Vice-Principal, Academic and Dean

The University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM) invites nominations and applications for the position of Vice-Principal, Academic and Dean – the campus’ chief academic officer.

Established in 1967, UTM is the second largest division and campus in the University of Toronto’s tri-campus system and the leading provider of university education in the western Greater Toronto Area (GTA), recognized internationally for its teaching, research, and entrepreneurial innovation. Situated on 225 acres along the Credit River to the west of the St. George campus in downtown Toronto, UTM is home to more than 16,400 students and over 1,280 faculty, librarians and staff. The campus continues to develop sustainable, award-winning facilities, including most recently the Maanjiwe nendamowinan building, a 2019 IIDA Global Excellence Award winner. The campus has 15 academic departments, three academic institutes (the Institute of Communication, Culture, Information & Technology; the Institute for Management and Innovation; and, the Institute for the Study of University Pedagogy), and over 180 undergraduate and graduate program options covering over 90 areas of study across the humanities, social sciences, sciences, and business. UTM is known for its diverse and vibrant community, its idyllic surroundings, its exceptional partnership with the City of Mississauga, and its deep commitment to interdisciplinarity, sustainability, and innovation in teaching and research. It holds truth, openness, and reciprocity as central values, and continues to walk the path toward reconciliation with Indigenous peoples, including the Wendat, Seneca, and Mississauga of the Credit First Nation, on whose traditional land the campus operates. For more information about UTM, visit www.utm.utoronto.ca.

This is an exciting time for UTM as it continues to navigate a changing academic landscape and continued physical expansion, implements the priorities outlined in its Strategic Framework 2022, and embarks on a brand new academic planning exercise for 2023 to 2028. This is therefore a unique opportunity for a new Vice-Principal, Academic (VPA) & Dean to work alongside UTM’s Vice-President and Principal and the broader community to develop and implement a visionary Academic Plan that builds upon UTM’s growth and charts an extraordinary path forward for its academic enterprise.

Reporting directly to UTM’s Vice-President & Principal, the VPA & Dean is the senior academic officer for the campus and a key member of UTM’s executive team, responsible for providing entrepreneurial leadership to further enhance academic programming, fostering innovation in academic service design and delivery, and centering a commitment to Indigeneity, anti-racism, and equity, diversity, and inclusion in academic decision-making at UTM. A collegial leader, they will work closely with U of T’s Vice-President & Provost, as well as other Principals, Deans, and leaders across the tri-campus system.

The VPA & Dean will be an experienced university academic leader eligible for a tenured academic appointment, with an exemplary track record of teaching, research, scholarship, and service. They will effectively manage resources, encourage the recruitment and retention of outstanding and promising students, attract and support an excellent and diverse faculty complement, promote inclusive excellence in UTM’s research and teaching, and nurture reciprocal relationships with internal and external stakeholders. The VPA & Dean will bring demonstrated leadership in advocating for and advancing institutional Indigeneity, equity, diversity, and inclusion goals, and possess an abiding commitment to collegial governance. The successful candidate will be an excellent communicator and motivator, have good interpersonal skills, and have a transparent and collaborative leadership style along with the ability to balance consultation with sound decision-making. They will embrace UTM’s unique culture, and perform the requirements of the position with relentless passion and an unassailable commitment to its success.

The new Vice-Principal, Academic & Dean takes office July 1, 2023, or as mutually agreed, with consideration of candidates beginning February 2023. Inquiries and/or applications by way of a curriculum vitae and cover letter should be submitted, in confidence, to Krutika Hotwani, Andrea Patrick or Gerri Woodford at utmvpadean@odgersberndtson.com.

Fully committed to teaching, research, and student wellbeing as complementary facets of educational achievement, U of T is consistently ranked among the top 20 universities in the world for research, teaching, and innovation, and among the world’s top 10 public institutions. The University encompasses 18 Faculties and Schools, more than 100 departments, and 170 research centres and institutes. Its teaching programs are delivered on the historic St. George campus in the heart of Toronto, on campuses in Mississauga and Scarborough, and in nine fully affiliated teaching hospitals. With approximately 22,000 faculty, librarians, and staff, some 97,000 students, and an annual operating budget exceeding $3 billion, the University contributes $15.7 billion to the Canadian economy each year. Alumni include many thousands of distinguished researchers, teachers, creative artists, prominent federal, provincial, and municipal politicians, global business leaders, and eminent philanthropists. The University has identified reinventing undergraduate education, deepening international partnerships, and leveraging the University’s location in the Greater Toronto Area – one of the world’s most diverse urban regions – as the University’s top three strategic priorities.

The University of Toronto embraces diversity and is building a culture of belonging that increases our capacity to effectively address and serve the interests of our global community. We strongly encourage applications from Indigenous Peoples, Black and racialized persons, women, persons with disabilities, and people of diverse sexual and gender identities. We value applicants who have demonstrated a commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion and recognize that diverse perspectives, experiences, and expertise are essential to strengthening our academic mission. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply, but applications from Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority. In accordance with the AODA Act, accommodation will be provided to individuals with disabilities throughout the recruitment process.