Call for Nominations – Advisory Committee for the Dean, Faculty of Information (PDAD&C #6)

 From: Cheryl Regehr, Vice-President and Provost 
Date: August 11, 2022
Re: Call for Nominations – Advisory Committee for the Dean, Faculty of Information (PDAD&C #6)  


Professor Wendy Duff will be stepping down as Dean of the Faculty of Information on December 31, 2022. Professor Duff is presently on administrative leave and Professor Marsha Chechik is serving as Acting Dean (PDAD&C #41 2021-22).

Professor Duff has served as Dean of the Faculty of Information with distinction. During her tenure, she has led substantial improvements in the Faculty’s operating budget, enrolments, programs, and space. She championed the new Bachelor of Information degree, a second-entry undergraduate program that focuses on interdisciplinary approaches to exploring data and society. Under Professor Duff’s leadership, the Faculty has made significant changes to its existing Master of Information program to better support the Faculty’s academic mission, renovated its space with an emphasis on student engagement, and developed a new model for technology-enabled classrooms that provide a forum for teaching innovation. Professor Duff has also taken the lead on developing strategic partnerships with the University of Toronto Libraries, as well as other cognate Faculties, to enhance the Faculty of Information’s administrative operations and create new opportunities for scholarly collaboration.  

An advisory committee to search for the next Dean is currently being launched.  

In accordance with Section 60 of the Policy on Appointment of Academic Administrators, I am writing to call for the nominations of individuals to serve on the Committee that will advise on the appointment of a Dean. The Policy mandates the composition of the Advisory Committee as follows: 

  • The Vice-President and Provost (Chair); 
  • Three to five members of the teaching staff of the Faculty; 
  • One to three students of the Faculty; 
  • The Dean of the School of Graduate Studies or representative; 
  • A librarian, where appropriate; 
  • Two or three other qualified scholars from within or outside this University, but outside of the Faculty; 
  • In addition, the Committee may include an alumnus/a, a member of the administrative staff, and a senior member of the appropriate professional community. 

The Advisory Committee will begin meeting in the coming months. Nominations for the Committee should be submitted to the Office of the Vice-President & Provost by September 9, 2022, via the online form

Nominations for the role of Dean of the Faculty of Information and questions about this search process may be directed to Special Projects Office Toks Weah at toks.weah@utoronto.ca.