LEADERSHIP EXCELLENCE PROGRAM

The Leadership Excellence Program will run in 2022/23 with a hybrid delivery model, offering webinars and virtual interactive sessions, as well as in-person elective sessions (at the 2022 Higher Education Summit).

For further information, please contact Diane Posterski, Program Manager.

Leadership Excellence Certificate

  • Click here to read the FAQ
  • The Leadership Excellence Certificate program is open to college administrators in any of the 24 Ontario CAAT colleges.
  • Participants must enrol in the program to receive credit for sessions attended.
    To enrol in the certificate program, click here.
  • There is no program fee to enroll. However, participants are required to attend the Higher Education Summit (HES) in order to receive in-person elective credits, as well as the pre-HES session, Leadership symposium: Strategic change leadership. All HES registration fees are the responsibility of the participant. Also, there is a session fee for Leadership Accountability Gap, as noted below. 

For more information, please contact Diane Posterski, Program Manager.

LEADERSHIP EXCELLENCE CERTIFICATE

2022-23 PROGRAM YEAR

MANDATORY SESSIONS

Webinar: The college, the board and the governor: legal framework and obligations (90 min)
This session provides an essential overview of the board's roles, the general and specific legal duties of governors, personal liability for corporate acts and omissions, and a brief overview of risk management and indemnification. College leaders will deepen their understanding of college governance.

Facilitator:


Victoria Prince, National Practice Group Leader, Corporate Commercial,
Borden Ladner Gervais


Katherine Carre, Counsel, Corporate Commercial Group
Borden Ladner Gervais

Live: 
Wednesday, October 12, 2022 (9:00 am) 

Recorded:
Available by video-on-demand following the live session.

Click here to register (for either the live session OR video recording).  

Leadership Accountability Gap

Participants will discuss what it really means to be a leader today. This has become the most critical question for colleges as they contend with a myriad of challenges at a time of unprecedented change and disruption. To succeed, colleges will need truly accountable leaders in place at every level. This thought provoking and practical session will help participants become the truly accountable leader colleges require. Participants will walk away with practical insights on how to:

  • be a more deliberate and purposeful leader
  • learn to tackle the hard work that is holding you back
  • build a strong leadership culture in your college

Facilitator:


Vince Molinaro, Founder and CEO, Leadership Contract Inc. 

Asynchronous activity:
April 26, 2023 - May 11, 2023

Virtual, interactive session:
Friday, May 12, 2023
8:30 am - 10:30 am

Fees apply: $175.00 plus tax.

Click here to register!

Webinar: Working with college boards (90 min)
As a senior college leader, working effectively with boards of governors is a critical skill set. This session will highlight important aspects of the roles, intersections with the board, and how to ensure the board is educated, informed and able to perform its governance responsibilities effectively.

Facilitator:


Catherine M. Raso, President, CMR Consulting

Live
Tuesday
, February 7, 2023 (10:00 am)

Recorded:
Available by video-on-demand following the live session.

Click here to register (for either the live session OR video recording). 

 

Webinar: Understanding college financial statements (90 min)
Financial statements provide critical information on a college’s financial health and its ability to pursue and achieve its strategic objectives. This session will provide an introduction for board members, board staff and senior managers on:

  • basic components of financial statements
  • financial statement objectives
  • generally Accepted Accounting Principles “GAAP” for colleges
  • role of senior management and boards vis-à-vis financial statements
  • what to focus on when reading the financial statements
  • reporting of financials to key internal and external stakeholders
  • upcoming “GAAP” changes for college financial statements

Facilitators:


Robert Wilkes, CPA, CA, Partner, BDO Canada LLP 


Marcus Sconci, CPA, CA, Partner, BDO Canada LLP

Live:
Thursday, January 26, 2023 (8:30 am)

Recorded:
Available by video-on-demand following the live session.

Click here to register (for either the live session OR video recording). 

Leadership symposium: Strategic change leadership

Through online synchronous and asynchronous segments, you will:

  • learn and apply a framework for organizational learning and change;
  • identify the organizational learning capabilities that enabled rapid change during the pandemic;
  • identify personal insights to enhance your change leadership;
  • learn from experiences of other college leaders.

Facilitators:

Dr. Lori Nemeth, Digital HR Project Lead (formerly Senior Manager of Organization Development and Learning), Fanshawe College

Eric Sloat, Consultant, Organizational Development and Learning, Fanshawe College

Asynchronous learning component begins November 7, 2022.


In-person session:
Sunday, November 27, 2022

8:00 am - 12:00 pm

Session completed.

ELECTIVE SESSIONS
A minimum of six (6) credits is required
.
Two credits must be in-person credits, from the 
2022 Higher Education Summit.

Webinar: College financial leadership (90 min)
Financial leadership is critical to both boards of governors, and senior college administrators. This session will highlight good governance practices around financial leadership, key components of revenue and expenditures, financial health indicators, the current financial status of the college system and the influence of the province on college financial matters.
Within the financial context, this session will also integrate good governance concepts, the importance of understanding legislation, regulations, risk management and fiduciary duties and standard of care, along with strong financial oversight.

