New KPU regalia reflects new chancellor’s Indigenous roots Sam Stringer is a graduate of the Wilson School of Design at Kwantlen Polytechnic University. She was also a staff member at the school. But her longstanding relationship with KPU doesn’t end there. Stringer is now the designer of the new regalia for KPU’s president and incoming chancellor. “I feel so honoured that they thought of me for this project. I get to do something for my family and I love getting to work with Kwantlen again.” Stringer quickly embraced the opportunity to create new regalia for Chancellor Kim Baird, who will be installed as KPU’s third chancellor on Oct. 19. The president’s regalia was also re-designed and complements that of the chancellor. “We wanted to make the regalia look a bit more modern. We have a new chancellor so the new regalia has a bit of Kim’s heritage, a little bit of the Tsawwassen First Nation, Coast Salish design aspect. That was the inspiration behind everything,” says Stringer. She did a lot of research into the design elements. She was also introduced to a cedar weaver at the Tsawwassen First Nation who added traditional cedar weaving to the sleeves of the new robes. “The creation of this regalia is an important recognition of the traditional territory KPU campuses rest on. Sam Stringer has been very thoughtful in ensuring her design upholds important values to KPU but also respects my heritage as a Tsawwassen and Coast Salish woman,” says Baird. “I couldn't be more thrilled about how she has integrated these values and worked with Tsawwassen artists and incorporated these important details into the design of the robes. I will wear this new regalia with pride.” Stringer says from a functionality side of things, she wanted to make the robes comfortable. She went with a lighter fabric, did away with the giant bell-shaped sleeves and lapels and shortened it. She used a hand-dying technique to dye the hoods in KPU colours. She then used a laser cutter to get the unique angles on the robes. Stringer says Coast Salish design works with a lot more negative than positive space, as their art is related to sculpting and carving, she incorporated a lot of negative space on the regalia. “Every shape in there is quite intentional. Even all the angles on the gown are done at a 53-degree angle which is KPU branding. It was pretty specific.” “Sam has done an incredible job incorporating Kim’s heritage into the design of the new regalia as well as making it modern and comfortable. Being a part of the KPU family, Sam really poured a lot of heart into the robe designs. We’ll be proud wearing the robes during the upcoming virtual convocation and then in person at future convocations,” says Dr. Alan Davis, president and vice-chancellor KPU. To top it all off, internationally renowned designer and traditional Haida artist Dorothy Grant has created a hat to complement the regalia. The new regalia will be unveiled at the virtual convocation ceremony on October 20. Learn more about the upcoming convocation here. Kim Baird’s Installation Ceremony will be live here on October 19 at 11 a.m. i Table of Contents President and Vice Chancellor Report. 2 Associate Vice President, Human Resources . 3 Office of the Vice President, Finance & Administration . 5 Office of the Provost & Vice President, Academic . 10 Office of the Vice President, Students . 46 Office of the Vice President, External Affairs . .. 52 Office of Associate Vice President, Planning and Accountability . 71 from the KPU Career Development Centre Facebook page ii KPU researchers receive NSERC award for biopesticides A partnership between Kwantlen Polytechnic University researchers and an industry partner has won an innovation award for its work to create natural pesticides to support sustainable food production. Dr. Deborah Henderson and Michelle Franklin from KPU’s Institute for Sustainable Horticulture partnered Sylvar Technologies to create baculovirus biopesticides, which are non-toxic, safe and natural products. Now the project has received the Synergy Award for Innovation from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Council of Canada. The $100,000 award will help the institute with new equipment, stronger partnerships and recognition. “Our mantra at the institute is ‘putting more biological products in the hands of growers and landscape managers’,” says Dr. Henderson, director of the Institute for Sustainable Horticulture. “When you have those biological tools available, then Sylvar Technologies and the Institute for Sustainable Horticulture you can start to figure out how to use them. But if you don’t have have commercialized Loopex FC, a biopesticide that targets larvae on them available, and all you have is chemicals, then all you’re going to cabbage and alfalfa crops, and they are hoping to develop or produce use is chemicals.” a larger portfolio of biopesticides for commercial use. These products will be a sustainable replacement for the chemical “New