A Healthy and Inspiring Workplace
Creating a Healthy and Sustainable Faculty
Key Actions 2023-24
Our faculty is dedicated to a work environment that promotes health, engagement, and inspiration. This year, we focused on mental health support, professional development, and building a strong sense of community to ensure every team member feels valued and supported.”
Annual Growth
2024 MHWBC launches first survey
2023 Mental Health & Well Being Committee (MHWBC) formed
2023 Faculty supports Recovery on Campus initiative
2022 Queer and Trans Committee created
2022 Healthy and Inspiring Workplace identified as a faculty priority
2022 Strategic planning process engages all faculty and staff
Mental Health and Well-being Committee Created to Fill the Gaps
In 2023, several faculty members took the initiative to respond to student and staff concerns regarding gaps in mental health services leading the development of the Mental Health and Well-being Committee. In its first year, the committee has brought awareness that mental illness — including addiction — is a protected disability that requires protection, while promoting activities that lead towards greater health, wellness and recovery.
The committee, which is affiliated with the faculty’s Equity Action Committee, conducted a survey and used the information to create terms of reference and its strategic plan. Early highlights from last year included hosting an Ethiopian Coffee Ceremony during Black History Month in collaboration with UCalgary Recovery Community.
Long service celebrated
We celebrated and acknowledged the long service (>15 years) of several key members of our faculty and staff during our annual retreat. l-r Dr. Ellen Perrault, Dean, Dr. Janki Shankar, Professor, Dr. Jessica Ayala, Senior Associate Dean, Ann Chen, Student Advisor, Lorraine Letkemann, Director, Field Education, Sue Labine, Front Office Coordinator Dr. David Nicholas, Ass. Dean of Research and Partnerships,
Nada Hassanin
Julie Drolet wins Emerald Award
(l-r, Bonnie Lewin, Julie Drolet) Dr. Julie Drolet, TFEL Project Director, received. Dr. Drolet was awarded a prestigious Emerald Award (Public Engagement & Outreach) category for her significant contributions to climate advocacy. Emerald Awards celebrate Alberta’s visionary leaders, promoting environmental leadership and inspiring future generations in the province.
Telling our Story
- 4.8 million online views
- 70,000 new website visitors
- 32,000 link clicks
- 200+ stories and social media posts
It’s always inspiring to see our stories shared far and wide and our faculty communications team continues to do that by amplifying our successes and innovation through multiple channels. We had an astonishing year of spreading our message this year as our communications department told our stories and promoted our programs online.
2023-24 Highlights
Our field education team were among UCalgary educators awarded in the 2023 Teaching Awards. Angelique Jenney & Chantal Large were also recognized.
21 Awards Received
2023-24 was another amazing year for our faculty, as multiple award-winners — including faculty, staff and students — brought recognition to themselves and the faculty in nearly every part of our operations. Once again, our faculty was well represented in teaching and learning awards — including our dynamic field team — for excellence in research including both our faculty members and some of our amazing students, and in many of our strategic priority areas.
Janeen and Gary Nissen long-term supporters of the Faculty of Social Work and Kiipitakyoyis, the Indigenous Lodge within the faculty.
Don McSwiney
$1.7 Million in Philanthropic Investment
We do important and impactful work, and, as a faculty, it is always so inspiring when others come on board to help us make a difference in society. 2023-24 marked an amazing year of investment in our faculty as individuals, foundations and organizations provided gifts that allowed us to advance our strategic priorities in many areas.
93 % Faculty and Staff Retention Rate
A good barometer of a healthy workplace is how many people choose to stay in their roles year after year. Our faculty has an amazing retention rate of just over 93 per cent (including multiple retirements), which speaks volumes about our evolving culture and shared excitement around the dynamic direction of our faculty.
Faculty Retreat on the Tsuut’ina Nation
Our faculty continued our tradition of dynamic faculty retreats this year as we blended faculty business with a chance to connect, learn and get back to the land. Our retreat this year was held on the Tsuut’ina Nation where faculty and staff learned from Elders and community members more of the history and legacies of colonialism. The day included cultural teachings and performances, a traditional Indigenous lunch and lessons about tipis, including how people traditionally lived in them, the meanings of symbols commonly painted on their exteriors and how they are erected. A highlight for many was the chance to go for a walk with an Elder who shared Indigenous wisdom with faculty and staff about how many common Alberta plants have been used over the centuries to relieve pain, heal common ailments and even regrow hair.
New Faces
As our faculty grows we continue to add new faces who are already making a difference in advancing our strategic plan. This year we added six new academics - the most in decades - who bring substantial research, leadership and teaching strengths.
New Academic Staff
Lateef Habib, MSW
Associate Professor
Terry Poucette, PhD
Associate Professor, Teaching (Director Kiipitakyoyis)
Carly-Ann Haney, MSW
Assistant Professor, Teaching
Patricia Smith, MSW
Assistant Professor, Teaching
Linda Nguyen, PhD
Assistant Professor, Research
Rosslyn Zulla, PhD
Assistant Professor, Research
New Staff Members
Daljit Kaur, Field Education Administrative Coordinator
Winnie Doyle-Marshall. Associate Director Development
Chantal Hisey, Dean's Executive Assistant
Aylin Arzola Salazar, Manager, Community Strategies
Congratulations: Academic Career Promotions
Gina Dimitropoulos, Professor, Research
Patrina Duhaney, Tenure and Associate Professor, Research
Ralph Bodor, Emeritus Associate Professor, Research
Julie Mann-Johnson, Tenure and Associate Professor, Teaching
Linda Fehr, Emerita Associate Professor, Teaching
Jeannette Waegemakers Schiff, Emerita Professor, Research
Good-bye to: Retirements
Mishka Lysack, Professor, Research
Avernelle Brown, Dean's Executive Assistant