Challenge Accepted: 2020-21 Annual Report

The annual report reflects Seneca’s achievements and activities over the past year.

It started with the 2020-21 Business Plan that was developed in the midst of the many unknowns of the pandemic. How would it affect our students and employees? How would it impact enrolment? When could operations resume again on campus and how? What would we need to change post-pandemic and when would that be?

Three priorities were identified for resource allocation and focus: initiatives related to the health and safety of our community, activities related to ensuring academic continuity and recruitment efforts to boost enrolment.

In addition, taking advantage of the Seneca community’s collective experience of virtual delivery and anticipating the depth of change required in higher education post-pandemic, Seneca Au Large (SAL) was announced. The community-wide consultation resulted in a series of initiatives that would enable Seneca to emerge from the pandemic even stronger, continuing to meet the changing needs of students, employees and industry.

Despite the impact of COVID-19 and the forced change in operations this past year, departments across Seneca were able to collaboratively and effectively achieve or advance the majority of initiatives set forth in this year’s business plan.

The information that follows includes the outcomes and achievements of the 2020-21 Business Plan and select highlights in this extraordinary year.

In the recasting of Seneca’s 2020-21 budget resulting from the pandemic, three priorities were identified for resource allocation: initiatives related to health and safety as a result of the pandemic, activities related to ensuring academic continuity and recruitment efforts to boost enrolment.

Gradually and safely reopening our campuses was essential from a number of perspectives. We needed to get students in programs with significant in-person components back into the labs, studios, airplanes and dive tanks to complete their terms or to start new ones. These activities took place under government and public health guidelines.

Business Plan Outcome 1: working under government and public health direction, gradually reopening campuses with appropriate screening and safety measures in place

Achievements:

• opened campuses over the summer to allow completion of required practical components of programs in-person, continued through the fall and winter terms with a hybrid model of only required courses on campus with most academic activity remaining virtual
• kept service delivery and support services virtual to minimize campus populations
• on-campus COVID-19 incidents kept at a minimum with strict screening, safety protocols and rigorous cleaning measures

Business Plan Outcome 2: establishing new protocols for using all campus spaces safely and acquiring sufficient personal protective equipment (PPE) where required to resume appropriate activities on campus

Achievements:

• established cross-institutional Return to Campus committee to develop effective procedures and protocol that allowed for safe campus operations, procured and stored sufficient amounts of PPE required for operations with no difficulties experienced in procurement or delivery

Highlights of 2020-21

Welcoming students on campus during summer return-to-campus pilot program

Students from the School of Aviation, School of Electronics & Mechanical Engineering Technology, School of Health Sciences and the Faculty of Continuing Education & Training returned to campus in July and August for the first time since March. These students came back to complete hands-on classroom activities required to graduate from the Winter 2020 term or advance to the next semester of their programs.

Seneca teams up with industry partners to combat viruses

A team of researchers and analysts from the School of Biological Sciences & Applied Chemistry worked on campus on two projects related to COVID-19. The first one was done in collaboration with a Kitchener-based medical technology company to produce three key proteins for use in an immunodiagnostic device. The second one aimed to produce a long-lasting antimicrobial spray in partnership with a Toronto-based company that produces specialty hospital gowns. Read more about the projects

Research to help vulnerable communities during COVID-19

Seneca contributed to the City of Toronto’s response to the pandemic with two applied research projects focused on helping vulnerable communities better access broadband and government benefits. The research projects included a partnership with Ryerson University, York University, the University of Toronto and Humber College to identify the challenges associated with digital exclusion of seniors, and a collaboration with Prosper Canada and funded by the City and Mitacs to identify barriers faced by low-income Torontonians when attempting to file tax returns.

Vaccination clinic serving thousands at Newnham Campus

Seneca partnered with North York General Hospital and North York Toronto Health Partners to become its main COVID-19 vaccination clinic. The clinic, located at the Newnham Campus gym, also provided much-needed clinical placements for Seneca’s nursing and personal support worker students.

Researchers working to preserve COVID-19 vaccines

A team of Seneca researchers at the new Seneca Centre for Innovation in Life Sciences worked to develop next-generation coating to protect sensitive medicines and COVID-19 vaccines. The goal was to create thermal barriers that protect vaccines in storage or during transportation.

