New direction for new VP Student Services

Dr. Bonnie Neuman says deciding to become Dalhousie«s new Vice-President, Student Services was an easy choice, given our national prestige and regional charm.

"I«ve always known about Dalhousie - it has a superb reputation across Canada as the best research-intensive medical/doctoral school in Atlantic Canada. The opportunity to work here, combined with the wonderful lifestyle of Halifax and the superb natural environment of Nova Scotia proved to be irresistable."

Dr. Neuman joined the Dalhousie community on July 5, replacing Eric McKee who retired from his post at the end of June.

Dr. Neuman brings to Dalhousie a wealth of experience in the senior management of post secondary institutions across the country. Most recently, she was Vice President Students at York University. Prior to that, she was Associate Vice-President, Student Services at Brock University and Associate Registrar & Director of Admissions at the University of Alberta. Dr. Neuman holds a B.A. and M.A. in English and a Doctor of Education (Education Administration), all from the University of Alberta.

Now that she has had a few months to settle in, Dr. Neuman says she«s delighted with her new post, and in particular, with the opportunity to work with her team on the challenges ahead.

"I«ve been very impressed with the managers and staff in Student Services here - they are a dedicated, hard working group of professionals who accomplish a lot," she says. "I«m looking forward to working with them to build on the strong foundation they«ve established."

In terms of specific projects, she says the team«s big challenge ahead is in enrolment management. "We need to maintain and increase our student enrolments in an increasingly competitive field. Recruitment and admissions related issues will get my highest priority," she says, adding that her view of enrolment management is very comprehensive.

"Everything we do has an impact on our reputation and our recruitment when you stop to think about it. In addition to specific recruitment office initiatives, we«ll be spending time across the portfolio to make sure that we are student-centered in our services and communications."

"We are committed to working even harder on reinforcing a supportive, respectful learning environment for our students, and looking for more ways to help our students, especially the non-resident students, engage and connect in a meaningful way with student life at Dalhousie," she says.