David Graham appointed senior advisor on international strategy
Concordia University is pleased to announce that David Graham has been appointed senior advisor to the president on international strategy, effective September 1, 2012.
In taking up his new role, Graham has advised Concordia’s Board of Governors that he will not seek a second five-year mandate as provost and vice-president, academic affairs.
“As Concordia’s chief academic officer, David Graham has made an important contribution to the development of the university toward its objective of being recognized as one of the top five comprehensive universities in Canada,” says Concordia President and Vice-Chancellor Frederick Lowy. “His leadership in formulating Concordia’s Academic Plan 2012-2016, establishes key steps to be taken in improving our teaching, research and services to students.”
Concordia has a rich tradition of welcoming international students, who currently make up some 12 per cent of the student population. In recent years, more international students have been attracted to Canada’s universities, and the number of Canadians studying abroad has also been rising.
“This is an excellent opportunity to take a closer look at Concordia’s international presence,” says Alan Shepard, who begins a five-year term as president and vice-chancellor on August 1, 2012. “David’s extensive experience will be a tremendous asset in the development of a comprehensive international strategy for the university.”
“I am very much looking forward to working closely with President Shepard in this new capacity,” says Graham. “It will be particularly exciting to build on Concordia’s strong international profile as we evaluate our institutional priorities, explore new sources of recruitment, strengthen existing research and study exchange agreements, develop joint programs, and create new opportunities for our students to study in other countries and cultures.”
Graham joined Concordia in 2005 as dean of the Faculty of Arts and Science, and became provost in March 2008. As an academic and university administrator, his international experience includes a number of research collaborations, as well as work in developing study abroad programs and research funding policy.
Lisa Ostiguy appointed interim provost
Lisa Ostiguy, chair of the Department of Applied Human Sciences, has been appointed interim provost. Ostiguy served as Concordia’s interim vice-provost, teaching and learning, from January 1 to June 30, 2012. She has a PhD in planning, policy and leadership, with a specialization in higher education administration, from the University of Iowa and been a full-time faculty member at Concordia since 1992.
“I am delighted that Lisa has agreed to take on this role, and I welcome the opportunity to work with her on realizing Concordia’s tremendous potential,” says Shepard.
Before coming to Concordia, Ostiguy taught at the University of Iowa and University of Regina. She has worked in community agencies providing therapeutic recreation services to a variety of populations, including older adults, adults with mental illness and persons with physical disabilities.
In 2000, the American Association for Physical Activity and Recreation awarded Ostiguy the Tommy Wilson Memorial Award, which recognizes contributions to supporting recreational programs for individuals with disabilities. She speaks on therapeutic recreation at key conferences and has served on university and department committees related to teaching and curriculum.
The search process for the next provost of Concordia will begin shortly.