Vice-President Academic & Provost Patrick Monahan, who took office on July 1, has issued this letter to the University community:
Dear students, faculty and staff,
I write to you today on my first official day as vice-president academic & provost.
I regard it as both a privilege and an opportunity to serve the University in this new role. It is a privilege because York has provided me with so much over the past three decades – as student, faculty member and academic administrator – that I welcome the chance to give back and contribute to making the University a better place for all. I also see this new role as an opportunity because, despite the many significant challenges we face, I genuinely believe that York has the potential to assume a greater leadership position among Ontario and Canadian universities.
I also believe that, if we are to realize our full potential, we will need to think carefully about what kind of institution we aspire to be, not just tomorrow, but 10 years from now. Only by asking and answering that basic question will we be able to purposefully make choices that will enable us to achieve our ambitions.
Under the able leadership of President Shoukri, I am committed to working collegially with all members of the community to start a collective conversation about our future directions and prospects. I will be writing to members of the community in the near future with my initial thoughts on a process for shaping that dialogue.
In the meantime, I hope that everyone is having an enjoyable and productive summer, and I look forward to working with the York community in the months and years ahead on building a stronger and more dynamic university.
Yours very truly,
Patrick Monahan