OUR MISSION

Together we build remarkable futures

Selkirk College steps into the next five years with an advanced pledge of enhancing the lives of both students and members of the community. Building Remarkable Futures: Strategic Plan 2019-2024 is the culmination of community consultation, employee engagement, student input and the core values that have steered the regional college for more than 50 years. Read Building Remarkable Futures: Strategic Plan 2019-2024 and enjoy our story...

 

 

OUR VISION

Selkirk College provides personal experiences that build confident and imaginative learners ready to thrive in their community and in our dynamic world.

 

OUR VALUES

Community at Selkirk College means delivering education that builds relationships, culture, belonging, empowerment and opportunity. Selkirk College students and employees are part of an educational community that is integral to the well-being of the West Kootenay and Boundary regions and has provincial, national and global connections.

Access at Selkirk College means an educational experience should be attainable to all, regardless of who or where they are or what challenges they face. Accessibility defines a culture of inclusion, considers the services provided to learners, develops innovations to program and course delivery formats and timing, and supports technological and physical infrastructure required for student success.

Respect at Selkirk College means we treat ourselves, each other, members of our college community, and the world around us with respect, dignity and integrity. Respect builds trust and includes respect for diverse people, ideas and perspectives, cultures and traditions, respect for the environment, and the modelling of respectful discourse and conversation in our work.

Excellence at Selkirk College means everyone strives for the highest level of quality, accountability and professionalism. Excellence includes aspiring to the highest quality of instruction, services and operations for students, our employees, and communities. Excellence promotes creative and growth mindsets and approaches to our work that inspires innovation.

 

OUR COMMITMENTS

Diversity and Inclusion

Selkirk College is committed to diversity and inclusion, and promoting equity. We aspire to providing a safe, supportive and inclusive community to learn and work together. Our daily work and our vision of the future is enriched by the inclusion of diverse communities and persons of different abilities, ages, cultures, races, ethnicities, family models, gender identities and expressions, health statuses, nationalities, political views, spiritual beliefs and traditions, sexual orientations, socioeconomic statuses, and educational backgrounds. We welcome, expect and encourage the continued pursuit of universal acceptance and application of a working and learning environment without harassment, intimidation and discrimination. Our learning activities, programs and services will be designed to develop the knowledge, skills and abilities necessary to build a more diverse and inclusive community.

Environmental Sustainability

Selkirk College will continue to integrate respect for the land and natural environment, sustainable practices, carbon footprint reduction and responsible use of natural resources into student learning, services, operations and workforce development. We are committed to solutions to environmental remediation, cleaner transportation, lowered emissions and waste reduction. Selkirk College is a proud partner in the Sustainability Tracking Assessment and Rating (STARS) system in the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE).

Health and Wellness

Selkirk College will continue to promote and integrate health and wellness into day-to-day operations, practices, services and educational programming. This includes physical health and wellness, mental health, safety, compassion, acceptance, social justice and belonging. We recognize the critical importance of education as a key social determinant of health. Selkirk College is a proud signatory of the Okanagan Charter, 2015.

Innovation

Innovation creates new thinking, new ways of delivering our programs, enhanced and flexible learning, and a willingness to expand our role in the community. Innovation includes making higher education more accessible. Because regional, national and global economies are transitioning and diversifying so rapidly, innovative partnerships and greater collaboration between businesses, social enterprise and educators can result in the workers of tomorrow arriving on the job with the skills for success. Selkirk College recognizes that being a valued partner in community economic development and renewal, regional collaboration, social innovation, and rural capacity building is critical to our success and the success of our region.

Reconciliation

Selkirk College is committed to reconciliation with Indigenous peoples, the intentional process of establishing and maintaining respectful and right relationships with Indigenous governments, organizations, families and learners. This process involves repairing damaged trust in education systems through respect and reciprocity. We are committed to the Indigenization and decolonization of education. Supporting traditional First Nations, Métis and Inuit approaches to learning, resolving conflict, repairing harm and restoring relationships will inform the reconciliation process. We support the principles of the UN Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) and continue to incorporate the relevant Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) Calls to Action into our planning and operations. Selkirk College is a proud signatory of the College and Institutes Canada Indigenous Education Protocol, 2015.

 

OUR STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS

To achieve our mission and vision, and to live our values and commitments, over the next five years Selkirk College will focus on five priority areas: Learner Success, Excellence in Education, Community Development, Healthy Workplace, and Modernization of Facilities, Technology and Operations.

