Western University announced that Opiyo Oloya will be its first associate vice-president, equity, diversity and inclusion, beginning Aug. 30. In this new position, Dr. Oloya will help lead, manage, direct and evaluate EDI initiatives at Western and work closely with diverse groups across campus to promote equity and anti-racism. He came to Canada as a political refugee from Uganda and, sponsored by World University Service of Canada, began classes at Queen’s University the day after he arrived. Dr. Oyola later attended the University of Ottawa and completed a PhD at York University. Dr. Oloya is the founder and former president of International Resources for Education of African Deaf and Blind Children and is an advisor on the African Union Mission to Somalia and served as interim associate director with the York Catholic District School Board.
Susan Dion has been appointed York University’s inaugural associate vice-president, Indigenous initiatives. Dr. Dion is a Lenape and Potowatomi scholar and was the first Indigenous tenure-track faculty member in the faculty of education at York. She led the development of the Wuleelhan: Indigenous Educations Initiatives, which includes the urban Indigenous education MEd cohort, and Indigenous PhD cohort and the Waaban Indigenous teacher education program. In this new role, which begins Sept. 1, Dr. Dion will work to further implement York’s Indigenous framework, support the implementation of the Decolonization of Research Administration Report recommendations and other Indigenous initiatives.
On Sept. 6, the University of Lethbridge will welcome Martha Mathurin-Moe as its first executive director, equity, diversity and inclusion. In this newly created role, Ms. Mathurin-Moe will hold a key leadership position in senior administration and work as a facilitator and strategist for EDI initiatives. Currently, she is the manager of talent development in the Public Service Commission with the government of Saskatchewan. Ms. Mathurin-Moe came to Canada from St. Lucia as an international student to complete a master of education at the University of Regina, and is completing a PhD in curriculum instruction.
Jennifer Tomes began a one-year term as interim dean of science at Mount Allison University on July 1. She has worked at Mount Allison since 2000 and teaches courses in the department of psychology. Dr. Tomes also runs an extensive research program that focuses on true and false memories, concussion impacts and applying cognition in the classroom. While serving as interim dean – promoting quality teaching and learning, supporting faculty and student research and managing the faculty budget – she will continue teaching and serve as a faculty supervisor for an honours student and a directed studies project.