INTRODUCTION
Bob Dylan captured the sentiments of an age in his storied song, “The Times They Are A-Changin’.”
Nowmore than ever we know that Canadian society is facing transformational change. The demography of the
country as the baby boomers pass into retirement will challenge the healthcare system and other social welfare
schemes. The number of workers to support a retired population has dropped from 7.1 workers per retiree when
CPPwas introduced to 3.9 today and 2.8workers per retiree in 2025
. To sustain our economy, wewill
be dependent upon significant levels of immigration. Globalization, although now under threat, has shifted the
workforce, changing the nature and emphases of domestic manufacturing and the service sector, and creating
new employment dynamics. The dramatic growth in artificial intelligencewill significantly influence theworkplace of
tomorrow, with the possibility that many service jobs, particularly in transportation, may be lost. Creativity and
expertise in all forms will be highly valued to give personal meaning to life and to confront the challenges of rapid
social change.
Universities play an increasingly important role in preparing citizens for this new world. Here, at the University of
Windsor, we take this commitment seriously: our graduateswill be leaders, not followers. Theywill embrace rather
than resist change. Theywill be part of creative solutions and not the perpetrators of problems.
Whatwedid:
Between February and March 2017 we held five Community Consultations. We invited over three hundred
individuals from theWindsor-Essex region— individualswho represented all aspects of our community andwhom
we identified as opinionmakers, community leaders, and change agents. Five breakfasts divided into the following
sectorswere held:
1.
ServiceSector
: lawyers, accountants, bankers, financial advisors, and insurance agents
2.
Public Sector - Health, Social Work, and Education
: doctors, nurses, health professionals, social
workers, and educators
3.
Public Sector - Government andCommunity Service
: municipal officers and politicians, social service
agencyworkers, and communityworkers
4.
CreativeSector - Arts, Entertainment,Media, Hospitality, andMarketing
5.
Industrial Sector -Manufacturing, Technology, Energy, andAgriculture
At each consultation, President and Vice Chancellor AlanWildeman gave a fifteen-minute overview, situating both
the important role of universities in Ontario’s development and prosperity, and the University of Windsor’s
contribution to the Windsor-Essex region’s economic development and vibrancy. The overview can be found via
the accompanyingPowerPoint presentation, included here as AppendixC.
Seated at tables of between six and eight members, participants engaged in a conversation facilitated by a faculty
member and senior student. They shared their knowledge, ideas, and opinions on a series of open questions for
fifty minutes. Each consultation concluded with four word clouds asking participants to suggest one salient word
todescribe how they felt about four common questions.
Report onCommunityConsultations:Winter 2017
