Acadia’s best days are still ahead

The fall term began at Acadia with students returning to a more familiar, in-person learning environment that had been mitigated previously by the impacts and consequences of the global coronavirus pandemic. A sense of excitement and optimism predominated as faculty, staff and students came together once again to pursue lofty goals, new priorities and ambitious dreams. We are very aware, of course, that even as we learn to live with it, the pandemic continues to cast a long shadow, which is why we reintroduced an indoor masking policy for the fall term. The health and safety of all members of our community is our priority, and I applaud the willingness and cooperation of every individual who comes to campus to protect themselves and others by being fully vaccinated; following all on-campus Public Health measures; and daily self-monitoring of your health. I am incredibly proud of the resilience and dedication of all members of our Acadia community in meeting and exceeding Nova Scotia Public Health protocols and creating the current climate that will certainly maximize our unique, personalized educational experience that has distinguished Acadia as a premier post-secondary destination here at home and around the world. We have made enormous strides to get to this point, and few things are as gratifying to me as seeing our students engage fully with faculty personally and intellectually, charting their individual paths to success and as members of our alumni family. Meanwhile, as you may know, I recently entered my sixth and final year as Acadia’s President and Vice-Chancellor and have decided not to pursue another term, opting to conclude my tenure on June 30, 2023. A Presidential Search Committee has been struck and I have offered my full support to the Board of Governors in facilitating a smooth transition to the next President. There is still much to accomplish in the interim, however, and I look forward to assisting in every way possible to ensure that Acadia is on a renewed path of strength and sustainability, with a keen focus on enhancing enrolment, increased equity, diversity, inclusion and accessibility, fiscal responsibility, and united on-campus and alumni communities in accordance with our Acadia 2025 Strategic Plan. I firmly believe that Acadia’s best days are still ahead, and our ability to work together now to create meaningful and lasting situations and solutions will pay incredible dividends for future generations. Acadia will remain a destination of choice for domestic and international students and our distinct educational approach will continue to produce community-minded, engaged alumni who will foster dynamic and positive change at local, national and international levels. They will similarly embody the University’s tradition of academic and personal excellence, and represent Acadia admirably and well. With the persistent and ongoing support of all alumni, the Acadia Alumni Association, faculty, staff and students, such ambitions are not only realistic, but attainable. I embrace the opportunity to work with each of you to ensure that the prescient and foundational values upon which Acadia was built guide our thoughts and inform our actions now and for many years to come.

Sincerely,

Dr. Peter Ricketts President and Vice-Chancellor