FASS Blog – Final Words From an Interim Dean (Dr. Catherine Khordoc)

I am writing this last blog of 2015-16, on a beautiful, sunny afternoon, contemplating the last 4 days that I have left in my term as Interim Dean. My thoughts are focused on the transition that has already begun, passing on to Dr. Wallace Clement, our incoming Dean, information regarding files, decisions, initiatives, and issues that will overlap into his term, so that he can step into his new role without too much uncertainty. Of course, for Wally, things are probably not too uncertain in many respects, given that he was Interim Dean of the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Affairs, only just a few years ago.
I am truly delighted that I am passing the torch onto Wally. His knowledge, wisdom, good humour, acute sense of numbers and data, and unflagging commitment to Carleton and FASS, make him the ideal candidate for this job. And it is comforting to know that even if I neglect to inform him about some FASS issue before I step down, he will be able to pick up the threads where I’ve left off. In these past few weeks, as I consult with Wally on decisions that will affect the coming years, it has been reassuring to know that Wally and I seem to be on the same page in many regards, and I am confident that the faculty is in very good hands indeed.
It is also inevitable that at this time, I should look back on the year. It seems to have flown by at warp speed, and I can still remember moving into my new office last July, promising myself that I would keep my desk free of clutter, organizing documents into file folders without delay, and swiftly recycling what was no longer needed. That resolution didn’t last very long, and anyone who has been in my office over the past year can attest to the layers of papers and folders that completely cover my desk (though not for much longer, as I promised Wally a clean and clear desk). At the same time, while the year has gone by fast, in other ways, I do remember some of the especially busy and long weeks, with meetings scheduled back to back, day after day, along with evening events, email flooding in, remaining unanswered for several days if not longer, follow-ups and reports incomplete even after receiving several reminders, and meetings prepared just in the nick of time.
I will look back on this year with fondness. I’ve gotten to know some truly wonderful people, both within FASS, and more widely across the university, including the supportive and congenial group of Deans, as well as other individuals from the community, connected to Carleton in various ways, as members of the Board, community partners, employers of co-op or practicum students, alumni, donors, etc. While I sometimes missed my life as a faculty member, it was rewarding to get a glimpse of the university from this broader perspective, to see how all the different moving parts actually move in harmony, ensuring, for example, that students apply for admission, register in their courses, seek advice, apply to graduate, and eventually, graduate.
I could not have gotten through this year without the support of the FASS Associate Deans, the amazing administrative staff in ODFASS, as well as that of many others across the university. I’d also like to recognize the friends who understood why I couldn’t join them for lunch or coffee or a run, but who continued to check in regularly just to make sure that I was doing okay. And I must also thank Gordon and Leo, for they bore the brunt of this year’s workload, which took away time I would normally spend with them.
Finally, as I think about the days that are left for me as interim Dean, I am also gleefully anticipating my upcoming sabbatical! I am itching to get back to my research, to start reading and writing again, to think about literature and story-telling, and to make up some of that time with G & L.
I’d like to wish Wally all the very best as he carries the torch for FASS for the next two years. It has been an honour and a privilege to serve as Interim Dean for this past year, and I thank you for your patience, kindness, and trust.