OTTAWA — Three new vice-presidents as well as three new deans will begin their mandate in the upcoming weeks at the University of Ottawa.

Among the recently-filled positions within the University administration, is the important role of vice-president academic and provost — a position previously held by Robert Major. The two other positions are vice-president, external relations and vice-president, governance. Three University professors will begin their mandates as deans of the faculties of Arts, Civil Law and Social Sciences effective July 1, 2009.

François Houle – vice-president academic and provost

On July 1, François Houle will begin his mandate as vice-president academic and provost. Until then, Mr. Houle continues his duties as the dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences, a position he has held since 2005. From 2001 to 2005, Mr. Houle was associate vice-president, academic. A full professor of political science at the University of Ottawa, François Houle’s teaching and research focus on Canadian politics and contemporary political thought. His most recent publications have examined democratic citizenship and the connection between the theoretical concepts of pluralism in advanced societies and Canadian multiculturalism policies. In recent years, Prof. Houle oversaw major restructuring of the University’s programs of study, was responsible for projects that contributed to the international experience of students, worked to strengthen research activities at the Faculty of Social Sciences and reinforced the University’s ties with the community. François Houle holds a PhD from the University of Kent (U.K.)

The vice-president academic and provost, works closely with the deans to set the University's broad academic directions, to design and regularly evaluate programs, to recruit and retain professors, and to establish student-recruitment strategies. The vice-president academic and provost also oversees the University's ten faculties.

Louis de Melo – vice-president, external relations

Louis de Melo is a certified management accountant and graduated magna cum laude from the University of Ottawa in 1994. Over the course of his career, Louis de Melo has acquired extensive expertise in the area of development and fundraising. He has held senior positions with a number of well-known organizations in the National Capital Region, including the position of executive director of advancement services of Ashbury College. He also held the position of executive vice-president of corporate social responsibility and resource development and CEO of the Government of Canada Workplace Campaign at United Way Ottawa. He will begin his mandate on July 27.

The vice-president, external relations, advances the goals of the University in raising the University's profile, in building internal and external alliances and strategic partnerships, and in fund development and revenue generation to support the University in its mission of teaching and scholarship.

Diane Davidson – vice-president, governance

Ms. Davidson is a fluently bilingual strategic leader with broad influence in the public sector who has held positions with Elections Canada since 2000. She was the director of legal services for two years and since 2002, has held the position of deputy chief electoral officer and chief legal counsel and regulatory affairs. Prior to 2000, she held various positions with the Department of Justice and the House of Commons. Ms. Davidson will begin her mandate on August 4. She will replace Nathalie Des Rosiers who will pursue her career as the Canadian Civil Liberties Association’s next general counsel.

The vice-president, governance is the official secretary to the Board and Senate and is an ex-officio member of the administrative committee, of the Senate and of all Senate committees. The Office of the Legal Counsel, the University Archives and the Sexual Harassment Office all report to the vice-president, governance.

Sébastien Grammond – dean, Faculty of Law, Civil Law Section

Sébastien Grammond is the new dean of the Civil Law Section. Mr. Grammond has been interim dean since December 2008 replacing Nathalie Des Rosiers. Prof. Grammond’s research and teaching focus is on Aboriginal Peoples’ rights and contractual justice. Hired as a full professor in 2004, Grammond was appointed associate professor in 2006. Dean Grammond has held other leadership positions in the Civil Law Section, including vice-dean, research. He obtained a PhD from Oxford University (U.K.)

Catherine Lee – acting dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences

Catherine M. Lee will be appointed acting dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences replacing François Houle. She earned a PhD from the University of Western Ontario in 1988. Since then, she has been a full professor of psychology at the University of Ottawa. She has authored over 50 articles, chapters and books on effective parenting and co-parenting, as well as on the implementation of evidence-based services for children and youth. Dr. Lee is a fellow of the Canadian Psychological Association (CPA) and is an ad hoc reviewer for many granting agencies and scholarly journals. She is past chair of the clinical section of the CPA and was CPA president in 2008-2009. Up until her appointed, she was vice-dean, graduate studies, at the Faculty of Social Sciences.

Antoni Lewkowicz – dean of the Faculty of Arts

Antoni Lewkowicz will succeed George Lang as dean of the Faculty of Arts. He has been associated with the University for over 30 years, dating back to his days as a graduate student in geography (PhD 1981). An expert in Canadian permafrost, Dean Lewkowicz left the University of Toronto to pursue his career at the University of Ottawa where he held positions as the director of the department of geography (1994-2000) and vice-dean, research (2001-2005). In 2006, he was awarded Professor of the Year at the Faculty of Arts for excellence in teaching, research and service to the university community.