Three new deans start on July 1, 2023
June 30, 2023
UVic is excited to welcome three new deans on July 1, to begin their five-year terms as leaders of their Faculties. Deans play a crucial role in the academic leadership of the university, including by encouraging and ensuring excellence in teaching and research. Deans are responsible for all administrative decisions within their Faculty or Division. Learn more about the role of a Dean.
Thank you to our outgoing colleagues for providing steadfast leadership of their Faculties and advancing several strategic initiatives during their tenure.
Vanessa Andreotti, Dean, Faculty of Education
At UBC, her previous institution, Vanessa Andreotti was a Canada Research Chair in Race, Inequalities and Global Change; David Lam Chair in Multicultural Education; and interim director of the Peter Wall Institute for Advanced Studies. Vanessa's academic experience is complemented by her leadership roles with NGOs, professional associations, governments, social movements and communities. Her research problematizes approaches to education and global change that reproduce paternalistic forms of relationships, simplistic solutions to complex problems, and ethnocentric ideals of sustainability, equity, justice and change. Vanessa is a strong advocate for Indigenous and land rights, particularly in the context of the Amazon rainforest.
"Dr. Andreotti will bring innovative leadership to the Faculty of Education, grounded in Indigenous ways of knowing, that will advance decolonization. We are excited to welcome a leader with a strong record of research and teaching, personal and professional integrity, and commitment to supporting others." — Elizabeth Croft, Vice-President Academic and Provost
Catherine McGregor served as Acting Dean for the past year and has played a crucial role in advancing key priorities in the Faculty of Education as well as onboarding the new Dean. She will return to her Associate Dean, Graduate Programs and Research role.
Anita D. Bhappu, Dean, Peter B. Gustavson School of Business
Anita Bhappu joins UVic from the University of California Merced, where she was an Associate Professor and Department Chair of Management of Complex Systems as well as Associate Dean for Student Success in the School of Engineering. Anita conducts interdisciplinary management research on organizational behaviour and information systems, and she studies how information and communication technologies influence customer-provider service interactions, decision-making in diverse work teams, and co-worker collaborative consumption. Her research is published in top-ranked journals and she serves on the editorial board of Organization Science.
"Dr. Bhappu is an inspiring leader dedicated to equity, diversity, inclusion and decolonization. She has a proven track record of driving and supporting research and, as Dean, will use her experience and expertise to engage alumni and the business community to enhance programs and initiatives that benefit students, faculty, staff and community." — Elizabeth Croft, Vice-President Academic and Provost
Anita replaces Saul Klein, who served 11 years at the helm of the School of Business and championed the school’s commitment to responsible management education— a core value for which the school has gained international recognition. Saul will continue as a professor of marketing, strategy and international business at the school following his administrative leave.
Freya Kodar, Dean, Faculty of Law
Freya Kodar is an Associate Professor with the Faculty of Law at UVic and from 2016–21 served as Associate Dean, Administration and Research. Her research and writing focuses on income and financial inequality across the life course and her work has been published in legal and interdisciplinary journals. Most recently, she co-authored Law and Disability in Canada: Cases and Materials, the first Canadian textbook on Law and Disability. While her work focuses on Canada, it draws on work in other jurisdictions, and has international implications. She maintains connections to networks of scholars working in the areas of consumer law, disability law and torts, both nationally and internationally.
"Professor Kodar is regarded as a campus leader of equity, diversity and inclusion, and she is a strong supporter of reconciliation within the faculty and UVic. As Dean of Law, she will champion the faculty and university on national and international stages, including uplifting the JD/JID and new National Centre for Indigenous Laws." — Elizabeth Croft, Vice-President Academic and Provost
Prior to Freya assuming the role, Val Napoleon served as Acting Dean for 18 months. Following administrative leave, Val will resume teaching as well as her role as Director of the Indigenous Law Research Unit. Val has been instrumental in realizing the vision for the National Centre for Indigenous Laws.
Searches were conducted in accordance with UVic's Procedures for the Appointment and Re-appointment of Deans (GV0450).