Search committee struck for new vice-president academic & provost

President & Vice-Chancellor Mamdouh Shoukri has issued the following announcement. (For further background, see YFile, Sept. 29.)

I have struck a committee to conduct an international search for a new vice-president academic & provost. The following is a list of committee members and their Faculties:

Celia Haig-Brown, Faculty of Education
Susan Dimock, Faculty of Arts
Bonnie Kettel, Faculty of Environmental Studies
Eileen Fischer, Schulich School of Business
John Tsotsos, Faculty of Science & Engineering
Doug Crawford, Faculty of Health
Barbara Sellers-Young, Dean, Faculty of Fine Arts
Craig Heron, Faculty of Arts
Susan McGrath, Atkinson Faculty of Liberal & Professional Studies
Pina D’Agostino, Osgoode Hall Law School
To be confirmed — Staff member
To be confirmed — Graduate student
To be confirmed — Undergraduate student
Mamdouh Shoukri, President & Vice-Chancellor and Chair

The vice-president academic & provost (VPA&P) reports to the president and is responsible for institutional leadership in planning, policy development, and implementation of new and existing academic programs. In conjunction with the Senate and the president, the VPA&P sets the academic goals of the University and establishes priorities in terms of University objectives.

In fulfilling these responsibilities the vice-president works closely with the eleven Faculties and Libraries, and the offices of the president, vice-president finance & administration, vice president research & innovation, and vice-president students. The vice-president academic & provost is the senior vice-president and plays a significant role in the allocation of resources in support of the academic enterprise.

In addition to a strong personal record of achievement in research and teaching, the ideal candidate will possess outstanding organizational, interpersonal and communication skills to meet the needs of a dynamic and complex academic environment. The competencies required by the successful candidate include institutional leadership and vision, superior personal effectiveness, above average financial acumen, decisiveness, the ability to implement and support innovation and institutional change, and the effectiveness to inspire and inform a wide-ranging internal and external community. Candidates will be attracted to a campus culture based upon principles of collegiality, openness and teamwork.

I would encourage York community members to submit their comments about the qualities, skills and experience they would like to see in the next VPA&P, and to suggest the names of candidates whom they feel meet these criteria via confidential email: vpapsearch@yorku.ca. Review of candidates will begin in December 2008, and the new vice-president academic & provost will take office on July 1, 2009.