To: The Dalhousie University community

From: Carolyn Watters, Provost and Vice-President Academic

Date: September 23, 2014

Re: Åsa Kachan to become new CEO of Halifax Public Libraries

It is with great pride and a hint of sadness that I share the news that Åsa Kachan, Dalhousie’s Assistant Vice-President of Enrolment & Registrar, will be leaving the university to become the new Chief Executive Officer of Halifax Public Libraries.

It is wonderful to see one of our university’s most able and accomplished leaders taking the reins of such an important and vital public institution in our community. I have no doubt Åsa will bring the same vision and leadership she’s shown in her 10 years at Dalhousie to the Libraries at a key moment in their history, with the new Halifax Central Library set to open this fall. It is my hope this will present some exciting new opportunities for Dal to collaborate with Åsa, and the Libraries, in the future.

The work of Åsa’s team in the Registrar’s Office (over 120 staff in four service locations) spans the entire Dalhousie experience, from the first time students think about coming to Dal to their walk across the stage at Convocation to receive their degree. By listening to our students and being attuned to their needs, Åsa has led a number of critical transformations including revamping our entrance scholarship program to offer more renewable bursaries and consider broader criteria like leadership and community service, as well as improving front-end customer service in the Registrar’s Office. Chief among her accomplishments is the growth in the university’s student population: Dalhousie is more than 4,000 students stronger than when Åsa started, but also more national and international than ever before. It’s fair to say that without this expanding and broadening of our student enrolment, achieved through a reshaped recruitment operation, many of Dal’s achievements of the past decade would not have been possible.

Åsa would be the first to note her accomplishments were team efforts, enabled and supported not only by her own staff but by partners in Faculties, departments and service units all across campus. There is no doubt, though, that her inspired leadership and passion for our students’ success will be greatly missed. Thankfully, she leaves behind a very talented team, with Mairead Barry, Deputy Registrar & Executive Director of Enrolment Services, set to serve as Acting AVP Enrolment Management & Registrar effective November 1 until the search for Åsa’s successor has been concluded.

Please join me in congratulating Åsa on her exciting news and wishing her well at Halifax Public Libraries.

Carolyn Watters
Provost and Vice-President Academic