Our core activity is delivering our postsecondary programs, with appropriate support activities that provide our students with the best possible chance of success. In the pandemic environment, the move to online also provided opportunities to adopt new delivery models, streamline services and rethink experiential learning.

Business Plan Outcome 1: providing enhanced pedagogical and technological supports to faculty for moving courses to online and virtual delivery, including upgrading the learning management system

Achievements:

• provided supports for faculty online teaching and course development, including:
• fundamentals of online course design and delivery to more than 90 per cent of faculty
• multiple Teaching & Learning courses on online teaching and assessing, Learn@Seneca workshops and additional training on all web conferencing platforms
• development and launch of the Quality Framework and Guide for Online Course Design and Delivery
• Virtual Teaching and Learning days in the fall and winter
• calls for proposals for the development of OER (e-text adaptation) with projects at various stages of progress

Business Plan Outcome 2: leveraging digital technologies such as XR and creative software to further develop studentdigital competencies

Achievements:

• developed digital technologies to support teaching and learning, including:
• early-stage development for XR projects in aviation and nursing
• the first stage of the building systems 360-degree video tours project in the School of Electronics & Mechanical Engineering Technology
• training in several software programs, including Adobe

Business Plan Outcome 3: expanding use of microcredentials in both programs and faculty development to respond to demand from students and faculty

Achievements:

• 24 new microcredentials, all being delivered
• faculty digital badges for new professional development courses

Highlights of 2020-21

Professor trains the trainers about online teaching

Gelareh Keshavarz from the School of English & Liberal Studies delivered her second course as part of the Aswan Skills Development Project to 15 instructors in Aswan, Egypt. The course, delivered remotely, was designed to provide fundamentals of online teaching and assessment in distance education, as well as basics of designing an online course.

Retail lab opens e-store in style

Seneca’s on-campus clothing store, The Boutique, launched its e-commerce site in response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. With this site, Seneca's School of Fashion was the first among Canadian fashion schools to offer an innovative real-life lab experience for students in the age of online learning and commerce.

Recruitment, conversion and retention activities take on a new urgency with enrolment challenges posed by the shift to online and the uncertainty of when there will be a return to full in-person teaching and learning. Although the funding environment is challenging, we will seek to preserve and possibly grow domestic enrolment. International enrolment will decrease because of the online environment, combined with travel challenges. Rebuilding efforts need to start this fiscal year.

Business Plan Outcome 1: focusing recruitment on three key segments: new students, graduating students and alumni

Achievements:

• developed targeted applicant conversion campaigns: Start at Seneca, Stay at Seneca and Return to Seneca

Business Plan Outcome 2: formalizing three new inbound program pathways into Seneca programs with Ontario college partners to offer innovative opportunities for credential completion

Achievements:

• developed pathways involving 22 college partners for:
• 41 Hospitality & Tourism diploma programs pathway into the Honours Bachelor of Commerce – Business Management degree
• nine Human Resources diploma programs pathway into the Honours Bachelor of Commerce – Human Resources Management degree
• 14 Computer System Technician diploma programs pathway into the Honours Bachelor of Technology – Informatics and Security degree
• 16 Business – Marketing diploma programs pathway into the Bachelor of Commerce – Business Management degree

Business Plan Outcome 3: developing strategies to rebuild international enrolments with key initiatives focused on prospective students, academic partners and recruitment agencies

Achievements:

• developed and implemented various recruitment strategies tailored to pandemic conditions
• achieved an exceptionally strong international enrolment outcome: 26 per cent higher than 2019-20 and 35 per cent higher than budget

Highlights of 2020-21

Lights, camera, new Seneca program

Seneca partnered with post-production technology industry leaders The Stratagem Group and Avid Technology Inc. to offer the Film & Television Career Launch program. The free six-month program was created with a grant from Ontario’s Skills Catalyst Fund to meet skills shortages by training people with little to no experience in the industry. Students learned from industry experts and had access to state-of-the-art equipment, giving them a head start to enter the film and television production industry.

Now Is Your Time: Seneca recruitment campaign in market

Seneca launched a new phase of its Challenge Accepted recruitment campaign in September, calling on prospective students to carve out their futures against the backdrop of a global pandemic. Narrated by Journalism graduate Patricia Jaggernauth, Emmy Award winner and TV personality of CP24, the campaign video reflects the resilience of Seneca graduates regardless of the challenges they face now and in the future.

