My Philosophy of Higher Education Leadership

My vision of higher education

I see my primary responsibility as an educational leader to contribute to transform Algoma University from a teaching institution into a learning institution.

The prevailing philosophy in most North American universities and colleges has been the Instruction Paradigm where the main goal is to provide instruction, to teach. This paradigm, which emphasizes the transfer and deliver of knowledge from faculty to students, has proved to be ineffective in transforming students’ lives and in helping them create and discover knowledge by themselves. On the other hand, the main objective of a learning institution is to create learning environments that produce deep learning. I conceive the university itself as a learner, which must strive to continuously improve the quality of learning for each member of its community –students, faculty, and administration- individually and in the aggregate.

My personal mission is to create an environment within the Department that brings all constituents to discover and construct knowledge for themselves, and to encourage the University to assume responsibility for both institutional learning outcomes and individual student outcomes.

My vision of the Department’s mission

I see the Department’s mission and goals as follows. This mission and goals need to be widely discussed and re-elaborated. I offer them as a starting point for a discussion.

The Department’s mission is to help our students to critically examine the law in different legal traditions and cultures, to analyze legal issues from multiple theoretical perspectives, and to value the contributions of social sciences to the Law.

The Department strives to promote a dynamic learning culture that fosters deep learning and it encourages faculty to engage in the scholarship of teaching and learning.

The Department also encourages faculty to expand the knowledge base by producing cutting-edge research on a wide array of Law and Justice issues and to integrate this research into the students’ learning experiences.

Goals

The Department will produce graduates who:

· Appreciate and value the existence of different legal traditions and cultures.

· Understand law as a social institution and as a social phenomenon

· Analyze legal problems from a multitude of theoretical perspectives

· Value the contributions of other Social Science disciplines to Law

· Communicate effectively both orally and in writing.

· Understand and apply the fundamental concepts of the discipline.

· Address legal issues critically and reflectively.

· Conduct sound research

· Are committed to life-long learning.

My vision of the Department environment

The learning and leadership environment should be based on strong relationships embedded in collaborative decision-making processes with high expectations for effective results.  Key values in building strong relationships are respect for others, honesty, integrity, and honoring commitments.

A major role for me is to implement and protect a working environment of trust within the Department.

My leadership style

I am committed to a democratic-facilitative style of leadership. Therefore, I envision that all stakeholders –students, faculty, and administration – will not only have meaningful contributions to make to the educational mission, but that each person will become a valued participant of the shared leadership team.

The following themes embody my leadership style:

· Consensus through collaboration.

· Proactive solutions to problems.

· Teamwork.

· Support and mentorship.