ORIGIN
Loyola Development Office (LDO) is the fruit of deliberations and discussions held at many levels in the last three years. Recently, during the academic year of 2008-2009 Jesuits at Loyola Chennai with active interest of Loyola Alumni thought through a way of envisioning what they would want Loyola to be and become; the ways we would teach, the ways our students would learn and the ways in which we would organize them by faculty and staff of quality and efficiency. That resulted in Loyola Master Plan 2025. It was felt that a plan remains merely a plan unless it is realized by effective strategies and efficient personnel. Therefore, an office was evolved to function as a strategic help that drives the actualization of the Plan. Thus Loyola Development Office was born. This office has specific terms and conditions and it would function within the structure of administration of Loyola, reporting directly to Fr Principal, and Fr Rector and Secretary. This office would be greatly assisted by the Loyola Alumni.
The following points will give a template on which LDO will gradually develop as it faces different areas of expansion and improvement towards making Loyola College into a temple of learning of international standard.
LDO focuses on the ways in which it could provide support in terms of evolving fraternal relationship with people and organizations outside. Inside the college, it helps the administration to create conducive atmosphere for effective work by providing support in training and developing human resources. And it helps procure finance/funds for developing the type of infrastructure/buildings, for doing research and for staff development that are needed to realize the Master Plan. In addition, the Office builds links with outside the college with a constant flow of communication about the college's activities and research.
Development is less an office than a performance. Loyola Development Office (LDO) intends to perform at three levels. It develops human resources. It networks with outside. It procures funds for the college.
• It functions at the level of human resource development. It helps the college administration to train, develop skills and knowledge of the human resources (teaching and non-teaching faculty) to provide quality teaching and research that measure up to international standard. In course of time, LDO would evolve a system and structure for a staff development college with the resources available within the college - The College of Education - and outside.
• LDO assists the college administration to network with world class institutions and universities in terms of student and teacher exchange and conducting joint programmes. This would infuse an impetus to enhance the quality in the ways Loyola provides education. In addition, LDO would have a wing in its structure that liaison with governmental and nongovernmental offices and institutions to advance the interests of Loyola College .
• It would locate financial resources within India and attract them into the college for building state of the art facilities and infrastructure that facilitates quality education. It would approach Loyola alumni/ae and other foundations and individuals bring in funds that would be used for building infrastructure, developing human resources, and funding research initiatives.
LDO aims to make efforts to develop the college at many levels. To realize its projects, it would approach not only Loyola Alumni, but also it would approach major foundations, individual philanthropists, and corporate donors. LDO is a team: Fr Casimir Raj (Advisor and Director, Loyola Alumni Association), Fr Joe Arun (Secretary) Fr Arockiasamy (Deputy Principal), Fr Francis Andrew (Campus Treasurer) Fr A Louis (Director, Loyola Hostel), Fr. Augustine (Finance Controller, LIBA). In the days to come, Fr Rector has asked LDO to induct more members from the staff (both teaching and non-teaching) and students.
In the coming years, LDO will make a collective campaign to search for funds to build infrastructure such as a new building of Hostel for men, and for Women, School of Business Studies, Loyola College of Engineering and Technology, auditorium, library, indoor stadium, Canteen, Health Centre, International Guest House, Staff Development Centre, etc.
A brochure will be published to explain about all this. That would be sent to donors and alumni/ae. Similarly, it would evolve strategies to strengthen human resources in terms of staff recruitment and training.
Rev Dr Joe Arun SJ
Dean, External Affairs and Development
Loyola Development Office
Off: 0091-44-28178446
Email: cjarun@gmail.com
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