Challenge Accepted recruitment campaign wins educational advertising awards

Seneca was one of five Canadian institutions and the only Canadian college recognized at the 36th Annual Educational Advertising Awards. The Challenge Accepted recruitment campaign brought home gold, silver and bronze at this international educational advertising awards competition, which is based in the United States.

With the shift to virtual and diminished revenue occurring at the same time, Seneca had both the opportunity and the requirement to re-examine both what we do and how we do it in the context of our core mission of offering a great polytechnic education.

Seneca Au Large took a hard look at the former Seneca and recommended how we can emerge from the pandemic with a renewed sense of mission and purpose.

This section will focus on:

• benefitting from the digital and virtual expertise acquired throughout the organization
• capturing improvements and efficiencies from going online, including changing or eliminating policies and procedures to enable more virtual activities
• proposing both new opportunities to pursue and activities to discontinue in the context of Seneca’s core mission

Business Plan Outcome 1: an equitable Seneca

Achievements:

• established an employee Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) Advisory Committee to advise the president on three initial areas, all of which are underway:
• a review of student and human resources policies through an EDI lens
• engagement and education initiatives
• student and employee censuses to better understand our populations

Business Plan Outcome 2: a sustainable Seneca

Achievements:

• hosted institutional-wide consultations engaging more than 500 students and employees
• establishing an Office for Sustainability
• developing a Seneca-wide sustainability plan using community input

Business Plan Outcome 3: a more virtual Seneca

Achievements:

• engaged program co-ordinators, chairs and deans to transition programs and courses to the more virtual post-pandemic environment
• held consultations with front-line employees to plan the transition to a new model of service delivery, keeping transactional services virtual and transformational services in person with virtual connections
• surveyed more than 2,000 employees on working remotely preferences
• established a Working Remotely Advisory Committee
• increased online teaching training for faculty
• distributed technology stipend for remote work to employees

Highlights of 2020-21

Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Committee announced

After an amazing response from across Seneca, the inaugural membership of the Equity Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) Committee was announced. Chaired by Mark Solomon, Dean of Students & Indigenous Education, the EDI Committee helps accomplish the tasks outlined in the Seneca Au Large report related to building the renewed Seneca as an equitable Seneca.

Working Remotely Committee established

After an amazing response from across Seneca, the inaugural Working Remotely Committee was established. The Working Remotely Committee helps create a remote working policy that balances the needs of employees and Seneca as part of the Au Large initiative to create a more virtual Seneca. The committee is chaired by Dean Hughes, Executive Director, Advancement & Alumni.

Seneca joins forces with leading climate-action institutions

Seneca and seven Canadian colleges, polytechnics and CEGEPs launched an initiative to educate a post-pandemic workforce to support a climate-focused economic recovery. Called Canadian Colleges for a Resilient Recovery, the initiative identifies and responds to the needs of employers in the emerging sector of climate resilience, supporting a recovery that is positive for the environment, addresses socio-economic inequality and delivers good jobs.

Seneca Business commits to a sustainable future

Seneca Business has joined more than 800 leading business schools across 85 countries as a signatory of the United Nations’ Principles for Responsible Management (PRME). Using the PRME framework, Seneca Business is incorporating sustainable business principles into its curriculum and increasing research related to corporate citizenship.

CITE earns a gold

Seneca’s Centre for Innovation, Technology & Entrepreneurship (CITE) earned a gold-level Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification from the Canada Green Building Council. CITE earned this certification after being rated highly for human and environmental health, sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, material selection and indoor environmental quality. Achieving LEED Gold certification for CITE reinforces Seneca's commitment to sustainability.

Newnham Campus buzzworthy with new pollinators

About 10,000 bees settled into their new home at Seneca in summer 2020. Thanks to funding received through WWF-Canada’s Go Wild School Grant, a new beehive was added at Newnham Campus — its 11th. Along with 17 other beehives at King Campus and 20 more at Peterborough Campus, Seneca beehives are responsible for producing upwards of 200 pounds of honey per hive, amounting to 10,000 pounds of honey annually.

