented in the House of Commons on February 28. Past year's budgets have brought us good news on the funding of research, and we hope to hear such positive news again with one-time additional infusions into the Canada Foundation for Innovation (cfi) program. Our greatest hope, of course, is that increases in transfers will occur targeted to post-secondary education. The date for the provincial budget is not yet known and thus grant levels and tuition policy remain a mystery. I continue to hope for news on our proposal for an independent Teacher Education program.

Again, on the provincial front, the Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities re-affirmed earlier this month that details on the allocation of capital funds through SuperBuild will be made within this month. At the time of Trent Report going to press, the response to our application was still unknown.