QG: What are some of the key accomplishments from the 2014-15 academic year that will continue to play out this year?

DW: Internationalization is one area where we started to get some traction last year. We had made some progress over the past few years, but in my personal view, it is the one area where we didn’t proceed as quickly as we might have liked or expected. With the Comprehensive International Plan now finalized, I will be doing more very focused international travel to deepen relationships and to develop new research partnerships around the world, as well as, where possible, stoking the Tricolour spirit among our alumni around the world. But above all, Queen’s will work towards increasing the proportion of first year international fee-paying undergraduate students to 10 per cent of the total incoming undergraduate population by 2019. To reach that goal, we will need to add 50-75 visa students in each year, starting in 2015-16.

We have also tried for some time to expand our program offerings, and we have realized some tangible gains in this area. The new budget model has incented an entrepreneurial spirit in faculties and departments. In the first quarter of 2015 alone, we had seven new credentials and programs approved by Senate. I expect faculties and departments will continue to explore new opportunities to enhance learning opportunities at Queen’s this coming year.

QG: Enhancing the student learning experience is one of the key goals of the university’s strategic framework. What is your current assessment of that area and what are some of the priorities for this area in 2015-16?

DW: We have some clear evidence that the Teaching and Learning Action Plan, which was developed in 2014, is having a positive impact. Even though we admit some of the smartest students in the country, they are actually smarter still when they leave us. There is an actual “value added” from a Queen’s education – quite apart from the undeniable importance of the out-of-classroom experience of a Queen’s degree.

We are now administering the National Survey of Student Engagement annually instead of every four years. We generally do well on that survey, but if you drill down in the data, you will find there is some variation within the university. We would like to do better and work on areas in which are less strong without letting slip some of the things we do well.

We’re looking forward to continued great initiatives from educational innovators, under the leadership of Jill Scott, Vice-Provost (Teaching and Learning), and Peter Wolf, Associate Vice-Provost (Teaching and Learning) and Director of the Centre for Teaching and Learning. And I recently announced six new teaching awards that will really celebrate the innovative things that faculty, TAs and educational support staff are doing to make a difference in the lives of our students.

QG: What are some of the goals and priorities for improving the university’s research prominence?

DW: As with many different areas of the university, we are always engaged in refining the measures we use to evaluate progress on our strategic priorities. This year, we will examine our research metrics and determine which ones are appropriate for us over the next couple of years given the challenging funding environment. While we continue to do reasonably well on several fronts, we face the challenge of being a mid-sized university that is also devoted to the student learning experience at both the undergraduate and graduate level. I intend to continue to lead externally on the advocacy front with regard to major projects, particularly when non-traditional sources of government funding are sought.

QG: The Initiative Campaign will conclude May 1, 2016. What are you doing to help the university reach its ambitious fundraising goal of $500-million?

DW: The Initiative Campaign has been extremely successful so far. We are not quite at our goal, but I think we are going to get there relatively soon. Judging by the momentum of the last three years where each fiscal year has exceeded the previous fiscal year, we really are on a roll. It’s great work by the Advancement staff both centrally and in the faculties, with great leadership from VP (Advancement) Tom Harris and the deans. To help with that effort, I will continue to pursue additional gift opportunities, and to steward those individuals who have already made transformative gifts to Queen’s.

QG: What other areas need to be addressed in 2015-16 to ensure the continued long-term financial sustainability of Queen’s?

DW: I am very optimistic that we can make progress on resolving our pension challenges now that all parties have reaffirmed their commitment to the university pension project and agreed on a process for engaging in that project moving forward.

QG: What challenges lie ahead for Queen’s in 2015-16?

DW: Faculty renewal remains a real challenge. I look at the hiring patterns, and I think we have been under-hiring relative to many of our U15 peers in recent years (especially those outside Ontario), budgetary challenges being what they have been. My priority in this area includes working with the provost and deans to develop an institutional-level faculty renewal strategy.

I also continue to fret about the state of some of our buildings. There are significant deferred maintenance issues, a reality faced by universities across the country. We have some buildings, sometimes not the ones you might think, that are in need of some serious TLC. There are others that are solid enough but require some classroom or facility modernization, along the lines of what we did successfully in Ellis Hall. We will be working on a strategy to address this deficit.

QG: Are there other things you are looking forward to in the year ahead?

DW: I am looking forward to celebrating the university’s 175th anniversary in 2016. Plans are starting to come together for that historic occasion, under the leadership of Dr. David Walker, and, in fact, the new welcome sign on Union Street bears the 175th anniversary logo. I also look forward to another safe and successful Homecoming and ReUnion Street Festival this fall.

I can’t wait to see what the second season at the Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing Arts has to offer. The opening season was a highlight of 2014-15. We had a great launch with lots of talented artists from around the world share their talents with our community. I expect the Isabel’s terrific new director, Tricia Baldwin, has more great offerings in store.

With the Isabel now open, we are closing in on another big project: the revitalization of Richardson Stadium. We approved its construction last December and started the prep work this past summer. The main goal for this year is that once the Gaels are through the playoffs with their 2015 Vanier Cup in hand (I’m told it pays to be hopeful!), we will be starting the major construction with the goal of having the stadium ready for play in 2016. And we are aggressively pursuing plans for the renovation of the former PEC, 67 Union St., into a facility that will include the Queen’s Innovation Commons and greatly improved student health and counselling facilities.

I also plan to continue making visiting appearances in first-year history classes. I always like engaging with students in that particular course. I will also participate in the supervision of a PhD student, in addition to my involvement on the executive committee of the Royal Society of Canada and my membership on the board of Historica Canada.