Annual symposium highlights climate awareness

Seneca’s annual Green Citizen Symposium, hosted by TD Insurance, took place virtually in October. During the three-day symposium, guest speakers discussed climate change, sustainability in business, past and current efforts to address the global challenge of climate change and much more.

Seneca receives green funding to add native trees and shrubs to Newnham Campus

Seneca received $73,654 through the City of Toronto’s Greening Partnership Grant to plant 1,220 shrubs and trees native to Ontario at Newnham Campus. The funding will add to the more sustainable and naturalized landscape taking shape on campus, helping reduce Seneca’s carbon footprint and creating more green spaces for students, employees and the community to work, study and relax.

Seneca’s substantial investment in its information technology infrastructure, combined with a recently launched Digital Strategy, allowed for a faster and smoother transition to online than many other institutions. Seneca is transitioning its academic and services operations to digital platforms. This includes the Digital Learning Strategy, developing the digital competencies of our students, enhancing teaching practices, designing enriched curricula and creating a flexible and adaptable information technology infrastructure. Administratively, digitization is streamlining business processes, increasing online operations, saving energy, expanding cloud strategies and digitizing records.

Business Plan Outcome 1: ITS worked closely with Teaching & Learning and Human Resources to support employees teaching and working virtually

Achievements:

• supported learning and working remotely by:
  • offering multiple teaching platforms and digital tools for online delivery of majority of courses and services
  • improving accessibility options for students studying virtually, including VPN-based access for specialized labs and for students with difficulty accessing North American sites
  • launching Virtual Commons, allowing students to virtually access computers located in Computing Commons on campus
  • distributing loaner laptops and internet sticks and making available software programs through software streaming
  • moving all student- and employee-facing transactions online, eliminating paper and in-person transactions to focus on higher-value interactions such as advising and complex service needs
  • implemented digital transcript for students, enabling self-serve capacity – first college in Canada to do so

Business Plan Outcome 2: as students and employees safely returned to campus, implemented Smart Campus initiatives through advanced lighting and sensor technologies to improve services and increase efficiencies

Achievements:

• continued lighting renewal project with smart LED at Newnham Campus
• implemented pilot at Newnham Campus with Internet of Things, including smart classroom monitoring, waste collection and washroom cleaning
• implemented Wi-Fi based contact tracing capability, digital identity and access card capability

Seneca2020 is the multi-phase and multi-year project to manage the largest set of program and employee moves in Seneca’s history. Among the impacts will be optimizing space use, increasing collaboration opportunities among programs and enhancing the student experience with new and renovated buildings.

Business Plan Outcome: completing program moves, Newnham Food Hall, CITE 4th and 5th floors, and Newnham parking structure and expanded parking lots

Achievement:

• completed all Seneca2020 projects as planned with the exception of the parking structure, which was affected by supply chain difficulties and cost increases

The pandemic has severely disrupted international education around the globe, challenging all institutions to find ways to build back the recruitment channels and partnerships that have provided both richness on campus and financial stability. International education is an area of strategic importance to Seneca and one in which it excels.

Business Plan Outcome 1: launching Seneca International Academy (SIA) at Markham Campus to offer more learning opportunities for international students

Achievement:

• launched SIA in fall 2020 in hybrid format, similar to programs at other campuses

Business Plan Outcome 2: continuing to diversify international recruitment in key markets to provide a great learning experience and mitigate country risk

Achievements:

• made significant efforts to diversify international enrolment despite pandemic-related travel restrictions
• completed preliminary planning to reinstate intended diversification when travel restrictions lifted

Business Plan Outcome 3: expanding international contract training to diversify income sources and provide development opportunities for employees

Achievements:

• introduced virtual training projects with two new contracts
• planning for in-person training underway to resume when travel restrictions lifted

Highlights of 2020-21

Seneca signs new student exchange agreement

Seneca’s International Mobility Office and the Faculty of Arts virtually signed a new student exchange agreement with Universidad de Especialidades Espíritu Santo (UEES) in Ecuador. The agreement allows students from the Honours Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies degree program to study at UEES for a semester. Students from the Veterinary Technician diploma program will have the option to fulfil their field placement requirements at an animal rescue centre near the university when international travel is permitted.

