As I commence my second term as President, I am energized by our collective achievement and am enthusiastic and optimistic about the future we can achieve over the next five years. Together, we have accomplished a great deal despite the many challenges that have come our way. I am very proud to be a part of the University of Lethbridge community and look forward with anticipation to our continued advancement. I would like to thank the entire community for your support of both Maureen and me during our first five years at the University of Lethbridge.
Destination 2020: the University of Lethbridge Strategic Plan, commits the U of L to building internal community and enhancing relationships with our external communities. In the coming years, I will be increasingly focusing my efforts on a number of external relationships that includes donors, alumni, post-secondary advocacy councils, and government officials at the civic, provincial and federal level. This is necessary to secure our position as Alberta’s Destination University, to ensure successful funding for the Destination Project, and to ensure our stories are told and the reputation of the University continues to grow so that we remain an institution of first choice for prospective students and faculty. Of course, despite these external commitments, I will maintain a significant presence on campus and in our local community.
Considering the evolving landscape for post-secondary institutions and the aspirations articulated in Destination 2020, we as an institution must react appropriately to change to remain successful. With this in mind, and in contemplating our strategic plan, I have decided to refocus some responsibilities of one of our senior level Vice-Presidents at the University of Lethbridge.
Dr. Andy Hakin has served in the capacity of Provost and Vice-President (Academic) since his reappointment in 2011. Beginning July 1, I am solidifying the position of Provost and officially naming him the lead Vice-President. This is not a tremendous change, however it is important to have a Vice-President that can in essence be our “Chief Operating Officer”, similar to other Provost positions within our province. As part of this change, Dr. Hakin’s expanded duties will include overseeing the Information Technology portfolio. The responsibilities of our other Vice-Presidents remain relatively unchanged, but of course will continue to evolve with this changing landscape. This change within my senior leadership team will allow for this increased external focus, and at the same time enhance the important work that we all undertake on a daily basis.
Mike Mahon, PhD
President & Vice-Chancellor