By Bob Sharpe
Published in September 2019
By way of introduction let me first say that my role in the A2U program was that of Faculty Liaison. I provided a bridge between the academic and administrative operations of the Faculty of Arts and those of The Working Centre, our community partner. In this role I would regularly meet with colleagues at The Working Centre (Heather, Maru, Gabe, and Stephanie). Together we would troubleshoot the myriad of obstacles that students face when accessing university. Although I did not get to know each of you as well as your instructors, I did learn of the diversity of your life experiences, your challenges, and your achievements. It was always an interesting, and often moving role.
In terms of statistics, over the 4 years of the A2U program roughly 40 students took 130 courses. Some of you had the opportunity to take only a few courses, while others are now well on their way to completing their undergraduate degree requirements. Your achievements are impressive, and I offer you my heartiest congratulations on a job well done.
From this experience I have learned much. I learned about the importance of respect for the individual student; about the value of community in finding solutions; and, especially, about the importance of fostering empathy through university level education.
Recently, Sara Diamond, The President of OCAD, published an opinion piece in the Globe and Mail, entitled The biggest threat to Canada’s universities? The empathy gap. June 28, 2019
Sara writes that “University education should foster empathy – an essential human capacity needed for effective management and societal well-being. Empathy can inspire communities of action and emphasize diversity of experience and choice, rather than underscore and fuel differences”.
I believe that the A2U program has demonstrated a powerful way for the university, in partnership with community, to foster empathy. Those involved in the program would often tell me that the A2U students bring a diversity to the classroom, to the university, and to the community that changes us.
I heard this at all levels: from you the A2U students; from undergraduate students across the Faculty of Arts; from support staff in the registrar’s office, library, and student services; from faculty teaching A2U courses, from faculty teaching first-year arts courses; and even from University administrators.
I believe that in many small ways the A2U program has helped to transform the practices and culture of the university. It is therefore most unfortunate that current provincial policies and funding neither understand the importance of empathy, nor the critical role of the universities and communities in fostering it.
In any case, I want you to know that your experiences in the A2U program have touched a lot of people. I hope that through the program you have discovered your place in university, or if not, that it has shown other pathways along which you might grow. In closing, I want to take this moment to acknowledge what you have accomplished, congratulate you on your achievements, and wish you all the best in your future endeavours.