New platform to connect students with all things Canadian

Seneca created a new online platform called SeneCan Connect to offer students a unique behind-the-scenes peer perspective on living, learning, working and celebrating in Canada. Students, whether studying online internationally or domestically, discovered the different cultural experiences in Canada and engaged in weekly book and film recommendations, fast facts, trivia fun, playlists and more.

Seneca awarded LatAm Visionary Award

Seneca was named the 2020 recipient of the LatAm Visionary Award, which was presented to President David Agnew at Newnham Campus by Miryam Lazarte, CEO of LatAm Startups. The LatAm Visionary Award honours an organization that supports inclusion and diversity with a unique vision to developing a stronger technology ecosystem, as well as access and support for Latin American companies to establish in Canada. Seneca HELIX has worked closely with LatAm since 2016 and has hosted several LatAm entrepreneurs.

Seneca signs new agreement with Paris institution

Seneca and L’École des Nouveaux Métiers de la Communication (EFAP) in Paris, France, signed a student exchange agreement. Under the agreement, a faculty member from Seneca’s School of Marketing and EFAP would virtually guest lecture about esports marketing during the pandemic. When possible, students from both schools would participate in a semester exchange or summer academic program.

New agreement signed with Thai university

President David Agnew and Sompop Manarungsan, President of Panyapiwat Institute of Management (PIM) in Thailand, signed a memorandum of understanding. The agreement will allow faculty from Seneca's School of Hospitality & Tourism to virtually guest lecture PIM students during the pandemic until a faculty-led program abroad can be delivered in Thailand.

Marketing student helps create online storefronts for free

Thanks to COVID-19, Seneca student Khadijah Deshong spent most of her first few months in Canada behind closed doors. Yet the Seneca international student from Barbados has been virtually building a network and burnishing skills while helping local businesses and artists create an online presence through ShopHere, an initiative started by the City of Toronto. Read more about the story

Funding provides students with new international opportunities

As part of the federal government’s International Education Strategy, Seneca received $50,000 for two innovative projects that will provide more opportunities for students to study or work abroad. The funding is being managed by the International Mobility Office.

Supporting a stronger, younger workforce in Kenya

Seneca partnered with Niagara College and the Fisheries and Marine Institute of Memorial University of Newfoundland to create new work opportunities for young people in Kenya. The project, Young Africa Works in Kenya — Youth Employability Through Technical and Vocation Education and Training program, is supported by the Mastercard Foundation and Colleges & Institutes Canada.

This group of initiatives signal that, even in challenging times, Seneca continued to move forward.

From ongoing program development and review to innovation in program delivery to strengthening pedagogy, academic excellence initiatives ensure that Seneca’s credentials and courses are high-quality, relevant and meet the needs of students, employers and the economy.

Business Plan Outcome 1: submitted eight new programs to the Board of Governors, including three new degree proposals, to meet labour market needs

Achievements:

• received Board of Governors approval for nine programs:
  • Honours Bachelor of Science in Biotechnology
  • Emerging Digital Technologies graduate certificate
  • Inclusive Design for Business Local College Certificate
  • Honours Bachelor of Information Technology Design & Management
  • Honours Bachelor of Science in Nursing
  • Global Business Management two-year graduate certificate
  • Business Information Technology two-year graduate certificate
  • Cloud Based IT Administration graduate certificate
  • Korean Language Skills Local College Certificate

Business Plan Outcome 2: launched a case development centre to establish case-based learning methodologies

Achievements:

• trained second cohort of faculty on case-based learning methodologies with third cohort in progress; alumni cohort trained
• prepared first case for publication

Highlights of 2020-21

New suite of microcredentials help students and professionals update their skillsets

Seneca promoted more than 100 microcredentials or short courses to help individuals reskill or upskill, whether to advance their career or respond to job loss caused by the pandemic. Seneca continued to add microcredentials in business, creative arts, animation and design, media and communications, education, community and social services, engineering technology, information technology and science.

Professor appointed to the Order of Ontario

School of Media Professor Hershell Ezrin was among the 25 appointees of the Order of Ontario for 2020. The Government Relations graduate certificate program professor’s distinguished career includes serving in the Privy Council Office under former prime minister Pierre Elliot Trudeau and a Canadian Consul in Los Angeles and New York.

