News

On March 10, 2017, Dr. Loreman provided General Faculties Council with the following report:

Our next Chancellor

• As you are aware, Steven Mandel will be our next Chancellor. I would like to acknowledge the strong work by the Hon. Allan Wachowich who, as our first Chancellor, set a very high standard and in many ways defined the role for future Chancellors. Steven Mandel will bring energy, intelligence, knowledge and a very strong and positive public profile to the role. He is also the recipient of an honourary Doctor of Divinity degree from CUE. I look forward to working with him.

VPA and Provost search

• The full Selection Committee has completed interviews of two candidates. The Committee has decided to move both forward to stakeholder meetings (faculty, staff, and students who will provide feedback to the Selection Committee), and a second interview.

VP Student Life and Learning

• At the February Board meeting the Board approved the position of Vice-President Student Life and Learning, effective April 1, 2017. I have appointed Dr. Barb van Ingen to this post, with the agreement of the Board. As GFC is well aware, Dr. van Ingen has provided dedicated and highly competent service to our students and institution for many years in a number of roles.
• The purpose of elevating this position from Dean to Vice-President level is to enhance the focus on our students at Concordia. This includes a voice at the President’s Executive Council, a higher profile, and greater authority to direct initiatives that will improve outcomes for our students.

Canada’s preeminent small university

• I joined Mayor Don Iveson on a 2-day ‘whirlwind’ mission to Yellowknife and Whitehorse on Feb 23 & 24. This trip was most worthwhile, providing good value for money. Activities and outcomes were as follows:
  • 8 separate meetings over the 2-day period.
  • Concordia featured prominently, and was acknowledged by Mayor Iveson in all public events.
  • I attended events and met with with local indigenous leaders, Mayor Don Iveson, Cr. Ed Gibbons, Edmonton City Manager Linda Cochrane, NWT Premier Bob McLeod, Whitehorse Mayor Dan Curtis, and Yellowknife Mayor Mark Heyck along with a number of NWT and Yukon politicians and Cabinet Ministers. This was excellent exposure for us, and good for our relationship with the City of Edmonton.
  • I had an extended meeting with Yukon College president Dr. Karen Barnes. I was warmly received at the college. There appears to be scope for us to collaborate on indigenous learning issues and in programming, both of which would be mutually beneficial. I will be personally following up on this.
  • I met with Dr. Ronald Layden from Aurora College’s North Slave Research Centre (NSRC). There are potential synergies with our Centre for Innovation and Applied Research (CIAR) and some of the research work in our Faculty of Science.

Budget

• We now have a balanced budget for 2017-18, and this has been approved by the Board of Governors.
• As I reported to GFC in February, assumptions include a slight increase in enrolment, a tuition freeze, and a 2% increase in our Campus Alberta Grant. If these variables change, so may our budget.
• While operating a budget is a dynamic process, we must now regard the 2017-18 budget as being finalized. Unbudgeted expenses that may arise during this period will only be approved under the most compelling of circumstances. Budget managers are expected to be vigilant.
• Deputy Minister Rod Skura, at the meeting of the Council of Post-Secondary Presidents of Alberta last Friday advised all presidents that budget increases may not be possible into the future, given Alberta’s economic situation. We will prepare for that likelihood.