Meet Bo Wandschneider, U of T’s New CIO
By Chloe Payne June 1, 2017 Bo Wandschneider Meet U of T’s new Chief Information Officer, Bo Wandschneider. Bo has led a distinguished 30-year career in Higher Education Information Technology, most recently serving as CIO and Associate Vice Principal, Information Technology, at Queen’s University, where he built a reputation as a collaborative leader guided by principles of community, common vision, and joint accountability. Now that Bo has settled in a bit, we decided to sit down with him this week to learn more about his background and to discuss his vision for the CIO portfolio. CP: What drew you to work in information technology? [...]
Christine Burke, Director, Campus & Facilities Planning, honoured by the Urban Land Institute
Christine Burke, Director, Campus & Facilities Planning, has been selected to the Urban Land Institute's (ULI) Women's Leadership Initiative (WLI) Championship Team 2017 in recognition of her leadership role in the real estate and development industry. Christine was selected based on her: Exceptional leadership and skill in the real estate development and land use disciplines; Dedication to, and success at, building thriving communities across the Toronto region; and Capacity to inspire others in the industry Launched in 2014, the Women’s Leadership Initiative (WLI) Toronto is part of a global Urban Land Institute (ULI) network promoting the advancement of women in [...]
Simcoe Hall Vice-Presidential Staff Awards winners announced – and 3 of them are part of the UO team!
Our winners (l-r): Ken, (Scott Mabury, VP UO), Blair and Kristina (photo: Lisa Sakulensky Photography The Simcoe Hall Vice-Presidential Staff Awards recognize outstanding performance in the portfolios reporting into the Offices of the President, Vice-President & Provost, the Simcoe Hall Vice-Presidents, and the Office of the Governing Council. We are delighted that this year, 3 members of the University Operations portfolio have been honoured with the Award: Ken DeBaeremaeker Manager, Enrolment and Tuition Fees Planning and Analysis, Planning & Budget Ken was recognized for his many years of dedicated professionalism, service orientation and teamwork as a member of the Planning and [...]
150th Celebration garden comes to life!
The Office of the Vice-President, University Operations, recently entered and won a Canada-wide competition, sponsored by the Canadian Garden Council, Vesey’s Bulbs, Canada Post, Niagara Parks, Via Rail and a host of other Canadian associations and companies to win one of 150 ‘150th Celebration Gardens’ being distributed across Canada in celebration of Canada’s Sesquicentennial in 2017! U of T is one of only 3 winners, the other two being the Toronto Zoo and the Toronto Parks & Trees Foundation. We are also one of only two universities to be a part of this initiative, the other being the Memorial [...]
2017 University Operations Staff Achievement Awards
In 2015, the Vice-President University Operations established the annual Staff Achievement Awards Program in order to recognize exceptional staff contributions to the success of their particular unit, the University Operations portfolio and the University. The program provides University Operations with another opportunity to thank staff for the valuable work performed throughout the year. Three types of achievement-based awards will be presented at the 3rd Annual Than-Q BBQ and Awards event on August 23, 2017. Outstanding Individual Employee Award Presented to an individual staff member (regardless of length of service) involved in any area of staff work who has made [...]
U of T named one of Canada’s Greenest Employers for 2017
Recognized for the fourth year! The Canada’s Greenest Employers award recognizes the employers who are leaders in creating a culture of environmental awareness in their organizations. “Being named as one of Canada’s Greenest Employers for the fourth year is fabulous news,” says Ron Swail, chief operations officer of Property Services & Sustainability at the University of Toronto (U of T). “It once again confirms the University’s commitment and deeply embedded culture of sustainability. “Our community of passionate and actively engaged students, world-class academics and researchers, innovative incubators, supportive network of alumni, and talented employees across all three campuses work collaboratively and creatively together to [...]
Bo Wandschneider named CIO
The Information Technology Services (ITS) portfolio within University Operations currently has eight directors in place, with a mandate to continue to enhance the alignment of information technology to the university’s mission. The University’s inaugural CIO, Robert Cook, took the helm in 2008. Since that time, the ITS team has collaborated with academic and administrative stakeholders to renew the central administrative data centre and the tri-campus wireless network; strengthened the profile of information security through Policy and services; expanded the Academic Toolbox and Online Learning professional services; initiated the Next Generation Student Information Services program; and introduced the university to [...]
U of T planning laneway homes pilot project by next year
Christine Burke, director of campus and facilities planning at U of T, said the university aims to build the homes, across the street from Robarts Library, as housing for grad students or visiting faculty. Depending on the results of the pilot project, the next phase is 40 to 50 more in the same area,where the university owns most of the land. (EDUARDO LIMA / METRONEWS) Read more here.
U of T experts’ creative solution to Toronto’s housing problems: laneway homes
Award-winning architect and U of T Professor Brigitte Shim lives in a laneway house in Leslieville (photo by Romi Levine) “What happens in architecture schools should not be seen as a project... but as a way of projecting a different future for our cities” Twenty-five years ago, award-winning architect Brigitte Shim was scoping out a location to build her home. “It was a derelict lot with six abandoned cars, and weeds that were shoulder height,” she says. Shim, a professor at University of Toronto at the John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design, decided the laneway in [...]
Congratulations to Anne Macdonald, Influential Leader and 2017 Chancellor’s Award winner
Anne Macdonald, Director, Ancillary Services, has been awarded this year's Chancellor’s Award: Influential Leader category. Described as “visionary” by Yves Roberge, Principal, and Ron Vander Kraats, CAO, New College, Anne has, since taking the helm of Ancillary Services in 2002, quietly and determinedly led a team which has been responsible for several transformative accomplishments. Acquisition of the Toronto Colony Hotel and its transition to a university residence (89 Chestnut) Implementation of responsible procurement initiatives: bottled water ban, Bangladesh Accord requirement for merchandise manufacturing, local sustainable food partnerships Financial and relationship turn-around of university’s program in the Huron-Sussex neighbourhood, which set [...]