UPEI recruits new Vice-President Academic from western Canada
The University of Prince Edward Island continues to attract top-notch academics and administrators from across Canada and beyond. Following a national search, UPEI has named Dr. Jim Randall, currently of the University of Northern British Columbia, to become its Vice-President Academic, as of July 1, 2010.
A professor of geography and planning at UNBC, Randall has an honours bachelor of arts degree in human geography (1979) and a master of arts degree in economic and urban geography (1981) from York University. He received his PhD in economic geography from the University of Washington in Seattle in 1987.
Randall is an experienced university administrator and teacher, having served at various times at UNBC as Acting President and Vice-Chancellor; Acting Provost; and Dean of the College of Arts, Social and Health Sciences. Before coming to UNBC, Randall served as Co-director of the Community-University Institute for Social Research and Chair of the Geography Department at the University of Saskatchewan. His research interests combine his professional roots in economic and urban geography with his experiences in administration as well as fostering community-university research partnerships.
Among other things, he is currently researching the role of community service as represented in Canadian university collective agreements. He is also the Canadian director for an HRSDC student mobility contract, partnering with five other universities in Canada, the USA and Mexico to encourage student exchanges and develop an integrated curriculum.
'UPEI is an exciting and vibrant place to be right now, with equal emphasis placed upon providing a quality learning experience for students, undertaking leading-edge research across a broad set of disciplines and issues, and serving the Island and world communities,' says Randall.
'I look forward to joining with faculty, staff and students to make this the best small university in Canada. My family and I have already experienced the quality-of-life and hospitality that makes this Island so special, and we are looking forward to making Charlottetown and P.E.I. our home.'
Randall is one of several senior faculty members and administrators to move to UPEI in the last several years from larger Canadian and US centres.
University librarian Mark Leggott came from the University of Winnipeg in 2006 where he had served as university librarian and in other senior positions since 1999. Leggott says he came to UPEI because of the university's strong research profile and 'it is a ‘young,' nimble university with lots of opportunity for creative approaches.' These factors, combined with the attractiveness of the Island as a place to live, made the decision an easy one for him.
Registrar Kathleen Kielly came to UPEI in 2008 from UNBC where she had served as registrar. A native of Newfoundland, Kielly has worked in the support of education throughout her entire working career. She also worked at Memorial University and for the Alberta Teachers' Association and provincial education department.
Donald Reynolds, Dean of the Atlantic Veterinary College, was Associate Dean of Research and Graduate Studies at Iowa State University's College of Veterinary Medicine before moving to UPEI. He was also the school's Associate Director of the Veterinary Medical Research Institute, and Assistant Director of Iowa State University's Agricultural Experiment Station.
Timothy Goddard, Dean of Education, moved from the University of Calgary in 2008 to take up his current position. Previously he was Vice-Provost (International) at the University of Calgary, and Associate Dean (Research & International) and a professor of education in that institution's Faculty of Education.
