Late December is always a bit of a blur, but there’s lots to report on the past few weeks.
Right before the holidays, a small team of us was working hard on completing a financing proposal for the IC. It’s a pretty great plan, significantly expanding the scope of the work that we’ve been doing, increasing the opportunities to develop strong relationships with industry/community partners, and implementing a viable sustainability plan.
Over the holidays I made good progress on the IC discussion paper. In particular, I reviewed OCADU’s recent major strategy documents — the Strategic Plan 2012-2017, the Academic Plan 2011-2016, and the proposed Strategic Mandate Agreement — to ensure that the discussion paper has a sound foundation.
Before the break I also met with Stephanie to talk about her discussions with the IDRC, planning for FedDev project deliverables, and documenting the process. And I met with Jess and Mark about their research plan and the ethics approval process.
I also had a great meeting with Danny Cushing, an executive coaching and leadership consultant who has lots of experience working in post-secondary education. As someone who is very invested in business, education and arts & culture, he immediately saw the need for and the potential of the Imagination Catalyst. It’s a reaction I’ve had from many people I’ve spoken to over the past couple of months, but Danny’s insight was particularly sharp. I’d like to develop a way to welcome more external voices and perspectives into the IC community.
Over the break I read three books which have helped me think about the IC’s role within OCAD and in the larger community. And, more personally, have helped me focus in on the kind of work I’d like to be doing:
- A New Culture of Learning by Douglas Thomas and John Seely Brown
- How Will You Measure Your Life? by Clayton Christensen, James Allworth and Karen Dillon
- Future Practice: Conversations from the Edge of Architecture by Rory Hyde