Teaming up with Microsoft and RBC to drive digital literacy for the workforce of tomorrow

Seneca, in collaboration with Microsoft Canada and RBC, is helping students, graduates and professionals enhance their digital expertise by offering free Microsoft Azure Fundamentals workshops that build in-demand skills in cloud computing, artificial intelligence (AI) and productivity tools. The Azure short courses will enable participants to learn data analytics, AI and cloud computing certifications — critical skills for the post-pandemic economic recovery.

Air Seneca takes off

A B737 aircraft trainer dubbed Air Seneca landed at Newnham Campus in the new Flights Hub, making Seneca the first postsecondary institution in Canada to have this kind of simulator on campus. The trainer is fully equipped and can simulate cabin fires. The $1.7-million Flights Hub also includes an A320 door trainer, mock cabin and a five-metre evacuation slide. It was partially funded by the province’s College Equipment and Renewal Fund.

Joining provincial effort to train more personal support workers

The Ontario government has invested in training more personal support workers (PSWs) to meet growing demands in the health care sector, particularly the hard-hit long term care homes. Seneca has done its part by offering a new accelerated Personal Support Worker program with free tuition provided by the government. The first of three intakes started on April 5, and all three are fully enrolled. Graduates will enter the workforce in six months. Minister of Education and King-Vaughan MPP Stephen Lecce visited King Campus with King Mayor Steven Pellegrini to promote the accelerated PSW program.

Advanced manufacturing microcredential receives funding to reskill workers

Seneca received nearly $300,000 from the provincial government to reskill up to 130 workers in the advanced manufacturing and aerospace industry. The funds were used to deliver the new online Computer Numerical Control for Advanced Manufacturing microcredential program at Seneca.

Seneca joins provincial effort to train more personal support workers

The Ontario government has invested in training more personal support workers to meet growing demands in the health-care sector, particularly the hard-hit long-term care homes. Seneca did its part by offering a new accelerated Personal Support Worker program with free tuition provided by the government.

This innovative, first-of-its-kind partnership between the two polytechnics, Seneca and Humber, is designed to enhance access for our students to further learning opportunities and to co-operate on a number of planning and development fronts.

Business Plan Outcome 1: established six new program pathways between Seneca and Humber to expand student opportunities

Achievement:

• finalized agreement with more than 200 program pathways between Seneca and Humber to encourage transfers from diploma to degree programs

Due to the pandemic, some of the work with HSPP will resume in fall 2021.

Highlights of 2020-21

Seneca and Humber sign milestone agreement to increase diploma-to-degree pathway opportunities at both institutions
A new agreement under the Humber-Seneca Polytechnic Partnership created more than 200 academic pathways between the two institutions. This agreement provides diploma students at Seneca and Humber opportunities for degree completion options in business, data science and analysis, public safety, mental health and interdisciplinary studies. Read more about the agreement

Seneca and Humber partner to improve youth employment in Maldives

Seneca and Humber College partnered with Global Innovation & Skills Development Canada to develop an entrepreneurship incubation hub in Maldives that will increase employment and earning opportunities for local youth. The project draws from the expertise of Seneca’s HELIX incubator and innovation centre while Humber’s interior design program will help design the new hub.

HSPP collaboration procures security services

PARAGON Security Services became the new provider of security services at all Seneca and Humber locations — a result of the first successful joint procurement project of the Humber-Seneca Polytechnic Partnership. The partnership promotes co-operation and collaboration between the two institutions while enhancing and expanding learning opportunities for students.

Supporting students is at the core of virtually all areas of Seneca. In 2020-21, several initiatives were focused on major issues affecting all postsecondary institutions, Seneca included: mental health, personal resilience and sexual assault.

Business Plan Outcome 1: introducing a new model for student services and support — spanning the student journey from recruitment to graduation — to streamline services

Achievements:

• started work on two fronts:
  • development of a new more virtual services model that will keep transactional services online while adding virtual connections options to in-person services when they safely resume
  • a triage model to provide better and faster service to students

Business Plan Outcome 2: developing an integrated service delivery for mental health and wellness

Achievements:

• launched Seneca-wide mental health initiatives such as:
  • Bell Let’s Talk Day
  • peer groups for students on the autism spectrum and within the 2SLGBTQ+ community
  • virtual programming for varsity athletes and e-sports
• contracted with keepme.SAFE as a 24-7 mental health and personal counselling support for Seneca students living outside of Canada

