A message from Steve Hudson, senior vice-president Academic and Learner Services:
I am writing to share a change within Academic and Learner Services, driven by strategies outlined in our 2017-2021 Strategic Plan, including the development of innovative programs that meet the needs of diverse students; an expanded range of experiences and applied learning offerings; and building domestic and international enrolments in a breadth of programs.
Effective January 20, 2020, the Business, Hospitality and Environment division will become two separate academic divisions: Business and Environment.
Al Unwin will lead the new Environment division as dean.
The move creates a new academic division with a growth mandate — through program development designed to expand both the domestic market and the internationalization of curricula, while supporting the science and sustainability focus of programs within the division. The creation of this new division is to recognize the increasing importance of changes in our environment and a need to find sustainable, cross-sector approaches to solving environmental issues.
As dean, Al will be responsible for academic operations and program development, environmental developments at Niagara-on-the-Lake, related learning enterprises, and supporting the development across the college on sustainability and environmental management.
This change also brings a renewed focus within the Business division to its core programming. The College has identified business as a core strength within the draft Strategic Mandate Agreement, which would take effect April 1, 2020. The business programs, which include hospitality, tourism, management and operations programs within the division, and affiliated programs such as wine business management and brewery operations, are core to the on-going growth and development of the college.
While the recruitment process for a new dean of Business continues, Damian Goulbourne will continue as associate dean of the School of Hospitality, Tourism and Sport, while interim associate deans Holly Catalfamo and Dawit Eshetu will oversee the remainder of programs within the division.
Moving forward, Fiona Allan, associate vice president Academic, will be initiating a consultation process with faculty and staff within Business to identify the best organizational structure for the division.
Please join me in congratulating Al, and wishing him well as he assumes leadership of the new Environment division.
