Memos

March 15, 2023

PLEASE NOTE: This message discusses sexualized violence and may be harmful for some individuals.

Today, the University of King’s College released the final report from an independent review announced by King’s in 2021, after several charges involving sexual offences were laid against professor, the late Dr. Wayne Hankey.

We commend those individuals who came forward through this process to share their experiences and acknowledge the lasting harm that was caused. The report concludes that Dr. Hankey, “… engaged in a pattern of predatory and abusive behaviour towards some young men.”  

Some of the incidents documented in the report had a connection to Dalhousie. We recognize and sincerely apologize for these incidents and, in addition to the specificity of these incidents, we acknowledge the institutional culture that protected behaviour that had such profound harm. No one should have to experience sexualized violence or harassment.

We would also like to recognize King’s, and its President and Vice-Chancellor, William Lahey, for their leadership in undertaking a thoughtful and detailed review, for sharing their process and the reports it produced publicly, and for working with Dalhousie throughout.

We have reviewed the final report and will carefully and thoughtfully reflect on the findings and recommendations. We are commited to taking steps on the recommendations. To that end:

(1) We encourage any other students or individuals affected by Dr. Hankey’s behaviour to come forward with information, and we will ensure we provide the appropriate supports and resources;

(2) Imminently, we will reach out to the reviewers to make sure we have fully understood the findings as they relate to Dalhousie.

(3) We will, to every extent possible, make amends to individuals affected who were part of our Dalhousie community;

(4) We offer our sincere apology for Dr. Hankey’s behaviour and the institutional culture that protected this behaviour;

(5)  We will continue our work to evolve our inclusive culture that demonstrates a safe environment for disclosing, reporting and processing of experiences of sexualized violence;

(6) We will continue to ensure the policies that relate to sexualized violence and other forms of harassment and discrimination are responsive, fair and survivor-centered and we will continue to adjust in ways that reinforce these principles; and

(7)  We will provide ongoing supports and opportunities for discussion to anyone impacted by these harms.

The failings documented in the report are ones we must work collectively to prevent.

We have resources available for members of our community, including:

• The Sexualized Violence Advisor, Lyndsay Anderson, is trained to help individuals who have experienced sexualized violence. The Sexualized Violence Advisor offers confidential support and assistance to any member of the Dalhousie Community and can be contacted through Human Rights & Equity Services (HRES) at hres@dal.ca or call 902-494-6672 for more information or to book an appointment. Information about HRES and the Sexualized Violence Policy can be found at dal.ca/hres
  
  
• Students who require immediate support should contact Dalhousie’s Student Health & Wellness Services by phone to book an appointment: 902-494-2171 (Halifax); 902-893-6369 (Truro).
  
  
• Additional e-mental health options for students are available, including Good2Talk – free and confidential counselling for post-secondary students (dal.ca/good2talk); Ask a Nurse – confidential answers to your health questions within 72 hrs; and TAO – an online mental health library.
  
  
• Faculty and staff resources are available through our Employee Family Assistance Program, which can be accessed at workhealthlife.com or at login.lifeworks.com. In addition, Morneau Shepell has opened its 24/7 bilingual crisis support line to help anyone in need of emotional support. The toll-free number is 1-844-751-2133. Employees are also reminded that our Blue Cross medical coverage for mental health benefits was increased to $1500 effective April 1, 2020. Please also visit our employee resources site for additional mental health resources.

Let me borrow from the words of King’s President and Vice-Chancellor William Lahey who captured our shared sentiment:

“To all our past students as well as our faculty and staff who experienced the bullying and misogyny Ms. Rubin’s report describes, and to everyone who had their educational experience, or their experience as faculty or staff impaired by … aspects of Wayne Hankey’s behaviour, we apologize to you, too, for not making your safety, your well being and your equal participation in the life of King’s [and Dalhousie] our top priority.”