Business Plan Outcome 3: supporting student retention and leadership development through the introduction of Strive: Strengths, Resilience and Excellence program

Achievements:

• increased attendance at Strive workshops and 1:1 Academic and Study Skills Coaching in 2021
• continued to build traffic on the Learning Centre’s YouTube channel

Business Plan Outcome 4: strengthening a culture of respect and academic honesty

Achievements:

• held Winter Academic Integrity Week with activities for students and faculty
• formed Academic Integrity Community of Practice
• completed sanctions guidebook learning outcomes and outline

Business Plan Outcome 5: establishing a peer-led program to assist survivors of sexual violence

Achievements:

• expanded program this year to include a second group of survivors as well as Humber students
• launched Stepping Up project — a partnership with Yellow Brick House and Mount Royal University to research and deliver peer-led programming regarding intimate partner violence on campuses

Highlights of 2020-21

Seneca graduate goes prime time on CBC

Ginella Massa has made international headlines including in The New York Times and The Guardian as Canada’s first hijab-wearing news reporter, television anchor and host. But the Seneca Journalism graduate, who recently stepped into national spotlight as host of CBC's Canada Tonight, says she just wants to be seen as a journalist and be judged by her work.

Convocation package, website and video celebrate Class of 2020

More than 9,000 Seneca 2020 graduates received a convocation package that included their Seneca credential, a congratulatory letter from President David Agnew and a keepsake Seneca bookmark this summer. To celebrate this important milestone during the pandemic, the #SenecaProud Graduation website launched exclusively for new graduates, their families and friends to learn about graduation services and alumni resources.

Seneca-TD collaboration “recharged” to support mid-career professionals

Thanks to a new donation from TD Bank Group, Seneca has extended the successful Career Recharge series of free upskilling sessions through to the end of 2021. These virtual sessions help mid-career professionals across Canada re-enter the workforce, advance in their field, change careers or start a new venture.

Seneca President and Microsoft CEO discuss jobs of tomorrow

President David Agnew and Satya Nadella, Microsoft CEO, discussed preparing today’s students for the careers of tomorrow to a virtual audience of more than 1,300 students and educators from across Canada.

Seneca joins national network supporting student mobility

Seneca took its next steps in its digital adoption strategy by joining Canada's official credential wallet and national network led by the Association of Registrars of the Universities and Colleges of Canada (ARUCC). The ARUCC National Network provides students with the ability to access and share official, digitized transcripts, credentials, badges and microcredentials — anytime and anywhere.

Bell Let’s Talk Week

In recognition of Bell Let's Talk Day, Seneca offered a variety of programming all week for students and employees to promote and bring awareness to mental health. Students and employees participated in events about wellness, counselling and accessibility, as well as mental health through Webex and Instagram.

Academic Integrity Week

Seneca hosted a series of events to raise awareness about contract cheating during Academic Integrity Week. Events highlighted the importance of academic integrity and the resources available at Seneca while also marking the International Day of Action Against Contract Cheating — a form of academic dishonesty where one person completes academic work for another, who then submits it for academic credit.

Seneca steps up with Yellow Brick House

Thanks to a grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation, Seneca partnered with Yellow Brick House to support students through The Stepping Up program. The peer-facilitated three-year program aims to support 450 students in exploring ways of helping their peers who may have had a violent experience. Students will discuss healthy relationships, social media and bystander intervention through a series of events and projects.

Esports club game on at Seneca

Seneca Esports became the biggest student club at Seneca with nearly 800 members. It meets on Discord, a chat app for video gamers. Not unlike other sports clubs, it has two coaches and a manager.

Seneca is fortunate to have a talented and dedicated workforce, highly engaged and motivated. Recent employee surveys have focused on communications and innovation and the initiatives below respond to the recommendations made by Seneca’s employees.

