Much to celebrate at this point in our history

As we bid farewell to another term at Acadia and look ahead to the future, I continue to marvel at the resilience and fortitude of our on-campus and alumni communities. While the pandemic is still very much with us, we are all learning to live with it as we emerge from necessary health and safety protocols to a new reality that embraces kindness, consideration and appreciation for where we’ve been and where we would like to be. I’m proud to say that we have weathered the storm admirably, and the collective and determined efforts of faculty, students, staff and administration allowed us to conclude the term successfully and provide an in-person Convocation for the first time in two years. It was wonderful to see members of this year’s graduating class cross the stage in University Hall, receive their diplomas and share in the celebration of their tremendous achievements. It’s a clear indication that we are well on our way to the resumption of time-honoured Acadia traditions within the context of a pandemic that continues to influence our decisions, but now does not necessarily govern our actions. Indeed, there is much to celebrate at this point in our history. Acadia recently received a one-time investment of $22 million from the provincial government to address deferred maintenance requirements on its 250-acre campus. Having funds specifically allocated to improve the learning and working conditions of our campus and community is an investment in Acadia’s sustainability, and this one-time investment is a gamechanger for the infrastructure needs for our campus that have been delayed due to budget realities. The winter term was particularly difficult, as we continued to navigate the ever-changing nature of COVID-19 and a challenging negotiation with the Faculty Association that resulted in a month-long strike. Fortunately, we were able to resolve the strike in time to allow students to complete their courses without an extension to the term. Importantly, this allowed our Class of 2022 to graduate on time. Shortly after the resumption of classes, the provincial government lifted the state of emergency and all of the public health restrictions, and we started to feel that we were really putting the pandemic behind us. This was good news, indeed, and so was the fact that we saw the resumption of varsity sports again, with two of our teams competing in national tournaments. The Axewomen basketball team won the AUS title in a thrilling come-from-behind victory over Cape Breton University to punch their ticket to the U SPORTS Final 8 tournament in Kingston, ON; and our hockey Axemen, in conjunction with Acadia Athletics and SEAtlantic, hosted the 2022 U SPORTS Cavendish Farms University Cup men’s championship in the Andrew H. McCain Arena in Wolfville. It was exciting to watch both teams compete at the highest level of university sport in the country, and even more gratifying to know that this year the Department of Athletics announced a record 150 Academic All-Canadians from the 2020-21 academic year. This number speaks volumes about the quality of our student-athletes, and also our coaches, staff, professors, and the entire campus community. Acadia’s strategic plan, Acadia 2025, calls for actions to advance equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) across the campus and amongst our university community. Therefore, I was pleased to announce in April two initiatives aimed at accelerating progress toward meeting the EDI goals and objectives of the strategic plan, namely the creation of an Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Anti-Racism (EDIAR) Council for Acadia University, and the establishment of a new administrative position to support EDI across campus. The Acadia Alumni Association and all members of the Acadia alumni family have contributed in one way or another to these successes, and we are grateful for your persistent and faithful support. You lead by example, reflecting beautifully the themes of mentorship and inspiration that are captured in this edition of the Bulletin. Alumni are a foundational pillar upon which we depend, and I look forward as we transition to more in-person events to welcome you back to campus and thank you personally for all you do for Acadia. I would also like to thank Donalda MacBeath (’75) for her excellent service as President of the Acadia Alumni Association and extend a warm welcome to new President Matt Rios (’14), a former Acadia Students’ Union President. I look forward to working with him and wish him all the best as he begins his two-year term as Alumni Association President. Yours in Acadia spirit,

Dr. Peter Ricketts President and Vice-Chancellor