There are many important lessons Dalhousie should derive from the experiences and excruciating personal traumas outlined in this report. I want to reinforce my unwavering personal commitment to do whatever I can, in any role I occupy at Dalhousie, to address issues of sexualized violence, harassment, bullying, or any other unacceptable behavior on our campuses. We will be stronger by fully embracing these critical lessons.

Sincerely,

Frank P. Harvey
President and Vice-Chancellor (Acting) 

March 10, 2023

Dr. Brooks’ term as Dean of Management formally ends on June 30, 2023 and she has advised me that she wishes to be considered for a further five-year term. As part of standard university process, and in keeping with our Senior Administrative Appointments Policy, it is routine that a decanal review process be initiated at this point. Such reviews are key to university accountability and quality improvement processes and are conducted on a regular cycle.

As a first step in this process, a Decanal Review Committee for the Faculty of Management has been constituted by the Faculty and this committee wishes to invite input into the review from all interested parties.

Broad participation in the review is a vital component. Faculty, staff, students, and external partners are particularly encouraged to participate in the review. The scope of the review includes the following:

• Dean Brooks’ role as Dean; and
• The Office of the Dean, which includes the structure and administration of the Office.

The committee is interested in hearing opinions concerning the leadership areas identified in the University Terms of Reference (TOR) for Deans.

Additional information on the Office of the Dean of Management may be found here.

Opinions may be expressed by filling out this anonymous survey. While you will be asked to identify your stakeholder group, individual responses will be anonymous, and all comments will be treated as confidential by the committee. Summaries of information obtained through this process may be shared with the Dean. Any such information will contain neither direct quotes nor any individual identifiers.

Please complete the survey by Thursday, March 23. To share feedback directly via email or request an interview with the review committee, please contact Chloe Westlake at chloe.westlake@dal.ca by March 23.

Committee Membership

Frank Harvey, Chair
Dominika Wranik, Faculty representative
Jamila Ghaddar, Faculty representative
Kyung Lee, Faculty representative
Samantha Taylor, Faculty representative
Shawn Adderley, Student representative
Jenna Downey, Staff representative
Cristina Verissimo, External faculty representative

Sincerely,

Frank P. Harvey
President and Vice-Chancellor (Acting) 

February 21, 2023

Next week (February 27–March 3), Dalhousie will mark its inaugural Employee Appreciation Week to coincide with National Employee Appreciation Day, which takes place on the first Friday in March each year.

This week is an opportunity to take a moment and recognize the dedication and commitment of everyone who works for Dalhousie. Employee recognition is a key priority for Dalhousie and our Third Century Promise. No matter what you do to support our academic mission — from the classroom to the lab, from keeping hallways clean to our buildings safe and open, from Halifax to Truro and beyond — it all plays a part in making this university such an incredible place to study, research, teach, and work.

Employee Appreciation Week events

Throughout the week, virtual and in-person events will take place across our campuses and in our communities, including coffee breaks with Ol’ School Donuts hosted by senior leaders, family ice skates, lunchtime fitness classes, prize draws, and more. All faculty and staff will also have free access to the Dalplex throughout the week.

See the full event schedule and register for events through myDal (login required).  

Shout-outs

As part of Employee Appreciation Week, we are also encouraging you to submit Shout-outs for colleagues who deserve recognition. The Shout-out program was originally introduced in 2021 to informally acknowledge one another’s contributions to our campuses, and we’re pleased to bring the program back for Employee Appreciation Week. Shout-outs will be published on myDal and also shared in Today@Dal throughout next week.

I encourage everyone to take time next week to celebrate our peers and colleagues across the university. If you have people reporting to you, look for opportunities to recognize them throughout the week. In addition, when possible, please allow time for and encourage your employees to attend events.  

I’d like to thank our team in Human Resources for organizing next week’s activities, as well as Dalplex and the Langille Athletic Centre; Ancillary Services; the Office of Sustainability; Communications, Marketing and Creative Services; and Employee Appreciation Week sponsor Johnson Insurance for making the week’s activities possible.

