Dr. Peter Geller’s term as Interim Dean of the Faculty of Applied and Technical Studies has been extended until August 31, 2023. He will leave his current role as Vice-Provost on August 31, 2021 in order to focus solely on the Faculty of Applied and Technical Studies.
At this pivotal time and as we look to a post-pandemic future, we are gratified to have Dr. Geller lead the Faculty of Applied and Technical studies. His depth of experience, long-standing service, and work in many areas of academic administration including Indigenization and program quality assurance are greatly appreciated.
Dr. Geller is looking forward to his next chapter at UFV.
“The Faculty of Applied and Technical Studies is well-placed to further UFV’s mission of engaging learners, transforming lives, and building community,” he says. “I’m excited to be working with faculty and staff to deliver and further develop quality applied education in Trades, Technology, Physics/Engineering and Agriculture, and to ensuring that we are truly serving all learners and communities in the Fraser Valley.”
He began his second term as Vice-Provost and Associate Vice-President, Academic in May 2017, having joined UFV in 2012.
During his nine years in the Vice-Provost office, he established strong working relationships and program opportunities with Indigenous partners and contributed to reconciliation education within UFV, planning and facilitating events including the Indian Residential School Day of Learning, the Witness Blanket exhibition, and the Reconcili-Action forums with Stó:lō Nation Tribal Council. He helped develop capacity in the area of academic quality assurance, ensuring that UFV was well-prepared for the recent Quality Assurance and Process Audit, an external review of institutional quality assessment. Other contributions include leadership of UFV’s international education activities and supporting the growth of UFV’s pathway programs in Chandigarh, India.
Dr. Geller has served as Chair of the Faculty Standards Committee of Senate, the India Management Committee, and the India Academic Advisory Committee and is a member of the Committee on University Risk Assessment, Senate Governance Committee, Indigenization Committee of Senate, Undergraduate Education Committee, Senior Academic Leadership Team and Deans Council.
He holds a BA and MA from the University of Winnipeg and a PhD in History from Carleton University (Ottawa).
Dr. Geller currently serves on the Admissions Committee of the B.C. Council of Admission and Transfer and represents UFV on the BC Senior Academic Administrators Forum. He has served as President, Vice President, and Board member of the Association of Canadian Universities of Northern Studies and as a member of the Council of the University of the Arctic.
The Provost office will begin a search for a Vice-Provost in the near future.
Sincerely,
James Mandigo
Provost and Vice-President Academic