Lisa Ostiguy is appointed special advisor to the provost on Campus Life

On July 1, 2018, Lisa Ostiguy assumes the new position of special advisor to the provost on Campus Life at Concordia.

This role was created within the Office of the Provost and VP, Academic Affairs to strengthen the delivery of services and programs, and improve policies and processes to foster a safe, accessible, diverse, inclusive and respectful campus.

“In appointing Lisa to this key position, Concordia is signalling its ongoing commitment to nurturing a campus environment that allows all the members of our community to thrive and realize their full potential,” says Graham Carr, provost and vice-president of Academic Affairs.

Anne Whitelaw will step into the role of deputy provost on July 1, in addition to her current position as vice-provost for Planning and Positioning.

Carr also announced that Isabel Dunnigan will become associate vice-president of Lifelong Learning on July 1, in addition to her current position as executive director of Concordia’s Continuing Education.

Lisa Ostiguy: the new role taps into her expertise and experience

“As core institutions that exist to better the societies of which they are part, I believe that universities need to be much more pro-active in their commitment to foster openness, inclusivity, diversity and accessibility,” says Carr.

“Lisa has earned the respect of our entire community for her capacity to lead broad-based conversations on difficult issues and to build consensus around specific actions that will help to improve the life of our campuses. In this new mandate, the university will draw on precisely those strengths to make progress on a range of key issues.”

Ostiguy will lead the development and implementation of a number of initiatives designed to align campus life with such values, which are integral to Concordia’s vision for a next-generation university.

Her mandate includes leading campus-wide consultations and proposing recommendations to improve inclusion, diversity and equity on campus. Part of this work will involve a review of the needs of, and support for, students on the Loyola Campus.

To enhance accessibility, she will lead a campus-wide audit of accessibility and a planning process with the community to improve university policies, procedures and services.

Ostiguy will also monitor the implementation of recommendations outlined in the report of the Task Force on Sexual Misconduct and Sexual Violence, and be responsible for ensuring the university’s compliance with Bills 151 (An Act to prevent and fight sexual violence in higher education institutions) and 62 (An Act to foster adherence to State religious neutrality).

A full-time faculty member since 1992, Ostiguy was appointed as Concordia’s first deputy provost in July 2013.

She has held the positions of interim provost and vice-president of Academic Affairs, and interim vice-provost of Teaching and Learning. She also served as chair of the Department of Applied Human Sciences.

Ostiguy has a PhD in planning, policy and leadership, with a specialization in higher education administration, from the University of Iowa.
 

Anne Whitelaw: a collaborative leader known for her ability to get things done

“Anne is a talented and strategic leader — a collaborative team player who is well-respected for her ability to get things done,” says Carr.

“By taking on the role of deputy provost, she will be responsible for all the stages of a student’s journey from recruitment through to graduation, working with the faculties and the School of Graduate Studies to develop coordinated, student-centred approaches in areas including admissions, advising, retention, and health and wellness, as well as student services and student life.”

She will work in collaboration with key stakeholders across the institution to deliver a comprehensive plan for student success while ensuring the best student experience possible.

As vice-provost of Planning and Positioning, a position she assumed January 1, 2017, Whitelaw will continue to develop and implement an integrated enrolment management plan.

This work will be done in collaboration with the deans and other partners so Concordia can grow smartly, one of its strategic directions.

She will continue to oversee key service units including the Office of the Registrar and the Office of Student Recruitment, and will work closely with the faculties, School of Graduate Studies, research and international sectors, as well as the Office of Institutional Planning and Analysis.

Whitelaw, a professor in the Department of Art History, returned to Concordia in January 2011 after serving 11 years as a faculty member in the Department of Art and Design at the University of Alberta.

She later became associate dean of Research in Concordia’s Faculty of Fine Arts. In this role, she worked effectively to grow graduate programs, promote visibility for her faculty’s research and artistic accomplishments, and make important contributions to institution-wide strategic planning.

Whitelaw holds a PhD in Communications from Concordia, and an MA in the History and Theory of Art from the University of Essex.
 

Isabel Dunnigan: a passionate advocate for lifelong learning takes on a new role

Within a world that is changing constantly, especially with the current digital revolution, “people are seeking ongoing opportunities to develop the knowledge and skills that will serve them well professionally or personally,” says Carr.

“That’s where lifelong learning can play a key role,” he says, noting that since Dunnigan became executive director of Concordia Continuing Education (CCE) in 2015, she has channeled that passion into enhancing program offerings.

In her new role as associate vice-president of Lifelong Learning (AVPLL), Dunnigan will provide institutional vision and collaborative leadership to foster the continuous development of high quality, purpose-driven learning opportunities for diverse student cohorts. She will also help Concordia deliver on its commitment to integrate lifelong learning as a forward-looking element of the academic mission.

As AVPLL, Dunnigan will work closely with various units across the university to foster coherent learning opportunities that resonate with the changing demands and needs of lifelong learners.

She will also collaborate with several stakeholders to integrate the delivery of continuous education into all levels of institutional planning.

Her past accomplishments include launching an official IELTS Test Centre in collaboration with the British Council, developing a successful study-abroad program for engineering students from France, and launching a professional workshop series.

Under Dunnigan’s leadership, CCE saw significant growth in customized corporate training, study-abroad agreements, as well as strategic partnerships, including with DecodeMTL, Boscoville, the Grand Council of the Crees in James Bay, and la Fondation Lise Watier.

Prior to joining Concordia, she was the director of Development of Continuing Education at the Université de Sherbrooke.

Dunnigan has an MSc in Finance and a Bachelor of Business Administration from Université de Sherbrooke.