Business Plan Outcome 1: launching a new intranet for employees to improve internal communications

Achievement:

• implemented new employee intranet

Business Plan Outcome 2: establishing Seneca Innovates, a program to encourage and recognize employee innovation

Achievement:

• launched Seneca Innovates with a focus on ideas related to COVID-19 and working remotely

Business Plan Outcome 3: expanding the Seneca Leader and Individual Development Planning to provide increased professional development opportunities for employees through enhanced online training

Achievements:

• converted the Seneca Leader curriculum to online delivery
• developed an online learning path for managers, using a competency-based approach aligning with the Seneca Leader Model
• assembled additional program materials and resources to provide strategies to more effectively lead virtual teams
• integrated the Seneca Leader model and the Individual Development Plans in succession planning process

Highlights of 2020-21

New MySeneca intranet launches for employees

After a year in development, Seneca’s new employee intranet launched in December. A one-stop shop,
the new MySeneca is where employees receive information, share content, complete administrative tasks and learn.

Introducing Seneca Innovates

Seneca Innovates is the first initiative of the renamed Seneca Innovation department. It welcomed ideas from employees on fighting COVID-19 and working remotely.

Seneca ranks top employer for the 12th consecutive year

Seneca was once again among the winners of the annual Greater Toronto’s Top Employers competition, which recognizes employers with exceptional human resources programs and forward-thinking workplace policies. Criteria for distinguishing top employers includes professional development opportunities, an inclusive culture and support for new parents.

As postsecondary education evolves, Seneca continues to innovate its business model to maintain its leadership role in 21st century education. The core of what we do remains: offering a great educational experience to students. How we do that is changing.

Business Plan Outcome 1: launching Seneca Innovation as the new hub for internal and external innovation and entrepreneurship open to students, employees, industry and the community

Achievement:

• launched Seneca Innovation to foster culture of research and innovation

Business Plan Outcome 2: establishing an integrated business development model across the organization to strengthen partnership relationships

Achievements:

• through Marketing and Advancement, established the Challenge Accepted strategy to build brand strength, student recruitment and fundraising efforts
• deployed second phase of Challenge Accepted campaign, contributing to growth in domestic enrolment
• continued emphasis on enhancing internal communications, providing excellent customer service in all operations and strengthening the collaborative culture across Seneca

Highlights of 2020-21

Seneca Centre for Innovation in Life Sciences launches

Seneca launched the Seneca Centre for Innovation in Life Sciences, a first-of-its-kind applied research facility, where students and faculty can connect directly with industry partners to develop, enhance and validate innovations in diagnostics and cosmetics. The project was made possible through a $2-
million Innovation Enhancement grant from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council.

HELIX scores innovation fund

Seneca’s on-campus incubator HELIX received $10,000 towards the HELIX Summer Institute to support the culture of innovation in York Region’s health-care sector. HELIX was one of six recipients of ventureLAB and York Region’s first annual Entrepreneurship and Innovation Fund, awarded to startups and non-profit organizations that support innovation in York Region.

Seneca research project receives federal grant

A collaborative project between the School of Biological Sciences & Applied Chemistry and Wellesley Therapeutics Inc. received a research grant through the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada’s Engage for Colleges program. Seneca’s contributions will result in commercial methods that reduce or eliminate hazardous substances to help Wellesley Therapeutics use green chemistry approaches to recover and purify its products.

Interdisciplinary research on pet loss gets global attention

Seneca professors Kirsti Clarida and Angie Arora have collaborated on an interdisciplinary applied research project to address a gap in training and support for veterinary teams and pet owners dealing with a pet's end of life. With a Seneca Innovation grant, the research team partnered with VCA Canada, the country’s largest network of animal hospitals, to publish a report that received attention globally.

More than $5.5 million in capital from province will renew infrastructure and classrooms

Seneca received $5,590,800 in capital funding from the Ontario government for infrastructure renewal and instructional equipment. Among the projects supported by the funding are energy efficiency upgrades and computer purchases.

Writing the next chapter of Eaton Hall’s story, with help from Peter & Pauls Hospitality Group

Drawing on the creativity it has shown overseeing restaurants and event venues across the Greater Toronto Area and internationally, Peter & Pauls Hospitality Group will be helping Seneca turn Eaton Hall into a hospitality and cultural destination in King Township and a revitalized academic/event space for Seneca students.

Odeyto’s architecture acknowledged yet again

Odeyto, Seneca’s Indigenous Centre, has received Wood Design & Building magazine’s 2020 Wood Design & Buildings Award in the Citation category. This annual award celebrates the world’s best wood architecture in diverse locations.