Carla Cassidy provided outstanding leadership in interim role
I am writing to let you know that Alan Shepard, provost and vice president academic, will serve as acting vice-president, research and innovation from June 18 to Aug. 31, 2011. As you are aware Wendy Cukier will take over as the new VPRI on Sept. 1 and Carla Cassidy, who has been serving as interim VPRI, is leaving the position shortly.
I would like to take this opportunity to offer my thanks and appreciation to Carla for her outstanding leadership of the research and innovation portfolio as interim VPRI since last July. In the relatively brief time that Carla served in the role she made significant inroads in enhancing and improving the services the office delivers to the scholarly, research and creative enterprise at the university. In particular, working with all the staff of the Office of the VPRI, she has successfully led efforts to improve the administration, communications, grants and awards, industry relations and commercialization activities of the office.
Carla's work as vice-president is simply the latest achievement in a career of many accomplishments at the university. Since joining Ryerson in 1982, Carla's vision and energy have played an important role in the transformation of our university.
Prior to taking the interim VPRI position, Carla served as dean of the Faculty of Arts for nine years. It was a period of remarkable growth for the Faculty, with the launch of five undergraduate, six MA and three PhD programs. She nurtured a vibrant and active research culture with outstanding success rates for grant applications and increases in research output, and she oversaw the development of dynamic facilities such as the Psychology Research and Training Centre and the Research and Graduate Centre.
Carla has had a long-standing interest in Aboriginal education, and she was instrumental in establishing the Chair and Centre for Indigenous Governance. She has played an important part in Ryerson's relationship with the First Nations Technical Institute, a partnership which has provided opportunities for hundreds of students to work toward certificates and degrees in Public Administration and Governance and Social Work.
Carla received her PhD in Political Theory from McMaster University. She joined Ryerson in 1982 as a professor in the Department of Politics and School of Public Administration, and served as chair of that department from 1996 to 2001. She was appointed dean of the Faculty of Arts in 2001.
Carla's commitment and leadership have been incredible assets to Ryerson for many years and I wish her all the best as she begins her post-administrative leave.
To the staff in the OVPRI I want to offer my sincere gratitude for all of the incredible work you have done and continue to do to grow and support scholarly, research and creative activity at Ryerson. Through your efforts the university has made tremendous progress and the future is full of opportunity and promise. Thank you!
Sheldon Levy
President