Canadian universities, like universities everywhere, have withstood more change in the past 50 years than ever before, including the rise in female enrolment and, in the past two decades alone, the impact of the internet and the disruption of a global pandemic. Policy contributing writer Vianne Timmons, who has led two Canadian universities, reports on how both universities and students have adapted. 

Vianne Timmons

I vividly recall heading off to university. It was 1976, and my mother took me to the local bus stop. I had a small suitcase to carry – no wheels in those days. She kept fixing my coat collar and told me not to speak to strangers (I’m not sure how I was supposed to accomplish that at university). Off she went, leaving me there waiting for a bus, heading off on my university adventure. This is in stark contrast to move-in days at Memorial University, when parents pull up in trucks and vans unloading fridges and televisions for their children’s rooms.

Canadian universities have a rich history. Université Laval was established in 1663. It was the first North American institution to offer higher education in French. The University of New Brunswick was founded in 1785 and is the oldest English-language university in Canada. First Nations University in Saskatchewan is one of the oldest post-secondary education centres in Canada. Young or old, the purpose of universities — creating an educated society — remains true to this day.

Universities have definitely changed in recent decades and yet, in many ways, they have not. The three primary pillars are still teaching, research and service. We still have the same career ladder and tenure. The majority of university presidents are, to paraphrase a grade four student I met a few years ago, “Old, tall men with grey hair and glasses.” And the excitement of that first entry into post-secondary life that I felt is still there on move-in days.

Within these pillars, though, there have been changes. Pedagogy is much more focused on experiential and interactive learning. Remote and on-line learning is now a normal mode of delivery. Community-based research is more common and communities are becoming true partners in research endeavours. Collaborative and interdisciplinary research has also increased over the past few decades, with teams working on issues, often from around the globe.   

I always say universities should not reflect the world in which we live, but the world in which we want to live. And that world includes people who are Indigenous, Black, gay or neurodiverse.

One aspect of university life that I have seen change is the engagement of parents and even grandparents in their children’s education. This was apparent during the pandemic, when I fielded many calls and emails about vaccine and mask mandates. I often get calls asking me to intervene in issues regarding academics, parking and mental health supports. 

An important and welcome change over the past few decades has been in the many supports and accommodations for students with learning challenges. My daughter has some learning difficulties, but with the help of the amazing team at her university’s centre that supports students with disabilities, she graduated with a bachelor of arts.   

There is also a major movement to look at equity, diversity and inclusion on campuses. Universities are putting resources into ensuring campuses are safe for all students and that administrators, faculty and staff reflect our diverse population. I always say universities should not reflect the world in which we live, but the world in which we want to live. And that world includes people who are Indigenous, Black, gay or neurodiverse.

Another positive change has been the number of international students in Canadian universities. Universities have set up international offices to support recruitment and retention of international students. It has enriched all students’ learning as they get a global perspective in the classroom. Problematically, many universities have become reliant on international students fees as part of their operational budgets. But international students are good for the national economy; they contribute about $21 billion to the Canadian economy annually. 

Indigenization of campuses has also been a major focus over the past two decades. This became even more of an imperative when the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Report was released in 2015. This has led to many initiatives such as supports for Indigenous students, cluster hiring of Indigenous faculty, a focus on curriculum revisions and including Indigenous ceremonies on campuses, such as smudging ceremonies, powwows and watching drumming circles.

There has been significant outreach to Indigenous communities and changes to how research is undertaken with these communities. There are also complex challenges with universities’ roles in validating claims of Indigenous identities and working on decolonization initiatives in colonial institutions.

Students attending university today were born into a post-internet world. They have access to endless information. This has impacted universities as, historically, professors were the knowledge keepers and their purpose was to impart this knowledge to students. Now, professors’ roles have changed; they use the internet to supplement instruction, communicate with students and teach completely remotely.

Starting as a new president during the pandemic, I found it very helpful to introduce myself to Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador virtually.  That first blooper of me falling on ice outside my Airbnb was a real hit! Later, I used Twitter videos to connect with the community and learn about Memorial’s impact. The internet became a platform for connection, communication and celebration during a time of isolation and fear. The pandemic changed the way I familiarized myself with Memorial and forced me to be more creative. The pandemic demanded a lot of creativity.

All of the recent changes to universities, especially in the last two decades, helped when the pandemic hit in 2020. The biggest change was the complete transformation to remote and on-line learning in a very brief period of time. You would think that students would be able to manage this as they seem to maneuver through cyberspace effortlessly. This was not the case, as they needed lots of support and very quickly, those supports were transitioned to on-line programs.

One challenge in Newfoundland and Labrador was poor internet access in rural and northern settings and faculty, staff and students had to be creative to ensure course completion. All of these activities took massive effort and happened in record time. Through the pandemic, professors and staff had to move their offices home. While that happened in many employment settings, moving courses from in-person to on-line is very intense work. When the pandemic measures were lifted, we saw faculty fatigue. In my 30-plus years of university teaching, I have never seen this level of exhaustion.

But adversity often leads to opportunity. During the pandemic, two rural learning communities were established to help those with limited internet connection, which proved helpful. We have now expanded this initiative to provide a network of learning and collaboration spaces in communities throughout the province by partnering with community and provincial organizations. These hubs will provide the infrastructure to support skills and business development, and lifelong learning.

Are universities going to change post-pandemic? There has been a notable increase in on-line courses, and many student supports are now both on-line and in-person. There are staff who are continuing to work from home as they found they could complete their tasks effectively. Student mental health supports have increased and there is demand for more. There are definitely fewer face-to-face meetings as virtual meetings have continued post-pandemic. Overall, universities have modified the way they work, but they have not changed dramatically.

When I walk the campus and see students gathering, whether it is socially or for studying, I am always reassured that universities serve an important need. Beyond research, teaching and service, our campuses are a refuge for our youth; a place where they learn about themselves, make lifelong friends and become independent. 

That was what my mother hoped for as she left me at that bus stop. It happened to me. It happened centuries ago to students at Université Laval, and I suspect it will happen for my grandchildren. Plus ça change…

Contributing Writer Vianne Timmons is President and Vice Chancellor of Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador. Previously, she was President of University of Regina.