In Conversation: A chat between Dean Marvin Washington and Dean Robert Wood

Advocacy, enhanced connection and multidisciplinary collaboration are at the forefront of the relationship between the College of Social Sciences and Humanities (CSSH) and the Faculty of Arts, according to CSSH Dean Marvin Washington and Faculty of Arts Dean Robert Wood.

In the first installment of a new four-part series featuring honest dialogue between Marvin Washington and the deans of the Faculties of Arts, Education, Law, and the Alberta School of Business, the two leaders discuss current initiatives, future goals and acknowledge the importance of work-life balance.

What is the college and the Faculty of Arts currently working together on? How is that going?

Robert Wood (RW): We have been having many discussions about how we can work together around college-level programs and initiatives, and how the Faculty of Arts can contribute to them. For example, we are exploring the potential for numerous interdisciplinary opportunities, such as Deaf studies and critical disability studies, and how we can collaborate and create enriching programs.

A great example of an initiative the college and our faculty have successfully worked on together, and brought to fruition, is the Collaborative College Community Initiative (or C3I), which aims to inspire discussions and conversations amongst all members of the college, as well as the larger University community, around the 75th anniversary of the signing of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. That’s something that has been impactful, robust and comprehensive because of the wide-ranging support of the college structure.

As a faculty dean, I can certainly see how there could be more programs and initiatives that could be highly successful if we elevate them to the college level. The learning and the work that’s going on in many areas is not just arts-specific, and I’m excited to move into a new phase where we can build multidisciplinary initiatives together.

I’d also like to mention that I’ve really valued the opportunity to have an accessible connection to Marvin who can help me strategize on these things and the direction of our faculty’s goals. Marvin’s been a real support to me as a dean as I’ve navigated many opportunities, and this relationship is important and has been positive.

Marvin Washington (MW): As Robert mentioned, we are working on exploring opportunities and programs that we can support the faculty with and make it well rounded through interdisciplinary collaboration. Robert has been a wonderful partner, adept at filling in the gaps and envisioning the future trajectory of these initiatives and how the college can help them be successful. The relationship between the college and Arts has been truly collaborative, and I too am looking forward to continuing these plans and discussions.

Something else in my role that I am so grateful for is that all the deans in the college’s faculties have given me permission and the opportunity to learn deeply about their faculties, and Robert is no exception. For example, one of the first things Robert did when I first came into this role was set up a two-hour tour of Arts where I not only got to see the diversity of its programs but also got to explore the actual spaces that make up the faculty. This has given me a foundational understanding of Arts and gives me solid context when I have conversations with Robert about the faculty. Because of the knowledge this has afforded me, I am also better able to help represent Arts when speaking to other units on campus about the faculty and its needs.

Going forward, how can the college best support the Faculty of Arts?

MW: As many of us know, many conversations and attention can gravitate toward other disciplines at the university, such as science and health. Part of my role is to truly be an advocate in the rooms that I’m in and bring to the table that there are faculties in the social sciences and humanities, such as Arts, which are extensive in their scope and have many areas and institutes within it that are relative to differing subjects out there. Arts plays a pivotal role in fostering understanding and nurturing the critical thinking skills essential across all academic disciplines. This requires me having specific Arts examples to bring into conversations and Robert has been critical to connecting me to people in the faculty and giving me examples of the variety of amazing people who can contribute to initiatives across the university.

RW: Yes, I think that advocacy piece is really key and Marvin’s been a really strong advocate for Arts. We are a foundational faculty that supports the requirements and enrollment expansions of many other programs at the University of Alberta, and those universities that thrive in all fields have at their core thrived in the social sciences, humanities and fine arts. We need to have a thriving arts faculty at the U of A, and translating the importance of what we do, and the foundational quality of who we are as a faculty, requires that extra advocacy at a higher level. I do what I can as faculty dean, but Marvin does have access to different kinds of tables, so that advocacy piece is really important.

I think about what else the college can do for us beyond advocacy, and another big component is strategizing a path forward with respect to growth. We have gone through many transitions as a university and there’s probably more to come, and our faculty looks to Marvin and others in the college team to help the Arts team develop the right strategies to ensure we are still thriving in the face of challenges. That sort of strategically supportive function is going to be really key because we’ll need to do it as a team.

MW: A very concrete example of that is re-imagining what collaborative interdisciplinarity looks like with the new Frontiers Research Foundation. Here are big research funds that, in order to apply, you need a truly interdisciplinary team. While a member from the Arts department may not serve as the principal investigator (PI) on certain projects, they can certainly take on the role of co-PI; now, let's identify individuals who are suitable for that co-PI position. That’s a collaboration between the Arts’ associate dean of research and the college’s associate dean of research really being that translation. For example, if someone says “I have a great project with hydrogen,” well that word “hydrogen” isn’t going to translate into what faculty in Arts do, but by hydrogen do we mean renewable resources or environmental concerns? Those parts of research connect to Arts and that’s the work of the college: to connect it to Arts and find that translation and the expert on the area from the faculty.

Besides being leaders who work closely together, you two share another commonality in that you’re both professionals navigating the demands of challenging careers and the responsibilities of parenthood. Could you share your most valuable insights on effectively balancing the dynamics of work and family life?

MW: First of all, I'd like to say that our university is really supportive of work-family-life balance and we really embrace that everyone plays a role in family life. The idea that no matter who we are we can’t do our jobs 24/7 is really supported, and it’s been a really satisfying feeling being able to comfortably say that I need to leave at a certain time to take care of something in my personal life.

I do have a couple of other lessons on this subject, though. One thing I’ve learned is to set clear expectations on what I can and can’t commit to in my personal life. I’ve come to terms with the fact that I can’t necessarily plan something with absolute certainty randomly at 5 o’clock on a Thursday, for example. For me, minor plans are tentative, and coming to terms with that has taken a lot of pressure off me and my family has been very understanding.

Another thing that really helps is having a designated space for work at home. For example, when my youngest sees me on my computer in my home office, he understands that daddy is working. And I do a good job of making sure that I’m not in that room if I’m not working so that he knows and there is a clear distinction for him.

RW: I have three kids of different ages, and so I have sort of been managing the home-work-life balance for quite a while now. But for me, it’s important to establish boundaries. It’s a busy and intense job, and when you start the day it’s full-on for the whole day. I try to recognize that at a certain point in the day, I have to be done with work. In the evening my family needs me, and I’m pretty strict about establishing those boundaries so I can make sure they can have me for the times they need me. That I find is really important. Early in my career, I didn’t do so well with this and I found that, consequently, both parts of my life weren’t as optimal and that boundaries really helped both sides of my life to be more healthy.

You also have to give yourself permission to be available for what’s important in your personal life. For example, I have a child who has a condition that involves a lot of medical appointments and there are times when I have to say, you know what, I need to postpone this meeting to support my family – and that’s ok and a great thing. This is an important job, but home life and being available to support my family is an important job as well.

Lastly, what is your favourite coffee spot on campus and what’s your go-to order?

RW: I like to go to Cookies by George because it’s the last spot I pass on my way to my American Sign Language class at 7:30 in the morning. That’s where I get a house blend with cream.