A message from the President |
Dear Acadia Community,
Spring is a time of new beginnings. The seasons are changing, and we see signs of new life everywhere. With this time of year's excitement, I encourage you to reflect on the journey that has led us to this point.
It has been a year of adaptability, difficult at times but also one of renewed optimism as we move away from the pandemic. As always, your hard work, determination, and support for one another and our students have been above and beyond.
When we reflect on Acadia's strategic plan, Acadia 2025, much of the work that has taken place in recent weeks has focused on the Strategic Direction: Caring for our students and employees. The Vice-Presidents and Director of Human Resources continue working through the recommendations and priorities shared in the Employee Engagement Working Group's Report submitted in late 2022. I was pleased to see the successful completion of negotiations between the University and SEIU with the signing of a new Collective Agreement. I was also pleased that this allowed us to address compensation increases for all non-unionized employees. Furthermore, an information needs-based assessment is being carried out in order to provide better support for the data and information needs of the Academic sector and utilize the full potential of our new Colleague system.
With spring comes our most celebrated annual event - Convocation. Convocation is the culmination of our students' journeys, and I am looking forward to celebrating the Class of 2023 as they cross the stage in May. This will be my last convocation as President of Acadia, and I am pleased that the Class of 2023 has been able to complete their final academic year without disruption.
Acadia students consistently demonstrate strength and resilience, but never more so than in the past few years. I am so proud of how they have navigated through the additional stresses and strains the pandemic added to everyone's lives.
Celebrating our students' success should be a community experience. So I encourage all Acadia community members to participate in our formal ceremonies, including the Baccalaureate Service and the three convocation ceremonies.
I wish you all the very best as you enter this final phase of the 2022-2023 academic year.
Sincerely,
Peter
Dr. Peter Ricketts
President and Vice-Chancellor
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VIDEO: CHANGE MAKERS SERIES |
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Meet Dr. Claudine Bonner, Acadia's Vice-Provost of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion.
The Change Maker Series highlights Acadia community members who are giving back, inspiring others, and helping shape the future of Acadia, our community, our country, and the world. Watch her story to learn more.
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An estimated one in eight households in Canada – more than four million Canadians – lacks consistent access to enough food for everyone in the household to live an active, healthy life.
“The problem of food insecurity for families in Canada is not new, however, nor is it limited to the availability of formula,” wrote Dr. Lesley Frank in a Globe and Mail op-ed in May 2022. “In fact, breastfeeding and formula are part of a larger unsustainable food system made worse for families also experiencing economic hardship … Canadian babies should not be going hungry, especially in one of richest countries in the world.”
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Fourth-year psychology honours student Maura Whitman has received two East Coast Music Award nominations for her debut EP, Introspection. The album, released in September 2022, was nominated for Pop Recording of the Year and Electronic Recording of the Year.
"Music has always been a therapeutic way for me to work through my thoughts and feelings," Whitman says. "Songwriting and performing have become a part of my identity that allows me to express myself and share my story with others. The most rewarding part about pursuing music is the ability to bring people together."
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Acadia University will add three Mi'kmaw or Indigenous scholars and three African Nova Scotian or African Canadian scholars to its ranks through a newly established cluster hiring initiative.
“Acadia’s cluster hiring initiative is a way to expedite closing gaps in diversity of our faculty,” says Dr. Dale Keefe, Acadia’s Provost and Vice-President Academic. “The University is committed to recruiting and ensuring the success of new scholars from equity-deserving groups.”
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Women in Nova Scotia with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) will soon be able to breathe a little easier, thanks to new research by Dr. Carley O'Neill of Acadia’s School of Kinesiology. To fund the research, Research Nova Scotia has awarded Dr. O’Neill a New Health Investigator Grant of $100,000 over two years.
COPD, a leading cause of disability and death, is irreversible. Its symptoms include breathlessness, fatigue, and a low tolerance for exercise, all of which contribute to poor mental health and a lower quality of life.
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On March 30, the Acadia community rallied to Axe Oppression as part of a new initiative focused on equity, anti-oppression, and violence prevention. View the full album here.
And check out other campus and alumni events on our Flickr photo gallery.
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Acadia Event Calendar
See upcoming events, academic talks, and concerts on the Acadia Event Calendar posted by the event organizers.
Key Dates
April 10-22 - Winter term exams
Arts Acadia
Acadia Ticket Office
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Please add your upcoming events to the Acadia Event Calendar. Visit The Hub to learn how. You can also promote events directly on the Acadia Bulletin Board in Teams.
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The latest employment opportunities for faculty and staff are listed on the Human Resources Career Opportunities web page.
Please share job listings with your network and help grow our campus community.
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On April 30, 2023, the masking mandate will end at Acadia. For more information, visit the COVID-19 website. |
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University Communications, Office of the President, produces The Newsroom.
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Copyright 2023 Acadia University |
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