Francophone community cautiously optimistic as Laurentian releases new strategic plan

Laurentian University has launched a new chapter with its strategic plan for 2024-2029. This ambitious document, announced in the spring, marks the start of an era of renewal for the institution.  To university President Lynn Wells, the plan embodies a sustainable growth vision. Ms. Wells has been in office since May 1.

“We have been a bilingual institution for 64 years,” said Dr. Wells. “It’s a cornerstone of our identity to offer programs in French, English, and bilingually. Now we must consider which programs to rebuild, enrich, and grow.”

Natalie Poulin-Lehoux, who was appointed associate vice-president, francophone affairs in October 2023, also sees the plan as an opportunity for reconstruction. “One of our top priorities is to refresh and strengthen our internal connections, as well as our connections with the community – especially the francophone community … To rebuild, but also to refine what we already have.”

This approach was developed in close collaboration with StrategyCorp, a company hired to prepare the strategic plan, and with active input from Laurentian’s community of 2,500. The strategic plan integrates recommendations from reports from the Auditor General of Ontario and the Ontario Ombudsman’s French Language Services Unit, among others.

Though he still views the plan favourably, English professor Ernst Gerhardt thinks the final strategic plan does not reflect the total consultation work that went into it. “If I have one criticism of the strategic plan, it’s that it doesn’t acknowledge Laurentian’s recent history, nor does it address how our challenges were overcome,” he said. Like one-third of Senate members (nine of 26), he opposed the adoption of the strategic plan.

Francophones still concerned

Francophones on and off campus are still smarting from the events of February 2021, when Laurentian University asked for protection under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act (CCAA).

Almost 200 employees – including more than 100 professors teaching in English and French – lost their jobs two months later. Sixty-nine programs, including 28 French-language undergraduate programs, were also shuttered – a move that “far surpassed even the most pessimistic predictions.”

Read also: New reports offer an update on the tasks ahead for Laurentian University

As a result, the francophone community is on its guard. As Sudbury writer Réjean Grenier noted in a Nov. 29 editorial in Le Voyageur, French is “only mentioned a handful of times” in the Landscape Report that led to the strategic plan. “For example, it says that numerous francophones live in the North and in Sudbury, but doesn’t say much about their role at the university or the university’s involvement with this minority. Bilingualism is mentioned three times, but two are to contextualize the obstacle bilingualism poses to hiring qualified faculty members.”

Ms. Poulin-Lehoux, however, maintains that the francophone community was involved in the process. “We really made the effort to ensure we are well represented in the plan. But there’s no hiding that we’re a bilingual institution. As I grasped some of the political aspects of my job this year, I came to understand there are people who don’t like the word ‘bilingual’.” She also noted that when Laurentian talks about bilingualism, it is speaking the language of funders. “It’s standard language in Sudbury and northern Ontario.”

Dr. Gerhardt remains concerned that program offerings and French courses remain inadequate despite new strategic approaches. “It’s a very complicated issue,” he said. He noted that in order to receive a bachelor of arts, students must take courses in a second language. As some French-language programs including history and French studies are being shut down, students are increasingly turning to French as a Second Language, an English-language program. “It’s all well and good to offer French courses to help students learn to speak French, but it’s not comparable to what we offered before.”

Still, he’s seen progress – at least, within his department. “We are developing solutions to this problem. I think we’re getting there.”

Similarly, Ms. Poulin-Lehoux views the French-language offerings for the 2023-2024 year positively. “We’ve developed 12 new courses in liberal sciences, nine in education, seven in speech-language pathology, two in nursing, and one in natural sciences. We’ve also revised many programs and courses.”

Putting the plan into action

While launching the strategic plan for 2024-2029, Laurentian stressed that francophones remain at the heart of the institution’s mission.

The university must seek both internal and external consultation while creating teaching and research plans. Ms. Poulin-Lehoux is presently meeting with the 85 full-time francophone instructors. “I want to understand their program vision,” she said.

“I’m not sure we’ve reached a point where we’re developing new programs. We have courses to develop in French. There’s plenty of work to do there.” Ms. Poulin-Lehoux is also advancing other priorities listed in the strategic plan, such as program solidification, university and college transfers, and reinforcing partnerships with other postsecondary institutions.

She pledges to implement strategies specifically for francophones, improve bilingual programs, and clearly define what constitutes a bilingual or francophone program. Dr. Wells added that consultations will also play a crucial role here. “Community consultations will shape the language of the plans,” she said. “We’ll draw up the best academically and financially viable plans for our students and communities.”

The strategic plan’s implementation incorporates numerous initiatives tailored to francophones, including the promotion of bilingual and tricultural events. A new sports brand identity (the Voyageurs) will similarly better reflect the institution’s character.

StrategyCorp will also contribute to the teaching and research plans, said Ms. Poulin-Lehoux, especially by incorporating previous consultations. “They’ll help us organize our ideas, but they won’t write the plans.

“We have many voices at the table,” she said.

The language issue is also present within decision making bodies. “The Senate is no longer as francophone as it was because several French speakers were axed by the CCAA,” noted Ernst Gerhardt. Natalie Poulin-Lehoux, meanwhile, said francophone representation is improving on the board of governors. “I don’t think all board seats have been filled yet. It’s not perfect, but we’re making headway. Three or four seats are occupied by Indigenous representatives. We [also] have three francophones, possibly four.”

Timeline – A few dates

 

Feb. 1, 2021: Laurentian University requests protection under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act (CCAA).

April 12, 2021: Job and program cuts announced.

March 2, 2022: NOUS Group submits governance and management analysis.

March 31, 2022: Ontario Ombudsman’s French Language Services Unit submits report.

Spring 2022: Office of the Auditor General of Ontario submits audit report.

May 1, 2023: Deloitte appointed as business transformation consultant.

May 4, 2023: StrategyCorp appointed as strategic planning consultant.

March 27, 2024: Strategic Plan 2024–2029 launched.