College of Arts and Science celebrates plan milestones

One year into its seven-year plan, the College of Arts and Science is pausing to celebrate the achievements of its students, faculty and staff.

On Monday, March 2, the college held an all-day celebration of its plan, Think Big – Be Bold: Arts and Science 2025. College of Arts and Science departments hosted displays and presentations in the Arts Building and Geology Building featuring some of the accomplishments they are most proud of from the past year.

Officially launched in late 2018, the college plan sets the direction and aspirations of the College of Arts and Science through 2025. The plan is built around a series of college-wide commitments written collaboratively by stakeholders from across the college.

“As USask’s largest and most diverse college, all of us share ownership of our college plan,” said Dr. Peta Bonham-Smith (PhD), dean of the College of Arts and Science. “This celebration is an opportunity for everyone to see how their work is contributing to a greater whole, and how this living plan is constantly evolving.”

The inaugural plan celebration on March 2 focused on two of the plan’s four major commitments: “Put Students First” and “Inspire and Foster Excellence in Research, Scholarly and Artistic Work.”

Eleven departments of the college showcased achievements related to these commitments. The featured outcomes included the new Centre for Quantum Topology and its Applications; the Certificate in the Study of Indigenous Storytelling launched by the Department of English; a unique combined graduate/undergraduate night class from the Department of Indigenous Studies; a demonstration of a robotic telescope from the Department of Physics and Engineering Physics; and research achievements by faculty from various departments.

Among the highlighted achievements for the college as a whole were an increase in student enrolment, a boost to the number of students participating in study abroad programs and the hiring of three new Canada Research Chairs.

Members of the Arts and Science Students Union also participated in the celebration by submitting statements on what they believe “students first” means. Those statements were displayed at the event.

A detailed list of key plan achievements can be viewed in a searchable database on the college plan website. News stories about the major college commitments are featured in four “Related News” sections on the college plan website.

The college plan celebration will be an annual event in the College of Arts and Science for the duration of the Think Big – Be Bold plan.

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