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Out of the Dark Ages into the Light – The Triple Bottom Line Work Environment

The Administrative Offices at the Examination Centre building is a perfect illustration of how a single project can address the triple bottom line of sustainability namely: the environment, the social (or human factor) and economic factors. What started out as a forced move for several administrative departments turned out to be a phenomenal opportunity to … Continue reading "Out of the Dark Ages into the Light – The Triple Bottom Line Work Environment"

January 12, 2017

Changing the Course of Student Residences

Historically Vancouver Island University was a community college which served a local catchment area on Vancouver Island.  In 2008 an amendment to the University Act of BC designated VIU as a university.  This change began to have two effects on the campus.  Firstly, it drastically enlarged the catchment area of the institution and created demand … Continue reading "Changing the Course of Student Residences"

January 9, 2017

Fostering a dynamic ecosystem for experiential learning at McGill’s Macdonald Campus

The Office of Student Academic Services (OSAS) was created in 2011 to foster a dynamic, student-centered ecosystem for experiential learning at the Macdonald Campus of McGill University. OSAS was fused by the acceleration and successful collision of four co-dependent mandates in the Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences to achieve: i) outstanding academic advising in … Continue reading "Fostering a dynamic ecosystem for experiential learning at McGill’s Macdonald Campus"

January 9, 2017

Improving finance service delivery through restructuring to a team-based approach in the Faculty of Medicine, UBC

Previously, the Faculty of Medicine decentralized primary responsibility for finance to units. Each unit had its own administrative staff responsible for budgeting and financial management, who reported directly to the academic head. This structure provided units with control and accountability, but lacked segregation of duties or consistency, and did not give departments access to a … Continue reading "Improving finance service delivery through restructuring to a team-based approach in the Faculty of Medicine, UBC"

June 13, 2016

Envision – Funding Sustainability: How energy management savings fund sustainable initiatives

In 1975 fuelled by rising energy prices and oil shortages the University of Alberta developed a highly successful energy management program. Building on its success, in 2009 the university recognized the potential to reimagine and broaden the impact this program and in 2011 the university launched the expanded next generation – Envision: Intelligent Energy Reduction. … Continue reading "Envision – Funding Sustainability: How energy management savings fund sustainable initiatives"

June 13, 2016

Canada’s Universities: Cost Pressures, Business Models and Financial Sustainability – June 2015 Presentation

Canada’s Universities: Cost Pressures, Business Models and Financial Sustainability - June 2015 Presentation

Tags: Financial Management, Reports, Sustainability

June 29, 2015

Canada’s Universities: Cost Pressures, Business Models and Financial Sustainability – Report

Canada’s Universities: Cost Pressures, Business Models and Financial Sustainability - Report

Tags: Financial Management, Reports, Sustainability

June 9, 2015

Establishing Enterprise Project Governance at Queen’s through a Project Portfolio Office

The success of Queen’s five year $30+ Million PeopleSoft project depended on inclusive project governance, agreement on the scope and priorities, and advanced project management. After the project, there were dozens of enterprise-level projects still to be done, but with no governance processes for prioritizing, sequencing or funding them. Most were business initiatives with a … Continue reading "Establishing Enterprise Project Governance at Queen’s through a Project Portfolio Office"

April 16, 2015

Creation of PRODIGE, a project management software

Faced with the necessity to innovate and acquire a computerized project management system, a project team of nine employees from the various divisions of the UdeM’s Campus Property Management began analyzing construction project management activities in January 2012. The scope of the project extended well beyond a mere review process. Over the course of the … Continue reading "Creation of PRODIGE, a project management software"

April 16, 2015

Rez Powers Down: An Energy Conservation Program

Rez Powers Down is an energy conservation challenge that takes place within Western’s student residences. Student residences compete against each other to see who can reduce the most energy consumption over a two-week period.   The Rez Powers Down challenge is organized over a two-week period, from late September into early October. Leading up to … Continue reading "Rez Powers Down: An Energy Conservation Program"

April 16, 2015