With Rani Dhaliwal’s recent decision to retire at the end of 2021, I am delighted to announce that beginning next January, Kelly Jackson will become Vice-President, External Affairs and Professional Learning.

Kelly joined Humber in 2017 to lead an integrated approach to communications, marketing and government relations and has been a member of the executive team since 2019.

The External Affairs and Professional Learning portfolio will bring together a wide range of service departments that support Humber’s external relationships, continuous professional learning, workforce development and access strategies, and reputation management. Each of these areas connect Humber’s vision and priorities to the needs and interests of our learners, alumni, donors, and industry, community and government partners.

Kelly’s responsibilities will include oversight for:

• Advancement and Alumni
• Education & Training Solutions
• Government Relations, Marketing and Communications
• Community Outreach and Workforce Development, with the exception of Humber’s Community Employment Services
• Continuous Professional Learning in collaboration with Faculties, Education & Training Solutions and other service delivery providers
• Ongoing work related to the University of Guelph-Humber, in collaboration with the Senior Vice-President Academic

Humber’s Community Employment Services will remain part of the Students and Institutional Planning portfolio under Jason Hunter’s leadership. Beginning this fall, these services will be aligned to support a more coordinated approach to ensuring successful career outcomes for students and clients. Changes related to the Community Outreach and Workforce Development portfolio will take place effective September.

Kelly and Rani will be working together starting September to support a smooth transition before Rani’s retirement in December.

I am confident that these changes will enable us to ensure we are able to advance our strategic priorities while we continue to navigate a changing environment and the impacts of COVID-19. Please join me in congratulating Kelly on her expanded role.

Chris Whitaker
President, CEO Humber I.T.A.L.

The University of Guelph and Humber are exploring the opportunity to move our successful joint venture, the University of Guelph-Humber (UofGH) to a new location in downtown Brampton.  

The City of Brampton has been of interest as a potential location for UofGH for more than a decade, given its strategic location in the growing GTA and the fact that many students come from the Brampton/Peel area.     

Today, Brampton City Council unanimously supported a motion to work with the University of Guelph and Humber College on the potential relocation of the University of Guelph-Humber (UofGH) to Brampton’s new Centre for Innovation. The UofGH partners and the City of Brampton will now look at this opportunity in more detail and depth. No final decisions have been made, however, if a relocation were to take place, the earliest it would take place is fall 2025.

More information can be found in a news release that was shared with local media today.

Enhancing Institutional EDI Knowledge of Disability and Academic Accessibility: 

• Many students miss assignment deadlines or miss tests/exams. For some students with disabilities, it could be due to a flare-up in their condition, which can be unpredictable in nature and often outside of their control. 

• It can be difficult for faculty to balance academic rigor and accountability for what students are to learn, with a fair and manageable process for those who miss required tests/exams and assignments. 

• Consider creating a contingency supplemental assignment or make-up test/exam that can be pulled out during the semester as needed.  

Visit our ALS Information for Faculty website to learn more about accommodating students with disabilities. 

Please email us at accessible-learning@humber.ca with suggestions for key accessibility-related topics that you would like us to address through the Communiqué. 

Jennifer Reitano (she/her), professor and program coordinator of the Fashion Arts and Business program, explained that her passion for ethical and sustainable fashion has been guided through a lifetime of advocacy in the fashion industry. 

“I didn’t realize [the sustainable impact I had] at a young age when shopping thrift and second-hand, but since working in the fashion industry, I’ve witnessed the negative environmental impact caused by the industry,” said Jennifer. 

As an influential leader in the industry, Jennifer has made a positive impact through various roles, including board director for Fashion Group International, director of education for Toronto Men’s Fashion Week and social media reporter for Samsung at the 2014 Olympic Games.  

This year, Jennifer will be a board member of the Canadian International Fashion Film Festival. 

Jennifer’s advice for anyone looking to get involved with sustainability-related projects is, “Find your passion project and do your research on how you can get involved. If there isn’t a group that fits your needs, you can always create your own.” 

To learn about the three fashion programs at Humber and their commitment to sustainability on-campus, find the full feature story.