President's Biography

I became president of Athabasca University, June 1, 2005, after being interviewed by a number of people, each of whom I have since come to know well.  While my PhD in western Canadian history (1974) from Queen’s University was probably a minor factor in my appointment, I suspect that my years as director of information resources at the University of Calgary, was a real help.    

Perhaps because I was the only university librarian without a degree in library science and the other librarians felt sorry for me, I was nurtured and educated by some of the best at that university. I had the opportunity to lead the digital charge there and helped the university transform itself from a traditional, print-based institution to one that was a leader in digital learning. During that period, I also had the good fortune to become the chair of the Alberta Library and the Health Knowledge Network. One of the most exciting projects I helped bring to fruition was Synergies, a CFI funded project which is moving Canada’s scholarly discourse in the social sciences and humanities online. 

One challenge that demanded my immediate attention at AU was the need for a new building that would provide increased capacity for learning and research. Thanks to some key supporters in the community, $30 million in provincial government funding was granted in the summer of 2007.  The new Academic Research Centre is scheduled for completion in 2010.

Also in 2007, the university launched AU Press, an open access press that provides free electronic access to its publications. It has become the centre of scholarly publishing at AU, disseminating knowledge through books, journals and monographs. The press has been a success both in terms of publishing volume (over 30 books, 25 monographs and six journals) and quality (10 provincial and national awards). AU Press has also excelled at mentoring scholars and championing open acess principles while increasing the university’s national and international profile.

Three years after I became AU’s president, some folks asked if I would stand as president of the International Council for Open and Distance Education (ICDE), headquartered in Oslo, Norway. This position has allowed me to develop relationships with educational leaders around the world and given me insights into some of the most complex problems facing post-secondary learning today.
 
I continue to enjoy research and teaching in western Canadian and Métis studies, as I have for over 30 years. My latest book is a biography of John Laurie, a journey I undertook with Ruth Gorman, who along with Laurie obtained an unfettered franchise for Canada’s Aboriginal Peoples. My long-standing interest in Aboriginal communities is reflected not only in this and other publications but also by my participation in initiatives such as Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and AU’s partnership with Red Crow College.

I have other research interests as well. I continue to be active as a member of the Alberta SuperNet Research Alliance, which is studying the impact of high speed internet in Alberta, and from time to time, I am asked to serve as a provincial or national policy advisor, most recently as a member of an Alberta commission which reviewed the future of post-secondary education.

Updated July 27, 2010