I am pleased to announce the appointment of Professor Ann Lopez as Provostial Advisor on Access Programs until June 30, 2018. [In April 2018, Professor Lopez’s term as Provostial Advisor on Access Programs was extended until June 30, 2019.]

Professor Lopez will advise me on ways the University of Toronto can better coordinate and build on our suite of unique pipeline, access, outreach, and bridging programs to support our commitment to student success, and to enhance the ability of students from diverse backgrounds to attend the University of Toronto. This work will build on the contributions of Professor Charmaine Williams, who served as Provostial Advisor in 2014.

Professor Lopez is an Associate Professor, Teaching Stream in the Department of Leadership, Higher, and Adult Education at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE), where she served as Academic Director of Initial Teacher Education. Her teaching and research focus on culturally responsive leadership and pedagogy, social justice leadership, critical multiculturalism, mentoring for diversity and equity, and teacher education. She has published many articles and received prestigious awards in the areas of diversity, inclusion, and education, and was recently named President-Elect of the National Association for Multicultural Education. Prior to joining OISE, Professor Lopez was a teacher and administrator in the Peel District School Board.

I am confident that Professor Lopez’s expertise in the areas of culturally responsive leadership, secondary and higher education, and diversity will help further improve the quality of our access programming and the overall educational experiences of our students.