Thank you for your many contributions to Dalhousie, and I hope you can join us in celebrating our first Employee Appreciation Week.

Sincerely,

Frank P. Harvey
President and Vice-Chancellor (Acting) 

February 6, 2023

Today we are kicking off our eighth annual Dalhousie Census campaign. The census provides us with important information about our community, which helps improve the university’s programs, supports and services related to equity, diversity, inclusion and accessibility (EDIA).

The “Be Counted” campaign will run from February 6-10. We encourage all Dalhousie faculty, staff and students to complete the census. It is important to hear from everyone, especially those belonging to equity deserving groups and in particular persons with disabilities as we begin the implementation of the university’s Accessibility Plan.

Watch the census video to learn more.

Visit dal.ca/BeCounted and follow the steps to fill out the Faculty/Staff Census or the Student Census. (If your primary affiliation is as a student, please choose the Student Census.)

Your information will be confidential. The census data is not shared with your manager/supervisor, and it is not attached to your employee or student record.

The data collected from our most recent census is available at dal.ca/BeCounted.

If you have any questions about the census, please email BeCounted@dal.ca.

Thank you in advance for taking the time to complete the Dalhousie Census and helping us build a better Dalhousie.

Sincerely,

Frank P. Harvey
President and Vice-Chancellor (Acting) 

February 1, 2023

The Senate Honorary Degrees Committee (SHDC) invites nominations for honorary degrees for future ceremonies.  

Through the awarding of honorary degrees, Dalhousie aims to recognize individuals whose accomplishments and achievements will inspire our graduates while reflecting the character and values of the university. SHDC invites nominations of candidates who reflect Canadian society and the university’s commitment to diversity including, but not limited to, Indigenous peoples (especially Mi’kmaq), persons of Black/African descent (especially African Nova Scotians) and other members of racialized groups, persons with disabilities, women, and persons identifying as members of 2SLGBTQ+ communities.

To learn more about who is eligible for an honorary degree, click here.

To make a nomination, please complete the Honorary Degree Nomination Form in full. Questions can be directed to the University Secretariat at (902) 494-3715 or senate@dal.ca.

Completed nomination forms should be forwarded by Monday, March 20, 2023 to senate@dal.ca or mailed to:       

Senate Honorary Degrees Committee
c/o Secretary of Senate
University Secretariat 
Room 210, Henry Hicks Academic Administration Building
Dalhousie University
6299 South Street, Halifax, NS B3H 4R2               

Your time and input are appreciated.

Frank Harvey
President and Vice-Chancellor (Acting) 

January 17, 2023

This spring, the Dalhousie community will celebrate some of our outstanding students as part of the 12th annual IMPACT Awards.  

The IMPACT Awards recognize students and student societies from across the university for their exceptional extracurricular contributions, not only to Dalhousie, but to local, provincial, national, and global communities.

New to the IMPACT Awards this year are the President’s Awards for the Advancement of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (EDIA). Eligible recipients are students or student groups who demonstrate an ongoing commitment to EDIA and work consistently to promote an inclusive campus community at Dalhousie. Learn more.

In order to recognize our amazing students, we need to hear from you. If you have worked with a student or student group whose contributions deserve to be acknowledged, I encourage you to nominate them for an IMPACT Award before the nomination deadline on February 8, 2023 (11:59 p.m. AST).

Information on all awards, and nomination forms, can be found at dal.ca/impact. If you have any questions, please contact student.experience@dal.ca.

Please help us celebrate our impressive students and share their inspiring stories. 

Frank Harvey
President and Vice-Chancellor (Acting) 

January 11, 2023

With the winter term now underway, I wanted to take a moment to write and wish you all the very best for the upcoming semester and the year ahead.

