University of Windsor president Alan Wildeman wants to “reshape” and “re-imagine” his school.

“We live in a world that was fundamentally changed in 2008,” Wildeman said of the global recession. “It’s a different set of circumstances we’re in now. Every university in Ontario is asking, ‘How do we adapt to this?’”

Wildeman addressed approximately 350 people Tuesday, including faculty, staff, students and alumni at the school’s new state-of-the-art engineering building, where he peddled his four-pillar plan.

“I think there’s a way to re-imagine this university in a way that will let us be recognized as unique,” Wildeman said.

He said the school should focus on Great Lakes research, sustainable communities and border issues.

The school is already home to the Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research. It also stands in the shadow of the Ambassador Bridge, North America’s busiest border crossing.

Revenue shortfall

Wildeman said school revenue is not keeping pace with rising expenses. He said the University of Windsor was the only university in Ontario to see two distinct periods of enrolment decline in recent years.

Furthermore, the government considers the university under-enrolled.

So the university needs to adapt and get creative in an effort to increase the number of students.

That includes using massive open online courses.

“We can no longer ignore the dissemination of information,” he said. “We’ve had to find ways to live within in our means. How can we take large classrooms and turn them into something more interactive ... to use technology to stimulate thinking.”

He also said upgrading facilities, the way the engineering department did, and moving part of campus downtown, attracts students.

Assistant vice president of records and admissions, Dave Bussiere, said engineering enrolment at Windsor is up 35 per cent. Engineering enrolment rose 11 per cent province-wide, he said.

“We want a lot of applications so we can bring the right students in. But for many of the programs, it’s program growth that funds new faculty, staff and stability,” Bussiere explained.

Wildeman said the school has to sell itself.

“Our goal is to take a hard look at just how do we get the story out there a lot better and how do we invigorate our recruitment efforts,” he said. ‘We have to help contribute to a vibrant economy, which will make Windsor-Essex a destination place for people to live. If we do that, other dots start to connect.”

Jobs wanted

Students, though, just want jobs after university.

“We want jobs in sectors we’re training for. There seems to be less positions available in where we want to apply,” said Omar Mohamed, a first-year law student. “If that’s the case, stop opening those positions.”

Wildeman said limiting enrolment isn’t the answer.

“It was a question when I was students. Jobs are not easy to find,” he said. “I don’t think the answer is to shut down the education system or stop educating people.

“We don’t know what’s coming down the road. We don’t know where those degrees will be valuable or how students will find ways to use those degrees to make the next steps.”