Dr. Robert Ventresca appointed interim Vice-President Academic Dean

Dr. David Malloy, King’s President, shares the news that Dr. Robert Ventresca will take on the role of interim Vice President Academic Dean (VPAD), effective July 1, 2023:

As we launch into a new period of planning and development for the future of King’s, I am pleased to share with you an important update on the senior leadership of the university.

Since May 1, 2022, Dr. Robert Ventresca has furthered King’s academic mission, vision and values of a culture rich in teaching and research academic excellence as the Interim Academic Dean. His strong leadership greatly helped us during an important time of transition from the challenges of the pandemic to returning to a vibrant on-campus educational institution. He has been instrumental in leading the development of numerous innovations for course delivery and research by King’s faculty, students and employees.

It is with excitement that I share with you that Dr. Ventresca will be taking on the role of interim Vice-President Academic Dean (VPAD) for a two-year term as of July 1, 2023.

This important role will oversee the Academic Dean’s Office, the Cardinal Carter Library, Student Services/Dean of Students and the Research Office. The mandate of the office of the Vice President Academic over this time will be to provide strategic expertise at the leadership table and to represent King’s externally.  This will include several important shaping initiatives, such as the completion and implementation of the academic plan, participation in the strategic plan, and affiliation agreement negotiations and completion.

It is a position that the King’s community is familiar with and that is still formally part of our administrative structure. We will ensure that Dr. Ventresca has the support he needs to fill this demanding role.

Dr. Ventresca has dedicated his professional life to King’s, and he is well poised to bring a rich knowledge of institutional history as well as a deep caring for the future development of our community as we move towards a new strategic plan. He started his post-secondary career right here at King’s as an undergraduate student in 1989. Since then he has achieved teaching and research excellence with numerous publications. As well, Dr. Ventresca is a Member of the College of New Scholars, Artists, and Scientists at the Royal Society of Canada. The Search Committee met his gracious acceptance of this senior leadership role with appreciation.

Dr. Ventresca says he is honoured and excited to serve King’s in this increased capacity as interim Vice-President Academic Dean. “As King’s is on the cusp of a new future I look forward to working collegially with the other vice-presidents and the president to advance our academic vision, mission and values. King’s has been a special academic home for me and I am deeply invested in seeing it flourish in a new reality.”

In the fall, King’s will commence a new strategy development process in consultation with community members. Once the strategic framework is complete in early 2024, I intend to have an administrative review completed by an external consultant. When we decide on the future of the Vice President Academic role, hopefully in spring 2024, I anticipate a search will take at least a year to complete and the earliest we could have someone in a permanent role would be July 2025.

Please join me in welcoming Dr. Ventresca to his new position. He is committed to the mission of King’s and he is a champion of the liberal arts. I am confident that we have an open-minded, thoughtful leader, with relationships in the community that can help us build consensus on key issues.