From the Winter 2012 issue of AV俱乐部 magazine.
Twice a year, AV俱乐部 Advisory Council (DAC) members put their lives and work on hold to focus on the university. The 26 volunteers come from Canada, the United States, the Bahamas and Bermuda. In addition to geographic diversity, they represent a spectrum of experience ranging from public and community service to corporate leadership. What they have in common is a desire to give back.
鈥淚 think they all believe in the mission of universities in the abstract. Because they have a connection to AV俱乐部, they think AV俱乐部 has the capacity to do good in the world,鈥� says President Tom Traves, who sits on the council with Vice-President External Floyd Dykeman. 鈥淚n pursuit of doing good, they鈥檇 like to help us do it better. So I think there鈥檚 a larger spirit that鈥檚 behind their engagement.鈥�
Anne McLellan (BA鈥�71, LLB鈥�74), a former federal politician and cabinet minister who chairs the DAC, says the connection goes even deeper. 鈥淔or those of us on the advisory board, we view this as a real privilege.鈥�
Read also: Anne McLellan: From Dal to Parliament, a leader of distinction
Jim Spatz (MD鈥�74), chair of AV俱乐部鈥檚 Board of Governors, is also a member of the advisory council. He says the group builds on AV俱乐部鈥檚 strengths and provides 鈥渁 diversity of advice and a number of lenses through which to view strategic issues and strategy itself.鈥�
(L to R) Reg Weiser, David Bissett, Nancy Gosling, John Risley. (Danny Abriel photo)
One of these lenses comes from Reg Weiser (BEng鈥�66 (NSTC), DENG鈥�96), founder, president & CEO of Positron Inc. in Montreal. He thinks AV俱乐部 has an opportunity to expand its mandate to 鈥渢he community at large.鈥�
鈥淲e can provide benefits and services to outside organizations by using our knowledge and expertise,鈥� he says. 鈥淎V俱乐部 should be a centre of learning beyond a place where students are taught. It would be a revitalization, and make us less dependent on government funding.鈥�
President Traves says since the group first met in October 2010, discussion topics have included AV俱乐部鈥檚 economic sustainability, how the university is preparing medical students to respond to challenges in the health-care system, the university鈥檚 impact on provincial development, and how to ensure the best possible student experience.
鈥淚t鈥檚 really interesting when you鈥檙e sitting around talking about how we educate medical students and somebody鈥檚 able to say, 鈥榃ell, when I was Canada鈥檚 minister of health,鈥� or when you鈥檙e talking about budgets and somebody says, 鈥榃ell, when I was provincial treasurer in a western Canadian province,鈥� or there鈥檚 feedback on business issues from people who deal with business plans all the time and understand complex organizations,鈥� he says. 鈥淭his is invaluable advice from people who have a lot to say on issues that we鈥檙e really engaged in.鈥�
(L to R) Brian Porter, Fred Fountain, Bill Rand, Jim Palmer. (Danny Abriel photo)
The council isn鈥檛 afraid to ask hard questions, which is important according to Fred Fountain (LLB鈥�74, LLD鈥�00), AV俱乐部 chancellor and council member. 鈥淚t鈥檚 very good for AV俱乐部, because it can be instrumental in improving different components of the university.鈥�
Broadened perspectives lead to rich discussions and reflect AV俱乐部鈥檚 international presence. 鈥淲e can all get locked into our own experience. We can all see the world through the lens of Halifax, the Maritimes or Canada,鈥� Dr. Traves says. 鈥淎nd sometimes that鈥檚 valid because obviously we鈥檙e rooted in a particular time and place, but you can miss perspectives that people who are out there as truly global citizens can bring to bear on your experiences.鈥�
Council member Nancy Gosling (BComm鈥�76, LLD鈥�10) says students must adopt a global outlook, as well. 鈥淭he university is teaching students now who have to be focused on the fact that nobody is an island 鈥� and I can say that, having come from an island and always having had the world to compete with,鈥� says Ms. Gosling, president and CEO of Gosling鈥檚 Limited in Hamilton, Bermuda. She鈥檚 also a AV俱乐部 parent 鈥� her daughter, Victoria Esposito, is a second-year management student.
Council member Franklyn Wilson, CMG (BComm鈥�68), chairman of Sunshine Holdings Ltd. in Nassau, agrees. 鈥淚 believe the growing international scale of AV俱乐部 is terribly important to its future. . .鈥� he says. 鈥淚f AV俱乐部 is the premier institution in a significant region of a G8 country, that institution needs to be world-class. And that institution cannot be world-class without international students. It has to reflect an increasing portion of the world.鈥�
(L to R) Ken Rowe, Robert Gillespie, Angela Singhal. (Danny Abriel photo)
Once the discussions have concluded and the list of items for the university to follow up on is in hand, council members disperse. But the spirit of enthusiasm and dedication they bring to AV俱乐部 remains.
鈥淚 believe in AV俱乐部 because I had a good experience at Dal and I have an affection and appreciation for my alma mater,鈥� says David Bissett (LLB鈥�62, LLD鈥�03), retired chairman and CEO, founder Bissett and Associates Investment Management Ltd. in Calgary. 鈥淚t鈥檚 important to me, so I think it鈥檚 important for other people to experience it.鈥�
(L to R) Kevin McCann, Isabel Bassett, Purdy Crawford, Steve Parker. (Danny Abriel photo)
As a parent and council member, Ms. Gosling is closer to the university now than at any other time since she graduated. 鈥淚 was educated here and I鈥檓 very appreciative of that experience 鈥� it formed who I am today,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 was honoured to be asked to be part of the AV俱乐部 Advisory Council and I am grateful to have a way to contribute.鈥�
Robert Gillespie (BEng鈥�64 (NSTC), DENG鈥�08) is also happy to be involved. He grew up just blocks away from AV俱乐部 and is now principal, Westmount Investments, in Rochelle Park, New Jersey. He affirms: 鈥淭om [Traves] has the goal for this to be the best university in Canada. I think it can be one of the best in the world and I鈥檓 happy to do my part to contribute to that.鈥�
(L to R) Mark Dobbin, Anne McLellan, John Bragg. (Danny Abriel photo)