[PDADC-L] Staff Announcement - Hart House

PDAD&C 2011-02

MEMORANDUM

To: Principal, Deans, Academic Directors, and Chairs
From: Jill Matus, Vice-Provost, Students
Date: July 25, 2011
Re: Staff Announcement - Hart House

It is with mixed feelings that I share the news that Dr. Louise Cowin, the Warden of Hart House, will be leaving the University of Toronto to take up the position of Vice President, Students at the University of British Columbia. In this role, Dr. Cowin will have leadership responsibility for shaping the student experience and broad learning environment. Her portfolio will include student development and services, student housing and hospitality services, community service learning, and athletics and recreation.

Dr Cowin joined the University of Toronto as a Senior Lecturer at OISE in 2001 and in 2003 became the Director of Student Services at OISE. In 2007, she was appointed the Warden, Hart House following a review of Hart House commissioned by the Vice-President and Provost. The review considered the extent to which Hart House reflects the University's values, principles and policies, and as a result made several recommendations with respect to Hart House's role in enriching the experience of students across the three campuses and in building campus community among students, faculty, staff and alumni.

During her tenure as Warden, Louise worked towards implementing many of these recommendations. She provided strong leadership in the course of a two year visioning process which sought to renew the role of the House while remaining true to the fundamental principles upon which it was founded. In particular, Louise worked to reflect the interests of a diverse University community in program offerings and to make programming serve student development. There are many notable accomplishments achieved under Louise's leadership, including the expansion and modernization of the Justina M. Barnicke Gallery and the Upper Gym, the transformation of the HUB, the Reading and Map Rooms, and the arrival of CIUT Radio to Hart House.

We would like to thank Louise for her contributions to the University of Toronto, and to Hart House and to wish her great success in her new role at UBC. The search process for a new Warden will commence shortly.