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Dear colleagues and students,

As the fall term comes to an end and we prepare to say farewell to 2024, I’d like to extend my deepest thanks to each and every member of the �Ӱ�ԭ�� community for everything you have done for the university this semester and since I began serving as Interim President and Vice-Chancellor just over 15 months ago.

Your commitment to �Ӱ�ԭ�� — and to being a smart, caring community that inspires
and empowers positive change — is truly inspiring. I know that you will extend a warm welcome and offer the same support to  when he becomes �Ӱ�ԭ��’s 17th President and Vice-Chancellor on January 1.

It is my sincerest wish that you enjoy some rest and relaxation over the holidays and immerse yourself in quality time with family, friends and loved ones. This time of year is traditionally one for reflection, and I have much to be grateful for as I look back at the 16 years that I have been at �Ӱ�ԭ��.

It was a great honour and privilege to serve as Dean of the Sprott School of Business during an exciting period of growth for Sprott, which included planning for and the construction of the , one of the jewels of our campus.

I am also grateful for what we accomplished together while serving as Provost and Vice-President (Academic). In 2020, the Strategic Integrated Plan was launched and since then we have been making good on our promise to share knowledge and shape the future, to serve Ottawa and the world and to strive for wellness and sustainability.

Among the many shared successes, I am particularly proud of the 2020 release, by the �Ӱ�ԭ�� University Strategic Indigenous Initiatives Committee, of the ������à��à�����ɾ��� report, the university’s revitalized Indigenous strategy, and of our EDI Action Plan, which was launched in 2021. We are making tremendous strides in both of these important areas, but as was noted in the ������à��à�����ɾ��� report, “This work is far from over.”

That’s an important reminder for all of us. We should celebrate our successes, including our recent rise in the annual , our continued surge in research funding and, out of 1.3 million employers, our recognition as one of  for the third straight year. There is no question that �Ӱ�ԭ��’s profile and reputation, locally and nationally, is on the rise. 

At the same time, we must approach challenges such as the current fiscal context with the same dedication and flexibility that helped steer the university through a worldwide pandemic. While �Ӱ�ԭ�� is successful by many measures, if we are to continue to have an impact, we must prepare ourselves for the future. 

And so it will be good for �Ӱ�ԭ�� to benefit from new and reenergized leadership in time to renew the Strategic Integrated Plan and launch the next major fundraising campaign, and I have absolutely no doubt that the momentum we have built will continue to grow and that the future is bright for �Ӱ�ԭ��. 

At Convocation ceremonies, I always remind graduating Ravens to stay in touch with us and to not be shy — to return to the nest for a visit every now and then. I’ll take my own advice as I take flight on this new chapter of life. Until then, take care of yourself and one another and enjoy your well-deserved break.

Sincerely,

Jerry

Jerry Tomberlin
Interim President and Vice-Chancellor
Office of the President