Learner Success

1.1 Enable transitions to the workforce by providing students with  experiential and work integrated learning, Co-op education and internships, student academic support, and  employment transitions programming;
1.2 Expand educational pathways by increasing the number and quality of transfer and articulation agreements, educational partnerships with regional school districts, and study abroad opportunities with other post-secondary institutions in specific program areas;
1.3 Improve recruitment, retention, completion and related supports for all students and students facing barriers to access, including: Indigenous learners, international learners, learners with disabilities, elder learners and others;
1.4 Develop a consistent relationship-focused student service standard across all campuses and learning centres;
1.5 Enhance student health and wellness programming, and supports; and
1.6 Expand offerings in priority program areas: technology and digital applications, skills development and workplace training for in-demand occupations, and cohort-based programs that are in key sectors of need in the labour market forecast and that are regionally relevant.

Excellence in Education

2.1 Expand access to learning through improved scheduling of offerings, increased availability of blended and online delivery, and increased program availability throughout the region;
2.2 Advance  innovations in teaching and learning through the achievement of institutional level learning outcomes, targeted professional development in the areas of educational technologies, Indigenous ways of knowing, innovative curriculum development, experiential learning, strategic partnerships, and intercultural teaching strategies;
2.3 Renew and implement strategic enrolment plans;
2.4 Renew specific plans for Education, Indigenization, International, Student Life and Campus Services, Advancement, Marketing, and Educational Technology; Excellence in Education  
2.5 Support program renewal and development through policy and curriculum process improvements such as the Quality Assurance Process Audit (QAPA), alignment with accreditation, articulation and reporting requirements, student service improvements, and capacity building tools and training; and
2.6 Improve the quality and efficiency of programs and services through data-driven decision-making.

Community Development

3.1 Build strategic partnerships that enhance the student learning experience and contribute to socioeconomic development in the communities we serve;
3.2 Strengthen relationships with regional First Nations and Métis governments, Indigenous community services providers, and Indigenous post-secondary partners to advance the educational goals of Indigenous communities;
3.3 Integrate applied research, innovation and entrepreneurship into educational programs to respond to an evolving labour market;
3.4 Collaborate with  our community partners to ensure student experiences outside of the college and in the community are effective, inclusive and supportive; and
3.5 Support regional socioeconomic development through collaborative, innovation-driven projects that address shared challenges and opportunities.

Healthy Workplace

4.1 Improve employee orientation, inclusion, health and safety, and wellness programming;
4.2 Develop improved plans and approaches to  supporting Indigenization, diversity and inclusion in employee recruitment, career development, and  leadership development;
4.3 Expand  performance monitoring and related improvement processes for career fulfilment, professional growth, retention and succession planning for employees;
4.4 Enhance  programming for employee training and development, sharing of best practices, and professional development for faculty and staff; and
4.5 Diversify and improve communication, and  employee engagement processes

Modernization of Facilities, Technology and Operations

5.1 Renew and utilize the Facilities Master Plan for Selkirk College to reflect the  strategic directions envisioned for the facilities, both owned and leased, at the college;
5.2 Ensure the efficient operation and effective use of the existing facilities, and continue to modernize our infrastructure and make investments in: technology, connectivity, facilities, welcoming spaces, learning  commons spaces and capital equipment;
5.3 Modernize  finance, human resources and student records, and education technology and online delivery systems, plans and processes to improve efficiency, effectiveness, measurement and reporting, and accountability; including the completion and effective implementation of Project Aurora; and
5.4 Further reduce the college’s carbon emissions and waste production, and invest in new approaches and technologies to model and contribute to climate change mitigation.

 

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A MESSAGE FROM LEADERSHIP

 

From President and Chair of the Selkirk College Board

We are thrilled to present Building Remarkable Futures: Selkirk College 2019-2024.

Building Remarkable Futures is the compilation of extensive and wide-ranging ideas received from more than 500 students, alumni, faculty, staff, administration and extended community. The plan was developed and written by the Strategic Plan Steering Committee, a group of dedicated faculty, staff and administrators. Over the course of the past year, the group worked together to learn from, distill and synthesize the information into new mission, vision and values statements. The team developed five long-term, inspiring commitments the college will further integrate into programs, services and operations. Finally, the committee defined five strategic directions, each with a set of priorities that focus on learner success, excellence in education, community development, healthy workplace, and modernization of facilities, technology and operations.  

Building Remarkable Futures sets us on a compelling path forward and reflects our mandate as a publicly funded, regional community college with local and global reach. The plan describes a clear understanding of what kind of learning experiences are important to students, along with what common values underscore the work, relationships, and collaborations at Selkirk College. It also sets out what broad societal change the community expects the college to commit to as fundamental to remaining relevant, impactful and vital.

Thank you to all of those who took the time to provide such valuable ideas, feedback and advice to the development of the plan over the past year. As we move into our shared journey, we look forward to continued success of Selkirk College, to strengthening new and established relationships with past, current and future students, educational and community partners, First Nations and Métis governments, provincial and local governments, and the wide range of employers of our graduates. We know the next five years will be exciting for Selkirk College and our communities as we continue to build a remarkable future together.

Sincerely,