products will diversify our company and allow it to expand into pesticides currently used in agriculture. Dr. Henderson says the new new markets in Canada,” says Laura Forbes, international business biopesticides protect the environment, human health and animal and regulatory affairs manager at Sylvar Technologies. health. “Currently we see high demand for effective biocontrol and bio- “If you’ve ever eaten coleslaw, you’ve eaten millions of baculoviruses. stimulant products in the agriculture and landscape sectors and we They’re in your diet, they’re in your environment, and they’re not anticipate highly positive benefits from this project for our company, harmful,” adds Dr. Henderson. “People have resistance against for sustainable agriculture in Canada, and for the environment.” chemicals. There are objections to using chemicals, there are concerns about the environment, and those concerns aren’t going Founded in 2005, the Institute for Sustainable Horticulture is away.” dedicated to developing biological products for commercial use. Earlier work to create a fungi-based pesticide received almost $200,000 in funding from the Government of Canada. 1 President and Vice Chancellor Report th The EDI Steering Committee continues its important work, as On October 27 , the KPU Indigenous Advisory Committee met does the President’s Diversity and Equity Committee and the and was very engaged in the emerging Indigenous Strategy Task Force on Antiracism. The Environmental Sustainability which is in development. Committee has been holding special meetings to consider a Universities Canada held its regular members meeting on sustainability framework for KPU. The results will be integrated October 27th and 28th and I was able to join in most of the within the Campus Plan for 2050 and will be widely circulated. broadcasts. On November 2nd I was part of a small group of KPU’s COVID response and recovery planning, and co- Polytechnics Canada presidents who met with James ordination is now led by Pablo Dobud, Manager of Occupa- Cumming, the shadow Minister of Innovation, Science and tional Health and Safety. Dr. David Florkowski continues to technology, one of a number of Zoom calls with senior federal give valuable advice to Deans and Faculties on course safety government and opposition leaders that formed this year’s plans for any instructional activities on campus. annual discussions. nd In addition to the regular internal meetings and many COVID- On November 2 I was pleased to join some very notable 19-related tasks (including weekly videos to the KPU educators and researchers at the first President’s Advisory community), I was pleased to be able to participate in a Council at the University of Illinois, which is embarking on a number of special and external events. bold new initiative in central Chicago to blend high technology research with open and accessible pathways to education. Along with others at KPU, I was able to join several sessions of th the virtual National Dialogues and Action for Inclusive Higher November 4 saw the very successful town hall with the Prime Education and Communities, hosted by the University of Minster, the Right Honorable Justin Trudeau. Randomly Toronto on October 1st and 2nd. The presentations and selected students, staff and faculty posted unedited questions deliberations are now available for viewing.. to the PM, and everyone at KPU shone, as did the PM, despite some technical issues on his end. th On October 8 I joined a very good webinar entitled “How to th Separate Truth from Hype: Understanding What Technology On November 5 I joined the steering committee of the Can and Cannot Do to Transform Education and Training” Workforce Reset project of the Surrey Board of Trade, to review featuring Dr. Justin Reich, Director of the MIT Teaching their online Playbook for Workforce and Employer Resilience: Systems Lab. This presentation can be found at https:// an important asset to the many businesses in our region who teachonline.ca/webinars. are struggling during the pandemic. I am a member of the BCNet Governance and Human Re- Polytechnics Canada is hosting a number of meetings with key th federal ministers, shadow ministers and bureaucrats, and I was sources Committee which met on November 9 , and the KPU Foundation board held its quarterly meeting on November able to join valuable meetings with Graham Flack, Deputy th Minister of Employment and Social Development Canada; 10 , with a presentation on the “giving Tuesday” campaign. Simon Kennedy, Deputy Minister for Innovation, Science and The Post-Secondary Employers Association has been holding Economic Development; the Honorable Catherine McKenna, regional meetings, and ours was on November 13th, via Zoom Minster of Infrastructure and Communities, and Pat Kelly, of course. I was pleased to introduce the keynote speaker, shadow minister for Small Business & Western Economic comedian and author Judy Coon, who talked about the role of Development.