Buszard identifies enrolment, budget shortfall as priorities

BY JENNIFER HOEGG

NovaNewsNow.com

Dr. Deborah Buszard brought calm, confidence and intellect to her talk at Festival Theatre in Wolfville, Dec. 4.

In an hour-long presentation to the Acadia community, Buszard demonstrated her clarity of mind, passion for scholarship and solid experience in academic administration.

The Acting Director of Dalhousie’s Environment Program is one of two candidates shortlisted for the job of Acadia University’s next president and vice-chancellor. As a former dean of McGill’s agricultural program, the accomplished scholar might feel at home in Acadia’s locale.

Buszard spoke warmly of her two-day visit to campus, saying, “I’m more than ever convinced that Acadia is the quality institution that it is recognized as.” ‘Perfect storm’

Asked to address the current challenges and opportunities Acadia faces and how she might gauge success at the end of a six-year presidential term, Buszard said the institution is at a difficult moment in its history.

Acadia faces a ‘perfect storm’ of challenges, she said, because of declining enrolment, government funding formulas and the world financial crisis that threatens the school’s endowment and governments’ ability to fund education.

However, Buszard sees these challenges as basis for advancement. “Change must happen. This is an important opportunity to seize,” she said.

Moving forward

Buszard’s first priority would be to address enrolment and budgetary shortfalls, boosting enrolment primarily by building Acadia’s reputation for academic excellence. Her strategy would include increasing the number of Maritime students with the help of expanded scholarship opportunities and broadening international enrolment.

Fundraising efforts would include networking with community, corporate and government partners. Buszard noted there is support for relevant areas of scholarship, pointing to her success in securing research funding for McGill’s Macdonald Campus.

To do so, Buszard said, Acadia must trade its label of most expensive undergraduate education in Canada for that of highest value and most environmentally sustainable education in the country.

Investment in information systems, infrastructure and recruitment of top scholars and administrative staff would also be part of her plan. “Acadia will have to be an employer of choice for people across all employee groups,” she said.

Assessing success

Buszard would consider her presidency successful if, at the end of her term, Acadia stood on sound financial footing, had increased enrolment, offered dynamic programs, continued its contribution to scholarly knowledge and prepared graduates to be successful in society. “I would like to think this new vision would be based on a suite of interdisciplinary programs.”

After her speech, Buszard answered questions from the audience of faculty, staff, students, alumni and community members with respect, intelligence and good humour. Questions touched on her commitment to the Wolfville community; the problem of dysfunctional relationships between faculty, administration, staff and students; the role of the library; employment equity; the appropriate relationship between the President and the board of governors; and the possibility of censure from the Canadian Association of University Teachers.

French Professor Dr. Bernard Delpêche questioned the science scholar on the role arts on campus. “I think they are at the core of the concept of liberal education,” Buszard replied. She added that one of the roles of university presidents is to lobby government agencies to balance funding between sciences, arts and social sciences.

Administrative and academic prowess

Throughout the session, Buszard offered concrete examples of her administrative abilities while at Macdonald Campus. Like Acadia, Macdonald faced enrolment and funding challenges during that period and was rejuvenated during Buszard’s term as Vice-Principal.

Buszard holds a B.Sc. in Horticulture from University of Bath and a Ph.D. in Plant Physiology and Horticulture from Imperial College, University of London. She has received numerous academic and professional honours, most recently a teaching excellence award from Dalhousie. Buszard is currently coordinator of Dalhousie’s new interdisciplinary College of Sustainability.

Acadia’s next president will replace Acting President and Vice-Chancellor Dr. Tom Herman, who took over the post after Dr. Gail Dinter-Gottlieb’s resignation in February.

Comments on candidates can be submitted to the presidential search committee before Dec. 12 at noon. For more information, including an open letter from Buszard to the Acadia community, see http://www.acadiau.ca/board.