Congratulations to Dr. Martin Cooke, our current Associate Dean, Undergraduate Students, on his appointment as the first Assistant Vice-President, Academic – Leadership and Strategic Initiatives.
Taking up his new role in May, Dr. Cooke will be part of the leadership team in the Office of the Associate Vice-President, Academic (AVPA), and head the Academic Leadership Program, which helps academic leaders develop management and leadership skills and expand their knowledge of University policy; and he will lead projects undertaken by the AVPA office in implementation of the University’s strategic plan.
Dr. Cooke is jointly appointed in the Department of Sociology and Legal Studies and the School of Public Health Sciences. In addition to a strong record in various academic leadership roles, Dr Cooke is a successful teacher and productive researcher. His research focuses on Canadian demography and policy, with an interest in the life course, population change, and social policy—including aspects of family and households, fertility, population aging and migration, and policies like social assistance and pensions.
“I am very much looking forward to contributing to the culture of leadership at Waterloo and helping to meet the challenges we have set for ourselves," says Dr. Cooke. "I am especially excited to work on the further development of the Academic Leadership Program and to support colleagues who are in, or are contemplating, administrative positions. The leadership program should improve our collective ability to make the changes that we have identified in the strategic plan. I am hoping that a renewed ALP will have a strong focus on active mentorship and leadership skills development, in addition to job-specific administrative knowledge. I am excited to start working with colleagues across campus on its development.”
Arts will miss Marty Cooke as a great colleague. He started as Associate Dean, Undergraduate Students in September 2019, and recently spent a year in the role of Associate Dean, Undergraduate Programs. "I have so much that is good to say about working in the AUO (Arts Undergraduate Office) and with the Dean’s office! It has been a tremendous learning experience, and I have especially enjoyed working with the AUO staff who are so dedicated to supporting our students," says Dr. Cooke.