WINNIPEG, MB – The University of Winnipeg today named John Corlett its new VP-Academic. Corlett, who comes to UWinnipeg from Brock University, replaces Brian Stevenson in the role. Corlett will begin his new position with the University September 1, 2010.
Corlett is presently the Dean of the Faculty of Applied Health Sciences at Brock University. He is in his second term as Dean and is also Professor of Physical Education and Kinesiology, where he is also cross-appointed to Brock’s Department of Sport Management.
“John shares a strong vision and support for the unique role and opportunity that The University of Winnipeg has being an urban campus,” said UWinnipeg President & Vice-Chancellor Dr. Lloyd Axworthy. “He brings significant community-based involvement to this role as well, serving the YMCA for many years, and he is presently the incoming Board Chair of the 6th largest YMCA in Canada. He is excited about the opportunity to join our campus, and to making a strong contribution to our University and the city of Winnipeg.”
Brief Biography
Corlett is a graduate of Brock’s biological sciences program (1973) and a four-year member of the Badgers men’s basketball team during his student days. He completed his master’s (1977) and doctorate (1980) at Simon Fraser University.
Before coming to Brock in 2002, he held academic appointments at the British Columbia Institute of Technology (1980-82), the University of Botswana (1982-86) and the University of Windsor (1986-2002). At the University of Windsor, in addition to his faculty appointment in Human Kinetics, he held senior administrative appointments as Associate Executive Dean of the College of Arts and Human Sciences and as Registrar and Dean of Student and Academic Services.
He has maintained an active research agenda during his academic and administrative career, and has published more than 50 peer-reviewed journal articles in areas as diverse as exercise physiology, movement control, sport psychology, sport philosophy, sport management and international educational development. His current interests explore the philosophical underpinnings of health and education professions and the role of physical education in the prevention of violence in Latin America, where he has worked regularly since 2005 with colleagues at Brock and in El Salvador. He has played an important role in growing successful undergraduate and graduate programs in his academic administration roles as well.
Corlett has also remained an active teacher, and he has indicated he wishes to continue teaching even in his tenure as Vice-President Academic. He also coached basketball for more than 20 years at the high-school, club, and post-secondary levels and worked as a sport psychologist for a decade. He possesses a strong belief in the positive impact that sport and physical education can have in the lives of children and youth among diverse ethnic, racial and gendered populations, which he has also included in his more recent research.
He has broad academic and administrative leadership experience gained during his 14 years in senior administration at two different institutions. He possesses significant faculty and staff leadership and management experience, and has a demonstrated record of collaboration and in team building. Besides his decanal administrative responsibilities he has undertaken other important initiatives including serving as a member of the Brock administration’s collective bargaining team for with their part-time teachers, and having most recently served as the University’s chief negotiator in collective bargaining with their Faculty Association. He has strong fundraising experience, having been active in Brock’s successful $111-million Niagara Health and Biosciences Research Centre project. He also has substantial knowledge and experience in the area of student services, having served as Dean of Students at Windsor for a number of years.
He has demonstrated his ability to navigate in a multiple collective agreement environment; to balance the needs of the University with the specific needs of a particular Faculty; to make strong contributions to both internal governance and administration and to effectively represent the University externally with its many constituencies; to working closely with administrative units including Human Resources, Finance and others, and above all to serve as an academic leader with the responsibility for effectively managing staff and for fostering a teaching, research and service environment to a highly diverse Faculty.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Diane Poulin, Marketing & Communications, University of Winnipeg
P: 204.988.7135
d.poulin@uwinnipeg.ca