A new year offers an opportunity for us to reflect on our hard work, achievements, goals, and aspirations. I want to thank you for the important role you play every day to help students succeed in their respective programs while balancing multiple teaching, research, administrative, service, and, of course, family commitments. It’s through your incredible efforts that we’re able to achieve the important shared goals we have as an academic community: educating and supporting undergraduate and graduate students, growing research revenue, serving members of our communities, and advancing Dalhousie’s global reach further than ever before. Thank you!

I know doing such great work has not always come easy these past few years. The pandemic has caused many upheavals in our personal and professional lives and, more recently, with some painful losses weighing heavy on many in our Dal community. As we strive to support our students and their success, it’s critical that we support one another and look after ourselves as well. Please ask for help if you need it, take advantage of supports available to you, and keep your personal health and wellness front-of-mind throughout the term ahead.

Part of what makes Dal such a wonderful community are the personal connections we have across our campuses. I look forward to reaching out over the next several months to reconnect with colleagues and alumni I've met and worked with throughout my 30 years at Dalhousie and connect with faculty and staff I have not yet had the pleasure of meeting or thanking in person.

Dalhousie is an incredible place to work and study because of you, and it is a genuine privilege and true honour to get to support your work as acting president. I know senior leadership transitions can bring with them some trepidation, but Dalhousie has succeeded in working through these changes in the past because of our community’s enduring dedication to our students, research, scholarship, and service. These commitments have always been responsible for Dal’s success, reputation, and legacy, and they are the reasons the university will continue to thrive as we search for our new President and Vice-Chancellor.  

Thank you for all you do. Have a wonderful semester, and I look forward to seeing, supporting, and celebrating all the amazing things our Dal community has in store for 2023.

Sincerely,

Frank Harvey
President and Vice-Chancellor (Acting) 

January 10, 2023

It is with profound sadness that I advise the Dalhousie University community of the loss of Ben McIsaac, Co-Vice-President, Advancement (acting), who passed away suddenly last Friday following a brief illness. 

A graduate of Saint Mary’s University (BA, Psychology ’04), Ben began his fundraising career with Symphony Nova Scotia before taking on roles with Canadian Opera Company and the Richard Ivey School of Business at Western University.

Ben first joined Dalhousie in 2010 as a Development Officer for the Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences, but soon took on broader responsibilities as a Director of Development, also overseeing the fundraising teams in the faculties of Architecture & Planning, Computer Science, Engineering, and Management. He and his team made a significant contribution to the Bold Ambitions campaign, which saw the institution raise $280M, the largest campaign in Dalhousie’s and Atlantic Canada’s history. Ben then spent six years in leadership roles at the University of Alberta, including four as AVP, Faculty Development and Corporate and Foundation Relations. During his tenure, the university recorded its three highest fundraising totals ever. 

Ben re-joined Dalhousie in September 2019 as Assistant Vice-President, Development, where he was responsible for the strategic direction and leadership of the university’s fundraising development program. This included leading the strategic direction of Dal’s next comprehensive campaign — a particular career highlight of Ben’s. Most recently, he was helping support the entire Advancement team as co-acting Vice-President, Advancement.

Ben was passionate about supporting his community. He served on the volunteer Boards of the Children’s Wish Foundation of Nova Scotia, the TD Halifax Jazz Festival and the Association of Fundraising Professionals – Nova Scotia Chapter, and also contributed his time to Symphony Nova Scotia and Fusion Halifax.  

Ben was even more passionate about animal welfare. He and his wife Sandra personally welcomed half a dozen rescue animals into their family, mostly of the feline variety. During lockdowns and online meetings, it was a given that at least one of the furry members of his family would make an appearance on-screen. Ben also generously gave his time to the SPCA NS Board of Directors and was a member of their Finance & Audit and Communications & Marketing Committees. 

Above all, Ben adored his family. He was a devoted husband to Sandra, whom he adored, a loving son and brother, and a dedicated grandson.

