We are sharing information about several upcoming changes to academic and faculty support services within the Office of the Provost & Vice President Academic and the Division of Equity, People & Culture.
These changes are intended to thoughtfully consolidate and more efficiently administer resources for faculty members, and ensure that services continue to meet the needs of faculty members at every stage of their career.
Within the Office of the Provost & Vice-President Academic, the portfolios of the vice-provost academic and the vice-provost teaching and learning are being reorganized to better align with academic programming, curriculum and faculty supports.
These adjustments include:
The new vice-provost academic portfolio will now include co-operative education and experiential learning in addition to ongoing attention to academic programs. The vice-provost academic will continue to lead processes and planning to support the enhancement of academic standards, curriculum and pedagogy across the University.
The vice-provost teaching and learning portfolio will be reformed to focus on faculty resources and support, including but not limited to teaching and pedagogy. This position, to be changed to vice-provost faculty, will assume the lead role in faculty hiring and development processes currently occurring within the faculty affairs unit in the Division of Equity, People & Culture. The combination of faculty affairs and teaching development within a single portfolio is intended to provide clearer leadership and a better integrated experience for faculty members. Importantly, faculty will receive the same development support over the course of their career at York, from the point of hiring through to retirement.
This change includes the Faculty Affairs’ team return to the provost’s division as of May 1. Faculty Affairs was originally located within the Office of the Provost prior to 2022, and this decision reflects our determination that its placement there best supports operational alignment, academic coherence and the overall faculty experience.
These portfolio changes also afford us an opportunity to recognize leadership transitions and to express our thanks and appreciation.
As her term draws to a close on June 30, we would like to extend our sincere thanks to Marcia Annisette for her leadership as vice-provost academic while facilitating an unprecedented volume of cyclical program reviews, guiding York through a successful audit by the Quality Council and supporting both existing and developing academic programs.
We are also pleased to share that Chloë Brushwood Rose, who has facilitated crucial expansions of York’s pedagogical and curricular offerings in the role of vice-provost teaching and learning, will continue her leadership in the academic division in the role of vice-provost academic, effective July 1.
We are equally pleased to announce the appointment of Audrey Pyee as vice-provost faculty, effective May 1. Highly esteemed as a scholar, colleague and academic leader, Audrey has deep capacity to support faculty members and processes. This early appointment will support continuity and thoughtful stewardship during the transition of portfolios.
We also thank Uzo Anucha for her leadership as associate vice-president faculty affairs since Jan. 1, 2025. Uzo’s deep commitment to equity, community engagement and academic freedom has enriched York’s academic community, and her leadership efforts have been integral in cultivating a supportive environment for all faculty members. We wish her well as she returns to her teaching and research in the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies’ School of Social work, effective May 1.
We are confident that these changes strengthen academic leadership and provide a clear and supportive framework for faculty services. We remain steadfast in our commitment to sustaining the administrative supports and services provided to faculty, and we thank the community for its continued engagement.
Please join us in expressing our appreciation and congratulations to Marcia, Audrey, Uzo and Chloë.
Thank you. Merci. Miigwech.
Laina Bay-Cheng
Interim Provost and Vice-President Academic
Parissa Safai
Interim Vice-President Equity, People and Culture