BERWICK— Tom Manley has some big shoes to fill as the new president of the Community Advisory Committee at the University of Guelph’s Alfred campus.
The organic farmer and owner of Homestead Organics in Berwick is taking over the reins from founding member and long-time president Denis Perrault of Navan. Manley was invited to take up the president’s position by committee members at the November 26 annual general meeting.
The role of the committee, which has a wide range of talent, says Manley, is to generate community interest in the campus both as a source of skilled labour and education in the French language. Their advisory role is very broad ranging depending, he says, on the question of the day. The committee has in the past advised on programming and strategic direction. With 120 full-time students the Alfred campus is relatively small in the University of Guelph family. As well as community interest the committee can provide a greater voice, he said, and lobby on behalf of the college. In an advisory capacity former president Denis Perrault also sat on the selection committee when college director Dr. Renée Bergeron was hired a couple of years ago.
The committee grew out of a movement lead by the francophone community and L’Union des cultivateurs franco-ontariens to protect the college from provincial budget cuts in the mid-1990s, Manley explains. Anticipating the closure of Alfred College following the demise of two agricultural colleges, the group lobbied the provincial government to ensure its future. From that movement the committee was formed with Denis Perrault at the helm until Manley’s recent appointment.
The college will celebrate its 30th anniversary in 2011 the same year the International Plowing Match will also be held at Chute-A-Blondeau. Manley and the committee will be looking at planning and organizing a fitting celebration for that momentous occasion.
With several decades worth of graduates from the college, the committee will also be looking at creating an alumni association and building a network of business and social contacts. They will be able to utilize that resource to invest in the college.
The college’s last strategic plan was five years ago, so over the course of his two-year term Manley also expects the committee to be contributing to a new strategic plan that will address capital projects, program changes and development strategy.
While Manley always had ties to Alfred College he does concede to becoming more involved since the college added an organic component — the Organic Dairy Centre. Members of the committee also include college staff, former graduates as well as business development and financial specialists.
From the Archives:
AgriNotes, January 2010