Below, I am honoured to share memories of Ben from several of his colleagues who worked with him closely:

• “Since my first day at Dalhousie, Ben was there for me. He was the definition of a service leader — always making sure he empowered and encouraged others to succeed; never standing in their way. Ben wasn’t the gregarious fundraiser that is so commonly found in our line of work. He was quiet, he listened, he was deeply thoughtful and strategic. In the hierarchy that is a traditional university setting, he would openly ask others for their opinion and expertise, at all levels of the team. I will miss his honesty, his guidance, his mentorship, and his support. I will miss him dearly.” Sarah MacDonald, Assistant Dean, Advancement, Faculty of Law
  
  
• “Ben was more than a wonderful boss to me; he was a mentor and friend who was always a phone call or text away. A dedicated campus and sector champion, Ben made it clear he was invested in both my professional and personal development, and I couldn't have hoped for anything more than that. His passing is a great loss for not only the Dalhousie community, but also for the broader fundraising profession. I cannot help but feel we were all cheated out of time with him — he had so much passion and knowledge to share, and we all had much more to learn from this phenomenal non-profit leader.” Siobhan Doherty, Senior Director of Development, Office of Advancement 
  
  
• “It has been my privilege to have worked with Ben closely over the past four years. Ben was a truly brilliant strategist who could absorb a significant volume of details and data quickly and formulate a strong direction. Ben quickly earned the respect of those around him with his ability to gain consensus and find a path towards mutually-beneficial outcomes, even in the trickiest of situations. From our early days working together, it was apparent that Ben was a leader who truly cared about the people working around him. He was often the first person to reach out when a team member was struggling, was never more than a phone call away when you needed support, and was always quick with a cat picture to lighten the spirits! Dalhousie University, and the entire fundraising sector, have been made stronger for Ben’s leadership, and he will be dearly missed.” Kate Somers, Chief of Staff and Executive Director, Administration, Office of Advancement  
  
  
• “Much has been said about Ben’s leadership, his dedication to Dal, and his service to community. I will add what I think is most important, his kindness and desire to help others. Ben quietly focused on how he could help you as a friend, a human, more than he cared about how he could make the next great professional move. He wanted to make a difference in the lives of those around him. We will remember Ben’s gifts of kindness and his genuine desire to help those around him. It is a wonderful legacy. With much sadness we reflect.” Sheila Blair-Reid, co-acting Vice-President, Advancement

Please make time in your thoughts for Ben’s family and friends; faculty and staff across the institution who worked with Ben, especially our colleagues in the Office of Advancement; and for all who knew him. Dalhousie shares our condolences. Campus flags will be lowered to half-mast in Ben’s memory.  

Please reach out if you need help during what is surely a challenging time. Supports are available through our Employee and Family Assistance Program, which can be accessed at workhealthlife.com, or through the enhanced mental health benefit from Blue Cross, or contact Accessible Employment at accessible.employment@dal.ca for additional support or resources. 

Regards,

Frank Harvey
President and Vice-Chancellor (Acting) 

January 9, 2023

As we begin the first day of classes, I want to wish you all the very best for the winter semester and the year ahead. To those who travelled over the break — welcome back to campus. And to those new to Dal joining us for the first time — welcome. A new year offers an opportunity to reflect on your hard work, achievements, goals, and aspirations, and look ahead to all you will accomplish in 2023.

It has not been easy during the pandemic for many of us to maintain or strengthen our personal connections. As we continue to prioritize health and safety at the university, I encourage you to take advantage of any opportunity to connect with your peers on campus — whether through clubs and societies, connections you make in the classroom, meeting new friends in residence, or by volunteering and giving back to our local communities.

I am looking forward to meeting Dalhousie’s students at events across our campuses this semester to help recognize and celebrate the activities, contributions, and many significant accomplishments of our amazing undergraduate and graduate students. Dalhousie is an incredible place to work and study because of you, and it is a genuine privilege and distinct honour to be serving as your acting president.    

Have a wonderful semester, and I look forward to seeing and supporting the amazing things our Dal community has in store for 2023.

Sincerely,  

Frank Harvey
President and Vice-Chancellor (Acting)