I am very pleased to announce the reappointment of Chris Andersen as the Dean of the Faculty of Native Studies for a second five year term from July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2028. Dr. Andersen will be on administrative leave from July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2023.
Under Dr. Andersen’s leadership, the Faculty of Native Studies has continued to build its presence as a top Indigenous Studies unit in the world, underpinned by a foundation of cutting-edge scholars, excellent support staff, outstanding students and community engagement. Canadians are likewise increasingly seeking ways to explore historical and contemporary relationships with Indigenous peoples, which has underpinned programmatic and fundraising innovation within the Faculty. The overwhelming success of the Indigenous Canada MOOC, the most subscribed MOOC in Canada at a staggering 430,000 participants, is just one example of the extraordinary reach the Faculty of Native Studies has achieved under Dr. Andersen’s leadership.
Dr. Andersen is an internationally recognized scholar in the discipline of Indigenous Studies, and has provided strong mentorship and support to colleagues and students. Throughout his term, Dean Andersen has cultivated a strong culture of collegiality, respect, and resiliency, as well as an institutional, action-focused commitment to Indigenous initiatives, equity, diversity, and inclusivity. All of this has earned him a reputation by those he leads and serves with as an approachable, professional, collaborative, and unifying leader and scholar, as well as a trusted, respected champion of numerous initiatives that span across all Faculties and Colleges.
Dean Andersen’s deep and broad engagement within various communities, government, and industry, as a citizen, a Dean, and a representative of the University of Alberta, reflects a strong commitment to service and a connection to those who benefit from and are impacted by his work, the work of the Faculty of Native Studies, and of the University of Alberta as a whole.
Please join me in congratulating Dean Andersen on his renewal. My thanks to the members of the Dean Review Committee for their commitment and hard work, and to all of those who took the time to participate in the review process.
Steven Dew
Provost and Vice-president (Academic)