When we set out to create a college model at the University of Alberta, the Board of Governors asked for a review of the model at the 18 month mark to evaluate how we were doing and course correct as needed. Today I’m pleased to share the final report on the U of A College Model Review.
I asked Dr. Dru Marshall—former longtime faculty member and Deputy Provost at the U of A, and former Provost at the University of Calgary—to take on this review of the college model. I want to thank Dr. Marshall for her work. I find her report to give a fair and balanced assessment of the opportunities that the college model provides for the U of A, as well as the challenges that lay before us in fully realizing those opportunities. I invite you to read the full report here.
Highlights
First, I echo Dr. Marshall’s thoughts: that we have achieved this transformation despite its massive scope, necessary speed, and challenging context testifies to the resilience of our community and its people. I know this change has not come without difficulty. As a community, we nonetheless decided that protecting the histories and identities of our faculties was imperative—and we found a way to do that within the college model.
Since the model launched on July 1, 2021, we have secured permanent leadership in our new college deans, built out the college offices of education and research, restructured and realigned the vice-presidential portfolios to better integrate with the college model, and put leadership structures into practice to coordinate between and within our colleges and faculties. These transformations have really been the first of their kind within Canada, and they position us to be a leader on the national landscape.
The review also notes that the college model holds major opportunities for research, teaching and learning, promoting interdisciplinarity and breaking down silos—and unsurprisingly, that we have not yet fully realized these opportunities. The model’s potential is only transformative if it successfully contributes to enhancing research, teaching, and service. Realizing this potential will now become our focus moving forward.
Next Steps
Last week I shared the college model review with General Faculties Council and the Board of Governors, and had a chance to hear their perspectives and feedback. In the coming weeks, I will be working with the college deans to begin prioritizing and implementing the report’s recommendations. I believe one of those priorities needs to be culture: building and refining a team-based and collaborative culture across the university, and rebuilding trust within faculty and staff.
To that end, the university strategic planning process that we have undertaken could not be more timely. President Flanagan and I are committed to building a strategic plan in which our full university community can see themselves—and one which gives us a shared vision for the future of the U of A. If you have not done so already, I invite you to learn more about the forthcoming University of Alberta Strategic Plan and read the What We Heard report. I also encourage you to join in this conversation as we head into the next round of consultations this spring.
I’d like to pass my sincere gratitude to Dr. Marshall for her efforts in reviewing our college model and outlining recommendations, and to everyone who provided feedback and insight throughout the process. I look forward to working with you on the next steps for this model.
Sincerely,
Dr. Verna Yiu
Interim Provost and Vice-president (Academic)