From the Provost's Desk

Thanking our outgoing deans

We are grateful to Barb Billingsley, Stan Blade, Greta Cummings and Demetres Tryphonopoulos for their leadership.

June 20, 2024 By Verna Yiu

From left to right: Barb Billingsley, Stan Blade, Greta Cummings and Demetres Tryphonopoulos

On June 30, four of our faculty deans -- Stan Blade, Greta Cummings, Demetres Tryphonopoulos and Barb Billingsley -- will end their terms. I want to sincerely thank all four of these leaders for the dedication, integrity and wisdom they brought to their roles and to the Deans’ Council throughout their terms. They have been advocates for their disciplines and for the university, and their insightful leadership has not only enriched their faculties but the university community as a whole.

I am deeply grateful for their efforts in establishing strong foundations for our incoming deans to further develop and grow. I have highlighted just a few of their many contributions below. Please join me in expressing our gratitude for their service and wishing them continued success in their future endeavours.

Verna Yiu
Provost and Vice-President (Academic)

Barbara Billingsley, Law

As the first woman to be appointed dean of the Faculty of Law, Barb Billingsley brought incredible leadership to the faculty and made numerous contributions during her tenure. As dean, she led the faculty through the transition to online learning during COVID-19 and through the university’s reorganization under the University of Alberta for Tomorrow initiative. She has also overseen significant renovations to the Law Centre and substantial renewal of Law’s complement of faculty members and staff.

Barb is a proud alumna of the U of A, having earned her LLB and LLM here in 1990 and 1995, respectively, and her BA in political science in 1987. She has been a full-time faculty member since 2001 and a member of the Law Society of Alberta for more than 30 years. We are so grateful for Barb’s expertise and continual dedication to the university’s students and learning environment. Barb will be taking a one-year administrative leave, starting July 1, before returning to the role of professor in the Faculty of Law.

We look forward to welcoming Fiona Kelly as the incoming dean of the Faculty of Law beginning on July 1.

Stan Blade, ALES

Stan Blade has made many remarkable contributions during his ten years as the longest serving dean of Agricultural, Life & Environmental Sciences (ALES), including raising more than $135 million in advancement contributions and helping secure more than $450 million in research funding. Throughout his tenure, Stan has worked to elevate the profile of the faculty and the U of A as an international leader in agricultural sciences and research. Under his leadership, ALES research engaged over 320 sponsors and over 72 private sector partners in the last five years. Stan was also awarded the Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee Medal in 2023, recognizing his significant contributions to Alberta’s agricultural innovation and advocacy through his service to the faculty.

After his term concludes on June 30, Stan will begin his next adventure as the Deputy Director General for the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) based in Hyderabad, India.

Vic Adamowicz (vice-dean, ALES) will serve as interim dean prior to the arrival of incoming dean Rickey Yada on Oct. 1.

Greta Cummings, Nursing

Greta Cummings has made a lasting impact on our university community since joining the Faculty of Nursing almost 20 years ago. During her time as dean, the Faculty of Nursing saw a significant rise in rankings, including being recognized as the top-rated nursing program in Canada, and among the top five globally, which speaks to her exceptional dedication and commitment to excellence in nursing education. We are also grateful for Greta’s leadership during her two-year secondment to establish the College of Health Sciences as College Dean and Vice Provost.

Greta’s tenure was marked by her wealth of knowledge and her experience as an internationally recognized researcher in nurse leadership. As a U of A alumna herself, she received her Master of Education (Admin) from the Faculty of Education and a PhD from the Faculty of Nursing. She has always appreciated not only the academic rigours of the program, but also its focus on faculty and student well-being as well as impactful research in the health sector.

Shannon Scott, who has been acting dean since early 2024, will begin her five-year term as dean of the Faculty of Nursing on July 1.

Demetres Tryphonopoulos, Augustana

Demetres Tryphonopoulos brought tremendous leadership throughout his term as dean and executive officer of Augustana Campus. His innovative and collaborative strengths have been integral to Augustana’s growth and successes. During his term, he helped develop and implement an ambitious vision for Augustana with the 2020-25 Strategic Academic Plan. Under his leadership, Augustana saw the revival of the rehabilitation medicine master’s programs on campus, the development of a joint elementary education program between Augustana and the Faculty of Education and the launch of the Hesje Observatory. He also led innovative program and degree changes to provide better opportunities for students to gain transferrable skills and real-world experience.

Among his many additional contributions, he welcomed Augustana’s first Canada Research Chair and was instrumental in helping the campus navigate the transition to online learning during COVID-19. We are also grateful for his commitment as an engaged and constructive member of the larger university community through his work on committees and institutional initiatives.

Upon completing his term, Demetres will begin an administrative leave to continue his work on several essays and book manuscripts. We will welcome John Parkins as dean of Augustana Faculty and executive officer of Augustana Campus beginning July 1.