IT HAS BEEN another extraordinary year in the College of Arts and Science.
In November, we launched our new college plan, Think Big – Be Bold: Arts and Science 2025. Created through the collaboration and input of hundreds of individuals, this document defines who and what our college will be in the years to come. It will be our roadmap to addressing the challenge set out in the larger University of Saskatchewan plan: to be the university the world needs.
In an era of unprecedented change, the College of Arts and Science will develop innovative solutions to global issues, be a trusted partner in the national movements toward Reconciliation and decolonization and prepare our graduates for challenges yet to arise. We will be nimble and we will thrive.
As we drafted our plan for the next seven years, we sought to build on the strengths that have made this college a special place to generations of students and alumni. Most of all, we wanted our students to know that they belong in the College of Arts and Science and that their opportunities are truly unlimited.
Starting in 2020, our students will encounter a refreshed curriculum that includes new requirements in quantitative reasoning, writing in English and Indigenous learning—skills that will enable learners to develop the answers to current and future questions. We continue to add new certificates and courses to meet the changing needs of our students and their future work-world.
The past year also brought many opportunities to celebrate our past. Hundreds of alumni returned to campus to mark major anniversaries of the Department of Computer Science, the Department of Archaeology and Anthropology, the International Studies Program, the Regional and Urban Planning Program, and the Ore Gangue society. These events were a reminder of the rich history that brought us to where we are today, and of the meaningful bonds still shared by those who are part of this history.
Our alumni and friends play an important role in the college. Your successes inspire our students, and your continued engagement shows that the relationships built here have lasting value.
So please stay in touch. Let us know about your achievements or your thoughts on our Arts&Science magazine. Attend an event such as Alumni Weekend in September. Nominate someone for an Alumni of Influence Award. Let us know when you are next in Saskatoon or on campus—I would very much like to sit with you for a coffee and chat.
I invite you to continue being part of the future of our college.