Readership Survey
Editor's note: President Alastair Summerlee welcomes comments on his column at president@uoguelph.ca.
I have repeatedly referred to the University of Guelph community as one big family. I typically use that analogy when I'm talking about how our community has pulled together in times of crisis or helped those in need. Indeed, it's the people who make up this university and the way they work together that have made U of G strong.
As in any large family, however, there is bound to be some internal friction, especially during times of uncertainty and change. It's to be expected, given that debate is an inherent and important part of the family dynamic. And debate is one of the ways people learn to get along with each other.
Currently, there's a lot happening on campus that may cause stress and tension among members of the University community, ranging from budget problems and tuition increases to integrated planning and the White Paper on reframing the discussion on education. So now seems like a particularly appropriate time to remind people of the importance of maintaining a strong University family unit.
In thinking about how best to communicate this message, I recalled an Aesop fable that I heard as a child, The Bundle of Sticks. There are many versions and translations of this story, and many of you are probably familiar with it, but please indulge me:
“A father had a family of sons who were perpetually quarrelling among themselves. When he failed to heal their disputes by his exhortations, he determined to give them a practical illustration of the dangers of disunion. For this purpose, he one day told them to bring him a bundle of sticks.
“When they had done so, he placed the bundle into the hands of each of them in succession and ordered them to break it in pieces. They tried with all their strength and were not able to do it. He next opened the bundle, took the sticks separately one by one and again put them into his sons' hands, upon which they broke them easily.
“He then addressed them in these words: ‘My sons, if you are of one mind and unite to assist each other, you will be as this bundle, uninjured by all the attempts of your enemies, but if you are divided among yourselves, you will be broken as easily as these sticks.'”
Fables have been popular modes of conveying advice and instruction for thousands of years, and Aesop, an ancient Greek slave, was considered the master storyteller. Indeed, his message that there is strength in unity is as relevant and powerful in 2006 as it was in 600 BC.
U of G is facing numerous challenges in the months ahead, and it will be much easier to tackle them as a unified family than as fragmented individuals.
I referred before to tuition increases and budget problems, and indeed these issues promise to be crucial and delicate ones in the coming weeks. In the past decade, Guelph has upheld its commitment to providing an affordable education and has made difficult and deliberate decisions about tuition, access and student financial aid.
In previous years, we have chosen not to increase tuition fees to the maximum allowable; our residence fees are lower than the average in the province; and we have not differentiated fees in deregulated programs. These decisions have been made in an effort to minimize the financial obstacles to obtaining a high-quality higher education. But they've come at a cost to the University, to the quality of our educational programs and student support services, to the maintenance of steam pipes and walkways, and to the very fabric of the institution.
For the past couple of years, for safety reasons, we have been focusing on our aging infrastructure, hoping that our reputation for innovation and quality would sustain our excellence during lean budget times. But we can no longer ignore the obvious: we must find ways to invest in the people, the programs and the ideas that represent the foundation of our prestige.
The difficult reality is that we must take such steps in some of our leanest-ever budget years. That's why we have initiated efforts such as integrated planning and the White Paper. We must consider goals, priorities and limits across the whole institution and move forward from an era of making change to making choices that are more informed, effective and successful.
That was the impetus behind the White Paper. It was intended to be a discussion of what the Guelph undergraduate learning experience is and what it could be. Its purpose was to advance bold visions, suggest recommendations for change and discuss ways of implementing these lofty goals.
It was not intended to imply disdain for anything or anyone who has contributed to the greatness of this university, nor was the paper's aim to celebrate our accomplishments. There is a time and a place for such praise, but it was not in these pages.
The White Paper, like integrated planning, is about provoking discussion around change. Such efforts recognize that the University faces a new era, complete with new rules for government funding and research support. They force us to admit that the status quo, as successful as it may be, will not guarantee a perpetually bright future. The great promise of this institution demands that we cannot rest on our laurels. We must always consider new directions.
Change is necessary, and it begins with the recognition of what we must do as an institution to maintain the leadership in undergraduate education and innovation that we have so long enjoyed.
And we must do this as a strong united family.
Rest assured that critical, healthy debate will always be part of the process. A much-needed dialogue will be integral to our planning and success. Disagreements can be a healthy part of the family dynamic if they contribute to the process of the family making decisions that ultimately are in the best interests of everyone concerned.
We, as a University, form our own strong bundle of sticks. We will continue to develop and grow as an institution because of our unity of vision and purpose. This strength, which has sustained us so often in the past, is needed now more than ever.
