Hi Applied Arts,
I’m back from SOVA’s Year-End Exhibition—and what an exhibition! The students’ work was remarkable. They may be just starting out in the art world, but their work consistently displays an uncommon maturity. It was a great pleasure to acknowledge their creativity by handing out some well-earned certificates.
Now that I’m home, here are a few updates from the dean’s office:
- CAQC Site Visit: It’s finally official! The dates for the CAQC organizational-level site visit are June 22 & 23. I think we’re ready for this next step towards granting our first independently offered degree.
- Climate Change Policy Promo Material: Our Climate Change Policy program now has some sharp-looking promo material, in both electronic and hard-copy formats. If you’re heading out to conferences and/or articulation meetings this spring and think there might be an opportunity to plug this new program through your networks, please contact me, Victoria Castillo or Katrine Frese, and we’ll hook you up.
- INAC Funding for Health Care Assistant delivery in Haines Junction: Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada have offered us $250k in funding to run an onsite delivery of HCA in Haines Junction. We had declined the same funding last fall for a host of reasons I won’t get into here. This time around things look more promising because Champagne-Aishihik First Nation are interested in contributing around $50k more to the project. Lots of details still to be worked out, but I remain optimistic about this initiative.
- Collective Agreement: I see from Michael Hale and Mike Barwell’s joint message on Friday that the College and the Union are planning to go back to the bargaining table. I encourage you to stay engaged in the process as it unfolds.
- YNTEP Coordinator Search: The hiring competition for a 2-year term coordinator/faculty advisor for YNTEP continues. Thanks to Mark Connell and Davida Wood (FNI) for putting in the time necessary to review and discuss applications. Hopefully, we’ll have a decision shortly.
- Meetings With YG About SOVA: I’ll be back to Dawson in a little over a fortnight (there’s your archaic diction for the day) to meet again with representatives from YG about SOVA. Early in April, reps from SOVA’s three Governance Council partners (YC, Tr’ondek Hwech’in, and the Dawson City Arts Society) met with Minister McPhee to discuss strategy. The follow-up meeting is booked for May 15th.
- New Practical Nursing Clinical Instructor: I’m assuming the usual College-wide introductory message will be going out soon, but I wanted to take this opportunity to welcome our new PN clinical instructor, Carrie Huffman, to the team.
- Convocation: Don’t forget about Convocation! The event takes place on Friday, May 19th. There will be just one reception this year, in between the two ceremonies. If you are able to be there, please consider gowning up and sitting on stage to support our graduates.
- Learning Commons Renovations: We’ve had the big funding announcement—now the work begins. Over the spring/summer months, please be patient as renovations take place at Ayamdigut. That might be a tall order amid the still-on-going building envelope work, but it’s still important to support fellow employees—especially folks in ITLC—throughout the disruptions.