Don Lovisa, vice-president, Academic, shared his thoughts about the year ahead and much more during the VPA kickoff event for the 2007-2008 academic year.
In what proved to be an eventful morning full of valuable information and laughs for Durham College faculty, staff and administration, Don Lovisa, vice-president, Academic, kicked off the 2007-2008 academic year on Tuesday, August 28.
The morning began with a welcome-back speech by President Leah Myers, who noted she was tremendously excited about the return of students to classes. She then introduced faculty and staff to the new vice-president of Academic.
Lovisa arrived on campus in early July after spending 20 years at Confederation College in Thunder Bay, Ontario. Among his first impressions of the college were that the partnership Durham College has with the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) offers a competitive advantage; the Key Performance Indicator results announced in 2007 are impressive; and that the laptop programs offered by the college create new ways to open better collaboration between all groups on campus, in addition to creating new teaching and learning methods. Lovisa will focus on getting to know the people and the college culture, along with the academic plan and strategic pathways during the 2007-2008 academic year.
"There exists a positive learning environment and a family atmosphere," Lovisa said about the college.
Following his talk, Fraser McArthur, president of Your Student Association, offered an outline for the upcoming year from the students' perspective. Lovisa then announced the Durham College recipient of the provincial Leadership in Faculty Teaching (LIFT) award, Tom Cunningham, a professor with the School of Applied Sciences, Apprenticeship, Skilled Trades and Technology. The awards are government recognition of teaching excellence and there were five other Durham College nominees: Carolyn Rekar-Munroe, a professor with the schools of Business and Information Technology; and Rick Tidman, a professor; Dave Schuett, program manager, Electrical and Electronics; Tony van Schyndel, a professor; and Dave Dewar, a professor, all with the School of Applied Sciences, Apprenticeship, Skilled Trades and Technology.
Faculty and staff were later treated to a humorous game show called BONK, or Building on New Knowledge, that was designed to educate everyone in attendance about the upcoming Program Quality Assurance Process Audit (PQAPA) at the college. Contestants had the opportunity to answer questions, both random and related to PQAPA, by bonking themselves or other contestants over the head. The host had attendees roaring with laughter as each contestant tried to earn the most points and win the game.
Finally, faculty, staff and administration enjoyed a relaxing lunchtime barbecue of hamburgers, hotdogs, salad and watermelon.
To learn more about PQAPA, please visit www.ocqas.org/pqapa.html.