Facilitator:


Sanjay Puri, VP Administration & CFO
Humber College

Live:
Tuesday, January 31, 2023 (12:00 pm)

Recorded:
Available by video-on-demand following the live session.

Click here to register (for either the live session OR video recording). 

 

Webinar: How to Ask Better Questions as a Governor (90 min)

Board members are often told that “asking questions” is one of their most important responsibilities.  In this session, we will look at how governors ask questions from the governance perspective. Going beyond the responsibilities of the board, we’ll explore how governors can make real-time contributions by speaking up and framing effective questions that focus on the board’s domain, get at the issues, and elicit needed information. Both new and seasoned governor will benefit from this session.

For those enrolled in Leadership Excellence, understanding the basis of good dialogue between senior/executive leadership and the Board will enhance both your understanding of the respective roles, and your readiness for presentation and discussion.  

Facilitator:


Lyn McDonell, FCMC, C Dir., President, The Accountability Group  

Live:
Tuesday, February 28 (9:00 am)

Recording:
Available by video-on-demand following the live session.

Click here to register (for either the live session OR video recording).

Webinar: Labour and employee relations – an introduction (60 min)
The College Employer Council (CEC) provides system leadership to labour and employee relations. Join this session to better understand the role of CEC, collective bargaining across the system, managing with collective agreements, and legislative frameworks.

Facilitator:


Graham Lloyd, CEO, College Employer Council

Live:
Tuesday, October 4, 2022 (12:00 pm)

Recorded:
Available by video-on-demand following the live session.

Click here to register (for either the live session OR video recording). 

Webinar: The college system – an introduction (60 min)
Join this session to better understand the context for the college system as a whole. Current key issues will be discussed, along with the challenges and opportunities ahead, and the strategic priorities for the system. College governors and college leaders will gain a critical appreciation for the sector in which their college operates, and its strategic role in the province.

Facilitator:


Linda Franklin, President & CEO, Colleges Ontario

Live:
Tuesday, October. 6, 2022 (8:30 am)

Recorded:
Available by video-on-demand following the live session.

Click here to register (for either the live session OR video recording). 

Webinar: Risk management for senior managers – an introduction (90 min)
This session will look at the critical role senior management plays in leading risk management, building a pervasive risk culture and ensuring that the board has the information it needs to endorse the president’s proposed approach to, and proposed strategies for, risk management.

Facilitators:


Sarah Dionne, Senior Manager,
Enterprise Risk Practice, MNP LLP


Philip Racco, Senior Manager,
Enterprise Risk Practice, MNP LLP

Live:
Tuesday, November 1, 2022
8:30 am

Recorded:
Available by video-on-demand following the live session.

Click here to register (for either the live session OR video recording). 

In-person, elective credits. Attendance at the Higher Education Summit is required.

2022 options:

Everyday resiliency in ever-changing times
Presenter: Robyne Hanley-Dafoe, Psychology and Education Instructor

Psychological insights and successful strategies for difficult conversations
Presenter: Mark Weber, Business School Director, University of Waterloo

Leading a hybrid world. Charting a new course
Presenter: Gary Watanabe, Principal Trainer, Third Factor

Sessions completed.

Webinar: An intro to environmental, social and governance (ESG) principles: a discussion on issues and trends for senior managers (90 min)
Developments in our operating environments – from the pandemic to climate change – have aimed a spotlight at the center of sustainability and driven greater awareness around the importance of environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues. Sound ESG management and reporting is critical to communicate with stakeholders, to disclose and discuss risks and issues, uncertainties, challenges, opportunities and trends that may ultimately impact financial performance. This presentation will look to introduce ESG principles, and highlight some of the key considerations for leaders in higher education.

Facilitators: 

Sarah Dionne, Senior Manager,
Enterprise Risk Practice, MNP LLP

Edward Olson , CPA, CA
Leader, Environmental Social & Governance and Regional Leader, Enterprise Risk Services, MNP LLP

Session is closed.

Webinar: Exploring leadership development enhanced by traditional Indigenous knowledge (90 min)

After exploring traditional Indigenous Knowledge concepts embedded into some of the earliest treaties between our First Nations and Settler ancestors, we will continue to explore traditional Indigenous Knowledge(s), cosmology and ways of knowing. We will consider (K)new knowledge and its practical application in 21st century thinking with a focus on leadership development. In order to do this, we will set a baseline understanding by exploring Creation Stories, the Thanksgiving Address, Clan systems and the Great Law of Peace.

Facilitators:

Ron Deganadus McLester, Vice President – Truth, Reconciliation & Indigenization, Algonquin College


Carolyn Hepburn, Dean, School of Indigenous Studies and Academic Upgrading, Sault College

Session is closed.