Further to the announcement of the role of the Chief Transformation Officer earlier this year, we are pleased to announce the establishment of the Office of Strategic Transformation and Delivery, a key step in advancing our institutional commitment to long-term, coordinated change across the university. This new office brings together existing transformation efforts under one strategic umbrella, ensuring alignment with university-wide goals and supporting sustainable progress into the future.
As part of this evolution, the University Initiatives Office (UIO) will be dissolved, and this new office will better reflect its revised mandate, expanded responsibilities and new reporting structure to both the Vice-President (Academic) and Vice-President (University Services, Operations and Finance). This shift is not simply a name change. Rather, it signals a new phase of transformation that integrates both academic and administrative perspectives. This new office will now serve as the engine for institution-wide strategic change, working collaboratively with units across the university to manage, coordinate and drive key initiatives forward. The Office of Strategic Transformation and Delivery will be relying largely on existing resources, and the incremental cost to this work will be minimal.
With this transition, the Continuous Administrative Service Improvement Program (CASIP) has now formally concluded. CASIP played an important role in identifying and initiating a range of improvement initiatives over the past several years. We thank all those who contributed to its success. The work CASIP began has either been completed or will be incorporated into the broader efforts now being led by the new Office of Strategic Transformation and Delivery.
Looking ahead, we are developing a three-year transformation roadmap that will replace the ongoing work previously managed under CASIP. This roadmap will outline major priorities and strategic initiatives to be undertaken over the next several years and will provide a structured, measurable framework for transformation. It is not intended to cover all university activities, but rather to focus on a select group of high-impact, cross-functional projects that align with our institutional priorities.
The establishment of the Office of Strategic Transformation and Delivery marks a significant investment in our university’s ability to adapt, innovate and collaborate across functions. Through this office, we will continue to build organizational capacity and foster a culture of continuous improvement while ensuring that all major initiatives are strategically aligned and effectively managed.
We recognize that transformation is ongoing and that meaningful change happens over time. This office is not about replacing the work that already exists in faculties and administrative units, but rather about supporting and enabling change where it is most needed. We remain committed to working in partnership with colleagues across the university to ensure our collective success.
Todd Gilchrist
Vice-President (University Services, Operations and Finance)
Verna Yiu
Provost and Vice-President (Academic)