KPE faculty and staff were treated to a surprise as they walked into the lecture hall in the Benson building recently to hear an update on the advances made towards realizing the Faculty’s academic plan, Transformation in Motion. Inside the lecture hall was True Blue, the University of Toronto’s beloved mascot, high fiving everyone who came through the door. A bigger surprise came when True Blue lifted his head to reveal no other than the dean of KPE, Professor Gretchen Kerr.
Dressed as True Blue from head to toe, Kerr reminded all in attendance about the foundations of the plan, which is grounded in the United Nation’s sustainable development goals, and reiterated the Faculty’s vision of excellence in advancing healthy living through inclusive movement, underpinned by four, interlocking strategic goals: Elevating health and wellbeing; igniting transformative inclusivity; fostering innovation, discovery and achievement; and activating partnerships and collaborations.
“In the winter of 2022, our diverse KPE community engaged in powerful, cross-cutting discussion groups and brainstorming sessions, from which our new vision and four strategic goals emerged,” said Kerr. “Today is an opportunity to share some examples of the work that’s been done in support of each of those goals.”
Emphasizing that the examples provided do not represent an exhaustive list, Kerr shared the following advances made towards the implementation of each goal:
1. Elevating health and wellbeing: Kerr highlighted the Faculty’s implementation of alternative work arrangements; academic learning opportunities for non-KPE students through courses such as KPE 162; the purchase of battery powered equipment, i.e. the electric Zamboni; the installation of an elevator in the Benson building for more accessibility; the creation of a green wall to cover the concrete in the Benson building; swim-to survive classes for U of T non-swimmers; and delivery of the Faculty’s IMPACT program sessions for faculty and staff.
2. Igniting transformative inclusivity: For this goal, Kerr highlighted diversified options for professional graduate programs; the hiring of a director of equity, diversity and inclusion; a compulsory undergraduate course on Indigenous and Black history; strengthened Indigenous programming, including the Reach Ahead to Kinesiology outreach program and Indigenous swim classes; professional development workshops for staff focused on anti-racism; and the nomination of Wilton Littlechild for an honorary U of T degree.
3. Fostering innovation, discovery and achievement: Kerr noted the tri-council research funding increased five-fold over past three years, while the total research funding increased 20-fold over the past 10 years; the Faculty received the largest SSHRC grant in its history; diverse education pathways were enhanced, i.e., undergraduate certificates; and leadership opportunities provided, i.e. KINections; Importantly, the Sport & Rec program returned to pre-Covid levels of participation.
4. Activating partnerships and collaborations: For this area, Kerr highlighted the participation of APTUS, a community organization providing a variety of supports for individuals with developmental disabilities, in the SMILE portion of a KPE course; student adaptive sports tournament with Inclusive Communities Canada; and a new global community-engagement academic experience offered through a KPE course on international development through sport.
“This is not an exhaustive list and there is still more to be done, but it gives an overview of where we’re heading and how well we’re progressing” said Kerr, who also praised the collaborative, cross sectional nature of many Faculty initiatives over the last year, including the Black History virtual tour project that was the result of staff, faculty and students working together to illuminate Black Canadian history in sport and physical activity.
Following Kerr’s presentation, attendees of the town hall meeting were treated to a lunch and opportunity to connect with colleagues across different areas of the Faculty.