What are we doing to prepare the University for a new culture of students, faculty and staff? More specifically, what do we anticipate new faculty and staff recruits will be looking for? How are we, as a Western community, addressing these needs?

Work is being done on many fronts to attract and retain new faculty, staff and students to Western, and to build a supportive and inclusive culture across our campus. Just a few examples follow.

Last year we hired a Coordinator of Faculty Recruitment and Retention to help us attract the brightest minds to Western and to help with their orientation once they arrive on campus. Assistance with finding employment for the spouses of new faculty members is among the many services provided by this new position.

Last September, we created the Staff/Faculty Family Practice Clinic, comprised of three family physicians, to help ensure University employees have access to family medical care. (For more information, visit the Staff/Faculty Family Practice Clinic Web site.)

Also in September, we opened the new YMCA-run University Child Care on Western Road. This $2-million state-of-the-art facility is the largest of its kind in southwestern Ontario, providing quality care and education for up to 200 children of staff, faculty and students. (For more information, visit their Web site).

Our Equity Services office, which is in the process of relocating to new space in the South Valley Building, continues its work to ensure Western is an equitable, safe and supportive environment for all members of the campus community.

At last count, our University Students’ Council oversees more than 160 clubs catering to the diverse interests of our students, offering perhaps the broadest range of extracurricular activities of any university in the country.

Our Organizational Development team has led numerous initiatives in recent years, including the third annual staff conference and the ongoing Leaders’ Forums, which collectively have helped to build a greater sense of shared purpose and understanding among the diverse members of our campus community.

Finally, I would be remiss not to mention that construction is well underway on our new student residence building on Western Road, which will allow us to accommodate more students and further enhance our reputation as Canada’s premier residential university.

To share your views please reply to Paul.Davenport@uwo.ca

This page was last updated on April 1, 2005
This site complies with Web standards and The University of
Western Ontario guidelines on privacy.